Chapter Twenty-Six
Chase’s thoughts were deep when he arrived at the office Wednesday morning. For the last two nights he’d been unable to connect with Maisy, which confused and frustrated him. When she arrived back in Seattle, he’d gotten a cryptic text:
I can’t talk tonight; my grandmother is in the hospital.
What happened? He’d texted back.
No reply.
Is there anything I can do?
Of course not.
The abruptness of her text took him aback. Whatever was wrong had upset Maisy deeply. He wanted to help in any way possible and decided it was best to wait for Maisy to tell him on her own.
Tuesday night, Maisy sent a text promising to connect soon.
What’s going on? Chase insisted in reply. Maisy didn’t seem to realize that when she hurt, he hurt, too.
I’ll tell you later. Please be patient. I need time.
Tell me. Please. I hate the thought of you in distress. Is your grandmother okay?
I can’t talk right now…Too much is happening all at once. I’m sorry. Just give me time.
That was the last thing he’d heard, despite his efforts to reach her. He’d called twice and left a voicemail, which Maisy ignored.
Whatever had happened must have been traumatic.
Everything had seemed perfect when Maisy and Patrick left for Seattle. Their time in Chicago had been magical, as far as he was concerned. If anything, he was more in love with Maisy than ever. This lack of communication baffled him.
He needed to know whatever was wrong so he could fix it. And clearly something was amiss.
Maisy had always seemed as eager as he was for their nightly chats.
He missed her. He missed hearing about her day and the latest news about Patrick.
He enjoyed sharing with her the little things he’d found to encourage others.
This had become a habit ever since he’d met Maisy and she’d insisted he pay her favor forward.
She seemed to love hearing about his small acts of kindness, and he missed telling her.
This morning, Chase had more than Maisy on his mind. Astrid had returned from the cruise, and they were scheduled to meet for lunch. It was rare for Chase to have lunch out for anything other than business.
He made an exception for Astrid. He felt the need to clear the air between them as quickly as possible. Chase needed Harry Newman to stop spreading the word that Astrid and he were engaged. The longer he delayed this, the more uncomfortable it would be when the truth came out.
Chase had to wonder if this pressure to marry had anything to do with a bad investment Harry had made. Chase learned Harry had lost himself a considerable amount of money.
Chase arrived at the restaurant first and had asked for a private table. He was unsure if Astrid was aware of her father’s schemes. He suspected she was completely in the dark.
When Astrid was escorted to his table, he stood, and they hugged. She looked stunning as always. No one could deny that Astrid Newman was a charming, graceful woman.
He kissed her cheek and pulled out her chair for her to take a seat. “You look wonderful,” he commented, and it was true. The cruise had been good for her, and the radiant smile she wore said as much.
“I feel wonderful,” Astrid said.
“Welcome home. I’m happy you’re back,” he said, and not for the reasons Astrid may have assumed.
Before he could get to the matter weighing on his mind, Astrid regaled him with tales of her adventures. Once again, she told him how taken she was with her visit to New Zealand and the incredible wines she’d tasted. Not wanting to interrupt the flow, Chase politely listened.
When the server came to collect their order, Chase didn’t have much of an appetite. Thankfully, Astrid seemed to know exactly what she wanted, and Chase echoed her choice.
“I didn’t know you enjoy Nicoise,” she said with a raised eyebrow.
He didn’t. Tuna on a salad with green beans would normally have been his last option.
She watched him for a moment and, with the wineglass in her hand, gave him a chagrined smile. “I’m sorry, Chase, I didn’t mean to talk your head off. Tell me what’s been going on with you since I’ve been away.”
He shifted awkwardly and briefly looked away before he said, “Apparently you’re unaware that your father spread the word of our engagement all over town.”
A stunned expression came over her and the wineglass nearly tumbled out of her hand. “What are you talking about?” She shook her head as though to clear her thoughts. “Well, this is all starting to make sense.”
“What?”
She set the glass down and drew in a deep breath.
“For the last three weeks Mom has been singing your praises nonstop. More than once, I explained we’d taken a break from each other.
I repeatedly told her we’d parted as friends.
It was crazy, because she kept insisting we’d both come to our senses once I was back. ”
Deep down, Chase had always suspected Astrid had no part in this craziness. It was a relief to know he was right.
Astrid had gone pale. “I am so, so sorry. I…hardly know what to say other than to apologize for my father’s actions.”
“You were as much a victim as me,” he said. Chase planned to tell Harry exactly what he thought of him, and he wasn’t about to mince words. “I’ve known for a long time that we were at a crossroads. I deeply admire you and consider you a good friend.”
“As I do you,” she said, reaching for his hand.
“I’ll be forever grateful you had the courage to say what I couldn’t. It was time we both owned up to the fact that despite all we have in common, it wasn’t meant to be. It was completely freeing when you suggested we part as friends.”
“It was for me, too,” she agreed.
From the way she lowered her eyes, Astrid already knew. “My father has a lot to answer for, doesn’t he? He tried to manipulate us for his own selfish reasons. I couldn’t be more embarrassed or upset.”
“Astrid, please, this isn’t on you. No doubt your father has his reasons.”
She gave a short nod. “I know, but I can’t help feeling guilty for the embarrassment he’s caused you. I’ll personally make sure the truth gets out.”
“No worries, Astrid. We’re both adults. All we need to say is that we’ve changed our minds and leave it at that. No need to go into details.”
She mulled this over and then released a shaky breath. “You’re right. The less said, the better. Just know how sorry I am about all of this.”
“It’s over. We’re both in agreement and that’s all that matters.” Although Chase would enjoy giving Harry a piece of his mind. The man didn’t deserve a daughter as generous as Astrid.
Their salads remained untouched, as neither Chase nor Astrid appeared to have an appetite.
Chase found Astrid studying him and seemed to be suppressing a smile. “You’ve met someone, haven’t you?”
He was surprised at how preceptive she was. Thinking about Maisy, a happy sensation spread through him. “I have. How did you know?”
“You look good, happier than I can remember. More at ease.”
He wasn’t the only one walking around with a silly grin on his face. The minute Astrid walked in, he’d noticed a certain glow about her. It took him a bit to realize it was more than the cruise.
“You, too, it seems.”
Her face lit up. “As it happens, I met someone myself.”
“While you were in New Zealand,” he said. After the way she gushed about her time on the island, it was an educated guess.
“Yes. How’d you know?”
The answer was easy. “The same way you knew about me and Maisy.”
“Maisy.” Astrid repeated the name slowly. “I can’t wait to meet her. Anyone who’s brought this light into your eyes must be one incredible woman.”
“She is,” Chase confirmed. He wanted to say more, but held back. Now wasn’t the time.
He was eager to ask Astrid about the man she’d met when the server returned and noticed neither had touched their salads. “Was there something wrong with the Nicoise?”
“Not at all,” Chase assured him.
“Could we have the check?” Astrid asked. “I need to get home…I’m expecting a phone call.”
Chase didn’t need to ask who was calling; simply the way she mentioned the call told him all he needed to know.