Chance on Love

by Vristen Pierce

  Stephanie rolled her eyes. “So much for watching our language.”

  “I never said I needed to watch my language.” He smiled before holding out his hand. “Come on, grumpy.”

  If not for the less than glamorous look she was sporting, she may have felt like a celebrity. And if she weren’t so uneasy, she may have pretended her wool trench was a fabulous faux as she threw it over her arm. Taking a deep breath, she gave him her hand and exited the car.

  Stephanie was grateful Chance’s grip was so firm and steady while they walked to the front entry. Her other hand shook slightly as it grasped the handles of both her purse and her laptop case. She had wanted to make an impression on the bigwigs, but not this one.

  The entire future of her career could rest on them getting their first—well, second—look at her. She leaned closer to Chance. “Are these the same men who were at the station on your first day there?”

  “Well, Ross Lucas. The others are out of town.”

  Ross Lucas? Ah, the alpha elder from the meeting with corporate. He was the CEO of RL Communications, the large and very successful broadcasting company that had recently taken over KMLP. In other words, her future was in his hands.

  With a simple phone call, Lucas could either have her running the station or unceremoniously fired. Stephanie gave herself a mental scolding when she remembered the first impression she’d made on the man.

  Yelling at the GM Lucas had just put in place and insulting rich people hadn’t been the best way to go about that first meeting. She squared her shoulders as she and Chance came to the door.

  She would just suck it up and try extra hard to be...nice. She wasn’t screwing around with some temporary GM corporate had hired anymore—this man was corporate.

  The door opened, and she was greeted with her very first sight of a real life butler. Dressed impeccably in a coat and tails, he looked right out of a movie. He was tall, slim, and had a head of thinning, gray hair.

  She detected a faint British accent as he said, “Welcome. Do come in.” He gave her a slight bow and stood aside for them to enter the lushly decorated foyer.

  As foyers went, this one was something else. Larger than her bedroom at home, the space had a couple of expensive looking chairs, a huge potted plant, and a marble statue standing in the corner. A Persian rug enormous enough to cover nearly the entire floor, and a few paintings completed the look.

  “Thanks, Rupe.” Chance gave Stephanie’s hand a light squeeze. “We’ll wait in the sitting room.” He put Chewy on the floor and the dog dashed off immediately.

  The butler’s response was an elegant nod of his head and a, “Very well.”

  Chance led her through the foyer, and a vast space flanked by grand, curved staircases came into view. She stopped to gawk, but felt herself being pulled into a room off to the right.

  “Wow,” she said as she got a good look around. Just as elegant as everything else she’d seen, the sitting room was a cozy space with a loveseat, chairs, a fireplace, and art pieces tastefully hung on the walls. She remembered something and turned to Chance with her eyebrows raised. “Rupe?”

  He smiled. “His name is Rupert.” He sat down on the loveseat and stretched out his legs.

  She sat beside him. “First or last name?”

  Staring at the window opposite them, he frowned. “Huh, I don’t know.”

  Thinking of something else, she leaned close and dropped her voice. “I’m not really sure it was a good idea to not only bring your Jackhuahua, but to give him free run of the mansion.” She placed the laptop case on the floor and sat back, clutching her purse and coat on her lap.

  On the bright side, maybe Chewy would take first place in the “Awkward and Uninvited Guests” contest. Perhaps the little guy would pee somewhere conspicuous.

  Can I get that lucky?

  Just then, a gorgeous, young woman peeked into the room holding the dog. Her long, wavy hair billowed over her shoulders as her blue eyes shone with glee. “Chance!”

  He smiled broadly and stood, opening his arms to her. “Get over here.”

  She put Chewy on the floor and rushed into Chance’s embrace. He picked her up and twirled her around. “I’ve missed you so much,” the woman said.

  Instantly, a warm wave of jealousy shot through Stephanie’s body. Her voice sounded vaguely familiar, but at that moment, Stephanie couldn’t be bothered to try to place it. All she could do was stare at the affectionate scene in front of her.

  “I’ve missed you, too.” He kissed her cheek before turning to Stephanie. “This is Stephanie Love.”

