Kate felt herself soften. She wished she could believe him, but now that the IPO was launching and all eyes were on them, she had to be more careful than ever. She pulled back. “Okay,” she said. “I believe you. I have to get this release out now.” She tried to pull out of his embrace, and for a moment, he held her there, his hands firm, his eyes imploring, but then he released her. “This isn’t done, Kate.”
“It never is with you.”
“No.” He smiled. “I’m going to convince you. I’ll find a way.”
Kate smiled back. She secretly hoped that he would.
Chapter 18: Chase
“Connie, do me a favor,” Chase said into his phone, “call Kate and tell her the board would like to meet her at eleven in the conference room. No, I know the board is not in today. Just tell her that and reserve the room, okay?”
The last few days had been a blur of meetings and phone calls. The company phones were lit up by investor and press inquiries. Kate’s press release had increased interest in their IPO. At this rate, they would have to increase the company valuation for the launch. Two days ago, he was afraid he had ruined his chance of going global. Today, the launch was stronger than ever, and he had Kate to thank for it. And he would have thanked her, if she wasn’t totally avoiding him.
The more Chase tried to connect with Kate, the farther she pulled away. If there was one thing Chase had learned in the last week, it was that secrets could destroy them, and he wasn’t the only one who had them. He thought back to his conversation with Lou Tarly before the race. Chase leaned back in his chair and shook his head. No wonder Kate was evasive. He would have been, too.
Chase felt a rush of uncertainty. Backing Kate into a corner could be the wrong move. He knew that much. But in two weeks, this launch would be over, and Kate would be gone, back to Boston and her life. He had to fix this now. No more secrets.
Chase sat waiting in the conference room. First, he chose the chair at the head of the table, then moved to one farther down. Then she could sit next to him. No, across from him. He looked at the door and then his watch. So, he was early. She would be here soon.
The door to the conference room opened and Kate stood in the doorway, looking around at the empty chairs. Her head dropped and she gave it a little shake before she looked up. “Board meeting, huh?”
Chase stood. “I know. Just―please, let’s talk.”
Kate walked in and laid her stuff down, then walked over and sat next to him. She smiled, that was a good start. He looked at her for a moment, trying to forecast how she was going to react. He considered reaching out to hold her hand, but thought that might make her bolt.
“Honesty is important,” he began.
Kate's brow furrowed. “Honesty?”
“Is important. Yes. I know that now.”
“Oh, God. Do I need to be worried? Again?”
“No, I―look, I wanted to tell you everything at the hospital. To be fair, you did have me at kind of a disadvantage. I’d like to fix that.”
Kate looked at him incredulously. “Alright, then. Tell.”
“Okay, I’ll start. First, as you know, I used to race on a track. That was too high-profile, and after that girl ran out onto the track, well, I never wanted anything like that to happen again.”
“Smart.”
“All that press before the accident, and after, just made me hate the whole thing.”
“I can see that.”
“Right, but I still loved the cars, and me and Bo…that was our thing, you know?
“Uh, huh.”
“So we pulled back to do just drag racing. Just us and the cars against a clock. Honestly, I never thought I’d be injured or that anyone would even know.”
Kate nodded. “I get it.”
“You do?”
“Well, not the fast cars part, but having something that’s just yours. I get that. I understand why you needed that.”
“Good,” Chase took a deep breath, “and—hear me out now, I know why fast cars make you nervous.”
He watched as Kate’s lips parted and her mouth hung open.
“I know about your family, and about everything that happened with Donna Ogrodnick.”
Kate gawked at him. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” She shook her head. “People talk, Chase. That doesn’t mean what they say is true.”
“I talked to Lou.”
Kate looked at him in disbelief. “Lou? Lou talked to you?” She shook her head. “Wow. That’s great. What? You two gossiped about me like a couple of old ladies?”
“It wasn’t like that. I called him. He didn’t want to tell me. Know that. But,” he reached out and grabbed her hand, “I told him I cared about you and wanted to know.”
