She Laughs in Pink (Sheridan Hall #1) (31 page)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Juliet

I spend the rest of winter break in New York with Chase and Rob. While Rob is busy with the gallery, I help Chase set up Gloria’s room.

When we show the room to Rob, he doesn’t understand. “Amazing. You guys did a great job. Is Juliet moving in?”

“It’s for you.” Chase fidgets, rubbing his hands through his hair.

“Me?”

“I was h-hoping you’d stay.” I barely catch the stutter in his voice. Rob stares at Chase, and Chase starts to blabber, “I mean, if you want. I’m kind of used to having you around. Obviously, I can’t take care of myself. I need a responsible grown-up, an old guy.”

Rob scoffs. “Old?”

“I’ll be back at Sheridan most of the time, and you’re here running the gallery, and I don’t know. I know you have a life of some sort in Cali, but I’d kind of like it if you’d stick around.”

Rob doesn’t answer. Instead, he embraces Chase. “I’d love to stay. Thank you, for the room and the invitation.”

Rob loved Chase’s mother, and now he loves Chase. It’s not exactly the Rileys, but it’s a family and it includes me.

Chase starts to fidget again and needs saving, so I ask Rob, “Do you like it? Chase picked the color.”

“Juliet did most of the work,” Chase adds.

“I love it. I love both of you.” Rob waves me over and the three of us group hug.

Chase pulls away first, ending our love fest. “Okay, that’s enough.” He kisses me on the nose, and I know he’s happy.

***

On New Year’s Eve, Chase and I dress up for a pre-dorm opening party hosted by room two in Sheridan Hall. Turns out, Rodrigo is President Hernandez’s nephew. He convinced his uncle that the basement crew needed a bonding night before the hoopla of the re-opening and the press we’re sure will come along with it. Chase admits Rod was also responsible for his access to paint the mural.

As the clock ticks toward midnight and Chase drives us to campus, he taps the steering wheel and asks me a million times if I think anyone will be upset by the mural. Later, when the others trickle in for the party, they marvel at his work, finding new details with each look. Eventually, he calms down.

Maggie gazes up at the painting of Frank. “I had no idea you were so talented, Chase.”

“This is incredible!” Poppy chuckles at Chase’s portrayal of her and Darcy.

“Oh, Chase,” Megan gasps as she paces the hallway. “It’s amazing.”

Chase was most worried about Rocco, but Rocco doesn’t react either way. He’s silent as he views the hallway. “I’m sorry,” he tells Chase. “I love it, I do. It’s just hard.”

Chase nods, and I reach for Rocco’s hand. It’s the most he’s said about that day.

When Ben shows up, I practically tackle him. I miss him, even though the ties that bind us have changed and expanded a bit. Chase doesn’t seem to mind that I still have feelings— strong, platonic feelings—for Ben. “You could love us both,” Chase had said, “as long as I’m the one you’re
in
love with.”

“You are,” I assure him. “We’re going to get married someday. Remember?” I take a mental snapshot of the goofy grin my words put on his face.

Eventually, the party moves to the lounge, but Pooja, Rocco, Ben, and I end up in room one. Ben puts his arm around me, while Pooja and Rocco hold each other.

“How do we do this?” Pooja asks. “Can we do this?”

I look to Ben. “We need to make new memories.” When I find myself thinking about the night of the shooting, I quickly turn my thoughts to Christmas night with Chase and the story he told me about the day we met. I start to giggle awkwardly, thinking of my upside down map and Chase pointing me to Broadway.

I remember Frank and his silly jokes; how he used to tickle me; when he complained I spent too long with the hair dryer. “For Christ’s sake, Juliet, you’re going to fry your brain like that. It’s six a.m. Go back to sleep!” I hear his voice like he’s still here.

Then it hits me. “You know what Frank would do?”

They look at me confused. “You have that crazy look in your eye.” Ben holds up his hands and backs away.

I smile and jump into the middle of the room and start to sing with my god-awful voice. “I throw my hands up in the air sometimes.” Taio Cruz
.
Frank’s theme song
.

“You’re out of your mind, Anderson.” Rocco rolls his eyes, but he grins.

I keep singing. “Saying a-yo, gotta let go!” My voice cracks, but I don’t care.