  The woman looked at her and smiled. “Hi.” Her eyes grew wide. “Oh,” she said slowly, “I’ve talked to you on the phone before.”

  Stephanie frowned.

  “When I’ve called Chance at the station,” the woman added.

  Oh. The vibrant mystery woman with the pretty voice. “Hello,” Stephanie said, forcing her lips to tilt upward. One of Chance’s playthings. Great. She’d known they existed; she just never thought she’d see one here. Wait. Why was she seeing one here? “Are you here for the meeting, too?”

  Her forehead wrinkled slightly. “Meeting? Uh...” She looked at Chance.

  Chance wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his side. “This is Jennifer.”

  Stephanie just looked at them blankly.

  He smiled. “My sister.”

  The cloud of envy lifted and relief consumed her. She didn’t have time to dwell on the implications of that, thankfully, because her curiosity had been piqued. “Oh,” she said with a genuine smile. “It’s nice to meet you.” She looked at Chance. “Forgive me for asking, sir,” she added when she remembered her agreement to treat him as a boss. “But what is your sister doing here?”

  Jennifer laughed. “Oh, I’m over here all the time.”

  Stephanie cocked her head. “You know Ross Lucas well?”

  Jennifer shrugged. “He is our grandfather.”

  “Did I forget to mention that, Love?” Chance asked with a smirk.

  Stephanie could only stare at him and wish she were holding a fresh pot of coffee.

  Son of a bitch.

  Chapter 18

  Jennifer gave Chance a playful slap on the chest. “How could you forget to mention that?” She looked at Stephanie. “Sorry, he can be a brat sometimes.”

  You have no idea.

  “How has Chewy adjusted to being in,” Jennifer wrinkled her nose, “Oklahoma?” She picked the dog up and held him to her chest. “Who’s giving me an update?” She looked from Chance to Stephanie and back.

  He glanced at his sister. “Chew’s been a little lonely when I go to work, but he’s okay. I check in on him once a day. Twice, if I’m going to be at the station past six.”

  Stephanie considered that. All the times she’d assumed he had been meeting some random woman for an illicit affair, he’d been running home to check on his Jackhuahua. It was almost as if the sexy schmuck had some semblance of a heart, a soul.

  Even if he did, it only extended to certain people and...dogs. He’d been more than heartless and cruel when he’d fired Kenny without so much as a second thought.

  Jennifer nodded as she put Chewy down. “I was worried about him. But you two should be home soon so it’ll be fine.” Her face brightened. “Come on, they’re waiting to see you.” She grabbed his hand and yanked him toward the door.

  Stephanie stood, but made no move to follow. Seeing Jennifer in the chic, red wrap dress that hugged the curves of her stunning figure perfectly had made her even more self-conscious.

  Chance turned to her. “Come on, Love.”

  She remained where she was.

  An indecipherable look crossed his face. “Uh, Jen, can you do me a favor?” He pulled out his wallet.

  She looked back at him and smiled. “Sure.”

  “Do you think you can take Love to pick up a few things to wear? I kind of sprung this little trip on her at the last minute.” He held o
ut a credit card before turning to look at Stephanie.

  She hated how grateful she was to him in that moment. Nevertheless, she wouldn’t be indebted to him. The thought made her uneasy. She’d pay him back, even if it took a year. And come on, it was Beverly Hills—it would take at least a year. She gave him a reluctant smile and a soundless, “Thank you.”

  Jennifer laughed lightly. “I’m always up for shopping; I’m happy to take her.” Grabbing his card, she beckoned to Stephanie. “Rodeo Drive, here we come.”

  ****

  Chance returned Love’s smile. He’d been tempted to continue letting her feel uncomfortable and out of place, but his resolve had weakened. When he’d turned back to see the look on her face, he was done. She looked...soft and vulnerable. And that wasn’t a look she sported often. It looked good on her, though, but everything did.

  If she just got rid of those damned walls she’d built around herself, she would be...

  What?

