Chapter 9 #2
I swallow, answering truthfully. “At first it felt that way, like it wasn’t my choice.
He was a bit pushy, and I thought it was coming from a place of privilege because he does have the world at his fingertips.
So in my mind, I figured that meant he thought he had me at his disposal too.
I don’t come from money and my whole life I’ve had very little of it.
I mean, I wasn’t poor or anything, but far from privileged, like, I had to do fundraisers and whatnot to pay for the dance comps I did when I was young, so maybe it was me assuming that someone who did have money would have that sense of entitlement.
But at some point, that changed. My grandfather is kind if sometimes a little blunt, and caring, even if his version of soft is different than what my dad’s was.
” My hands tighten on the wheel as I drive onto the highway. “I’m enjoying getting to know him.”
Cam and Ari lean forward a bit.
“But?” Ari asks gently.
I sigh. “But there is something he wants from me.” I meet their eyes briefly in the mirror, deciding to spill a little.
“I’m his only blood, his only…heir, and his company is built on the value and security of family.
He literally protects and manages assets of generational money and affairs.
Without an heir to step in, there is no company, and his life’s work will die with him—or at least that is how he sees it. ”
“So he wants to give you everything?”
“Yep.”
“And you don’t want that?”
I laugh lightly, but it’s anxious. “I just never saw myself doing anything but running my youth programs: summer rec clubs with games and easy life lessons, fall dance classes, and winter competitions where all my free times is spent sewing costumes or at late-night practices or early-morning makeup. It’s about as polar opposite as you can get from running a billion-dollar company. ”
They’re all quiet a moment, and I nod. “Yeah. It’s a lot.” But that’s not even all of it.
“I hope this isn’t, I don’t know, rude, but does your grandfather appearing and having what he has mean you’ll be able to repair your studio?” Ari wonders.
I swallow and give a simple “no.”
Would he pay for it all? Of course he would, in a heartbeat.
After I agreed to his terms.
Some might call that selfish or unfair, but it isn’t. It’s 100 percent understandable. Like me, he’s backed into a corner with only one way out. He needs me and I need him.
But the cost? The cost is high, and I don’t even know that I can pay that metaphorical fee, even if I decided I wanted to.
The rest of the ride back to campus is pretty quiet, and by the time we’re climbing out at Mason and Payton’s new suite in the family dorms, they’re back to talking outfits for the musical.
“I call red!” Cameron wiggles her brows. “Paige, I get to do your hair and makeup, Miss Minimalist.”
“Should I be nervous?”
“Yes.” Ari nods. “You most definitely should be nervous.” She squeals suddenly, and we all turn to her as she tucks her phone to her chest. “Noah can come to the show! He’s going to fly in and meet us there!”
“Aw, yay.” Payton pushes open the door. “Honestly, guys, I think I’m going to have to pass. I have six-hour sessions all week, so my mornings and evenings are going to be my only time with Deaton this week.”
“He can’t come?”
She laughs. “No way. He’ll be running down the aisle and hanging over the banister in no time.”
“Still obsessed with Spider-Man?”
“Even worse since Mason dressed as him for Halloween last year.”
I laugh, stepping into the little living area, my eyes instantly snapping up and locking onto a pair of green ones. “Hey.” I nearly blush at the low tone the word leaves me in.
Small creases form at the corners of Chase’s eyes, and he looks away.
“Hey.” He pushes to his feet. “Yo, Mase. I gotta go.”
“What?! But we we’re just about to—” He comes around the corner, Deaton in his arms, and stops in his track. “Look who’s home.” He smiles at Payton and his sister, slowly moving his attention my way. He nods, almost to himself, and turns to Chase. “Yeah, all right, man.”
What was that about?
“Wait.” Cam jumps in front of Chase. “First we need your schedules cleared for Tuesday. We’re going to a live show. Paige’s grandpa hooked us up. Be at her dorm by 5:50. You might have to take your clothes to practice with you.”
“Damn, Cam, take a breath,” Ari teases. “But what she said, and Noah’s coming!”
“Hell yeah.” Brady grins. “I look good in slacks. Wait. We gotta wear slacks, yeah?”
