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“So, I imagine you’ve got to get going soon, huh?” I asked.
I hoped he would reveal a little bit about his business being here in town. I wanted more information on why he had turned up here out of the blue. I was certain it had to be just a lovely coincidence, but I needed to know. Just to be sure. And besides, I wanted to know how long he would be staying.
Chase was quiet, and for a second I thought maybe he didn’t hear my question. I wriggled around to turn and face him. He was gazing into the fire with a faraway look in his green eyes.
“Chase?” I prompted, tilting my head to one side. “What’s up?”
He seemed to inwardly shake himself, then gave me a reassuring smile, though that hint of sadness remained in his eyes. “I apologize. I guess I’m not quite awake yet,” he explained.
“No worries. That’s what the coffee’s for,” I remarked, sipping my own coffee.
“I’m here on business. It shouldn’t take me too long,” he began slowly. It was as though he was choosing every single word carefully, afraid to say the wrong thing.
“It’s okay,” I assured him. “I figured you were just passing through.”
His jaw tightened and I could tell he was holding something back. “It’s not that,” he started, but then my phone chirped with an email notification from the kitchen. Instinctively, I hopped up and went to collect it. I checked it as I walked back to the den, and when I read the message, my heart sank.
“Oh my God,” I murmured. I felt sick.
“What’s wrong?” Chase asked. He stood up, concerned.
“I-I have to go,” I gasped. “I’m sorry.”
I all but ran to put my clothes back on. Chase watched me with confusion. “What’s going on, Haley? Is everything okay?” he inquired. “Is there something I can do?”
I shook my head, trying not to cry. “It’s the bank. They just informed me I have a meeting in an hour with the asshole who’s buying Peppertree. Damn it! Why are they doing this to me? I thought if I could hold off a little while longer, they wouldn’t sell it.” I quickly tugged on my shoes and scraped my hair back into a messy ponytail.
“Haley, wait—”
“I’m sorry, I have to leave. I have to hurry,” I told him apologetically. I rushed out the door, my heart hammering away in my chest. How could this be happening to me?
11
Chase
The conference room was empty except for the one bleary-eyed assistant who had let me in. I always made a point to be as clo
se to the first person present as possible so I could watch each and every person make their entrance. It gave me the advantage of being able to watch their body language and read how they carried themselves when they were caught off-guard.
Today, though, I knew that none of that was going to matter. This meeting might as well have been a formality, but for the one woman who would be in attendance who was in for a surprise. Haley.
There was no avoiding it. Today was going to be the day that she knew who was really behind the purchase of Peppertree.
If Haley had just waited long enough, I could have at least braced her for what she’d be walking into. I wouldn’t want to be in her position for anything, and she was getting less than nothing.
But now I had to deal with the fallout of not only what had to happen here, but the shock and betrayal that Haley was going to be hit with. Nothing I did to brace myself would soften that blow to both of us.
The conference room was sleek and modern, befitting the caliber of bank that was handling the transaction. A large, black conference table sat in the middle of the room with cups of piping-hot coffee or tea already set at everyone’s designated place, and the massive window on the south side of the room offered a breathtaking view of the mountains.
Whenever I was in Colorado in the winter, I always found myself gazing out onto the sweeping, pristine blankets of snow and feeling at peace. Unlike the bothersome snow in the city, it was simple out here. Beautiful. Serene.
Even that couldn’t settle me this morning.
I placed my second cup of coffee of the day down and crossed my arms. Behind me, I heard the conference room door open, and the bankers began to spill in, some of them already talking amongst themselves, a few of them casting surprised glances at me that I could see in the reflection of the window.
I didn’t bother turning around. I already knew how everything in this meeting was going to go.
My attorney was one of the men who entered with them, the only one not surprised to see me. He just gave my reflection a curt nod as he took a seat beside the one I always took at conferences.