Chase peeks in. “Is that your terrible voice, Juliet?” I wave him in and he drapes an arm around me.

Pooja surprises me when she takes the next line. I high-five her.

Pooja and I sing at the top of our lungs, and everyone trickles into room one.

“Oh my God,” Winston whines. “Frank used to drive me nuts with that song!”

“I’ve banned all Taio Cruz from my life after hearing it three hundred times a day,” Maggie adds.

Darcy squeezes in next. “No, not ‘Dynamite.’ Please no. I slammed a hole in my wall trying to get Frank to shut it off. Couldn’t he at least obsess about a song from this decade?”

But it’s the perfect song. It’s Frank’s song about life and dancing and fun—all the things he loved.

Rodrigo disappears, and soon I hear the song blaring from room two’s sound system. The walls pound as the eleven of us cram ourselves into room one, dancing and singing at the top of our lungs to Frank’s song. Remembering Frank, we laugh at each other, smiling and filling the room with unity, happiness, and love.

I put my arms around Chase. We smile. This is our new normal. We kiss at midnight, sober and aware as we welcome the New Year, anticipating our future, and surrounded by our friends. I know Chase feels it, too—our connection.

He pushes my hair back over my shoulders. “You laugh in pink.” Since we’ve been back together, Chase has become more vocal about my colors, but he’s never been specific.

“Pink? I love pink.”

He holds me tightly, pulling me closer as the room explodes in celebration. “It’s become my favorite color. I want to see you laugh in pink forever.”

I sigh. “Let’s just start with the New Year, okay?”

Chase smiles and kisses me again.
I love you,
I hear him say without words.

My world starts over again. Justine, Ben—they’ll always be there when I need them. But Chase, in my arms, is my always. I speak to him without words.
I love you, too

First, thank you for reading She Laughs in Pink. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

This book would not have life without the wonderful team at BookFish Books, especially editor/author extraordinare, Heather Powell-Van Fleet. The BookFish team believed in “SLIP” from day one and helped turn it from a manuscript with potential to a sparkling novel. Thank you for your time, effort, and unwavering support. You’ve become more than editors and publishers to me—you’ve become friends. I’m so happy the Sheridan Hall Series is in your capable hands.

This book is dedicated to my friend Angela DiOrio. Thank you, Angela, for being you. <3

To amazing author Trisha Madley, the first person to read SLIP and call Chase her “book boyfriend.” Your kind words encouraged me to share Chase and Juliet with the world. I cherish your guidance as an author and a friend.

Thank you to Natalie Warneke, of Warneke Reading, who helped whip SLIP into shape. It was with your words of encouragement, editorial expertise, and advice that I started the query process and made my way here. You’re awesome!

As always, I’d be totally insane without my friend Nicole LaRusso, who gets me through the day with her unconditional love and sarcastic wit. Thank you for reading my first drafts, for being honest, and for your unwavering support. Taio Cruz references are for the enjoyment of Lauren Kostinas Birkhold. She’s a fan of Taio, and I’m a fan of hers.

Finally, my sincere love and thanks to my husband, Joe, and our boys. I appreciate that you support my love of writing and look forward to authoring many more books with you by my side.

Jessica Calla is a lawyer by day, romance writer by night. Her favorite time is the kids’ bedtime, when she’s free to open the laptop, battle with the blinking cursor, and pour out the contents of her heart.

Jessica is a member of Romance Writers of America, involved in the Contemporary, Young Adult, and New Jersey Chapters, and is a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. She recently became the oldest marketing intern ever at BookFish Books, and was named a Team Member for the inaugural FicFest writing contest. She also mentors unpublished writers as part of the Young Adult Romance Writers’ mentoring program.

Besides reading and writing, Jessica enjoys movies, yoga, coffee, and chocolate, and has a serious addiction problem when it comes to Diet Coke, Twitter, and Netflix. Always a Jersey girl, she lives in the central part of the state with her husband, two sons, and her dog.

Jessica’s first book,
The Love Square,
an adult contemporary romance, was published by Limitless Publishing in January, 2016, and continues to receive positive reviews. She can’t wait for book two of the Sheridan Hall series,
She Runs Away
, to be released in November, 2016, by BookFish Books.

For more information and to find Jessica on social media, please visit her website: www.jessicacalla.com.