by Rita Herron
No, eventually this emotional connection would dissipate, and he'd go on to someone else and so would she. They'd both be grateful they hadn't complicated things by telling Lance and Reid.
He only felt an emotional attachment to Maddie, because he'd known her so long, and because of this insufferable guilt. Yes, Maddie would find some nice guy and settle down one day.
As long as that guy wasn't the wuss.
A thick burning sensation rose in his throat as the image of Maddie with Oglethorpe or any other man passed through his brain. He balled his hands into fists and pressed one over his chest, reminding himself not to eat that spicy Creole again. On top of everything else, the damn woman had given him heartburn.
The phone trilled, and he glanced at the caller ID, breathing a sigh of relief when he noticed the number didn't belong to Maddie.
His relief was short-lived when he answered. A disgruntled-sounding client's voice echoed on the line. "Listen, Mr. Holloway, I'm going to have to tear up that contract."
Dammit, more trouble. "That's within your rights and the grace period," Chase said, fighting the edge to his voice, "but do you mind telling me why you changed your mind? The other day you seemed impressed with my work and the Summers developers—"
"Money," the man admitted in a sheepish voice. "I can't possibly stick with you when I was promised a lower interest rate if I go with another developer—"
"A lower interest rate?"
"Yeah, it'll save me thousands of dollars."
"Who offered you the better deal?"
"The Savings and Loan. I just finished speaking with the manager, and he promised to take care of me personally."
"Martin Middlemyer?"
"No, that nice Mr. Oglethorpe."
That sneaky, weaselly wuss! Anger churned in Chase's stomach. "Oglethorpe promised you a lower interest rate if you signed with another developer?"
"Right. Well, thanks for understanding."
The man hung up, and Chase pounded his fist on the desk, a sudden uneasy feeling rolling through him. He'd been suspicious of Oglethorpe before. If the wuss had promised this man lower interest rates, had he offered the same deal to the other three clients who'd reneged on their contracts? And what about the contractors? Oglethorpe and his family had connections all over town. Had he also cut a deal with them?
Furious, he fumbled through his rolodex, grabbed the phone, and punched in the number for the Savings and Loan. It was about time he had a little talk with Jeffrey Oglethorpe, the back stabber. And he wouldn't leave his office until he had some answers.
Chapter 23
Maddie tucked her feet beneath her bottom in the chair and glanced at the door for the hundredth time. She'd been expecting Lance and Reid to call or stop by all night, especially if Chase had told them the truth about the two of them, but she hadn't heard a peep from any of them. Including Chase.
Had Chase confessed? Had the boys beaten the sense out of him? Were they laughing over the fact that the two of them had finally gotten together, deciding it had been destiny?
So, why hadn't she heard something, anything?
Determined not to be paranoid, she shrugged off the anxiety knotting her insides. Maybe the boys had accepted the news easily and were busy finishing up last-minute plans for the tour.
Or maybe Chase hadn't told them at all?
Maddie refused to think about it anymore. Instead, she turned her attention back to her best friend.
"Cheer up, Sophie. Just because my brother is a moron doesn't mean there isn't a wonderful guy out there somewhere for you."
Sophie sighed, running her finger around the rim of her margarita glass. "I know. But for some reason, the first time I saw your brother I felt this connection with him. Sounds corny, doesn't it?"
"Not at all, Soph. I had a crush on Chase when we were kids. I'll never forget the first time Lance brought him home." Maddie laughed and twirled her straw in her drink. "I got all nervous, thought he was a hellion."
"There's something about that type, isn't there?"
Maddie nodded. "But there was more than that—he always had this kind of sad, lonely look about him. Like my cat had when I found him." Maddie smiled wistfully at T. C. who lay snuggled in her lap, purring. "I never dreamed Chase would wake up one day and see me as something other than a little girl."
"I'm so happy for you, Mad."
"You know what the best part is?"
"What?"
"He not only supports my work, but he appreciates my talent, too. He told me what a wonderful job I've done on the project, and he means it. And we work great together."
"That's so cool, Maddie."
