Small Town Billionaire

by Cheryl Michaels

  Chase laughed. “Did she call you on it?”

  “No, you know Ainsley. She wouldn’t say or do anything to make someone uncomfortable. She just took my order and made small talk. I wanted to ask her out for dinner, you know, just something casual, to catch up. But I lost my nerve and bailed.”

  Bryce had never been shy with women, so the fact that he got tongue-tied around Ainsley proved he still had strong feelings for her. “Who ever thought we’d end up back here pursuing our first loves? It’s crazy, isn’t it?”

  “Is that what we’re doing?” Bryce asked, leaning forward when he clearly felt a tug on his line. After reeling it in he rid the bait of weeds and cast it back out. “Pursuing Shay and Ainsley?”

  No. Pursuing her would mean he’d made the decision that he wanted to be in a relationship with her. And he hadn’t. They were a long way from a relationship. They’d barely re-established their friendship. “I’m not there yet. How about you?”

  “Nah, man. I’ve got other stuff to deal with before I can even think about going after Ainsley.”

  “You’re talking about your old man?” When Bryce ignored him, he asked, “Did you go and see him?”

  “Not yet. I might though. I’ve been thinking about it.”

  Chase knew it wasn’t his decision to make, but he said, “I think you should. We both came back here to face our pasts, right?”

  “No, that’s why you came back.” Bryce set his sunglasses on top of his head, glaring at him. “I came back because we’re business partners, and where you go, I go.”

  Chase smiled. “You came back because this is our home, Bryce. You can deny it all you want. But this lake right here, this is where our dreams were born.”

  “Yeah, and it’s probably where they’ll die,” Bryce muttered, making Chase laugh as he slapped him on the back.

  Chapter Nine

  Shay was so nervous on the one hour drive to Brockville she couldn’t bear to make small talk with Chase. After what happened the other night, the painful acknowledgment of their attraction, she didn’t know what to think. He’d been the one to pull back and she was mortified, but she also appreciated how much restraint it had taken for him not to rush in to something neither of them was ready for.

  “What are you thinking?” Chase asked, casting a side-long glance in her direction.

  “I’m wondering what he’ll look like, whether he’ll be shy or outgoing, how he’ll treat us.” She’d been thinking about Nick almost non-stop since she learned she’d have the opportunity to meet him. When she wasn’t thinking about his father.

  “You’ll have your answers soon enough.” He glanced at the digital readout on his dashboard. “We should be there in about fifteen minutes.”

  “I still can’t believe he was living so close to me all these years and I didn’t even know it.” She knew she shouldn’t be too surprised. She’d known the family that adopted him had been from their state, but she never imagined he would have grown up in the very next county.

  “I think they moved away for a while,” Chase explained. “The lady at the adoption agency told me they moved back after Nick’s dad died, so they could be closer to her family.”

  “Makes sense.” Though Shay couldn’t imagine calling on her parents if she found herself in a similar situation. She’d rather go it alone.

  “I don’t think he’d have agreed to see us if he wasn’t willing to hear us out,” Chase said, reaching for her hand. “When we talked he didn’t sound angry or resentful, just curious.”

  With a thin smile, she nodded, almost wishing he would yell and scream and let her have it for giving him up when she should have fought to keep him. That’s what she felt she deserved.

  “I think he’s had a really good life, Shay. His parents are good people. They love him and gave him a secure and safe home life, something we couldn’t have back then.”

  “Then you think we made the right choice?” she asked, biting her lip as she stared at their joined hands. “Giving him up?”

  “Was it the right choice for us? Probably not. But it may well have been the right choice for him and I guess that’s the only thing that matters. You were trying to be selfless, because you already loved him enough to want to give him the best possible start in life.”

  Her stomach ached when she thought of how her own future plans had factored in to her decision. “I’m not as altruistic as you’d like to believe,” she said, taking a deep breath when they passed a hand-painted sign welcoming them to Brockville. “I was also thinking about how hard it would be to be a teen mom, all the things I wouldn’t be able to do if I had a baby.”

