Chapter Twenty #2
“Great. I’ve arranged a dinner afterward, so there won’t be an issue with me driving under the influence.”
“All the better. That being the case, I’ll consider myself the designated drinker.”
Chase laughed and reached over to squeeze her hand.
Maisy assumed they were heading to a tasting room, as there were several in the Woodinville area. Instead, they arrived at a vineyard and were welcomed by a young woman, who escorted them into a private room.
“Mr. Owen sends his regrets that he’s unable to join you,” she said, as she pulled out the plush upholstered chair, indicating Maisy should take a seat.
“Yes, we spoke briefly before,” Chase said. “Thank him for me.”
“Of course.” She excused herself with the promise to return with their first tasting.
Maisy glanced around the elegantly appointed room. The dark wood walls added warmth and welcome, along with the stone fireplace. A gentle fire flickered there. Lit candles set in the middle of the thick oak table added to the ambience.
It didn’t take much wine for Maisy’s head to buzz. It was a good thing that each tasting was accompanied by a cheese that highlighted the quality of the wine. They sampled five varieties of wine, and Chase ordered several cases.
After the wine, they were invited to walk through the vineyard.
The vintner met them and offered a tour of the facilities.
Maisy had no idea how much science and chemistry went into the wine-making process.
By the time they finished the tour, her head was swimming with far more than the effects of the alcohol.
“That was amazing,” she told the vintner. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure.”
They returned to the tasting area, where dinner was prepared and ready to be served in the private dining room.
Still full of wine and cheese, Maisy feared she wouldn’t do justice to the meal.
She didn’t feel she could turn it away, and decided to at least make the effort.
Chase had gone to a lot of trouble arranging this day, and she didn’t want to disappoint him.
“I hope you like salmon,” he said, as the plate was set before her.
“I do.”
“This is Copper River salmon, flown in this morning,” he told her, as he sampled his first taste.
“What a treat.” She wasn’t telling Sean.
Copper River salmon was his all-time favorite.
It was sold for only a few weeks each spring.
Sean’s birthday was in May, and that was the one thing he asked for every year for his special dinner.
The family hadn’t been able to afford the luxury since the death of their father.
As she knew it would be, the salmon was cooked to perfection with a teriyaki glaze, along with roasted new potatoes and fresh asparagus.
They chatted as they ate. “I can’t remember an afternoon I enjoyed more,” she said. “Everything was perfect.”
“I wanted it to be special.”
What Chase didn’t seem to realize was that she would have been content to do nothing more than take a stroll or attend a movie and share a bag of popcorn.
Everything he’d planned was beyond any expectation and underlined everything she feared.
Little would highlight their differences more.
Her dates were few and far between, and the expenses were often shared.
“I want you to come to Chicago,” Chase said, as she was about to take another bite of salmon.
Maisy paused, the fork halfway to her mouth.
“Don’t look so shocked.”
“I…” She hardly knew how to tell him she couldn’t afford a ticket, let alone time away from the store. Uncle Fred relied on her.
“I want you to meet my father,” he elaborated.
The salmon sank like a lead weight in her stomach. “Chase…It’s a lovely thought…I appreciate the offer, but…”
“And I want Patrick to come, too,” he said, not allowing her to voice her argument. “Your brother is a huge Cubs fan. I’ve arranged for us to attend the game in the company suite.”
All Maisy seemed capable of doing was staring at Chase as if he’d suggested they take a spaceship to Mars.
“I can’t…First off, it’s too much, and I can’t leave—”
Again, Chase didn’t allow her to finish. “I’ll arrange the tickets and book you a hotel room.”
Maisy set her fork down and shook her head. “It’s more than generous of you, but…I can’t accept.”
He grinned; he’d expected this reaction. “You mean to say you’d deprive your little brother of the opportunity to see the Cubs play?”
He made a good argument. She could well imagine how excited Patrick would be to see his favorite team play in person.
“It isn’t that…My life is complicated.”
“And what about a visit with Laura and Bella?” he said, adding fuel to his argument. “I’m sure they would love the opportunity to see you.”
“But…” He made it difficult to refuse.
“Don’t disappoint me, Maisy. If you can’t make the trip, I don’t know how long it will be before I can see you again.” His gaze held hers.
“What do you mean?” She hated the idea of not seeing Chase again for an extended time period. When she said her life was complicated, she could only imagine his schedule.
“My father is leaving soon for a lengthy business trip to Europe. I’ll be needed in the office to cover for him. My days will be long. I’ll need to start early and stay late. I’m not entirely sure when I’ll be able to plan another trip to Seattle.”
“Oh…I would love to come, but, Chase, I have responsibilities, too.”
“I know,” he countered. “I’ve already spoken to your uncle about this time away, and your mother has agreed to let Patrick accompany you. She said she’d fill in for you at the store.” Her mother had done that several times and it had seemed to go well.
Shaking her head, Maisy said, “I wish you’d talked to me about this before arranging things behind my back.”
“Don’t be upset with me. I figured you’d have a hard time accepting, so I made sure to cover your objections.”
It was underhanded of Chase, but she couldn’t be angry with him. Patrick would be thrilled to see the Cubs play in person.
“What do you say?” he asked, his eyes full of pleading.
Really, how could she refuse? She nodded and smiled. “I’ll look forward to meeting your father.”