“Tell me about your day,” he said, as if he didn’t want to talk about his own.
“It was good,” she said, and went on to tell him about the truck for her brother. Sean had been elated once he’d returned home. She’d rarely seen her brother in a better mood.
“I’m so pleased everything is working out for Sean,” he told her.
“And we got an offer today for the store.” She did her best to put a positive spin on the news, although it was likely to be an amount they wouldn’t be able to accept. No one wanted to purchase a failing business, despite the long history of solvency.
“A good one?”
“I don’t know yet. Uncle Fred met with the agent earlier. He’s sharing the details with Mom tomorrow morning.”
“You don’t sound happy,” Chase said.
Although she’d tried to sound upbeat, he’d read through her fears. “I know I should be. Selling the store will lighten the burden on the family. My fear is it will be a lowball offer. Mom and Uncle Fred don’t have high expectations.” Neither did Maisy.
“You might be surprised,” he said, on the tail end of a yawn.
She should cut their conversation short so Chase could have his dinner and get the rest he needed. Selfishly, she wanted more time with him. “You’re exhausted.”
“I am tired. Today was hellish. I spent the entire day puttingout fires.” He went on to explain some of what he’d been left to resolve. Much of what he said went over her head. What Chase needed was someone who was willing to listen. She couldn’t offer advice or reassurance. All she could do was hear him out, and that was what Chase seemed to need most.
“Thank you,” he said, after another long yawn. “I wish you were with me, Maisy. I’ve never felt like I needed anyone the way I need you.”
“I need you, too,” she whispered, and meant it. Her day didn’t feel complete if she didn’t talk to Chase. She lived for their nightly conversations.
“How’s Guy?” she asked. Chase continued to work at building trust with the man. She admired his patience. Guy still refused to tell Chase his given name, and he brushed aside any help Chase offered for a job and an apartment. He insisted he didn’t want charity, which was something Maisy well understood. After living on the streets for as long as he had, Guy seemed most comfortable exactly where he was. Chase had a difficult time understanding his reasoning, but had come to accept that Guy didn’t want his help. Maybe over time that might change.
“Guy is Guy,” Chase said. “On a positive note, I was able to talk him into letting me have his clothes laundered.”
Maisy smothered a smile. She could only imagine how Guy would react when he received his clothes back pressed and folded. From her visit, Maisy learned Chase used a laundry service. He wouldn’t know how to turn on a washing machine if his life depended on it.
Their conversation ended after only twenty minutes. Chase wanted to keep talking and she wanted that, too. Reluctantly, she made an excuse to let him go. Chase sounded like he wasdead on his feet. He had meetings scheduled early the next morning and most of the afternoon, and a dinner meeting later the following evening. He didn’t know what time he’d be able to connect. Maisy had no idea when Chase’s father was scheduled to return, but hoped Simon wouldn’t be away much longer.
The following morning, her uncle called her mother before Maisy left for work.
“It’s a miracle,” Maisy heard her mother cry. She held the phone away from her ear to explain to Maisy. “The offer for the store,” she said, tears welling in her eyes.
Maisy waited until her mother was off the phone so Sophie could explain. “It’s far and away beyond our expectations. We’ll have enough to pay off all the debts and…” She paused to wipe the tears away from her cheeks. “And the conglomerate purchasing the store offered Fred a job as a designer, and they want to keep the family name.”
The smile froze on Maisy’s face. Her entire body went numb.
This wasn’t any miracle. This was far too much of a coincidence. Chase had done this. Even though she’d insisted he let the family deal with their own problems, he hadn’t been able to help himself. He’d abided by Guy’s wishes but not hers, even though he’d promised.
Sick to her stomach, she did her best to sound pleased, although her heart was aching. This offer had Chase’s fingerprints all over it. He’d done the very thing she had asked him not to do. Despite her pleas, he’d taken matters into his own hands. He seemed to think she was stupid enough not to know he was involved. The sale went to a business, but she’d bet her life this nameless corporation would lead her right back to the Furst banking empire.
Chase had gone ahead and done the very thing that would forever alter their relationship. Nothing would remain the same between them now. Maisy and her entire family would always be indebted to him. The balance of their relationship was forever skewed.
The one person Maisy felt she could talk to about this was her grandmother. Grams was wise, and Maisy badly needed her advice on how best to settle this with Chase.
Instead of heading into the store, Maisy drove to her Grams’s place. When she arrived, Maisy had no memory of driving there. Her heart felt heavy and sad. Chase had gone against his word. Against the very thing she’d begged him not to do.
When her grandmother opened the door, she, too, wore a huge smile. Maisy wondered if she’d already heard the news about the sale of the store.
“Maisy, this is a surprise. It seems the day is full of them,” she said, greeting Maisy with a big hug.
“Are you talking about the store?”
“That, too.”