  “Of course you were thinking about that,” Chase said, frowning. “Your life was just beginning. Anyone would have had those thoughts.”

  She appreciated him for trying to make her feel better, but she had to ask, “Did you feel the same way?”

  He curled his hand tighter around the steering wheel as he seemed to weigh his words. “You have to remember at that time I didn’t really know what I wanted. Sure, I was gonna go to college because my dad wanted me to and I was lucky enough to get that football scholarship. I’d have been a fool to throw away an opportunity like that away. But I wasn’t like you, I didn’t have big dreams. Sure, I talked about making it big someday, but I had no idea how it would happen.”

  At her questioning look, he said, “Sure, I had things in my life I was passionate about: you, sports, and the outdoors. But I knew I wasn’t going to become a pro ball player. I wasn’t that good. And aside from being a fishing guide, I didn’t see how I could make a living from my love of the outdoors. At that age, even the idea of starting the kind of business we did would have been laughable.”

  “But I remember you talking about doing something like that,” she argued, biting her lip when the high school came in to view.

  The parking lot was filling up quickly, with everyone in town showing up to support the home team. Growing up in a small town she knew those boys carried the weight of a whole town on their shoulders, not wanting to disappoint anyone with a loss at the end of a long and grueling work week.

  “Yeah, but I didn’t think it was a real possibility,” Chase said, drawing her attention back to him.

  “When did you decide to go for it?”

  “Me and Bryce were taking a business course our first year of college. We had to write a business plan for this theoretical business. That’s when it hit us. Why not do it for real? The worst thing that could happen is we’d fail. But since there was nothing else we really wanted to do it didn’t seem like much of a risk. So we went for it.”

  “And never looked back,” Shay said, thinking how lucky they were to be living their dream while most people, including herself, only imagined what their life could have looked like if they’d been fearless enough to take more risks.

  “I don’t know about that,” he said, claiming one of the last free spots before cutting the engine and turning to face her. “I’ve looked back plenty, thought about all that I left behind. Especially you.”

  Moments like this made it easy to forget they wouldn’t be together at all if they weren’t so desperate to forge a relationship with their son. They would have had no reason to talk if they passed each other on the street, no reason to reminisce about the old days or talk about lessons learned. They would have been polite strangers with some history, living in the same small town.

  “Nick was a blessing for me, even if I didn’t get to raise him. I just hope I can make him believe that.”

  His large hand covered her knee, making her remember a time when that had been the beginning of an experience that was totally foreign to her.

  “Anyone can see how sincere you are. He’ll see that too. Just don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, be vulnerable, even if it means you might get hurt.”

  She wondered if they were still talking about their relationship with their son… or each other. “Okay, let’s do this,” she said, reaching for the
door handle. “While I still have the nerve.”

  Chase suspected Shay’s throat must be raw from all the screaming she’d done, cheering the home team, and their son, the star quarterback, to victory.

  “I forgot how much fun this could be,” she said, as they made their way to the parking lot.

  Chase checked his phone. He’s just sent Nick a text to let him know they’d be waiting for him in the parking lot, next to a black pick-up truck. He still hadn’t responded, which made Chase a little nervous, though he wouldn’t let on to Shay.

  “I can’t believe you haven’t been to a game since high school,” he said, resting his back against the passenger’s door of his truck while she stood in front of him. “That’s just about the only thing to do in Landon on a Friday night.”

  “Too many memories, I guess,” she said, crossing her arms to close her cropped black jacket. “I remember being so proud of you when you played.” A small smile tipped her lips as she looked up at the dusky sky. “I felt the same way watching him play tonight. Is that crazy?”

  “Maybe,” he admitted. “But I felt it too.” Nick hadn’t been just another guy with a great arm, who knew how to read the game. He was his blood and Chase felt that flowing through his veins every time he looked at him, even if it had been from a hundred feet away.

