Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
It had taken every ounce of control Leo had gained over the years not to march right up to that miscreant and clock him in the jaw. What was Chaz doing here? Had Kat invited him?
Did she miss him?
No. He couldn’t think like that.
If Chaz was here, it was because of his work, not because of Kat. He’d come to… what? Check up on her?
That almost felt worse.
But not for him. He felt awful for Kat. If Chaz was here to check up on her, it would gut her.
Leo shut his eyes, blocking out the memory of how Chaz had touched her.
He hadn’t stuck around long enough to see how she reacted to him.
He couldn’t. Perhaps that was his problem.
If he’d stayed to see how the conversation had gone, he wouldn’t be sitting here on his bed staring up at the ceiling beating himself up over how he’d reacted to her when they’d sat down for dinner.
They’d both been quiet, brooding. The part of him that hated Chaz wanted to believe she was upset that the guy had shown up at all. But the terrified man who didn’t want to lose the love of his life couldn’t help going to the worst possible scenario.
She was pushing him away because she returned Chaz’s affection.
His hands balled into fists at his sides but then he pressed them into his eyes.
Stars sparked behind his lids. He fought the instinct to lash out, to allow himself to fall into despair.
He was better than this. If Kat was brave enough to fight for what she wanted with her father, then he’d do the same.
There was nothing stopping him from flying out to New York and speaking to the man.
Well, except for Kat.
He sat up immediately and reached for his phone, dialing the number of the only person who could make that happen. Noah picked up on the second ring.
“Leo? What’s up? You realize you could just walk a couple yards and knock on my door, right?”
Refusing to comment on his cousin’s obvious statement, Leo trudged onward. “I need a favor.”
Noah was the wealthiest person in their extended family after he’d made several smart decisions with the money his parents had set aside for him to use for college.
He’d quietly invested year after year until he made his first million and that wealth only continued to grow.
He was also the only person with a private jet.
Noah remained silent, waiting for Leo’s request.
“Can I borrow your plane?”
Noah laughed at that. “Where are you wanting to go? You’re not thinking of taking Kat to the Bahamas, are you?”
Leo practically choked on his surprise at Noah’s blunt question. So, his cousin did know there was romance brewing between himself and Kat. “No, of course not.” He chewed on his lower lip. “But this does have something to do with Kat in a way.”
“Leo…” Noah sighed. “What’s going on?”
“I need a flight to New York. It needs to remain a secret. There and back. I don’t want anyone knowing I’m leaving. I don’t care if I have to fly in the middle of the night.”
“What are you up to?” Gone was the amusement in Noah’s voice. Now, there was a tone of distrust. “You’re not going to do something stupid, are you?”
“Define stupid,” Leo hedged. He could practically see Noah raking a hand through his hair when he groaned on the other end of the line.
“Leo—”
“I just want to meet with her father.”
Noah sucked in a sharp breath.
“I’m in love with her, Noah. You know how that is.”
There was a pause, then Noah sighed. “Yeah, I do.”
Leo exhaled with relief. “Then you know why I have to do this.” He didn’t have to tell Noah that he was going to ask for Kat’s hand in marriage. That wasn’t exactly what the meeting would be for, anyway. If Noah wanted to believe it, then that was up to him.
“Yeah, I get it,” Noah murmured. “I can get the jet here and ready for you by tomorrow night. And I’ll talk to Bo, so you’re covered in case anyone asks where you’re at.”
“Thanks,” Leo whispered.
“Of course.” Noah was quiet again to the point that Leo thought he might have hung up. But then his quiet voice broke through. “Leo?”
“Yeah?”
“Good luck.”
“Thanks,” Leo chuckled. He was probably going to need it.
Flying on Noah’s plane again brought back so many memories of when he’d first visited New York. Back then, he hadn’t known how much his life was about to change. He’d been jaded about his life and the responsibilities that Bo and Jane had put on his shoulders.
Now?
He couldn’t think of anything he wanted more than to work with the beautiful woman who had captured his heart.
Leo’s legs bounced for most of the flight.
The skies were dark outside. He’d used Noah’s idea when coming up with an excuse his mother and Kat would accept.
There was a horse up for sale in Wyoming that Jane wanted to look at and she was sending him to check it out.
It would be a full day of travel, and he wouldn’t likely be back until evening the next day.
He’d be gone when they woke up in the morning.
So far, everyone accepted the story. Noah had all the details for the flight out and back arranged. The only thing that could go wrong at this point was for Mr. Jerris to refuse to see Leo at all.
He hadn’t called to set up an appointment out of fear that Mr. Jerris would call his daughter and demand to know why her coworker was requesting a meeting.
Leo let his head fall back against the headrest of his seat as he closed his eyes. In a few hours, he’d be arriving in New York. Then he’d drive into the city to meet with the man who would make or break his future.
Of every decision he’d made in his lifetime, this meeting would be a turning point in his future. The outcome would dictate everything.
He had only a few more hours to get his head on straight so he could show Mr. Jerris just how confident he was in what he’d be asking from the man. Any sign of weakness would ultimately end in his failure and that wasn’t a risk he was willing to take.
His hands were shaking—trembling, even. No matter how many times Leo had clenched and flexed his hands, he couldn’t get them to stop. What was wrong with him? If he spoke, he knew his voice would be the exact same.
The elevator ride would be too short for him to settle his nerves.
There was no way to fix his current mental state.
