by Melody Grace
“She is. We aren’t. It’s done.” Chase made his answer succinct.
“And why’s that?” Aidan asked.
He didn’t want to go into it, so he just said, “Because.”
“Real mature.” Aidan smirked. “You know, for a smart guy, you can really be a dumbass sometimes.”
“Hey!” Chase tossed the empty juice bottle at him. “You’re supposed to be on my side, remember? It’s what family means.”
“I didn’t get the memo that says I have to sit back and watch you make a huge mess of your life,” Aidan picked up the bottle and tossed it neatly in the trash bucket.
“My life is just fine,” Chase insisted.
“Sure. Because living alone out of twenty square foot of RV really says you’ve got things figured out.”
They’d been through this a hundred times before, and normally, Chase would have been teasing right back, pointing out that Aidan wasn’t really one to talk. Sure, he had the designer suits, and high-flying job, but he was as much of a bachelor as Chase – a new supermodel on his arm every month. But today, all Chase could think about was what Letitia had said to him during their fight.
“You’ve got nothing connecting you to anyone. Nobody who you can call home.”
He’d always worn his single status like a badge of pride. Now, he couldn’t help wondering if he’d got it all wrong.
What if he was the one missing out on something special? Trapped by the past, watching the chance of a lifetime sail by.
Aidan glanced over, and Chase’s thoughts must be written all over his face, because his brother whistled. “Wow, she really has gotten under your skin.”
“You could say that,” Chase replied wryly. Under his skin, into his heart… “She’s… One of a kind. Smart as hell, super-ambitious,” he found himself explaining. “She can talk you into anything.”
He remembered that first night, how she’d fixed him with that devilish smile and negotiated him all the way into bed. Had he really believed they could stay just friends? He’d never stood a chance, resisting a woman like that.
“Anyway, you’d have liked her,” he finished, rueful. “It’s a shame you never met. You could have talked business proposals and strategy all day long.”
“Maybe we still will.”
Chase’s head snapped around. Aidan tested his line, looking way too relaxed.
“Maybe I’ll move out here with you all,” Aidan continued with a smile. “And take up with this Letitia. She’s looking to settle down, right? I could start giving Mom those grand-babies she keeps nagging us about.”
Chase knew his brother was just kidding, but he didn’t like the stab of jealousy he felt, thinking about Letitia making that kind of life with anyone.
Anyone but him.
“I’m not falling for your whole ‘reverse psychology’ thing,” he said, trying to ignore his instincts. “Besides, who put you up to this?” Chase regarded him with new suspicion. “You never care about who I’m dating.”
He ran through the list of possibilities. Jackson wasn’t the judgmental type, Luke was too wrapped up with Natalie, and even their mom hadn’t been around this summer to see him crash and burn. Which only left...
“Cassie!” he exclaimed. “She’s the one who called you.”
Aidan’s mouth twitched. “She may have mentioned something,” he admitted.
“Ha! I knew it.”
“It doesn’t mean I’m not right,” Aidan added. “She said this Letitia could have been the one.”
“What does that mean?” Chase scoffed, even as he remembered Letitia’s dazzling smile, and the way she’d fit so perfectly in his arms. “That if I miss out on this one shot, I’m doomed to always be alone? I could have a date lined up in thirty seconds flat if I wanted,” he said stubbornly.
“I’m sure you could,” Aidan agreed, annoyingly casual. “And they’d be just as good as Letitia, right?”
Chase didn’t answer that. He couldn’t even lie.
Of course they wouldn’t be.
There was nobody like her.
“It was never meant to last,” he said instead. “We want totally different things.”
Aidan looked out over the river, silent for long enough that Chase relaxed, thinking maybe they were done with the relationship talk. He baited his own book, and cast off, swinging the line cleanly into the river. Earl had taught them, back when they were kids. He said it would do them good to sit still and learn how to be patient.
Now, Chase couldn’t help wishing he had a hundred other distractions, because he had no escape when Aidan finally set down his rod, turned to Chase, and gave him a look that was equal parts affection and disappointment.