Kate tried to pull back, but Chase grabbed both of her hands in his. “Kate, you are amazing.”
“You snooped into my private life?” she said, her blue eyes glistening. “You shouldn’t have done that.”
“Kate, hear me out. I had no idea what you had gone through…what you’ve overcome.”
“I don’t need your pity. Or anyone’s.”
“Pity? Oh my God, Kate. I admire you.”
Kate uncrossed her legs and slumped slightly in her chair. “Why? I can’t even get my own company off of the ground. You…you’re the one who’s amazing. You run this whole place, no problem.”
Chase leaned forward. “Kate, if I had any idea your family died in a car crash, I would have told you everything right away. I’m sorry.”
“That was a long time ago.”
“How old were you?”
“Twelve.”
Chase squeezed her hand. “Lou told me there wasn’t―that you―you were raised in a home.”
Kate nodded.
“You still graduated from high school, put yourself through college, made a career for yourself.”
Kate sniffed. “I thought I did. Then I got in Donna Ogrodnick’s crosshairs.”
“From what Lou said, you made a judgment call. The right one.”
“Wow. You know a lot.”
“I’m persuasive. Don’t blame Lou.” Chase rubbed her arm as he spoke. “I’d like to hear it from you, though.” He looked in her eyes. “No more secrets, Kate.”
A moment passed, and Chase wondered if Kate would pull away. She looked towards the door once, then sighed. “Okay. So, we had a client, pro-athlete, caught on a yacht with two underage prostitutes and a lot of blow.”
Chase nodded.
“One of the girls overdosed. He called Lou, and Lou called us. We got there just as the ambulance was wheeling her out. Stringers were everywhere and we only had a few minutes to decide our play. Donna said deny everything. Burn the evidence. Lie. Say he was never there.” Kate shook her head. “I said, the playoffs start next week, this guy is a key player, and we were in Boston, after all, they love their sports. I said we couldn’t contain it. Better to play up that he was celebrating the season, in a bad way, yes, but because he loved Boston. He called the ambulance, but he had no idea the girls were underage. He would probably get a two-game suspension and be back for the end of the playoffs and the Super Bowl, if they were lucky.
“Donna said no, and insisted we go with her plan, which totally backfired. Pictures surfaced of the player doing lines with the girls at a local bar, and the girls had texted their friends they were on his yacht. Whole thing blew up. He got caught in the lie. You probably saw it, it was all over the news.”
Chase nodded. “So you were right and Ogrodnick was wrong. That’s why she was so mad?”
“No. Other clients started questioning her judgment. She blamed the bad strategy on me, said I was mad because I was sleeping with the athlete and told him to lie. That I sabotaged him out of jealousy. All that mattered to Donna was saving her own reputation.” Kate nodded bitterly to herself. “Ironic, huh? Then, everywhere I went, she told clients that I would stab them in the back. That I grew up in juvie because I was dishonest and a criminal.”
“Wow,” Chase said, “she is a piece of work.”
“Yup. I guess if I could ever get ahead, people would start to believe me. She just can’t have that. And Chase,” she said, squeezing his hand back, “she is treacherous. It makes me really nervous she’s working with Kai.”
“I can see why.”
“So, now you know everything. Still want to work with me?” she let out a small laugh. “No one else ever does.”
Chase squeezed her hand, then stood, shaking his head. “Kate, I knew from the beginning I’d have to be careful.”
“What does that mean? You don’t trust me now?”
He chuckled. “I knew I had to be careful because I had convinced myself I’d have to be alone to run this company. Then you breezed in and changed everything.” He stroked her cheek. “When you got here, something in me cracked, Kate, something changed. And I knew I’d have to be careful, because when you’re work is done, you’ll leave, and that will crush me.”
Kate closed her open mouth and stuttered out her next words. “It’s my job, Chase, my dream. I have to leave.”