Maddie grinned, thinking of her mother and wishing she and her father could have worked out their differences. "Sophie, I have something I've never shown anyone. You want to see?"
"Something about Chase?"
"No, just wait, and I'll explain." Maddie settled T. C. on the sofa, ran to her bedroom, and hurried back, a book clutched in her hand.
Sophie turned a questioning look at Maddie, her voice squeaking out, "Erotic Body Desserts. Wow, I guess sneaking into Greg Pugh's shower opened up a new side of you."
"It's not mine," Maddie confessed with a sly grin. "The book belonged to my mother."
"Your mother?"
"Yes, I found it in the attic a few weeks ago." Maddie rubbed a thumb over the spine. "I never told Chase and Lance but I heard Mom and Dad arguing the night before the accident. Mom said she was tired of being a doctor's wife, that she had dreams of her own, and she didn't want to live in his shadow anymore. She wanted to start a catering business, but my dad didn't support her decision."
Sophie's gaze fell to the book. When the implication dawned, her mouth gaped open. "You don't mean..."
Maddie shrugged. "I thought she meant a regular caterer until I found this book. At first, I was so embarrassed and appalled that my own mom was so... so—"
"Hip?"
Maddie laughed. "Sexually oriented. I mean, you don't usually think of your parents having sex lives."
Sophie nodded, biting down on her lip.
Maddie opened the page and smiled when Sophie gasped. "It was hard for me to believe anyone would make stuff like this at first, but now I've been with Chase, I can understand."
"Oh, my gosh," Sophie exclaimed. "Look at the icing—it's covering that man's..."
"Looks good enough to eat, doesn't it?" Maddie said.
Sophie laughed. "You're a wicked woman, Maddie Summers."
Maddie flipped the page. "I know. Now help me pick out a dessert I can make for Chase."
"You're going to decorate him?"
"No, I'm going to decorate me." Maddie pointed to a photo of a naked woman adorned in cake icing, cherries and whipped cream. "Chase loves sweets. After the tour, I'm going to surprise him with a sexy confection he can't possibly resist."
* * *
Chase entered the Savings and Loan the next day, his mind a whir of confusion. The sleepless night had done nothing to alleviate his anxiety about Maddie; the empty bed had only made him miss her. Her warm, sensual body, the soft curve of her hip, the rapturous way she moaned in ecstasy when he made love to her.
How could he possibly miss someone so much when he'd only slept with her twice? Well, technically not twice, several times actually, but they'd only slept together on two separate days, not that they'd actually slept....
Taking a deep breath to focus, Chase paused and studied the surroundings. The pristine bank with suits sitting behind shining glass-door offices sent a tremor of unease up his spine. He felt out of place, reminding him of his teen years when he'd been an awkward street kid invited to someone's upscale suburban home. Of course, those invitations had been almost nonexistent.
But he had to deal with Jeff Oglethorpe today and find out if the wuss had been backstabbing them the last few weeks, accounting for all the setbacks they'd incurred. He'd phoned Lance and Reid and asked them to meet him here so they could confr
ont Oglethorpe together. Where were they?
"Can I help you, sir?"
He adjusted his tie, hating the choking knot at his neck, and smiled at the receptionist, a thin, wiry woman in her early fifties. "Chase Holloway, I came to see Mr. Oglethorpe."
"Do you have an appointment?"
Her condescending tone irritated him. "Yes."
She indicated a chair, and he took it, scanning the spacious front area. To his surprise, Maddie's friend Sophie exited Oglethorpe's office. A dynamite little woman with jet-black hair, exactly the dark-haired type Lance usually liked. He was surprised his friend hadn't already had a fling with her.
"Chase?"
"Yeah. Hi." He stood, shaking her hand when she offered it.
"It's good to see you. I saw Maddie last night, and she told me how excited she is about the project."
Guilt over not calling Maddie suffused his conscience. "Yeah, she's done a great job. I think she'll probably be swamped with clients after the tour."
"Good, Maddie really wants this business to work." Sophie's eyes twinkled as if she knew something Chase didn't. "So, how are things with the company?"
