“C’mon, Autumn, you helped me fill out the applications. I just want to show you the official acceptance.”
“To Harvard?” she asked again.
He grinned and slowly pulled her toward the steps that led up to the library. “I’m not telling you. You’ll just have to see the letter, but we have to make it quick. Dad will be here soon.”
Getting caught up in it, she went with him, trying to see if Chase was looking at them. To her disappointment, he was still dancing with the blond bombshell she’d seen him with earlier. “Take it easy, cowboy.” She muttered.
“What?” Brad asked, turning back to look at her as they climbed the stairs.
“Nothing.”
When they got to the library, Brad was like a kid at Christmas. He rushed to the desk and handed her the letter.
Not wasting anytime, she tugged out the piece of paper and saw that it did have the Harvard seal on it. A tinge of resentment washed through her. Brad would get the life he had always wanted. He would go to Harvard, find someone else to make him look good, and then he would climb up the political circles.
Autumn saw it all for the act it was. She’d been so blind before.
Before she knew what was happening, he was next to her taking her hand, gazing down at her like he loved her so much. “Autumn, I want you back. I want you to come to Harvard with me. I … I know I did wrong, and I’m willing to get help.”
Confusion filled her. He’d never admitted what he’d done before, always just bought her off with jewelry or expensive dinners and outfits. The sincerity in his eyes almost got her.
Then she thought of Chase. Of the way he’d taught her what a real man was: one who sacrificed to do the right thing. One who valued hard work and laughter and fun and God. One who would never hit a woman and who would step in if a woman was ever in trouble.
Being in Snow Valley had changed her, and she realized she liked the change in herself. She recognized she’d been part of the problem before. Part of the reason she’d allowed herself to be taken in by Brad was because she’d been blinded by riches and the possibility of having things.
Being someone.
Running a theater. Living in a big city.
How foolish it seemed now. How empty. “No, Brad. I can’t.”
His jaw tightened, but his face begged her. “I’m not willing to give up on us. We were so good together. We had so many good times. And you’re beautiful. You … make me a better man.”
“Why?”
“What?” He looked confused.
“Why do you think I make you a better man? Because I don’t think I did.”
He frowned. “Autumn, that’s not true. You supported me in everything. We had fun. You made us resist intimacy until marriage.” He tugged her into him, pressing against her, his breath on her face. “That took a whole lot of willpower, but it will be wonderful when we’re married.” Softly, he pressed his lips to hers.
She pushed him away forcefully. “Stop it, Brad. The deal is that after tonight you are out of my life, and I’m going to make sure you keep that deal.”
He took a quick step and pushed her down onto the couch then fell on top of her. She tried to scream, but he muffled her yell with his hand, taking her arms and pinning them over her head. “Autumn, I wanted to give you a chance.” His face looked sad, and Autumn wanted to vomit. “Tonight could have gone so differently for us. But you just made that choice because, you see, I waited for you. I waited because I knew it would be amazing to be your husband.”
Then his eyes hardened. “But I will have you. If tonight is our last night, then it’s going to be memorable.” He flashed a wicked grin. “After all, you’ve signed a confidentiality agreement.”
Chapter 15
Chase smiled at the good-looking blonde in his arms, not minding the dance as much as he minded the tension in the lower part of his gut. The ache had started as soon as Autumn had left Snow Valley, but now it intensified.
As he glanced around, he blinked, noticing he couldn’t see Autumn anymore.
“Hello?” The blonde waved a hand in front of his face. “How come I feel like you’re not really dancing with me?”
Chase broke away from his dance partner, knowing that when he got a feeling like this, he had to pay attention to it. Scanning the crowd, he searched for Autumn.
“Hello, I’m right here.” She waved at him again.
Chase stepped away from her. “Sorry.” The urgency heightened, and he felt like he could feel distress. Autumn’s distress. Where was she?
Then he saw the limo driver. On the sidelines, their eyes met, and he gave Chase a smile that said you’re too late.
Chase marched toward him. “Where is she?”
The limo driver looked at him scornfully. “I think if I told Brad’s father that you’re the guy who roughed up his son in Snow Valley, he wouldn’t like it.” He tsked. “Not one bit.”
Chase took him by the scruff of the neck and shoved him against the wall, taking care to shield what was happening from everyone else by turning his back. “Listen here, limo driver. I promise you a cowboy like me knows how to take an elk and cut it open and pull out the insides and then cut it into tiny little slices for jerky.” He didn’t care if it sounded stupid. All he cared about was that the limo driver understood he would hunt him down and hurt him. “If something happens to Autumn, you better watch your back.”
