Free Give Me Yesterday by K Webster Page B

city planner was paid off by a notorious gangster to design it this way, making it easier to slip away from the police. Unfortunately, it also means more accidents and I find myself breathing a little harder from anxiety. Thank you, Al Capone. Chase practically crawls through each light until he gets onto the freeway for a short distance before exiting into a residential area.
    Eventually, he stops and parallel parks on the street in front of a charming, greystone townhouse. He shuts the Challenger off, gets out, and rounds the car to my side, opening the door and offering me a hand to help me out.
    Staring up at the house, I ask, “This is yours?”
    I can’t keep out the touch of awe in my voice. I definitely didn’t picture him having a place like this.
    “Yep. Bought it, gutted it, and am restoring it.” He eyes me, “Why? What were you expecting?”
    I chuckle quietly, my cheeks heating once again. What is with that? “I guess I figured you’d have a flat in some trendy neighborhood by the university.”
    Chase laughs and the sound reverberates through my body, putting my hormones on high alert. I bite back a groan of frustration.
    “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Tori. And a lot I don’t know about you, but my goal is to correct that sad state of affairs.”
    He leads me to a tall wrought iron fence which surrounds the tiny front yard. The gate is particularly tall, with an arch at the top, an old-fashioned gas lamp hanging in the center. Once he’s unlocked it, we step through and I get the full view. On the right side are steps leading up to a small covered porch, the stone arching over the entrance, and a gorgeous, mahogany door, with a stained glass center, set back inside. The house rises to a second level where a tall, rectangular window breaks the pattern of the greystone. The left side of the house expands outward with a bay window, the design stretching from top to bottom. Each section contains their own set of three windows, each with the stone arching at the top. There is also a rather large window near the ground, indicating a high basement. It’s amazing.
    Chase takes my hand, and we walk up the steps, where he unlocks the door and I find myself once again stunned speechless by the beauty. The natural woodwork is everywhere, the floors, the molding, and throughout the entirety of the staircase which takes up the right wall. It’s shiny and looks new, but it is also obvious that it’s the original, lovingly restored. To the left of the staircase, is a long hall with a lot of doors and I absolutely have to know what’s inside them all.
    Chase squeezes the hand I now realize he hasn’t let go of. His smile is proud and amused at my enthusiasm. “Want a tour?”
    “Yes!” I blurt out in excitement.
    He chuckles again and begins walking me around from room to room. The main floor is complete, a front room which was once a parlor, now a warm space intended to welcome its visitors. A full dining room, with a massive wall unit built around a large fireplace, a half bath, an office, and…oh my. The kitchen of my dreams is at the back of the house, rusty cream cabinets, white appliances, sand colored granite counter tops. Somehow it all looks vintage. All of this taking up the majority of the three back walls, with a center island. However, it’s the large window over the sink—which overlooks the big, fenced back yard, and a beautifully carved back door, painted to match the cabinets—which sells me on the room.
    The yard is perfect and someday, Chase’s kids will play out there, frolicking and having fun, and with no gate in the fence, he and his wife won’t have to worry. A cloud settles over me and I spin around, dropping Chase’s hand, and march out of the kitchen.
    “Where to?” I ask in a brisk tone.
    He’s looking at me with an unreadable expression, but he doesn’t verbalize his thoughts. He lifts his chin toward the stairs and we visit four bedrooms and two baths,