“Things have always come easily to you, Chase,” his older brother began. “You’re funny, and charming, and great to be around… But the problem with that is you’ve always gotten everything you wanted, without ever having to really fight for it.”
Chase blinked.
“I’m not saying you’re not talented,” Aidan added, “Because you are. But you’ve been living your life on cruise control, taking the path of least resistance, over and over again.”
“That’s not true,” Chase replied, smarting. “I’ve worked hard at my business—”
“Sure, when it comes to work.” Aidan cut him off. “But your relationships?”
Chase couldn’t reply.
Aidan sighed. “See? Women fall into your lap, and then the minute something gets tough, you bail. Hell, the minute something might be any work at all, you’re already moving on. But even the best relationships need fighting for sometimes. You think Mom and Dad never hit a rough patch?” he asked. “You think they never had to compromise, or sacrifice? Of course they did. But they put in the work, because it was worth it in the end.”
Chase felt all of eight years old, having his older brother read him to rights like this. “You never said anything before,” he muttered.
“Because I hoped you’d grow out of it.” Aidan sighed, softening. “Look, I know Kira did a number on you, but that was years ago now. I thought when the right woman came along, you’d see she could be worth the fight. It sounds like Letitia is that woman, but what are you doing about it?” he asked. “Drinking and planning your next escape, I’ll bet.”
Chase sat there, feeling rotten to the core.
“It’s not just me,” he mumbled. “She walked away, too. In fact, she was damn near skipping off to find some other man. Someone who checked all the boxes on her never-ending list of requirements. I wanted to keep seeing her,” he added. “She was the one who called it all off and said we weren’t working out.”
“Uh huh,” Aidan said, arching an eyebrow. “And by ‘seeing her’, you meant another no-strings summer fling with zero promises or commitment? Gee, I wonder how she could have ever turned that down.” He shook his head. “Maybe Cassie got this all wrong. Are you even in love with her?”
Of course he was.
Chase’s last barricade of denial finally came crashing down. Who the hell was he trying to fool? He couldn’t hide it anymore – not even from himself. He was crazy about Letitia – and he had been ever since that night on the beach, sharing s’mores under the stars. Every day he spent with her, he discovered another side, some hidden depth she kept from the world beneath that beautifully polished exterior.
Something more to love.
And still, he’d let her walk away. He’d been pretending the breakup was for a good reason, but he knew it in his bones that his brother was right.
He hadn’t fought hard enough.
He hadn’t worked at love at all.
“So what do I do?” he asked, hoping that Aidan would have the answers. He always did, after all. But this time, Aidan just gave him a crooked grin.
“Hell if I know. I’m the other lost cause in the family, remember? I’m afraid you’ve got to figure this out on your own.”
Dammit.
Chase stared out at the water, his mind
racing now. He didn’t know how he could possibly fix this – or if Letitia even wanted him to. She’d given him every chance to step up and make a future with her. And he’d fallen short, every time. The last night he’d seen her, there’d been no mistaking the goodbye in her eyes.
She was already moving on. And for the first time in his life, Chase was the one being left behind.
20
Letitia gently tapped her glass, and the crowded restaurant all hushed, turning to her expectantly. “Welcome,” she began, smiling widely. “Thank you so much for joining us tonight to celebrate Eliza and Cal. I know they call it a rehearsal dinner, but I can tell you, none of the Prescott family need any rehearsal to put away a fine meal.”
There were chuckles of laughter.
“So please, enjoy the evening, and direct all your lavish praise to Declan for hosting us here at Sage, and providing the amazing menu!” Letitia let a polite smattering of applause, and then the room turned back to their chatter and mingling.
She let out a sigh of relief. She’d spent the day laying in a dark room with a facemask on, guzzling water so she wouldn’t show up tonight looking as wretched as she felt. Now, thanks to an hour in front of the mirror, the miracles of mascara, and an industrial amount of concealer, nobody would guess she was nursing a broken heart as well as a killer hangover.
