Chance Page 6
CHAPTER 16
Nolan
I
watched for her through the rear view mirror. Did she forget that I knew where she lived? What with all the secrecy and having me park three blocks away? When I saw her coming from the distance, I started my car. I waited for her to get in and then glanced at her.
“Hey,” she said, smiling and appearing a bit out of breath like maybe she ran the whole way.
“Hey. So…inquiring minds want to know. Why did you want me to pick you up here?”
She shrugged. “It’s no big deal really.” I waited to hear her answer, but she didn’t come out with it. So, instead of pushing for it, I drove towards our destination. I could find the answer soon enough if I wanted to.
The coffee shop we agreed on was just past my Penthouse. I didn’t intentionally plan that in hopes, we would wind up back there, it just sort of happened. I kept driving and she never really stopped me.
I pulled into the coffee shop and we got out and headed inside. She nervously looked around the minute we entered the little coffee shop. “Everything alright?” I asked.
She nodded her head. “Everything’s fine!” We walked up to the counter and placed our orders, then waited for them to be completed. She looked nervous, but all I could do was focus on her unwavering beauty. It never ceased to amaze me.
We grabbed our cups and headed to a booth. I waited for her to sit down, then I joined her. We each took a couple of drinks of our coffee before I spoke. “So, how have you been, Charity…really?”
She nodded and looked down at her drink. When she looked up she held uncertainty in her stare before answering. “I’ve been good, Nolan.” That was all her response. “What about you?”
He nodded. “I can’t complain. I landed a big account for my firm and that’s what you ran into last night. Me celebrating with my assistant.”
“Oh. That’s what you call it?” she asked, taking a drink of her coffee. There was a timid smirk on her lips.
I chuckled. “That’s what I call what?”
She tilted her head and stared at him. “I’m a woman and I know what women are thinking and wanting. So, that woman last night clearly wants to be more than your assistant.”
I had no doubt that Charity was right. I just couldn’t believe she was speaking her mind on the subject. “Well, just because someone wants something, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll get it. I sent her home, didn’t I? That should account for something, right?”
She chuckled. “I hear you,” she responded. She took a drink of her coffee and one strand of hair was out of place near her face and it took every bit of my willpower not to reach out and brush it back, only to touch her one more time. Instead, I cleared my throat and kept that fleeting thought from reappearing, at least for that particular moment.
We went on drinking and enjoying casual conversation. She still didn’t mention about why I had to pick her up at that particular location, but I was alright just enjoying her company and really getting to know the tiny variables of her life, or at least what she wanted to tell me.
When there was a slight pause in the conversation, I caught myself staring a bit too long and the redness on her cheeks was proof that she noticed the lengthy stare. I just couldn’t hold back and not make myself heard. “I’ve thought about you many times over the past year, Charity.”
She blushed and looked down at her coffee. Her words came out small, but meaningful. “Yeah. You’ve appeared in my mind many times, as well,” she said. She looked up and I felt my heart tug a little.
There was something that I just had to ask her, no matter how it would come out. “Why’d you leave that day?” I asked.
She frowned and her brows furrowed in thought. “What do you mean?” she asked suddenly.
I took a deep breath and continued. “Well, I’m curious as to why you left that morning so quickly?”
She laughed, surprising me with her response. “I’m confused. I was supposed to leave, right?”
I shook my head, clearing my foggy brain. “Well, I expected you might stick around. I mean, if you didn’t enjoy yourself that’s one thing, but…” She reached out and touched my hand startling me for a minute and halting my words. After my brain caught up with myself, I continued, slightly looking down at her fingers against mine. “I had hoped you would have stayed.”
Her face was sullen and she slowly shook her head. “The note said that you had to go out and that you had my car brought back to the apartment. I assumed that was an indication that I should get in my car and go.”
The more I considered that the more I realized that it was right for her to assume that. My note probably led her to believe that’s what I wanted, even if it was the farthest from the truth. “I came back that day and you weren’t there. I let my pride get in the way and I was hurt, I won’t lie.”
She tilted her head, but her hand remained connected on mine, only this time she started stroking my fingers. Did she know what she was doing to my body in that moment? I had every thought of throwing her over my shoulder and carrying her back to my apartment, then having sweet passionate sex with the one that got away.
“I’m sorry, Nolan. It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy myself. I enjoyed myself a little too much probably.” She swallowed hard and the emotions were all over her face. I flipped my hand over and held her hand. Our eyes met and a small smile flickered at the corner of her lips. “I even have a slight confession.”
I braced myself. I wanted to hear what she had to say, no matter how worried I was. This coffee together was starting to develop quite nicely.
CHAPTER 17
Charity
H
is eyes darted against to our hands intertwined. The moment felt right. The moment felt real. And everything I ever thought I felt over the past year was suddenly questioned. “So, I have a confession,” I said again.
He smiled. “I’m all ears.”