  Before he had an opportunity to follow that line of thought, Love held up a hand. “Wait a minute,” she said, widening her eyes at Jennifer. “Did you say Rodeo Drive?” When Jennifer nodded, she continued. “As in ‘seen on TV, seen in movies’ Rodeo Drive?”

  Jennifer shrugged. “Where did you think we’d go?”

  Love frowned. “Don’t y’all have any high-end thrift stores here?”

  Chance chuckled just as Jennifer burst out laughing. “Trust me,” she said. “You want to go to Rodeo Drive.”

  She rubbed the back of her neck as she stared at the floor. He knew she was doing mental calculations for how much she’d have to pay him back.

  “Don’t worry about price tags, Love.”

  “But I can’t aff—”

  “Go,” he said, jerking his head toward the door.

  “Come on,” Jennifer said, holding her hand out to her.

  Love stared at it a moment. She cleared her throat and took a deep breath before hesitantly taking Jennifer’s hand. And in a flash, she was being dragged out the door.

  “We’ll be back soon,” Jennifer called out.

  Rupe came to stand at the sitting room’s entryway a few seconds later. “Your grandfather would like to see you.”

  He followed him to the man’s large office near the back of the mansion. After opening the door, the butler walked away. Chance smiled. Rupe was still a man of very few words.

  “Chance,” Ross Lucas said by way of greeting. He sat back in his chair and folded his hands on his stomach.

  “Gramps,” he said, using the nickname that had annoyed his grandfather for as long as he could remember.

  “What’s happening with KMLP?” His grandfather narrowed his eyes as he waited for a response.

  Chance shrugged before taking a seat. “What you would expect. It’s taking a little time to get everyone used to the changes, but—” He sighed when he realized he was still getting the infamous Ross Lucas stare. “Is there something specific you want to know?”

  “Is there something specific you want to share?” Ross plucked a cigar off his desk and placed it in his mouth.

  “Actually, there is. I brought someone here with me.”

  Ross raised an eyebrow. “Stephanie Love, by any chance?”

  He frowned. “Yes. How did you—”

  “Then it is true.” Ross nodded. “I can’t say I’m too happy about this.”

  “What’s true?”

  “You’re seeing her.”

  He chuckled. “I’m not seeing her; we’re just...” Getting naked as much as possible. Yeah, not the best thing to tell one’s grandfather.

  “Just what?” When Chance didn’t respond, Ross continued. “You may as well admit it, boy. I’ve already heard about it from someone else, which I’m even less happy about, in case you’re wondering.”

  Chance shook his head in confusion. “What are you talking about? Heard what from whom?”

  “Clayton Morrison had some interesting news for me when we teed off last weekend. Seems his son told him all about how my grandson was dating one of his employees.”

  Chance rolled his eyes. Of course, Clayton the Third couldn’t wait to run and open his mouth. “It’s not what it sounds like, Grandfather.”

  The man’s voice trembled with anger as it got louder. “Of course it is! How does that look? You’re supposed to be there making sure our changes are implemented and you’re romancing a direct subordinate. Didn’t you make that woman your assistant as your first act as interim GM?” He shook his head. “Ridiculous.”

  Chance sighed. “I’m not romancing her, Grandfather. Don’t worry.”

  Ross Lucas leaned forward and clasped his hands on the desk. “Why’d you bring her here?”

  To help her fall for me so I can break her heart for having the audacity to be up to something where I’m concerned. That should really inspire trust in him as temporary head of KMLP. Besides, that had been his original reason for bringing the brat along. That reason had become complicated, however.

  As big of a pain in the ass as she was, he actually rather...liked being around her. And the more he was around her, the more he felt his determination to hurt her slipping.

  His grandfather watched him silently. How could Chance put his thoughts into words when he couldn’t even get them straight in his head? Finally, he spoke. “I...don’t know.”

  Ross frowned. “You don’t know? Since when don’t you know something, boy?” Laughing, he shook his head. “This woman’s got you in a pickle, that’s for sure. Aside from the business standpoint, I’d say it’s about time.”

  Chance sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. “What is?”

  “For you to fall in love.”