He shrugged. "Okay, we've had a few glitches. I'm trying to work out last-minute problems." Curiosity got the better of him. "Lance said he was helping you with that house you wanted to restore?"
Her smile faded. "I met with Lance, but things didn't work out between us. I decided it would be better if I found another builder for the renovations."
"Another builder?"
"Yes, that's why I'm here. Jeffrey Oglethorpe had recommended someone else when I took out my loan but I was hoping, well... since Maddie and I are friends, I wanted to use her brothers."
"Oglethorpe recommended someone else to you?"
Sophie nodded. "Yeah, as a matter of fact, he quoted me a better interest rate if I worked with this other builder." She shrugged. "I guess I'll have to now."
The receptionist cleared her throat. "Mr. Holloway, Mr. Oglethorpe will see you now."
"Well, I'll let you go," Sophie said, waving as she sauntered out the door.
He said good-bye, scanned the front in search of his buddies but came up empty. He had no choice but to face the weasel by himself. He stepped into Oglethorpe's office, his anger growing by the minute. Cynthia, the young woman he'd seen with the wuss at the restaurant, stood in the office looking over Oglethorpe's shoulder.
Oglethorpe's bony face twisted with agitation when he spotted Chase. Chase could not see Maddie with this man. "We'll finish up later, Cynthia," Oglethorpe said. Placing a ballpoint pen that probably cost more than Chase's Timex into a leather pencil holder, he steepled his fingers and gestured toward the expensive chair across from him.
Chase took a seat, refusing to let the man's wealth and social station intimidate him. He cut straight to the point and asked about the offers for lower interest rates.
"I have a deal with this other builder," Oglethorpe said snidely. "It's strictly business, Mr. Holloway, all on the up-and-up, I can assure you. He's a much bigger builder with a long-standing reputation, so he can afford to offer lower rates. Of course if you were more experienced, you'd know—"
"I'm experienced enough to know a backstabbing jerk when I meet one."
Oglethorpe's eyes bulged. "I should have expected you to try to strong-arm me. How like you, Mr. Holloway. Can't quite shed those street gang ways, can you?"
Chase ground his teeth together. "Just tell me what you want, Oglethorpe. What's in this for you?"
"I don't know what you mean. I'm simply a business—"
"Cut the crap. You're mad at Maddie for dumping you on TV, and you're getting revenge by sabotaging her brothers' business."
"And you know this because you're the brains of the bunch?"
"I know this because I put two and two together."
"While you were cavorting around with Maddie trying to seduce her?" Oglethorpe sneered. "Didn't your plans work, Mr. Holloway? Did Maddie turn you down?"
"No, as a matter of fact..." Chase caught himself, horrified at his almost-blunder. He had to control his temper. Besides, how did Oglethorpe know about their affair?
Oglethorpe rose stiffly. "Don't bother to deny it; my coworker told me all about you. I'm sure Maddie's family will be thrilled to find out—"
"Your coworker is wrong. There's nothing to find out," Chase snapped. "Maddie and I have a working relationship, period."
Oglethorpe raised a skeptical brow. He might as well have called Chase a liar. What exactly had this Cynthia woman told him; was she a spy for Oglethorpe? Had she been hiding out somewhere, watching them?
"In that case, I'd like you to know that I am going to get Maddie back. And her brothers approve."
Chase swallowed, his throat thick. Why would his best friends approve of a guy like this for Maddie? But not him. Just because they thought he was a ladies' man, that he'd had a lot of women. This guy was a jerk. And if Oglethorpe and the guys had discussed a reconciliation, it would seem the wuss would want to help Lance and Reid? "If you really want Maddie, then why sabotage her brothers' company? Hurting the company won't win you any points."
"I'm not sabotaging their company." Oglethorpe ran a hand through his oil-slicked hair. "And I will have Maddie back."
"The hell you will." Maddie wouldn't go from his bed to this bony ass's.
Oglethorpe planted his skinny hands into fists on his credenza. "Holloway, you may have Maddie snowed right now, but she'll realize what a low-life piece of scum you are, that I'm the man for her. I care for Maddie and want to give her a good life, a stable marriage. What are you offering?"