“Everything looks beautiful,” Paige said, greeting her with a hug. “The flowers, the decor… You did an amazing job.”
“I was happy to do it.” Letitia looked around the room, satisfied that despite her heartbreak, she’d still managed to pull everything together for the event. The restaurant was decorated in luxurious shades of cream and gold, with big bouquets of hydrangeas and sunflowers on every table, alongside vintage editions of the happy couple’s favorite books. Sure, it wasn’t the crystal chandeliers of the Plaza like her parents had wanted, but Letitia knew the rustic charm was exactly to Cal and Eliza’s taste. “Although putting together the seating plans has been like some cruel logic puzzle. The Prescott family likes their feuds,” she explained, and Paige laughed.
“You’d never know it by looking. You’re all so proper and polite.”
“Oh yes, we hide our emotions under good manners and a healthy dose of champagne,” Letitia agreed. She saw her parents in the crowd, chatting to Eliza’s mom. Her heart sank. She hadn’t heard from then since her meltdown the other day – except, of course, a text message reminder from her mom to get her hair blown out. Not a word from her father; not even an official memo from work. She wasn’t sure what they were thinking, but at least she knew nothing would be said tonight.
The Prescotts never aired their dirty laundry in public.
“Quick, save me!” Eliza joined them, speaking in a hushed voice. “Aunt Mindy is trying to recruit me to her bitchy brunching ladies club. Again!” She grabbed the glass from Paige’s hand and took a long swallow. Then she paused, frowning. “This isn’t champagne,” she complained. “It tastes like… apple juice.”
Paige gave Letitia a panicked look. “Huh,” Letitia said quickly, trying to cover. “Weird. The waiter must have mixed it up.”
But even in the midst of wedding madness, Eliza wasn’t distracted enough to buy it. She looked at her sister, and suddenly lit up in delight. “Paige!” she squealed. “Why didn’t you…? How long…?”
Paige looked bashful. “I wanted to wait until after your big weekend.”
“Screw my weekend. I’m going to be an aunt!” Eliza smothered her in a gleeful hug, already firing away with a dozen questions.
Letitia left them to their sisterly moment, and drifted back through the crowd, greeting distant relatives and new friends until she reached Cal, who was with a handsome, dark-haired man who looked vaguely familiar.
“This is an old college buddy of mine, Nick Sterling.” Cal introduced them. “He just sold his stake in his family company to Wes Banner.”
“And decided to stick around.” Nick flashed her a friendly smile. “Who could pass up summer in a small town like this? I feel like I’m in some kind of Hallmark card.”
“Sweetbriar Cove has its charms,” Letitia agreed.
It was just a shame one of them turned out to be six-foot-two of blonde, muscular heartbreak.
She caught herself, and stifled a sigh. She was supposed to be keeping Chase off her mind tonight. The last thing she needed was a repeat of the drunken karaoke incident. Somehow, she didn’t think the Prescott family would be quite such a warm audience.
“Uh oh,” Cal said suddenly, looking past Letitia. “Your mom’s got Eliza cornered. I better go before they say… Well, anything!” He shot off across the room, and Nick watched him go.
“I don’t know why he thinks he can keep them apart,” he said, looking amused. “They’re getting married. What’s he going to do, stick like glue through every family holiday until the end of time?”
Letitia smiled at the thought. “If it comes to a showdown, my money’s on Eliza,” she agreed. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, my mom can freeze a fondue set at twenty paces, but Eliza isn’t afraid to play dirty.”
“You could sell tickets,” Nick agreed, smirking. “I know I’d be first in line.” He politely flagged down a passing waiter, and took two glasses of champagne, offering one to Letitia.
“Thank you,” she said, taking a sip.
“Now, tell me why the two of us haven’t met before,” Nick said, studying her. “I feel like we should have, by now.”
