Emancipating Andie

Chase licked his lips and glanced at Colin before he said, “It’s a long story.”

“Mm-hm,” she said, turning toward the other officer and motioning with her head.

“At this point there really isn’t anything we can do for you guys,” he said. “There doesn’t seem to be anything suspicious going on. People lose their keys all the time.” He glanced up as he closed the pad. “Give us a call if she doesn’t turn up within twenty-four hours.”

Chase shook his head in disbelief. “So I’m just supposed to sit here?”

“Can I ask what your relation is to the girl in question?” the middle-aged woman asked.

He glanced back at Colin before he said, “I’m her boyfriend.”

The woman nodded before she said, “And you?”

Colin stared at her for a moment before he said coolly, “I’m her ex.”

The corner of the woman’s mouth twisted up before she looked back at her partner. “And if you still want to report her missing in twenty-four hours, I would suggest you call someone who is of blood-relation to her and have them file the report.”

Chase looked back and forth between them in shock, and the young guy said, “Unless you’re married, live together, or have a child together, we can’t accept the report from you. Besides,” he said, smirking at his partner, “this whole thing seems a bit off to me. Like maybe a couple of ex-boyfriends are trying to find a girl that doesn’t want to be found.”

Chase opened his mouth to protest, but the woman held her hand up. “Have her family give us a call if she doesn’t turn up. Have a good night gentlemen,” she said, and the two officers turned and walked out the door, closing it firmly behind them.

Chase stood there staring at the door with panic and helplessness battling for control in his chest. After a stu

“Where are you going?” he heard Colin ask.

“I’m go

He whirled around in the doorway, watching as Colin answered the phone.

“Yeah,” he said. “What’s going on?” Colin glanced up before he said, “She’s there?”

“Jesus,” Chase breathed, collapsing against the doorframe and closing his eyes.

“Why? What’s wrong?”

Chase whipped his head up. “What happened?”

Colin held his hand up before he said, “Alright, I’ll be there in ten minutes.” He ended the call before he said. “That was Tyler. He stopped by Ripley’s to pay his tab from this weekend. She’s there. He said I needed to get down there.”

Chase turned before Colin had finished his sentence, ru

He pulled into an empty space at the end of the street that wasn’t meant for parking before he jumped out and walked swiftly down the sidewalk toward the bar.

As soon as he opened the door, relief flooded through him like cool water through his overheated veins.

She sat with her elbow on the bar, her chin resting heavily in her palm, and Chase was pretty sure her hand was the only thing keeping her head up at that moment. Her eyes were glazed and unfocused as her free hand sloppily played with the mess on the bar in front of her.

The pile of discarded lemon rinds.

Under any other circumstances, he would have smiled over her falling victim to his Lemon Drops once again, but the expression on her face was ripping his heart out. She had that little crease between her brow, and all he wanted to do was scoop her up in his arms and kiss her there until it smoothed away.

“Are you go

Chase hadn’t even heard Colin come up behind him. He glanced back at him before he looked at Andie again, her eyes falling closed for a beat too long before she opened them lethargically.

“Yeah. I’ll handle this,” he said, taking a step toward her. He felt a hand come down on his arm as Colin gripped him forcefully, spi

“No,” he said firmly, his eyes intense as they locked with Chase’s. He took a tiny breath before he said again, “Are you go

Only this time, his meaning was clear.

Chase felt the tension drop from his shoulders, and for the first time in a long time, he was able to look his friend square in the eye before speaking to him.

“Yes.”

Colin stared at him for a moment, the muscle of his jaw flexing as his grip on Chase’s arm loosened. With one firm nod, he released him fully before he turned and walked out the door, pulling it closed behind him.

Chase stood there for a moment, staring at the dark wood and the brass handle without really seeing. He heard the sound of Colin’s car door slamming followed by the sound of his car accelerating as he took off down the street, and Chase closed his eyes and lowered his head, taking a deep breath before he turned back toward Andie. She was licking the sugar granules off an old lemon rind as she stared blankly into space.

Chase walked toward the end of the bar, and as he approached her, her eyes slid over him and then away without the slightest sign of recognition. He took a steadying breath, thinking maybe he would be lucky and she’d be too drunk to remember she was mad at him.

But when he stopped in front of her, she shook her head. “Go away, Chase.”

“No.”

Her eyes flashed to his. “Fine,” she said, picking up one of the empty shot glasses as she tilted her head all the way back, trying to drain the remnants of a shot she’d already taken. After a few unsuccessful seconds, she slammed the glass back on the bar. “Then I’ll go.”

She turned away from him, grabbing her purse as she called out to the bartender. “Excuse me, Billy? Barney?”

Chase stifled a smile. “His name is Bailey.”

“Barney?” she called again. “Can I get one more of these?” she asked, waving an empty shot glass in the air as she tried to gather her purse with her free hand.

Chase turned toward Bailey, shaking his head imperceptibly as he moved his fingertips back and forth over his throat, and Bailey nodded once before he said, “Sorry sweetheart. We already had last call.”

“Fair enough,” she said before she turned and fumbled with the straps of her purse, trying to gather her things.

“You know what you don’t know about me, Chase?” she asked suddenly before she yanked the purse off the stool and looked up at him. “I love Lemon Drops.” She shrugged flippantly as she added, “I do. I am a liquor kind of girl.”

This time he couldn’t fight his smile. “I can see that.”

“And you wa

She pushed past him as he said, “I can see that, too.”

Chase watched her attempt to storm out of the bar, stopping every few seconds to grip the back of a bar stool before she continued. He reached in his back pocket and grabbed his wallet, throwing some money on the bar and saluting Bailey before he followed her out the door.

After a few steps Andie stopped abruptly as she whipped around to face him, and he halted.

“And here’s something else you don’t know about me,” she said, only this time her eyes were glassy with unshed tears. “I am not a terrible person.”

Chase exhaled, his expression turning serious. “I know that.”

“No, you don’t, and you suck because you don’t!” she said, taking a quick step toward him and poking him in the chest hard enough to send him back a step. “You said we were a match because we’re both terrible, and I’m not terrible!”