  He smiled. “I’m not falling—”

  “Would I have preferred her to be one of the hundreds of thousands of single women out there who don’t work for us? Yes. It’s clear this is serious, though. You’ve never brought a woman home to meet the family.” He lit his cigar and puffed. “It’s about time you consider settling down. You’ve been a cad for far too long. I’d like some great-grandchildren before I kick the bucket. God knows your brother’s not going to settle down any time soon. Jenny only seems to attract the worst of the worst. And your cousins all fall somewhere on that spectrum.” His eyes crinkled in amusement. “I always figured you were my best bet. I was right.”

  “Sorry to disappoint you, Grandfather. Love and I aren’t a match—in more ways than one.”

  “Sorry to disappoint you, scamp, but I think it’s just the opposite. I think you’ve finally met your match in this...Love.” He tilted his head. “Isn’t she the little spitfire who told us all off at the meeting?” He smiled. “Yeah, there’s your match all right.”

  “Crazy,” he muttered, shaking his head.

  “Let’s put it this way, boy: You may not know why you brought her here.” He sat back, puffing his cigar. “But I do.”

  Chance laughed. “We’re not engaged in some magical fairy tale that will end in marriage and babies. I’m not falling in love with that woman. What do I have to do to make you understand that?”

  “Oh, that’s easy.” Ross Lucas grinned. “Fire her.”

  Chapter 19

  Jennifer threw her head back and laughed as she pulled Stephanie into the mansion’s foyer by her hand. “He did not really say that!”

  Stephanie smiled. “I swear he did!” She had racked up a huge bill on Chance’s card during her little shopping spree. Fortunately, she was pretty sure it was unlimited. Only the best of everything, though—Jennifer insisted on it.

  Stephanie had searched for the bargain bins, but apparently, those weren’t en vogue in Beverly Hills. Chance’s sister, however, thought the prices they’d seen were reasonable. Totally different mindsets they had, but Chance hadn’t been lying about her great taste in music. They’d quickly bonded over the awesome sounds of the eighties. Naturally, Stephanie had to share Chance’s mistake on a certain band’s name.

  “Just wait u
ntil I see him,” Jennifer said. “A Colony of Seagulls...crazy.” She smiled and shook her head as they walked into the sitting room. “You can just leave these here. I’ll get someone to put them away.” She placed the shopping bags she held in her hand on the loveseat.

  Stephanie did the same, all the while feeling a little strange about having someone following behind her doing things she could easily do. “I can put these up. Really, it’s no problem.”

  Jennifer waved the comment away and looked at her watch. “There’s still plenty of time for my brother to take you around the city, if you want to see some sights. The guests won’t start arriving until around seven.” She walked toward the sitting room door. “I’ll go see if my parents are here. Try to find Chance,” she called back.

  Apparently, he had returned to Beverly Hills for his maternal grandmother’s seventy-fifth birthday celebration. Stephanie was still marveling at the fact that the Arrogant One thought enough of the woman to drop everything for her.

  Not that he had a glamorous life in Oklahoma City, but he was usually swamped with work. She pushed the thoughts aside before she started getting too soft on the guy.

  Stephanie looked down at herself. Gone was her rumpled, chain store clothing from before. She now wore a hunter green, fitted, knee-length dress and matching heels. She had resisted the purchases at first. She wasn’t much of a color person; she tended to dress in neutrals.

  Jennifer had worn her down, though, and Stephanie was grateful. Superficial, yes, but she now felt amazing. Smiling, she left the room in search of the man who had made it possible for her to be walking around wearing what equated to a month’s salary.

  She looked up in awe at the grand staircases again before frowning. She didn’t even know where to begin looking. Turning to her left, she caught a glimpse of Rupert walking down a hallway. “Excuse me,” she called out, but he didn’t seem to hear her. She started walking in his direction.

  “Ms. Love, is it?” she heard a voice behind her ask.

  Stephanie turned. “Mr. Lucas,” she said, smiling, as she extended her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you—officially.”

  He kissed her hand. “The feeling’s mutual. Walk with me, will you?” he asked as he turned and headed in the direction from which he’d come.