“I didn’t come to change your mind about us, although I desperately hope you will. I came to apologize for the things I said before. I love you, Maisy, and I thank God you came into my life, if for no other reason than the life lessons you taught me.”
She taught him life lessons?
“Before I met you,” he continued, “I was completely self-absorbed. The entire world revolved around me and what Idictated. I didn’t know the doorman’s name at my condo until I met you. Guy was nothing more than some faceless bum, as far as I was concerned. That’s an example of two of the small changes in me since meeting you.
“If it hadn’t been for you, I’d never have learned my mother had found sobriety and made something positive of her life. How I wish I’d been forgiving enough to read her letters. I would give most anything to turn back time. What little I have of her now, I owe solely to you.”
Maisy smiled, remembering her surprise to discover Chase’s mother had been nothing like the way he’d described her.
“You’re the most real person I’ve ever known,” Chase said. “There’s nothing fake about you or anyone in your family, even Sean. You showed me what it was like to be part of a family. I deeply admire the way you all came together to support one another after your father’s death. I saw your willingness to sacrifice, and to make the best of a tragic situation. I saw what it meant to belong, to pull together for the good of others, to be willing to do whatever it took to keep together. For all that, I will forever be grateful.”
It was impossible to keep the tears at bay any longer. They rolled unrestrained down her face. “You saved us.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.
“I didn’t do it,” he insisted. “My intuition was right; my father was the one responsible.”
Maisy didn’t know what to believe any longer. If his father had been responsible, it was because Chase had shared their situation. It wasn’t beyond belief that he’d asked his father to step in. Not that it mattered now. What was done was done.
“I love you, Maisy.”
She drank in his words and tightened her resolve. It would be far too easy to give in.
“I love you, too, Chase, and I wish with all my heart that it could have worked out between us,” she said, as she gathered her thoughts. “It isn’t only the difference in our financial situation or that you helped my family, it’s everything else. The inequities in our relationship are too much to overcome. It might feel like the deep feelings we share would be enough, and for a while they might be, but it would never last.” Ever since they’d split, Maisy had worked hard to convince herself this was the right decision. Painful as it was, she felt the right thing to do for them both was to end it before it hurt even worse.
“Sean said it from the start,” she continued. “I don’t mix well in your world. I’m never going to be comfortable as a member of the Junior League or fit with the members of your country club.”
“Do you seriously believe I care about any of that?”
“But you should. You need a wife who is your equal, one who is readily accepted into your social circle. A wife you’d be proud to introduce to your friends.”
Chase closed his eyes, as if he found it hard to swallow her words.
“Don’t misunderstand me, I have my own strengths, but unfortunately they aren’t suitable for the type of wife you need.”
“You’re wrong, Maisy, so wrong. You’re everything I’d ever hoped to find in a woman, a wife.”
Maisy closed her eyes, fighting down the desire to throw herself into his arms and accept his love. She desperately wanted to believe it would work for them. The valley between them was too wide and too deep, and she feared that in time he would have regrets.
“As much as I wanted this, I can’t see it happening. Please, Chase, don’t make this more difficult than it already is.”
He frowned and his face tightened. “You’ve made up your mind, then?”
She nodded.
“And nothing I say is going to change your decision?”
Again, she nodded.
“I’d give just about anything to be a poor man, if it meant you’d be willing to marry me.”
Maisy’s smile was filled with sadness. “We both know that’s impossible. You are who you are, Chase. You can’t change yourself for me any more than I can change for you.”
“Perhaps you’re right,” he said. “I tried, Maisy. I hoped…” He hesitated and released a pent-up breath. “It doesn’t matter what I hoped. It’s clear you’ve made up your mind. I came to apologize, and I’ve done that. I won’t be back or bother you again.” He turned away and walked down the steps to the street, where his rental car was parked.
Maisy watched him go. She placed her hand over her heart for fear it would follow Chase and plead with him to come back.
Instead of driving back to the airport, where the company plane waited, Chase found himself wandering aimlessly around Seattle while he dealt with his frustration. He wanted to argue with Maisy. He could easily debate everything she’d believed made their relationship impossible. She didn’t see herself as fitting into his world, which was almost laughable.
Little did she understand, she was his world.
