This was a man who was accustomed to luxury. First-class flights, car services, but he’d suffered an emotional loss. He might have discounted his mother’s death as good riddance, but her passing had to have deeply impacted him, no matter what he claimed.
When they reached her vehicle, Maisy waited for his reaction. He paused as if he couldn’t believe his eyes before taking hold of her suitcase and tossing it inside the 2011 Ford Fiesta. Maisy smiled, convinced he’d never ridden in anything less than a Mercedes.
“Where to?” she asked.
He opened his phone, and directions were forthcoming.
Maisy snaked her way out of the traffic crowding the area around the airport.
They continued to follow the directions from his phone. Chase said, “I’ll pay you for this.”
“No need,” she said, as the tinny voice from his phone directed her toward the freeway ramp. She felt Chase’s stare as he studied her, as if even now he wasn’t sure he could or should trust her.
His frown deepened. “Why are you so accommodating?” He seemed unable to believe or trust the kindness of strangers. “And don’t say it’s because my mother died. What’s your angle?”
She couldn’t stop the bark of laughter. “My angle?” she repeated.
“I don’t understand. I’ve been nothing but rude to you, your friend, and everyone else.”
“Yes, you have been. As for why I’m helping you, that’s what people do when someone is in a jam,” she answered, as if that was obvious.
“Not anyone I know. Are you saying you do this sort of thing often, helping strangers?”
“Not every day, but when I see a need, then yes, I help if I can. I take it you don’t make a habit of helping others?”
“No,” he returned flatly. “I’ve got a business to run. My life is busy.”
“That’s unfortunate.”
He snickered softly. “Let me tell you, I’m the last person anyone would think of as unfortunate.”
“I’m sure you’re very successful.” Everything about him said as much. His designer suit, his camel-hair coat, and his leather briefcase all shouted wealth.
He continued to study her as if seeking an answer. She briefly looked away from the road and said, “I’m convinced you’re everything you say you are, but unfortunately, you’re missing out.”
“Missing out,” he repeated, as though amused. “Exactly what am I missing?”
“The blessings that come from giving of yourself to others.”
He didn’t look convinced. “Blessings? You’ve got to be kidding me.”
She bristled at his disdain and complete lack of understanding. Why should she even bother to explain when it was obvious he was completely self-absorbed? She bet he rarely connectedwith anyone outside his sphere of influence. A huge investment portfolio was all that mattered to someone like Chase Furst.
“Help someone out sometime, and you’ll know what I mean.” That was the best advice she could give him.
He seemed to take in her words, chewing them over in his mind. “In other words, pay it forward?”
“Something like that,” she agreed.
“I’ll think about it,” he murmured, as if he couldn’t quite believe she was for real.
They arrived at the funeral home and Maisy eased into a parking spot in the front of the building. “I’ll wait for you here.”
His head swiveled to her. For a moment all he did was stare. “What do you mean you’ll wait?”
“Won’t you need a ride back to the airport?”
He narrowed his eyes as if she was speaking a foreign language. “No, the car service guaranteed there would be a car here within the hour to collect me.”
