by Kaci Hart
“Oh my goodness, Ryder?”
Chapter 5
Chelsea didn’t know who this woman was but she didn’t like it. Then again, what woman wants to be out with a man and have their date interrupted by a woman who was undeniably attractive. She was tall, and slender like a model and if her fur coat was any indication, she was in Ryder’s class monetarily.
Oh great. Competition. This is definitely not what I was hoping for tonight.
“Phaedra?”
The terrified look on Ryder’s face further confirmed that there was most likely something more with he and the woman who just interrupted their date that was going pretty well before she waltzed her way in. It got worse when he stood up to shake her hand and she grabbed him instead, hugging him in a way that was. . . a lot more than just friendly.
Phaedra is it? I don’t think I like you much.
“Yes it’s me silly. I knew that was you from across the room you handsome thing. It’s been a while but you still look as good as usual.” She exclaimed.
“I thought you were still in Paris last I had heard.”
“I got back just yesterday but it’s nice to know someone so nice was checking up on me while I was away. You are such a cutie. Always so concerned about me.”
Ryder stumbled over his words.
“Th-that’s not really what I said.”
“Oh stop being so modest.”
“Okay then. Anyway, since you’re here, let me not be rude. Phaedra, this is Chelsea, Chelsea… Phaedra.”
She watched as Phaedra turned her look in her direction while at the same time moving her hand across his bicep. Chelsea didn’t like that one bit. The other thing she didn’t like was the way Phaedra looked at her. Moments before, she had been smiling at Ryder but she gave Chelsea such a dismissive, who-are-you look that really got under her skin pretty quickly. Chelsea knew then that Phaedra was the kind of person with money that she was never a fan of and she was determined to be cordial while taking in the far-from-genuine smile that was directed towards her from the ice-queen that she had just met.
“Nice to meet you, Phaedra.”
Chelsea felt like throwing up. In her mind she entertained the idea of doing so. Right all over her new female friend, of course. The thought of that allowed her to smile inside.
“Yes. So how do you know Ryder here? Is he out on another one of his nonstop meetings? I swear this man does not stop working. He is always on the search for new young talent. Are you interviewing to be an intern at Chatham Holdings?”
Chelsea would have rolled her eyes but she didn’t want Ryder to think she was a drama queen. If she had to respond to that question though, she might have said something she didn’t want. She was relieved when Ryder saved her from saying something she just might regret.
“Actually Phaedra, Chelsea is a friend of mine. We were in the middle of a date that I like to think was going pretty well right before you showed up.”
The woman showed her disingenuous smile to Chelsea once again.
“Oh. Isn’t that nice.”
Ryder must have been able to tell that Chelsea had nothing to say to the woman so he continued.
“Yeah Chelsea, so Phaedra and I have known each other for years.”
“That’s an understatement.” The woman who was too full of herself to take a hint and leave butted in yet again. “Chelsea, this silly guy here and I grew up together. I mean we were constantly around each other. We were practically inseparable. I’d like to think that we still are.”
She frowned at Chelsea with a very matter-of fact look and Chelsea was finally at the point that she couldn’t take anymore.
“Well Pheedra--“
“It’s Phaedra.”
“Right. So it was nice meeting you but you’ve had Ryder your whole life while I’ve only had one night so far.”
“Oh right, of course. I have to run anyway. Ryder, honey, we should do lunch tomorrow. Call me.”
She turned her attention to Chelsea once more.
“It was a pleasure meeting you as well.”
Those were the words but the look said ‘you better watch your back, and your step, and sleep with one eye open’. Chelsea was sure that she felt a shiver run up her spine. She watched as Phaedra turned and sashayed towards the exit as if she owned the place. If she was any indication of the kind of people that Ryder spent his time with, she might have to reconsider who he really was.
“I’m so sorry about the interruption.”
“No problem. Interesting taste in women there.”
“I promise she makes the relationship seem like so much more than it was.”
“I’m not worried. After all, this is just our first date. It’s not like you have a tattoo of my name on your back. And I’m not head over heels for you yet anyway. It is all a bit strange to me that I am even here.”
His head tilted to the side and his eyebrows scrunched at her.
“Why would you feel that way?”
She looked towards the exit where Phaedra had just left.
“I don’t know. People like her.”
“Phaedra? Pay her no mind.”
