by SJ McCoy
Seymour came and hugged her to him. “Sorry, I didn’t realize it was a question that would need so much thought.”
She laughed. “It doesn’t. I don’t want to go. I’m a social creature, but I’ve had enough social time this weekend. I’d rather have you to myself.”
“Want me to make us something?”
“No. I think we should get in the car, stop by the bakery for sandwiches on our way out of town, and go for a hike.”
“That sounds perfect.”
Half an hour later they were heading up East Shore Road. Seymour looked out of the window at the lake. “This is how life should be.”
She laughed. “This is how life is.”
“You’re right. This is my life now. My mind’s not half-focused on what I’m going to do tomorrow. What needs to happen at work. I’m just right here with you.” He reached across and squeezed her leg as she drove. “And there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
A few minutes later, she turned off and followed a dirt road up into the foothills. She brought the car to a stop at the trailhead.
“Do you hike up here a lot?”
“Sometimes. Usually on a Sunday. It’s peaceful and so beautiful. You wait until you see the views from farther up.”
As they made their way up the path through the pines, Seymour took hold of her hand. “And you usually come up here all by yourself?”
“Yep. Marianne came along a couple of times, but she has other things to do with her time these days.”
“Have things changed between the two of you now that she’s with Clay?”
Chris thought about it. “Not much, no. She’s happier than I’ve ever known her. I love that for her. Clay’s a good guy, and he’s good for her. Obviously, she spends most of her time with him, but she still does her own thing. We still have lunch at least once a week, and we still go for nights out at the Boathouse. Sometimes, he comes along, too. He’s not here all the time, though. He goes back to Nashville at least once a month.”
“And she doesn’t go with him?”
“Sometimes. He goes to work, and she has her own life to be getting on with here.”
“So, that part of his life is still separate?”
Chris went ahead as the path narrowed and held a branch to let him go by before she spoke again. “Not really. She goes with him sometimes, but she’s made her own friends there. She goes to see Shawnee, and she spends time with Autumn, too. Do you know them?”
“Not well. I know Shawnee Reynolds, more through her music than personally. I’ve met Autumn and her sister Summer. Summer lives in Paradise Valley—where Hope and Chance live.”
“Oh, of course. It really is a small world, isn’t it?”
“It is. When you stop and think about all the people we have in common, it’s amazing.”
She nodded. “What’s with all the questions anyway?”
He walked beside her again as the path emerged from the trees, and a broad meadow opened before them. “I’m not being nosey about Marianne and Clay. I’m curious about how they make it work.” He took hold of her hand. “I’m thinking about how we’re going to make this work.”
She smiled up at him. “We’ll figure it out as we go along.”
He chuckled. “I had a feeling you might say that.”
Chris pointed to a fallen log at the edge of the meadow. “Do you want to sit over there and eat our breakfast?”
She sat on the log, and he sat on the ground, looking up at her. She handed him a sandwich and a bottle of water. “How do you want this to work?” she asked.
“I want to be with you, Chris. That’s as much as I know for certain. I know your life is here. I’d like for my life to be based here, but …” he blew out a sigh. “I can’t just walk out on the rest of my life. I don’t want to.”
“I don’t see why you would.”
“I suppose I’m thinking that way because of my tendency to go all-in on anything I do.”
She smiled. “You can be with me and not have to spend every waking—and sleeping—moment with me. I don’t think I’d last very long if you wanted to.”
“I understand that. But I’ll still have to go back to Malibu sometimes. I want to keep spending time in Montana with Hope and Chance and Dylan. I have a house in the Caymans.”
She raised an eyebrow at him. “What do you do there? I already know you’re not big on hanging out at the beach.”
He gave her a rueful smile. “I have meetings there sometimes. It’s about being where my people are again. I golf when I’m there.”
She made a face at him. “Because you enjoy it?”
He laughed. “Because it’s an accepted means of doing business. You’d be surprised how many deals are made on the golf course.”
She shook her head. “Well, there’s no reason you can’t keep doing all of those things. I’ll still be here when you get back.”
“You wouldn’t want to go with me?”
“Maybe. Sometimes. But not every time. I don’t need to follow you around while you live your life—just like you don’t have to wait around here while I live mine.”
He nodded. “And you think that can work? Like it does for Marianne and Clay?”
“I do. We’re not kids struck with young love that makes us want to spend all our time together.”
“No.”
“I think we can share enough that we feel connected and do enough by ourselves that we’ll have plenty to tell each other about.”
“I like the sound of that. I hope you won’t mind if I’m here more than you expect, though?”
She reached out and touched his cheek. “I’ll love every moment that you’re here. But don’t try to force it. You don’t have anything to do here. You’d go nuts just hanging around.”
“I am going to have lots to do here, though. I’m going to set up an office.”
She choked on her sandwich and had to take a gulp of soda to wash it down.
“Are you okay?”
She cleared her throat. “I am. What kind of office?”