“Yeah.” I chuckle. “It’s business casual, but I think Cameron is going full-on red carpet, so you should match her energy.”
Mason sets Deaton down, and he runs up to his mama, wrapping his arms around her legs.
She bends, kissing his puckered lips with her own. “Hi, baby. Did you have fun at the pizza place with Daddy?”
“Yep! I winned all the candy.” He tugs from her arms, having no idea every person in this room is staring at him like the precious little thing he is.
He runs over to me next, pulling me down by the hand.
I sit on my knees in front of him, and he smiles, running his little hands over the sides of my head and tangling his sticky fingers in my hair.
“Hi, Paige.”
“Hi.” I smile.
“Me and Uncle Chaser like your hair,” he says.
My eyes widen, cheeks heating, and my gaze snaps up when not only Mason but also Brady cough to cover their laughs. Not really following, I still play along. “Well, I like your hair. So curly.”
“Do you like Uncle Chaser’s hair, too?”
A low laugh leaves me, and I look over at Chase, who is staring at me with that same frown I can’t quite read. “Yeah, I like his hair, too.”
“Oh,” is all that Deaton says, releasing me and running back down the hall, disappearing from sight.
I shake my head, smiling at Payton as she tells Mason he better go with us to the show.
He tries to refuse, but she whispers something, and he grins, spinning my way. “I’m in.”
Ari scoffs, shaking her head. “Chase? How about you?”
He seems to snap out of his frozen state and remembers he was leaving, swiping his keys from the coffee table. “Nah, I can’t make it. Sorry.”
Disappointment swoops in, tightening my ribs a little, so I stand to stretch them out. “That’s okay. Maybe another time.”
“Yeah, maybe,” he mumbles. “Bye, little D. Uncle Chaser is leaving!”
“Bye!” Deaton screams but doesn’t come into the room.
Chase nods and heads for the door, so I turn away, trying not to look bothered by his strange behavior. “Hey, Payton, do you have a charger I can borrow? My phone’s been off all day.”
“Yeah, one sec.” She heads into the hall, and when I turn around, I find Chase is standing there staring at me, the door wide open and his body halfway out.
He opens his mouth but closes it and shakes his head. His eyes soften, but he just gives a pinched smile and leaves, though I’m pretty sure I hear him cuss himself out as he does.
Frowning, I move toward the couch and sit down, realizing the boys are staring at me, both seemingly fighting a laugh. “What?”
“Twenty bucks says Chase is miraculously able to go to the show,” Brady says.
Mason throws his hands up. “I was going to bet her!”
“Too slow, my man.” Brady smirks, thrusting his hand out to me.
Unable to hold in a chuckle, I take that bet, unsure why they would assume so.
It all becomes clear when I plug in my phone, and about ten minutes later, it powers on and my messages from this morning come through.
The boys’ heads snap my way, and I give them a strange look, but then I look down and it’s Chase’s name that’s on the screen, a message from early this morning.
“Who is it from?”
“What’s it say?”
“Oh my god, you guys,” Ari laughs.
I open the message.
Chase: thank you for yesterday. I’m not sure I could have played how I did if it weren’t for you, so here goes nothing
I smile at the three little clap emoji that follow, and then my heart drops into my stomach as I read the last line.
Chase: I’m grateful for you, Paige, maybe even a little more than a friend should be.
Butterflies erupt in my belly, and I curl my toes in my sandals.
I don’t know what this means, but I know why he left. He thought I’d gotten his message and chose not to respond, realizing the moment before he walked out that he was wrong.
I’m not sure what to say, to be honest, or if I’m reading too much into something that isn’t there, so I just go with my gut.
Me: Say you’ll come on Tuesday.
I clench my phone, and I swear I hear the chirp of a message received coming from the other side of the front door, as if he’s still standing out there, waiting to see if I respond, but I can’t say for sure. My phone beeps in my palm a moment later.
Chase: I’ll wear blue.
My mouth curves, a low laugh leaving me. I reach into my purse and pull out a twenty, tossing it in Brady’s lap.
He looks down and then he throws his head back with a laugh.
Tuesday can’t come fast enough.