“Believe me, I don’t. It’s just that I don’t normally date guys like you with the fine cars and fine dining. This is something more the speed of my best friend, Ava. She would be completely at home here. I just always thought it was shallow.”
Ryder sat back for a moment.
“So you’re saying that me having money and spending it is shallow? You aren’t a democrat, are you?”
“Um...actually I am a democrat.”
“I’m joking! Chelsea I don’t care about your party, and I am a democrat too so we mesh anyway.”
“Well I don’t care that you have money or not. It’s just not what I expected. Meeting you, I think I might have misjudged a lot of people with money. Either that or you are just different.”
“Well to be honest, the majority of the people I know in my financial bracket are much more like Phaedra than they are like me. You stumbled upon the good stuff, lady.”
His humorous attitude dissolved any concerns that were gaining ground within her about him.
***
A few hours later the driver pulled the huge car to the curb in front of her apartment building and Ryder exited, extending his hand to her. When they were both out of the car, Chelsea allowed her eyes to skim the features of his face as he leaned against the street lamp pole, one hand in each pocket and his head tilted to the side. He was staring at her and she felt self-conscious and excited at the same time.
“Thanks for a great time Ryder.”
“Oh no. You really think you are ending my date short? I have to get you inside and to your apartment safely.”
“That’s not really necessary.”
“No it’s not, but I’d like to still.”
She blushed.
“Okay, but the elevator is temporarily out of service so those high priced legs are going to get a workout tonight.”
He chuckled before looking at the building.
“Hey, I’m not just another pretty face you know.”
“I know that.”
More than anything else, she was just eager to end the night. Not because it was bad but because it was so good. That had her nervous and excited at the same time. Barely a minute later their slow pace had them on her floor and standing in front of her door.
When he began in her direction, Chelsea wasn’t sure what he was about to do but if the look on his face was indication, the moment of truth was coming. This was probably one of the few times she hated having her principles because she desperately wanted to kiss him. It didn’t matter though. She wouldn’t.
She just hoped it wouldn’t turn him off from her.
As if he heard he leaned forward and dipped his head to kiss her. It took everything she had to turn her head to the side and give him her cheek. She could tell he wasn’t expecting it.
“Everything ok?”
“Yeah. . .
I just. I kinda have a few rules that going out with a guy as cute as you make difficult.”
“What are you some kind of super religious person or something?” He chuckled.
“I wouldn’t say I’m a saint but I am a practising Christian.”
He fumbled over his words.
“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make light of what you believe.”
“Don’t worry, I’m used to it.”
“Good. Then in that case, thanks for a wonderful night Chelsea. Can I call you for another date maybe?”
Chelsea was surprised. After what just happened, she definitely didn’t think he’d want to see her again.
“Really? Even after what I just told you?”
“What? That you’re a Christian? I mean I’m not a saint but I’m not the devil either. Besides, I like that you have your principles. It’s nice to meet a woman that respects herself. As they say, anything worth having is worth waiting for. I’ll settle for a hug and a second date if that’s okay with you.”
“I would love that Ryder.”
She leaned forward and hugged him. She was glad he hadn’t given her the normal response from most guys. He pulled away and looked into her eyes. He was still all there with her and that made her smile grow more than ever before. She really liked him.
“Call you tomorrow?”
“You better.”
Her shaky fingers stuck the key into the door and turned the knob to go inside. She felt his eyes on her right up until the moment she closed the door behind herself. She walked over to the window and waited until she saw him get back into his limo. Chelsea pivoted away from the window, floating on cloud nine. She kicked off her heels and walked towards her room when Sasha called out to her from her bedroom.
“Is it safe to come out there?”
Silly Sasha.
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t play coy with me Chel. I saw you guys just now. Did he kiss you?”
“None of your business—Wait a minute! Were you watching me through the front door? I’m living with a peeping tom. Or whatever the female version is.”
“Hey, nothing good was on television.”
“Yeah right.”
Sasha was just being nosy and Chelsea knew it. Right now she didn’t care in the least bit. She looked at her roommate who had sat on the couch with her laptop in hand.
“Well I’m going to go take a shower now.”
“Oh no you don’t!” Her roommate’s almost shout surprised her. “You know you are sharing. Tell me about your last minute date.”
Sasha jumped back off of the couch and came around. She grabbed Chelsea’s arm and dragged her back to the couch beside her.
“Well since you are asking. . .” A smile came across Chelsea’s face as she got ready to talk about the night she’d had. “It was really wonderful.”