Nothing, Chase thought sourly. Exactly nothing.
But he'd never admit it to this man. "This isn't about me and Maddie," Chase said, pounding his fist on the desk for emphasis. "It's about you and what you've been up to. I don't understand your logic, but I'll figure it out and then I'll—"
Oglethorpe laughed viciously. "Stay away from me and stay away from Maddie or I'll ruin you for life, Holloway, and I'll see to it that the Summers boys never get another job in Savannah."
Chase cursed. "You sneaky, conniving—"
"I'm calling security, Mr. Holloway. I suggest you leave and take your threats with you."
Chase flew around the desk, jerked Oglethorpe's shirt in his hands, bunching the collar in his fists. "Not before you admit you've been undermining—"
"Chase, what in blazes are you doing?"
Chase froze, his hand still clutching Oglethorpe's neckline as Lance and Reid walked in the door.
Oglethorpe tried to yank his shirt free. "Thank God you're here. Your friend is a maniac. Will one of you please take him back to his cage?"
Chase tightened his hold. "Tell them about the loans."
Oglethorpe's ears turned red. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Chase raised his fist to pound some sense into the man. "Tell them—"
Lance grabbed his arm, tugging him away. "Chase, what's wrong with you?"
"Yeah, man, we don't need this," Reid said. "We've got enough problems already without you making the situation worse."
"Worse? I'm trying to help."
"Well, you're not helping anything right now," Lance said. "We got a reputation to uphold."
"You weren't worried about your reputation the day Maddie was on TV."
"We made a mistake," Reid said, his forehead puckered with a frown. "The tour's tomorrow, and we're trying to keep clean—you know how important this tour is to the company."
It could make or break them. Chase spoke through clenched teeth, "Listen to me, this turd's been offering lower interest rates to people if they use other builders. Just ask Sophie Lane."
"What's she got to do with this?" Lance asked, looking thunderous.
Reid gave Chase a suspicious eye. "And why have you been talking to her?"
"She was here, right outside," Chase said.
"He's a lunatic," Oglethorpe snarled. "I've been recommen
ding you guys to everyone who asks. I can't help it if someone chooses another builder."
Oglethorpe rattled off several clients who had bought from Lance and Reid. "And Warner signed with you, didn't he?" Oglethorpe said. "You guys wouldn't have half the business you have if I hadn't recommended you. And I did it all for Maddie."
"That the truth?" Reid asked.
"Of course," Oglethorpe replied.
"He's lying," Chase said.
"I don't know, Chase. I can think of at least two folks who signed with me after coming from here," Lance verified.
"But that was before Maddie broke up with him," Chase argued. "He's trying to trick her—"
"I don't have to trick her, I love her! And he just wants Maddie for himself," Oglethorpe shouted. "Just ask him. Ask him if he hasn't tried to get her in bed. My coworker said Maddie as much as admitted things were hot between them."
Maddie told Cynthia they were hot?
Lance and Reid both turned on him, their expressions a cross between shock and anger and betrayal. Chase's stomach lurched to his throat. He should fess up. But not now, not like this.
Not in front of the wuss.
"You know I'd never hurt Maddie," he said instead. "I've just been watching out for her like you guys asked." While the wuss was sugar-coating his act with gifts and flowers.
"He's a violent, crazy man exactly like his father, and he ought to be in jail," Oglethorpe said.
"I'd be a hell of a lot better for Maddie than you," Chase said.
Oglethorpe's nostrils flared. "If you don't haul him out of here and get him under control, I'm calling security and pressing charges for assault."
Chase reached for him again but Lance and Reid grabbed him and dragged him out of the door.
"What the hell's going on?" Lance bellowed.
Chase swallowed, ready to confess, but everyone in the bank was watching, and he still wasn't sure whether Maddie wanted her brothers to know the exact nature of their relationship. He motioned for them to step outside. "Look, guys, Oglethorpe saw Maddie and me having dinner, a business dinner, that's all. He's blowing things out of proportion to get revenge on you for that scare tactic you pulled after the show."