My senses were all over the place when I was in Nolan’s presence. I felt like I could do anything and say anything and it was going to be alright. So, I proceeded. “I’ve might have gone past your apartment building a few times over the past year.”
He arched an eyebrow and grinned. “A few?”
I looked away, laughing as the realization hit me. “Maybe a few hundred.”
He laughed and we caught ourselves just enjoying the moment. It didn’t matter what had happened in the past, this was our presence. “Well, then I have a confession for you, my dear.”
I liked hearing him call me dear. “I’m waiting.”
“I might have driven past your place a few…hundred times as well.”
My jaw dropped. “Seriously?”
He laughed and nodded. “I couldn’t help myself. So many times I considered going up to your door and knocking, but I was still convinced that you didn’t feel anything that night, so I stopped myself.”
Listening to his words made me realize how much time had passed and it didn’t need to. “I…” I opened my mouth to express that when I spotted Sophie entering the coffee shop. I slowly pulled my hand away from him, ignoring his confused expression.
Sophie noticed me right away. She smiled and waved, then her eyes went to the guy that wasn’t Thomas. She approached us. “Hey, Charity.”
I nodded. “Hey!” I glanced at Nolan, knowing that I had to make some kind of introduction. “This is Nolan, my friend,” I quickly said.
She looked at him and her eyes were saying what her words wouldn’t. “Hello, Nolan. I’m Sophie.” She smiled. “Another friend.” She put an emphasis on friend and I felt it all the way down to my toes.
Nolan smiled and shook her hand. “Pleased to meet you, Sophie.”
She watched us for a moment, then shook her head, remembering she was there for a reason. “I’ll let you get back to your conversation. Good seeing you, Charity.”
I smiled but felt a weight holding me down. “Good seeing
you, Sophie.” She walked away and I looked at Nolan. I took the last drink of my coffee. “We should get out of here,” I said.
He grinned as if he thought he knew what that meant, but he was about to have a rude awakening. We left the coffee shop and he let me into the passenger side of his car. I still felt that pang of uneasiness inside me. I smiled and thanked him, then slipped into the car. He shut the door and I waited for him to join me.
When he did, we sat there for a minute, until I said the obvious. “I had a great time today, Nolan.”
“Yeah, me too,” he said. I turned to him and he had that gleam in his eyes. Then, to my surprise, or not so much of a surprise, he leaned in and kissed me. Kissing in the front seat of his Aston Martin felt right. I went with it, slipping my tongue into his mouth and just letting the feelings relax me. Then as thoughts of Sophie catching us and Thomas being back home hit me, I touched my hand to his chest and pushed him back.
I fell against the seat of his car and kept my eyes on him. “I have a live-in boyfriend, Nolan.” His face went from being happy to disappointed.
“Oh. I see.”
I nodded. “We’ve been together a few years now and my heart is pulling me to you because the connection we have is real. I feel that, but I have to be honest with him before I can fully commit to it. I hope you understand that!”
“I do understand that,” he said. In his eyes, I could tell that he really did. He wasn’t an unreasonable man, so while it was hard, it was expected. He turned back to the front and started the car. We drove back to the drop-off spot, with no words being spoken.
When he stopped at the same corner he picked me up on, he asked the question that I didn’t even know the answer to.
“Will I see you again?”
I turned to him and I shrugged. “If what we feel is real, then yes I have no doubt we will. I just have to do what’s right for me. I care about you, Nolan, more than I thought I would.” I reached up and touched his cheek and he closed his eyes. I then sat up and kissed him softly, before pulling back and reaching for the door handle. I had to get out of there and away from him before I changed my mind.
I hurried down the sidewalk until he was at a safe distance away. I took in a breath of fresh air and reached the door of our house. I put on a smile and opened up the door. When I got inside, Thomas was right there.
“Hello,” he said, frowning.
“Hey!” I looked at him. “What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Well, I just looked outside a second ago and you weren’t in the driveway, but now you’re here. Who dropped you off?”
I couldn’t go on with the lies and I didn’t want to. It was time that Thomas knew everything, starting with what happened a year ago. “Thomas, we need to talk.” His face fell. I wasn’t sure if he knew what was coming, but I was confident it was the right decision.
CHAPTER 18
Two Years Later
Nolan
T
he contract seemed to have everything in place, but as I stared it over I felt a little sad. Our company was changing as I knew it. We would no longer be Westchester Hills Finance Incorporated. Our new name, WM Financial would be set in place with just a signature.
It was a tough decision to partner with another company. Our business was doing well, but the shareholders wanted it to thrive in a new market. I sighed, scanning my eyes over the contract. The new market was sure to bring some uneasiness between companies. We had a long road ahead of us that was for sure. I leaned forward and signed the contract, then stared at it. There was no turning back.
I reached out and touched the button for the intercom. “Francesca?” I called.
There was a slight pause before her response. “Yes, Boss.”