This past summer, Leo wouldn’t have batted an eye at speaking to the infamous Mr. Jerris.
He’d been in meetings with him a handful of times and the man, while intimidating, wasn’t all that bad.
But back then, he’d merely been Kat’s supervisor. He’d only been a man who bankrolled a project that Jane had wanted to bring to fruition.
Back then, he’d still been Kat’s father, but he hadn’t been worth much more than a passing glance.
Now was different.
Now, Leo was utterly terrified that the man would take one look at him and show him the door.
The elevator doors dinged open and Leo exhaled a hard breath.
He could do this. He’d come all this way and he wasn’t going to be ignored.
Mr. Jerris deserved to know just how amazing his daughter was and how much she’d changed since he’d sent her away.
By the end of today, he’d know that Leo had particular intentions regarding his daughter and there was nothing he’d be able to do to stop it.
Lifting his chin and straightening his shoulders, Leo exited the elevator and headed straight for the reception desk in front of the largest office on the floor. Mr. Jerris’s office was surrounded by walls of glass so anyone could look inside and see the foreboding man who ran this empire.
And that was exactly where he was at ten in the morning.
Leo swallowed hard and strode forward. He didn’t pay the receptionist any heed when she called after him. In fact, he picked up his pace and strode right into the open glass doorway.
Mr. Jerris lifted his chin at the commotion of his secretary.
“I’m sorry, sir. He wouldn’t give me his name.”
Recognition flickered in Mr. Jerris’s eyes as he slowly stood. “It’s okay Ms. Tate. I’ll take care of this.”
Leo held his hands behind his back tightly in an attempt to hide just how nervous the man made him. “Sir, I’m here to speak to you about your daughter.”
A single manicured brow lifted. Then he gestured toward a chair directly in front of his desk. “Mr. Chambers, isn’t it?”
Clearing his throat, Leo nodded. “That’s right, sir.”
“I never forget a face.”
Leo smiled but it was strained.
“I suspect you have good reason for showing up without an appointment, running in here without paying any respect to my secretary, and demanding an audience. I’m a very busy man, Mr. Chambers.”
Leo nodded. “Yes sir. I’d say my reasons are very important.” He stumbled over his next words. “I l-love your daughter, s-sir.” Inwardly berating himself for not maintaining a steady voice, he counted to three before he continued. “And she loves me.”
“Is that so?” Mr. Jerris didn’t seem at all surprised.
But then again, the man had an excellent poker face.
He hadn’t taken a seat when Leo had, still standing, looming over him in the large room.
Somehow his presence made the space smaller and Leo itched to jump to his feet just so he didn’t have to look up into the man’s hardened features.
“And you’re here to, what? Ask for my blessing?
” He let out a rueful chuckle. “I hate to break it to you, kid, but my daughter is not the type of woman who believes in that sort of thing. And if you thought she was, you don’t know her very well. ”
Fingernails still digging into his palms, Leo fought the urge to snap back at the man. “I’m very aware that Kat wouldn’t care for such a request. So, no. I’m not here to ask for your blessing, but I will give you the courtesy of letting you know I will marry her one day.”
The man scoffed. “You’re mistaken if you think for one second that Kat would risk her chance at running my company over a fling.”
It’s not a fling, the voice in his head shouted. Still, Leo schooled his features. “You’re wrong.”
Fire burned in Mr. Jerris’s eyes, and he leaned over his desk to place two palms against its surface. “You’re wasting your breath, Mr. Chambers. There is no reason for you to be here—”
“My reason has to do with a business venture.”
That had the man closing his mouth and curiosity warred with the fury in his steely expression.
“As I’m sure you’re all too aware, your daughter is smart—one of the smartest women I know.
Over the past several weeks, I’ve gotten to know her more and more.
You shouldn’t be surprised that she’s come up with some interesting possibilities for expansion when it comes to your company, and I’m here to tell you that you’d be a fool not to hear her out. ”
“Hear her out about what?”
Leo could already tell that the man wasn’t about to let him leave without giving him an inkling of what Kat had come up with.
Slowly, he rose from his chair and crossed his arms. “You have clients on the west coast. It would serve everyone better if you were to open another location in Montana.” Leo had expected Mr. Jerris to be surprised or at least contemplative.
He did not, however, expect the man to laugh.
The hard chuckle that slipped past the man’s lips sounded more sinister than anything else.
He shook his head and straightened. “You’re a bigger fool than I gave you credit for, Mr. Chambers.
It would be wise if you were to return to the rock you crawled out from and go back to living your simple life. ”
“But sir—” Leo stopped the second Mr. Jerris’s eyes darkened with venom.
“Goodbye, Mr. Chambers.”
Leo remained frozen for only a few moments longer before he lost what little he had left of his resolve.
He turned on his heel and strode from the office.
That had gone far worse than he could have ever expected.
He’d foolishly hoped that the man would hear him out—let him discuss a few things before demanding that he leave. But no, that wasn’t who Mr. Jerris was.
The man in that office was ruthless, cunning, and protective. And there was no way he’d approve of anything developing between himself and Kat, let alone open a door for that possibility by expanding to Montana.
Leo groaned when he slumped into the oversized chair on the airplane. He prayed he hadn’t gone and made the biggest mistake of his life. Chances were slim that Kat wouldn’t hear about this little meeting. He could only hope that she’d hear him out before completely dismissing him.