“Oh, I’ve heard stories about you,” Letitia said. “At least, if you’re the Nick who convinced Cal to kidnap that rival school’s goat mascot, and leave him munching away in the bursar’s office.”
“No comment.” Nick grinned. “But if that had been me, I would say, Cal didn’t take much convincing.”
Letitia laughed. “No, he probably didn’t.”
The wait staff began ushering people into the private dining room. “Well, I’m sure we’ll meet again later this weekend,” Letitia said, as they moved to find their seats. She knew she would be with her parents at the main family table, but when she reached her place setting, she was surprised to find Nick was seated right beside her.
“Looks like later is now,” he said, and pulled out her chair for her.
Letitia looked around, confused. She’d planned the seating arrangements herself, and there was no way she’d have put him there. Then she saw her mom beaming at them smugly from down the table. ‘You’re welcome’, Sylvie mouthed in Letitia’s direction.
Of course. She couldn’t not interfere. Still, as the delicious dinner got underway, Letitia had to admit, there were worse dinner companions. Nick was charming, and funny, and great at deflecting Uncle Astor’s questionable jokes. He’d worked at his family company, too, after inheriting it when his father died. “Not that designer watches are much like an international media company,” he added, as their salad course was cleared away.
“I don’t know about that,” Letitia mused, taking a sip of wine. “Most businesses are more alike than you’d think. You want to find great people, and manage them well,” she pointed out. “And it doesn’t matter what you’re selling, you need to look for your unique selling points in the market, and build a relationship that your customers can trust.”
“That’s a good point,” he agreed, and soon, she was telling him all about some of the projects she’d worked on at the Prescott Group. Before she knew it, they were halfway through the entrée lobster, and she’d barely spoken to anyone else.
“Sorry,” she stopped, feeling awkward. “I’m talking your ear off.”
She couldn’t admit that thinking about work was pretty much the only way she could avoid thinking about Chase.
“No, it’s been fascinating,” Nick said. He looked at her, thoughtful. “In fact, I have a proposition for you…”
Letitia’s heart dropped. “Oh,” she blurted, flushing. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean… If I made you think that… I just got out of something,” she
admitted, tripping over her words. Sure, Nick was pretty much perfect, and if she’d met him a couple of months ago, she’d be turning cartwheels right now. But her heart was too raw to even consider another man. Not when she’d woken up this morning feeling the absence of Chase beside her, like a ghost in the bed.
“You’re great,” she added quickly. “Really. I’m just nowhere near ready to date again.”
Nick looked amused. “Well, thank you for the compliment, but I wasn’t asking you out.”
“You weren’t?” Letitia felt even worse. “You don’t mind if I just slide under the table and disappear, do you?”
Nick chuckled. “Please don’t. Or at least wait until you’ve heard me out, because I think there could be a job for you at Sterling.”
Letitia blinked. “You mean, in PR?”
“I was thinking VP of Business Strategy,” Nick replied, taking a casual sip of wine like he hadn’t just dropped a bombshell offer in Letitia’s lap.
What?!
“I… I mean…” Now she really was speechless. Letitia stared at him in disbelief. “But, you haven’t seen my resume. I don’t even have a resume!”
“You’ve spent the last three courses showing me you know exactly what you’re talking about,” Nick pointed out. “And sure, I could bring in a headhunter to put you through your paces, but I’ve been talking with Wes about how to shake up our team, and I think your energy is exactly what we need.”
Letitia had to take a gulp of ice water to try and clear her head. Sterling watches were nothing to joke about: a prestigious luxury brand that now had Banner Investments backing them up. She’d seen the news they were looking to turn things around, and if she was on the team… She felt an itch of excitement as ideas began flooding her mind, but she stopped them in their tracks.
“Thank you for the offer,” she told Nick. “But I’m a Prescott. I mean, it’s my family company. I couldn’t just leave.”
“I don’t know,” Nick said with a teasing grin. “You haven’t seen the offer package just yet. Think about it,” he added, and Letitia could only nod.