“Will you please come here?”
“Sure thing, Boss.” I disconnected the intercom for the phone. Things had been different between us in the last two years, no matter how many times I attempted to apologize for leading her on, she never wanted to forgive me. We immediately stopped having sexual relations and it was mutually decided that we would simply be professional. We never allowed it to interfere with our work relationship, so I didn’t let it bother me. “How may I help you?” she asked from the door.
All of that being said, there were moments when it seemed pretty awkward and I sometimes felt like she was trying to scold me for something. “Hey!” I reached in my desk and retrieved a manila envelope, then wrote out Benjamin Matthews, along with his address information, on the envelope. “Will you get this to the courier, please? It’s the contract and I need it over to him ASAP.”
“Sure thing, Boss.” She took the envelope I handed her but didn’t turn to leave. “There’s actually something I have been needing to tell you.”
“Okay,” I said. The look on her face was definite turmoil mixed with sadness mixed with a light of happiness.
“You’ll be expecting my resignation on your desk.”
My jaw dropped. “Um…what?” I asked.
She nodded. “I have thought about it a lot lately and with the merger and everything I feel this is the right time. My sister just got a divorce, she’s on her own with my three-year-old niece. I’m moving to California.”
I stood up from my desk and came around to meet her. “Are you sure about this?”
She nodded and there was no apprehension in her appearance. “I have made up my mind.” She backed away from me and her eyes surveyed my office. “There’s a lot of memories, good and bad here. I don’t regret working here and I don’t regret working with you, but it’s time I moved on.”
I nodded, not able to stop her even if I wanted to. I could tell that her mind was made up and I could only support her decision. “You’ll be missed,” I simply said. She smiled and then turned around and left my office. I sat back down at my desk and thought about everything we’d been through over the past few years together. It would be strange to know that she was leaving.
My thoughts were interrupted by a phone call. I reached out and grabbed it.
“Nolan Baxter!”
“Hey, Nolan, it’s Benjamin Matthews.”
“Hello. Your ears must be burning. I just signed the contract and it should be headed to you this afternoon, ready for your signature.”
“Great! The reason I was calling was that I like to take all people I work with out for drinks to celebrate new chapters and I definitely think this equates to just that. Are you free this Friday night?’
I pulled up my calendar while I had him on the phone, I was pretty sure that I had nothing pressing going on, but never could be too sure. Sure enough, there was an empty spot on that night. “Yes! Friday night should be fine.”
“Perfect! Let’s meet at The Renaissance at nine o’clock.”
The minute he said the name of the nightclub I froze. “The Renaissance?” I asked.
“Yeah! Do you know the place?”
“Um…yeah,” I started. I wanted to suggest some place differently, but it seemed like his mind was made up. “Nine o’clock will work. And expect that contract in a few hours.”
“Okay. I’ll be looking forward to it. I’m sure this will be a wonderful business deal neither one of us would want to pass up. See you then!”
He hung up the call and I sunk back in my chair. I’d only been to The Renaissance one other time since I was there four years ago. That time wasn’t with the fondest of memories because I thought about Charity Wilcox the whole time I was there. I could only hope this time was different. I swallowed as thoughts of her came rushing back in. I still didn’t know why her memory seemed to haunt me to this very day. She clearly didn’t want anything to do with me, or she would have called sometime following that day we had coffee. But, I never heard from her again. I tried telling myself it was for the best, but how exactly can you convince your heart of something that you don’t believe yourself?
CHAPTER 19
Charity
M
“I’ll bite. Did I hear what?” I asked her.
“Did you hear that there’s talk of a promotion coming up?” She nodded. “I have insider information that it’s going to a woman.” She then shrugged. “You’re a shoe-in. After all, you’ve been here since high school, right?”
I laughed. “High school? Not quite.” It was a few years after that. In fact, I was working at the library when high school was over and then I went to…” My words trailed off when it was clear that Michelle wasn’t really listening to my story and walk down memory lane. I cleared my throat and sat up straighter. “So, what makes you think it’s going to a woman?” I asked.
“Well, Joe told Grace, who told Sammy, who told Bobby that he’s ninety percent positive that a woman was getting the promotion.” I frowned as I tried processing all that, then found myself laughing.
“Who told Joe?” I asked.
She scrunched up her eyebrows in thought, then shrugged. “I don’t know, but it’s very possible.”
I shrugged. “I suppose. But anyway…what’s the job?” I asked.
She again scrunched up those eyebrows in thought, then shrugged. “I don’t know.”
I laughed and touched my palms to the desk, pushing myself up. “Then who says I or any other woman would want it then?”
I walked around the desk with my cup in hand and carried it to the water fountain. Michelle followed after me. “Well, with a promotion, comes more money. Who wouldn’t want more money?”
I thought about her rational words, but there was something off with them. “You do realize that happiness is worth more than money, right?” I turned to her after getting my water.