Harry’s eyes rounded with surprise. “The one for you and Astrid, of course.”
Chase sat up straighter as shock and dismay bolted through his entire body. “This didn’t come from Astrid,” he insisted. “We aren’t together anymore; we decided to part as friends.”
Harry looked completely flummoxed. Dori told me plain as day that Astrid has decided she wants to be your wife.”
Chase mentally reviewed his conversations with Astrid right before she left. Certainly he hadn’t misunderstood. He started to speak, but before he could get a word out, Harry chuckled and said good-naturedly, “Don’t look so shocked.”
“I’m sure we can clear this up—” Chase managed, his thoughts whirling. He was convinced Astrid had nothing to do with this. He’d wager his investment portfolio that this was another manipulation tactic to force them into a marriage neither of them wanted.
“No misunderstanding,” Harry said, cutting him off. “This time away has helped my daughter settle her mind,” he continued. “I don’t know what got into her. The last thing she should have done was go on that cruise with her mother. Thankfully, she’s come to her senses and accepted what was obvious all along. You two are perfect together.”
Chase was speechless. From what Harry said, Chase assumed the minute mother and daughter were off on the cruise, the subtle manipulation had started, to the point that Astrid felt obligated to agree.
It was either that or she knew nothing about any of this. He preferred to think she was clueless about what her parents had set in motion. Harry seemed to think he could convince Chase to fall into this ridiculous scheme. If word got out of this engagement and wedding plans, Chase would look like a heel if he backed out, especially while she was out of reach in the middle of the ocean. It wouldn’t work.
“Listen, Harry, I don’t know what you’re up to here, butAstrid and I aren’t getting married. You need to cancel whatever arrangements you’ve made.”
Now it was Harry’s turn to look shocked, or at least pretend to be. “That’s not the way I heard it.” He narrowed his eyes and raised his voice to be sure he was heard throughout the lounge, with several of their business associates listening in with avid attention. “Do you mean to say you’re willing to break my daughter’s heart while she’s away and can’t be reached? What kind of man are you, Chase Furst?”
Angry now, Chase raised the volume of his own voice. “We were never going to marry, so there’s no wedding to cancel.”
As if disgusted, Harry started to turn away from Chase, but not before giving him a parting insult. “You’ll never be the man your father is.” With that, he stalked out of the lounge as if he couldn’t bear to be in the same room as Chase.
Chapter Twenty-two
Maisy had to place her hand on a squirming Patrick as he angled his body to look out the Boeing 767 window. Chase had arranged first-class tickets, which was above and beyond her expectations. He apologized that he hadn’t been able to have them arrive in the company plane, as it was currently in use. Company plane or flying commercially, it was apparent Chase was intent on spoiling both her and Patrick. Again, completely unnecessary, however, she was certainly enjoying the luxury of the extra-wide seats and having a meal provided. Patrick was over-the-moon thrilled and could barely sit still.
“Settle down,” she chided her brother, although she didn’t blame him. It would be a long time before they flew first class again, if ever.
“I can’t, sis, I’m too excited.”
Maisy didn’t blame him; she was excited, too, and more thana little apprehensive. Meeting Chase’s father was a big deal. It signaled how serious their relationship had become in a relatively short time. She should have refused the trip, telling Chase it was too early for her to be introduced to Simon Furst. Chase must have known, as he made it impossible for her to say no by including Patrick. Maisy couldn’t deny Patrick what was sure to be the experience of a lifetime.
“How much longer?” Patrick asked for the tenth time.
“Not long,” she promised.
The four-and-a-half-hour flight passed sluggishly as Maisy struggled with her emotions. She had to admit how eager she was to be with Chase again. They’d grown close through their nightly conversations. She longed to be in his arms again. The kisses they’d shared had rocked her world, and she was greedy for more. Chase was quickly becoming her everything, and that terrified her.
When they were ready to leave Seattle, Sean dropped them off at the airport. It went without saying how apprehensive he was that she’d agreed to this trip. Maisy knew his displeasure was more concern than irritation. He was convinced that while everything was currently wine and roses, the time would come when this relationship would burn itself out, leaving Maisy with a shattered heart.
She knew it, too, and couldn’t keep herself from holding on to the hope that somehow, some way, she and Chase would find a means of being together. She was an eternal optimist.
On landing at O’Hare, the plane skidded to a halt. Patrick let out a whoop of joy. “We’re here. We’re here.” The entire plane must have heard him, because there were smiles all around.
They exited the plane and found Chase waiting on the otherside of security. Full of excitement, Patrick raced to him and tossed his arms around Chase’s middle.
“Hold on there, buddy,” Chase said and laughed, as he held out his arms to Maisy.
She was quickly enveloped in his embrace. “Welcome to Chicago,” he said, before he kissed her long and hard, as if it’d been weeks since they’d last been together. When they broke apart, Maisy found Patrick had covered his eyes, not wanting to watch his sister being kissed.
Maisy touched his shoulder. “You can look now,” she told him, unable to keep from smiling.
Chase wrapped an arm around her waist and kept her close to his side. They walked down to baggage claim. When their suitcases appeared on the baggage carousel, Patrick practically leaped onto the belt.
“Patrick, stop!” Maisy cried. Her brother needed to tamp down his enthusiasm. This was his first airplane ride and his first experience in an airport. Maisy should have better prepared him.
Chase stopped him and reached for the suitcases himself.