“I get it. Especially now that I know what you’ve gone through to get here. I would never stand in your way.” He pulled back his arm. “I’ve made a decision. I don’t want you to work for me anymore.”
Kate let out a gasp of air. “You don’t?”
“No,” Chase said, “I want to work with you. I want us to work together.”
Kate blinked up at him. “What do you mean?”
“I know the timing of our…relationship, is weird. I get it. We both have a lot on the line. We both need the next two weeks to go perfectly.” He smiled. “We have the same objective, Kate. I just want us to work together from now on. No more secrets. Just mutual respect.”
He saw her soften. “That’s it?” she asked.
“That’s it. From now on, we work together.”
She nodded. “I’d like that.”
“Good. I hope that also means you’re okay if we spend some time together, outside of work. It might end, but it doesn’t have to end yet.”
He felt Kate tighten up.
“No one has to know unless you want them to,” he continued. “That’s all up to you.”
The calculus ran through Kate’s eyes. After a moment, she looked up at him and nodded. “I’d like that, too,” she said, and reached her hand around the back of his neck pulling him in for a kiss.
Chapter 19: Kate
The moment Kate hit dial, Lindsey’s face popped into view; tiny wet curls dripping from the side of her head. “How’s it going? I’ve been so nervous for you.” she said, grabbing a towel and pinching the ends of her hair.
Kate reached out and touched the screen. “I’m good. Everything’s good,” she said. “Thank you for being there.”
Lindsey beamed into the camera. “Always.”
Kate took a breath and launched into her rundown of the previous week. By the time she was done, Lindsey’s hair had dried in perfect ringlets around her pixie face. “Wow, Pipes,” she said. “So…let me get this straight. Chase basically outted you. He found out everything and you’re okay with that?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“Weird.”
“I mean, yeah, I actually feel kind of relieved.” Kate shrugged. When she thought about her past, it felt like a terrifying abyss pulling her down, but when Chase talked about it, it all didn’t sound like that big of a deal anymore.
“Wow,” Lindsey replied. “That’s great. So, what next?”
“I’ve been trying to work that out,” said Kate. “It’s been a crazy ride, so far.”
“True, that.”
“The good news is, the crash didn’t really hurt us, and the announcement of the IPO has been well received. I’ve been getting rounds of questions from financial news outlets, as expected, but no interest from any tabloid outlets. All in all, it seems like it might work out.” As Kate said that, she felt the skin on the back of her arms tighten and tiny hairs raise all over her body. It seemed like things were going almost too well. Good stuff happens, too, Kate, she told herself.
“And with Chase?” Lindsey asked. “Do you think things might work out there, too?”
Kate tried to smile into the camera, but could see on the screen that her face wore more of a frown. “That’s complicated. He likes me, and admittedly, I like him. But if this launch goes well―and it will, I’ll make sure of it,” she said with a slow, determined voice, “I’ll be leaving to come back to Boston. Pick up new clients.”
Lindsey leaned into the camera. “You know, Pipes, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. They do have these crazy new machines called airplanes.”
“I know. That’s just too much to think about now. What did you find out about the photographer at the crash?” she asked, changing the subject.
Lindsey typed something into her keyboard and looked at her screen. “A local guy got the credit. I called him, but he wouldn’t say much other than that he was hired to be there. When he figured out I was digging, he clammed up.”
“That’s interesting.”
“Isn’t it? And I noticed Ms. Oklahoma was wearing a VIP pass in the photo so I did a little research there. Turns out she wasn’t just a spectator and she wasn’t at the hospital. She jumped into the photo in the back hallways of the track when Chase was being wheeled out.”
“Chase didn’t know she was there. Who else would have gotten her a pass?”
“That remains a mystery. She’s not a race-hound. She never posted anything from a track, and believe me, that woman posts a lot of pictures of herself.”
“Huh. Okay, Lindz. Thanks, gotta run. Company barbecue today.”