  “Must be him,” Chase said, pulling his phone out of his coat pocket when it buzzed. “He says he’ll be out in ten minutes.”

  “Oh wow.” Shay took a deep breath, closing her eyes. “I hope I don’t mess this up. I may not get another chance to say everything I want to say to him.”

  Chase understood how she felt, but he chose to believe this would be the first of many heart-to-hearts they’d be having with the boy. “Just try not to put too much pressure on him,” he said, closing his hands around her upper arms. “Though he’ll probably try to play it cool, this has gotta be a lot for him to deal with, meeting us after all these years.”

  “You’re right.” She smiled. “Maybe it’d be best if I just followed your lead, huh?”

  Chase didn’t have all the answers, but he had been a teenage boy himself not so long ago and at least he and Nick spoke the same language: football.

  He pulled Shay closer when a group of rowdy teens almost bumped into her as they piled into a rusty pick-up truck next to her, yelling and laughing, as they celebrated their teams’ victory.

  “Remember when that was us,” she asked, bracing her hands on his chest as she looked up at him. “Where did the time go?”

  Looking at her now it felt like no time had passed. She still looked like the girl he’d fallen in love with, the one he’d been determined to make a life with. The urge to kiss her was strong, but when he was tempted to move in, he heard someone clear their throat before stepping closer.

  “Hey.”

  That single word made Chase breathless as he looked into light blue eyes that mirrored his own.

  “Hey, Nick.” He pushed off the truck, wanting nothing more than to hug him, but offering his hand instead. “I’m Chase. And this is Shay. It’s great to finally meet you.”

  “Yeah, you too.” Nick’s gaze darted to Shay before he shyly offered her his hand. “You too. I mean, uh, it’s nice to meet you too.”

  Her smile lit up her pretty face as she accepted his hand, clasping it between both of hers. “You were amazing tonight. Thanks for letting us come and watch you play.”

  “No problem.” He cleared his throat as he looked around the near-empty parking lot. “So, uh, you guys still want to grab a burger?”

  If Landon was anything like Brockville and Chase suspected it was, there was one popular burger joint where everyone went after a big game. It would be loud and chaotic, with everyone wanting a piece of Nick.

  “Is there somewhere a little quieter we could go, you know, have a real meal, get to know each other better?” Chase asked, hoping he wasn’t over-stepping by suggesting an alternative plan.

  “Uh yeah, there’s a small steakhouse on the outskirts of town,” Nick said, running a hand through his damp hair. “Jack’s? You might have seen in when you were driving in?”

  “Yeah, I think we did.” Chase tried not to be too obvious as he gave Nick a quick once-over. The kid was almost six feet already, with broad shoulders and a trim waist. He’d been almost the exact same size at his age. “Sound good to you, Shay?”

  “Sure, whatever,” she said, slinging her purse over her shoulder.

  They all piled into his truck before Nick commented, “I’m surprised you drive a truck. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a sweet ride and all, but I guess I pegged you for more of a Ferrari kind of guy.”

  Chase was pleased to learn he’d given him any thought at all. He laughed as he scanned the radio, looking for a Top 30 station that might appeal to a teenager. “I wouldn’t be caught dead in one of those fancy foreign jobs, son.” He bit his tongue when he realized what he’d said. He definitely hadn’t earned the right to call Nick his son, but it seemed too late to take it back now, so he ignored it, hoping Nick would do the same.

  “I think that’s cool,” Nick said, buckling up in the backseat. “I mean that all that money hasn’t changed you.”

  “I can assure you,” Shay said, winking at Chase. “It hasn’t changed him a bit. I knew him when he was dirt-poor and he’s still the same guy now he was then.”

  “So you guys are still close then?” Nick asked, obviously trying to figure out the dynamic between his birth parents.

  “We, uh, just reconnected,” Chase explained. “When I moved back to Landon. I really wanted to meet you and thought Shay might feel the same way, so I reached out to her before I called you. I hoped this was something we could do together.”