“No kiss and you are home early. It must not have gone that well.”
“You say that because I didn’t kiss him?”
Sasha responded very matter of factly.
“Yep.”
“Wow. Well excuse me but there are still a few of us out there that are not as free as you are with our bodies. I happen to believe that a good relationship does not need all that. At least not in the early going.”
“I keep forgetting that you’re all into all that he-needs-to-love-you-for-your-mind, and no sex before marriage stuff. I didn’t believe girls like you existed before we met.”
Chelsea laughed as she responded to her.
“Well we do. And if it makes you feel better, he did try to kiss me but I gave him my cheek.”
Now she saw Sasha give her an exaggerated eye roll.
“Pure craziness. Honestly, I don’t know how you do it. Unless he just isn’t as attractive as you told me that he is.”
“I never said it was easy. It’s just a decision. And he is very good looking thank you. Don’t act like you don’t know. I have to think you at least saw him when you were doing all of your peeping tomfoolery.”
Sasha was pointing directly at Chelsea’s head.
“I couldn’t because that big ol’ thing was in the way. You have a pic on your phone or anything?”
As much of a free spirit as Chelsea was, she did have relationship rules that she refused to break. It had ruined a few potentially promising relationships when she told them about her faith but she felt she was better off without a man if that man couldn’t respect what she believed. Like never before, she felt obliged to show Sasha just how good looking he really was.
“No but I’m sure there’s got to be something on the web about him. He’s supposed to be some kind of big shot businessman in town.”
Chelsea grabbed the laptop off of the small wooden center table and ran a quick search for his name. When she saw his picture come up, she turned the screen back to her friend who read it and gasped.
“See. That’s him right there.”
“You’re kidding me right?”
“Nope. I told you he’s attractive.”
“Yeah. He’s attractive but that’s not what I’m talking about. You are telling me that you went on a date with the son of the CEO of Chatham Holdings. You hit the jackpot Chel.”
“What are you talking about?”
Her roommate looked at her in disbelief.
“Not even you could be so naive that you would not know who this is? You really need to get out more often. Public service announcement, he is only one of the most attractive and richest men in America and he is related to a few of the others. I don’t know how in the world you landed this one but you better keep him.”
Chelsea turned the laptop screen back to herself and started to read. She couldn’t believe it. During dinner they didn’t get to talk about him that much, partially because he just seemed so intent on learning everything about her. He was singularly focused on her all night long.
Sure, she knew that he had some money from their encounters. The limo with a driver and dinner at over four hundred dollars a head were very obvious clues. Nonetheless this was something way beyond what she had imagined. His family seemed to be involved in everything from politics to business and in between. And they were rich enough to be a small country.
“Whoa. I didn’t know all of this about him. I figured he was just some guy that had done well when the market rebounded. This reads like his family would never have even known what money problems means. Well either way he’s not the typical rich guy so I don’t really care how much money he has.”
Sasha jumped in.
“Whatever. That is an amount of money that even you can’t ignore. I wonder if you can get alimony when you guys break up.”
“Wow, friend. How about hoping we don’t.”
“Oh yeah, there is that option too. It’s just that you don’t have the greatest track record with guys.”
Chelsea responded sarcastically.
“Gee thanks for the vote of confidence roomie.”
“Now come on Chel. I’ve always believed in you and I am definitely pulling for you. You know that. If it helps my case any, I will point out that you already got him hooked.”
Chelsea liked to think so but life could be funny.
“You think? It seemed like he was having a good time and honestly Sasha, I haven’t enjoyed myself with a guy this much ever. He was the perfect gentleman and we are going out again soon. You know that I haven’t had a date number two in forever, so you must know how I feel.”
“Okay Chel, you don’t have to beg. If you insist, then yes I will be a bridesmaid but only if you and your rich hubby buy my dress. And jewelry. Oh and makeup and shoes. And don’t make me an ugly bridesmaid. Make me look like a beautiful lady.”
“Stop it Sasha! That’s getting carried away. I’m just saying that I like the guy. Nothing more. And as for you being a bridesmaid, if it ever happens, I can arrange you being in the party but I have to tell you that makeup and a dress can only go so far in making someone look like a lady.”
She laughed as her roommate stopped looking at his picture long enough to recognize her soft jab.
“I am gonna give you that one because I probably deserve it and it was funny.”