“Ooh! Fun. Have a hot dog for me.”
Kate smiled. “Will do.”
Outside, she could hear the clang of picnic tables and umbrellas being set up. She walked to the window and peaked outside. Bo and Big Cal were setting up a row of grills on the far side of the lawn, and Peggy, Constance, and Rose were laying red plaid tablecloths across the tables. Kate looked from side to side with a slight frown. No Chase. She checked herself once in the mirror, hoping the simple sun dress she wore would be alright, then stepped outside.
“Hi, there,” she said to Rose. “Can I help?”
“Kate!” Rose said as a smile spread across her face. She rushed over to Kate and grabbed her. Rose hugged her so tightly that Kate wondered how Rose stayed in such good shape at her age. Rose held Kate by the arms as she withdrew slightly to look her in the eye. “You are a gem,” Rose said.
“I am?”
“I think Cal bringing you here was one of the smartest things he’s ever done.” Rose nodded. “The way you’ve handled everything has been top notch. And, the way you’ve worked with Chase,” she leaned in, “you make a good pair. A little like me and Cal, I’d say.” Rose let go and ended the hug with a little wink.
Kate blushed. “Um, thank you.”
“Peggy,” Rose called out. “Get over here and give Kate a hug.”
Kate looked across the lawn at Peggy, who lifted her head with a scowl. “I’m fine over here, Rose.”
“Don’t give Peggy a second thought,” Rose whispered. “She’ll come around.”
Kate nodded and walked out from the shade of the porch into the warmth of the mid-day sun, stretching her arms above her.
“Hi there,” she heard Chase say, and turned to see him beaming at her.
“Hello,” she smiled in return.
“Would you like to grab a table with me?”
“Sure.”
Chase took her by the hand and led her to a table shaded by a giant poplar tree. Kate looked around, but no one seemed to care that she and Chase were holding hands. She exhaled and squeezed his hand as he led her to her seat.
The lawn filled with employees as the afternoon went on, and she and Chase watched from the side as people made their way back and forth to the grill. Cal wore an apron that read “Don’t Cook Bacon Naked,” and l
ifted burgers on and off of the grill and onto plates with a smile and a laugh. Every once in a while, Rose would come over and give him a cool beer and a kiss on the cheek before retreating back to her own table.
Kids ran around the lawn screaming in glee as they tried to spray each other with bubble guns. Tommy popped up everywhere with his camera, laying on the ground or standing on a chair, trying to get the best shot.
The sun filtered down through the leaves of the trees which danced with the growing breeze. Kate took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She and her sister used to run through grass just like this when she was a kid. And her parents would hold her and tell her she was special and that they loved her. Behind her closed eyes she felt tears rising. Have I forgotten what’s really important? she asked herself.
She felt Chase put his hand on her thigh, and with her eyes still closed, reached down and put her hand over his. She could feel him looking at her and turned towards him, opening her eyes. He looked at her with his dazzling green eyes and she expected to see another smile, but this time she saw him looking at her like a ripe apple he wanted to peel. Blood rushed up her neck.
“I think the launch went well,” she said.
Chase looked at her steadily for a moment then exhaled. “Uh huh.” he said.
“The major outlets picked up the safety test spin, so I think we’re good there.”
He tilted his head and stared at her. “Can’t we take one day where we don’t talk about work?”
Kate pulled back and looked him in the eye. “No. We only have two weeks left. Every day counts.”
“Exactly,” Chase said. “We only have two weeks left. I’d like to just spend some time with you. Why can’t it just be easy?”
“If you wanted easy, you should have gone for Ms. Oklahoma,” Kate said with a grin.
Chase made a face. “She’s not my type.”
“Right, because blond and beautiful is so icky,” Kate deadpanned.
“Not all men are into that.”
“They’re not?” Kate said, dubious.
Chase looked down at her, amused. “My type seems to be bossy and emotionally unavailable.”
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