He chuckled. “I thought that would surprise you, but I didn’t expect you to choke on it. I’ve decided I need a headquarters for my charity work. I used to do it alongside my work in Malibu. I had an office, I had all the admin support I needed, and I carved out the time. Now I have all the time I need, but not the office or staff.
“Ivan’s going to head it up for me. I’m not going to need him to drive me around much anymore, but I don’t want to let him go. What do you think?”
She leaned down and dropped a kiss on his lips. “I think that’s a wonderful idea.”
“I hoped you might.”
“You should talk to Renee. I don’t know much about how she set up the women’s center, but she’d be able to give you some ideas.”
“Thanks. I’ll see if she can spare any time for me this week. Ivan and I are going to be working with a realtor this week to find a suitable space we can lease.”
“Which realtor?”
“Austin … something or other. Clay recommended him.”
Chris laughed. “He’s a good guy.”
“Let me guess, he’s another friend of Jack and Dan’s?”
“That’s right.”
“Well, at least I know I’m in good hands.”
“You are. How long do you plan to stay?”
He met her gaze. “How long do you want me?”
“As long as you want to be here.”
He took hold of her hand and squeezed it. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”
“No. Yes.” She made a face at him. “I’m thrilled you’re here. I’m thrilled you want to stay. My concern is that the novelty of staying in my little house with me will wear off soon.”
“It won’t, Chris. I feel more at home in your house with you than I do in any of my houses.”
“You won’t miss all your stuff?”
He chuckled. “Not a bit. As you pointed out, I didn’t use most of it anyway.
I didn’t have it because it meant something to me, only because it was expensive, and I lived an expensive life. Here, with you, it’s not about having expensive things. It's about having valuable things.”
She cocked her head to one side.
“There’s nothing in life that’s more valuable than love and family and friendship.” He kissed the back of her hand. “I’ve found all of those here with you.”
Chapter Eighteen
“I can’t believe how much we’ve set up in just three days,” said Ivan.
Seymour looked around the office. “We had a bit of luck finding this place, but other than that, it’s all been hard work and determination. You’ve busted your ass on this, and I appreciate it.”
Ivan grinned at him. “I have, but I still haven’t accomplished as much as you have. You’re a beast, Mr. D.”
Seymour laughed. “Thanks, I think.”
“It’s a compliment. I guess there was no one to talk to you like that in your old office, but this is a whole new world for you. You’re going to have to get used to me—and people like me working for you.”
“Working with me, Ivan. We’re in this together.”
Ivan nodded. “Yeah, we are. I can really feel that. You’re not the kind of boss I thought you were going to be. You’re right in here getting your hands dirty.”
Seymour looked down at his hands.
“Literally as well as figuratively. I thought you’d stop by sometime and give orders. I didn’t expect you to help clean the place and get it ready with me.”
“You’ll get used to the way I work.”
“I thought I was.” Ivan winked at him. “But now I’m not just the help, am I?”
Seymour narrowed his eyes at him. “I’ve said I’m sorry.”
“And you don’t need to. I’m just glad you met Miss Chris and woke up.”
“I am, too.” Seymour checked his watch. He wanted to get home to Chris soon. He’d been busy getting the office set up all week, and she’d been busy at the center.
“How many people do you think we’re going to need in here? You know I’m just going along blindly so far, accepting your faith in me at face value, but I don’t really get what I’m going to be doing.”
Seymour smiled. “We’re going to start with three people. You’re going to help me hire them. We need a receptionist who’ll also be your main admin person, an accountant—”
“An accountant?”
“Yes. The whole point of the office is to manage the money that comes in and make sure that it’s distributed as it should be—as the donors intended.”
Ivan frowned.
“What?”
“I’ve heard lots of times that it’s not worth giving money to charities because most of the money doesn’t get to where it’s supposed to. It ends up paying salaries,” he looked around, “and rent, and that only about twenty cents in every dollar actually goes to doing any good.”
Seymour loosened his collar and sat down on the desk. “And, in general, that’s true. Hopefully, it’s more than twenty percent of donations, but yes, many charities are inefficient at best. We don’t work that way, though.”
“We don’t?”
“No.” Seymour didn’t like to broadcast what he did, but Ivan needed to know. “I don’t shout about this, but the information is available for anyone who chooses to do their due diligence before they donate. In our case, one hundred percent of donations go to the causes they’re intended for.”
“How? How does all of this … Oh.” He looked at Seymour. “You?”
“Yes. And Clay and Oscar. We all know how fortunate we are. We’ve all made more money than anyone could ever need. We decided to use some of it to help people whose needs are greater than ours. We meet all the overheads so that all the donations we receive go directly to where they’re needed.”
“Wow.”
Seymour shrugged. “It’s only logical.”
Ivan laughed. “It is. But most people don’t use logic when it comes to money. I didn’t know that about you.”
“Very few people do.”
“I feel bad that I assumed all your charity work was about getting tax write-offs somehow.”
