to say it, but they manipulate him, and I’m afraid he’s been allowing it this last little while.”
“Maybe they all just need a little more time to adjust to this new way of life,” I suggested, trying to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Doreen looked thoughtful as she tipped her head. “You care about him a great deal, don’t you?”
“Yes, ma’am, I do.”
“Then why did you go back to Chicago?”
“I…” I hadn’t seen that question coming and wasn’t prepared to answer it.
“I know my son had real feelings for you,” she explained. “He was devastated when you left. I’m not going to lie, I had my guard up when I came over here tonight. But after spending this short amount of time with you, I can tell you’re a sweet person.”
“Thank you.” I appreciated the endorsement.
I felt the same way about her, which was strange. I didn’t usually make snap judgments about people. I preferred to give them time to prove themselves one way or the other. But with Doreen, it was clear that what you saw was what you got, like it or not. And I did like it. A lot.
“Leaving New York wasn’t easy,” I said, feeling she deserved some explanation. “At the time, I just felt we were at different places in our lives, and I didn’t want to hurt him. In retrospect, I see that my leaving hurt both of us and made it difficult for Chase to trust me.” I’d never expected to open up to Doreen, but she made it easy, and I knew if my relationship with Chase was going to work, I could use an ally who had influence over his daughters.
“Trust is something you build over time. Especially for someone like Chase, who has already been burned badly by a woman who thought he could trust.”
“I don’t mind him wanting to take things slow with me.” I sipped my hot chocolate. “I can’t even blame him. I’m just worried his daughters won’t give me a chance, and I fear that could be a real deal breaker for him.”
She patted my hand with a smile. “You let me worry about them, sweetheart. If I could handle their rowdy father at that age, I can definitely handle them.”
***
I smiled and nodded through dinner, trying to contribute to the conversation when I could, but I could tell by the way my sister kept frowning at me that I wasn’t doing a very good job of entertaining their friend and business associate.
“So, um, Ern,” I said, scrambling to think of a topic that hadn’t been discussed. Since I’d been zoning out all night, thinking about Chase, I was liable to make a fool of myself by trying to cover old ground. “Do you travel a lot for business?”
“As a matter of fact, I do.” He smiled and wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin. “Italy mostly. Have you ever been?”
I offered a tight smile in return. “Our father believed travel was part of a good education.”
“Smart man,” Ern said, nodding in approval.
“If you’ll excuse us,” Dustin said, pushing his chair back before reaching for his wife’s hand. “They’re playing our song.”
The upscale restaurant had a pianist and a small dance floor where my brother-in-law pulled my sister into his arms. It was no easy feat given her protruding belly, which she must have pointed out as they shared a laugh. Watching them, I felt a sudden pang of envy and longing. It must have showed because I felt Ern’s hand covering mine.
“Would you like to dance?” he asked.
Had Chase been the one to ask, I wouldn’t have hesitated, but being wrapped in another man’s arms would only make me miss him more. I hadn’t seen or talked to him all day, and I had no idea what he might be thinking or feeling after last night.
“I’ve been wearing these all day,” I said, sticking my foot out so he could see my five-inch nude heels. “To be honest, my feet are killing me, so it’s nice to just sit here and relax.”
He flashed a grin. “I’ve always wondered why women torture themselves wearing shoes like that.”
“In
“Maybe they all just need a little more time to adjust to this new way of life,” I suggested, trying to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Doreen looked thoughtful as she tipped her head. “You care about him a great deal, don’t you?”
“Yes, ma’am, I do.”
“Then why did you go back to Chicago?”
“I…” I hadn’t seen that question coming and wasn’t prepared to answer it.
“I know my son had real feelings for you,” she explained. “He was devastated when you left. I’m not going to lie, I had my guard up when I came over here tonight. But after spending this short amount of time with you, I can tell you’re a sweet person.”
“Thank you.” I appreciated the endorsement.
I felt the same way about her, which was strange. I didn’t usually make snap judgments about people. I preferred to give them time to prove themselves one way or the other. But with Doreen, it was clear that what you saw was what you got, like it or not. And I did like it. A lot.
“Leaving New York wasn’t easy,” I said, feeling she deserved some explanation. “At the time, I just felt we were at different places in our lives, and I didn’t want to hurt him. In retrospect, I see that my leaving hurt both of us and made it difficult for Chase to trust me.” I’d never expected to open up to Doreen, but she made it easy, and I knew if my relationship with Chase was going to work, I could use an ally who had influence over his daughters.
“Trust is something you build over time. Especially for someone like Chase, who has already been burned badly by a woman who thought he could trust.”
“I don’t mind him wanting to take things slow with me.” I sipped my hot chocolate. “I can’t even blame him. I’m just worried his daughters won’t give me a chance, and I fear that could be a real deal breaker for him.”
She patted my hand with a smile. “You let me worry about them, sweetheart. If I could handle their rowdy father at that age, I can definitely handle them.”
***
I smiled and nodded through dinner, trying to contribute to the conversation when I could, but I could tell by the way my sister kept frowning at me that I wasn’t doing a very good job of entertaining their friend and business associate.
“So, um, Ern,” I said, scrambling to think of a topic that hadn’t been discussed. Since I’d been zoning out all night, thinking about Chase, I was liable to make a fool of myself by trying to cover old ground. “Do you travel a lot for business?”
“As a matter of fact, I do.” He smiled and wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin. “Italy mostly. Have you ever been?”
I offered a tight smile in return. “Our father believed travel was part of a good education.”
“Smart man,” Ern said, nodding in approval.
“If you’ll excuse us,” Dustin said, pushing his chair back before reaching for his wife’s hand. “They’re playing our song.”
The upscale restaurant had a pianist and a small dance floor where my brother-in-law pulled my sister into his arms. It was no easy feat given her protruding belly, which she must have pointed out as they shared a laugh. Watching them, I felt a sudden pang of envy and longing. It must have showed because I felt Ern’s hand covering mine.
“Would you like to dance?” he asked.
Had Chase been the one to ask, I wouldn’t have hesitated, but being wrapped in another man’s arms would only make me miss him more. I hadn’t seen or talked to him all day, and I had no idea what he might be thinking or feeling after last night.
“I’ve been wearing these all day,” I said, sticking my foot out so he could see my five-inch nude heels. “To be honest, my feet are killing me, so it’s nice to just sit here and relax.”
He flashed a grin. “I’ve always wondered why women torture themselves wearing shoes like that.”
“In
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