  “I hope you don’t mind that we contacted you,” Shay said, shifting her body so she could look at Nick.

  “No, it’s cool.” He pointed out the window. “Hang a left here, Chase. Follow this road a couple of miles. You’ll see it on your right.”

  Chase was impressed with the kid. He seemed at ease, comfortable in his own skin, which he knew was no easy feat for a teen. “Got it.”

  “So, that team you played tonight was a rival?” Shay asked.

  “Yeah, they took out one of our lineman out with a cheap shot last game we played. We wanted to teach ‘em a lesson.”

  Chase smiled, remembering how he would have rallied his own team after something like that. “You’ve got some arm on you. You hopin’ for a scholarship?”

  Nick shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m still weighing my options.”

  They pulled into the parking lot and Chase hoped it wouldn’t be too hard to get a table, since there were only a few empty spots in the parking lot.

  “The guy who owns this place is crazy about hunting and fishing,” Nick said, jumping out of the truck on Chase’s side. “You mind if I introduce you? His brother is my English teacher.”

  “No, I don’t mind at all.” Chase was honoured that Nick seemed to be proud of his professional accomplishments.

  Shay was already meeting them around the front of the truck before he could open her door, but he was able to reach the entrance before she was, holding the door open for her to enter.

  “Thanks,” she murmured, smiling at him.

  He could tell she was relieved that Nick didn’t seem to harbour any animosity towards them and she definitely wasn’t the only one. Chase finally felt like he could breathe too.

  Nick introduced both of them to the gregarious proprietor, casually adding, “Jack, Chase and his partner own Backwoods Outdoors. Maybe he can hook you up with some new gear for the deer-hunting season.”

  Jack’s jaw dropped as he looked Chase up and down. “Wow, I thought you looked familiar. I’ve seen you on TV and at a couple of shows. It’s an honour to meet you. What brings you to our little town?”

  Not wanting to put Nick on the spot, Chase explained, “I just moved back to the area. And I had a hankering for a good steak tonight. I heard you
could hook me up.”

  “I sure can, my friend,” Jack said, slapping him on the back as he led them to a booth. “Hey, let me bring you a new beer I’m testing out. I’d love to get your take on it.”

  “A cold beer sounds great.” Chase knew it would be his only one tonight, since he had to drive home after their dinner. “Thanks.”

  After he’d taken all of their drink orders, Jack gave them some time to peruse the menus, assuring them their waitress would be by in a few minutes.

  “So,” Shay said as she reviewed her options. “What do you recommend, Nick?”

  “That depends,” he said, lifting a shoulder. “You like meat and potatoes or are you into salads and all that healthy sh-, uh, stuff?” He blushed at his near-slip, dipping his head when Chase and Shay shared a smile.

  “I’m willing to splurge tonight,” she said, thanking the waitress with a polite nod when she returned with their drinks.

  “You might like the perch sandwich,” Nick said. “It’s my mom’s favorite.” He looked at Shay like he feared he’d said something wrong and Chase knew it was time for them to lay their cards on the table about what they all expected from this meeting.

  When they’d all placed their orders, Chase raised his bottle. “To new friends.”

  Nick seemed to finally exhale when he touched his glass to theirs, muttering, “Cheers.”

  “Nick,” Chase said, frowning when he caught Shay studying their son as though she was trying to read his mind. “I hope you don’t feel weird talking to us about your parents. We’d love to hear more about them. Wouldn’t we, Shay?”

  “Huh?” She shook her head when she realized she’d been caught daydreaming, “Oh yeah, of course.”

  “There’s not much to tell,” Nick said, taking a sip of his soft drink. “You know my dad died a while back and my mom re-married. My step-dad’s okay. He never had any kids of his own though. Never wanted them.”

  That made Chase wonder how he felt about having a teenage steps-son, but he knew it wasn’t the time to ask. “Your mom seems like a nice lady. You sure she’s okay with you meeting up with us tonight?”