Seymour chuckled. “Don’t feel so bad about that. Some of it is deductible. It’s not that I mind paying taxes, it’s just what they go to pay for that I don’t always agree with. This way I get to decide how the money’s spent, and I can know that it’s doing more good than harm.”
“That’s awesome.”
“It works out.” Seymour’s phone rang, and he pulled it out of his pocket, hoping that it was Chris. It wasn’t. It was his brother, Johnny. He looked at Ivan. “Are you okay to close up? I need to take this, and then I’m going to head home.”
Ivan nodded. “Sure. Have a great evening, Mr. D.”
Seymour smiled at him on his way to the door. “Johnny.”
“Seymour. How are you?”
“I’m doing well. How are you? How’s Jean?”
“We’re doing great. We’re leaving Oregon tonight, heading back to the Valley. Are you there?”
“No.”
“Are you in Summer Lake?”
“Yes.”
He could hear the smile in his brother’s voice. “That’s good. And you haven’t been back to the office?”
“I haven’t. In fact, I’m in the process of opening a new one here.”
“In Summer Lake? How’s that going to work?”
“I don’t mean an investment office. I’m going to be putting my time into the charity work from now on.”
“That’s wonderful. And am I right in thinking that you’re going to be spending more time with Chris, too?”
“I’m not sticking around here for the scenery.”
Johnny laughed. “I didn’t think so. I’m just surprised. Happy, but surprised. Do you think you’ll bring her up here so we can meet her?”
Seymour sucked in a deep breath. “I don’t know. She has a full life here.”
“I didn’t ask if you were going to move her here, just if she might come visit. Or are you not there yet?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then ignore me. I know that’s a tough one, and I’m not trying to push you on it. We’re looking forward to meeting her, that’s all.”
“Are you coming to the dinner next weekend?”
“Oh, that’s right. We are. I’d forgotten. Jean takes care of the schedule.”
“You’ll meet her then.”
“Great. I’ll tell Jean. Maybe get a bit of peace about it. She sends her love.”
Seymour smiled to himself. He knew his sister-in-law would be thrilled with the changes that were happening in his life—happening to him. “Tell her I sent her a big hug back.”
“A what?” Johnny asked, incredulously.
“You heard me. Tell her I sent her a big hug. That’ll blow her mind and give her the idea of just how much I’m changing.”
Johnny laughed. “If I tell her that I won’t get any peace at all until I bring her to see you.”
“True. Tell her I said hello then, and I’ll see you both in LA next weekend.”
~ ~ ~
By the time Friday rolled around, Chris was excited to go back to Malibu. She and Seymour had settled into an easy routine at the lake. They spent their evenings eating dinner out on the back patio and talking. They talked about their day and about their lives. She was loving it. She’d had some reservations about Seymour coming to stay with her on what felt like a more permanent basis, but so far things were going wonderfully.
The plan had been for them to fly to LA on Saturday with Marianne and Clay, but Seymour had suggested that they should go this afternoon. There was no reason not to, so she’d agreed.
Jeff greeted them with a smile when they got to the airport. “We’re filed and ready to take off whenever you want,” he said.
Seymour looked at Chris. “Are we good to go?”
“We are.” It made her smile that h
e only let Jeff take her bag while he carried his own out to the plane.
She watched out the window as they took off, and the mountains and lake grew smaller as they climbed into the sky.
“Are you looking forward to this weekend?”
“I am. I’m looking forward to meeting Johnny and Jean. And don’t worry, if you need to work tomorrow, I’m happy to hang out by the pool.”
He smiled. “What makes you think I need to work?”
“I guessed that was why you wanted to go today instead of tomorrow.”
“No. Do you want to know the real reason?”
“What?”
“I wanted you all to myself. I enjoy Marianne and Clay’s company, but I wanted us to have this evening and tomorrow—to have dinner looking at the ocean, and to hang out by the pool or go shopping or whatever you’d like to do.”
“Aww. Thank you. That’s so sweet of you.”
He shrugged. “I’ve spent a lot of time getting the office set up this week. I don’t want you to think that I’m hiding in my work again. I’m not. I’m enjoying it, but part of that enjoyment comes from the fact that it allows me to be where I want to be—which is with you.”
“I had wondered. I’m not complaining; I love that you’re going to spend more time on the charity work, but I didn’t know if it was just going to be your new addiction.”
“It isn’t. I don’t need one anymore. I’ve done the work I need to do to be able to face myself and my life. My life is good, especially now that you’re in it. And I’m okay with me.” He smiled. “I’m not all that bad. Working with Ivan like this is showing me that. He respects me; he looks up to me.”
She smiled. “I told you he did.”
“I know, but I had it wrong. I thought he only looked up to me because I was able to make so much money. I didn’t think it was about who I am as a person.”
“I don’t think money matters much to Ivan. I think that was your idea, not his.”
“You’re probably right. It’s hard to see what you’re doing when you’re doing it, but I’m not anymore, and I understand now.”