The limo driver pushed him back, straightening his clothes, but there was fear in his eyes. He pushed Chase and yelled. “Get this guy out of here!”
Chase broke his debonair James Bond façade and took the stairs three at a time. By the time he got to the top, he thought he could hear muffled screaming. Trying to be cool, he whipped his phone out of his pocket, remembering what Autumn had said about phones being the new guns. He found the camera app and kept walking to the library. All I know is I wish I had a gun.
Chase tried the door. It was locked, so he did what any spy guy would do. He stepped back and kicked it as hard as he could. It felt like it nearly broke his leg. The door was made of tough material, but he didn’t feel the pain when he saw Brad on top of her on the couch.
Startled, Brad turned and growled. “Get out of here.”
He took two steps forward and was ready to rip him off of her—
“No, Chase!” Autumn had that look in her eye. The kind bull riders get before they take the bull for a ride.
So he pulled back and hit record.
“What are you doing?” Brad still had her hands pinned above her head.
“Smile for the camera, city boy.” Chase called out.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Autumn head butted him.
“Ow!” Brad touched his head.
Autumn pushed him off, and in the process kicked him as hard as she could in the groin.
“Oomph.”
Autumn turned for the camera. “Seconds ago, Brad King pulled me into this office and tried to rape me.” Her eyes looked wild, and Chase saw the tear streaks on her face.
All Chase wanted to at the moment was pick up the jerk and beat the crap out of him, but he knew he didn’t need to do anything. Brad looked like a cornered cat. Brad lunged for Chase, taking him by the legs. Chase stumbled, and as he fell he tossed the phone to Autumn. Brad was on him, throwing a punch that connected to Chase’s jaw.
“I got that on camera!” Autumn yelled. “Just get him off of you, and we’ll go.”
Chase easily pinned Brad down. He really wanted to beat the heck out of him. As it was, he settled for a glare.
“This will never fly!” Brad yelled.
Chase almost gave him a final punch. Instead, he just pushed him as he got off, disgusted with a man like that.
Autumn was already heading to the door. “Come on. Let’s go.”
Brad laughed behind them. “You’ll never get away with that.” He rushed them, still trying to grab the phone.
Chase didn’t have to do anything. Before he fully turn
ed, Autumn had delivered a roundhouse kick to Brad’s chest, sending him sprawling back on his butt.
He saw her trembling, but she glared at Brad. “Stay away from me, Brad.” She held the phone up. “If you ever bother me again, this whole video will suddenly hit the press and then go viral. Might ruin your chances for President.”
With that, Chase took her hand, and they rushed down the stairs and out the front door, dodging the limo guy and his posse.
* * *
Twenty minutes later, Chase was driving through the city as Autumn guided him to her mother’s apartment. When they got there, she turned to him, shaking and brushing away a tear. Then she burst out laughing.
He laughed too. “Whew, how come when I’m in close proximity to you, Autumn, my life is never boring?”
She gently put her hand on his face and scooted closer to him. “Why did you come tonight? You could have gotten in trouble.”
He grinned and leaned in to kiss her. “Because I love you.”
The kiss was gentle at first, and warm. Then she moved closer and deepened the kiss. Chase knew everything he had ever wanted in a woman was right here.
She pulled back and wiped her face. “How can you make me feel like you saved me, but like I did it by myself too?”
He picked up his phone. “You did do it by yourself. We got it on camera.” He frowned at her. “Even though I was fairly sure I’d rather have a shotgun than the phone when I walked into that room.”
She laughed and leaned in to hug him. “Thank you, Chase. Thank you.”
His heart raced as he held her. He didn’t want to push it, but the words he’d just spoken hung in the air. Did she love him too?
Pulling back from him, she took a long, deep breath. “Well.”
Confused, he stared at her. “Well.”
“I guess I better go.”
He didn’t want to be the guy who begged her to stay. “Okay.”
She grinned. “Aren’t you going to ask me to stay?”
He blinked. “Well, I do have The Price is Right winnings to offer you.”
She laughed. “You are an amazing man, Chase.”
He scoffed, thinking of that first dance. “But not the better man.”
She tilted her head to the side and took his hand. “I think you’re the best man. Thank you…for everything.”
“Will you stay? Come back to Snow Valley and marry me?”
Tears filled her eyes. “Are you serious?”
He nodded. “I want this. Us.” He flashed a grin. “In the vault together forever.”
She shook her head and a smile washed over her face. “Only if you promise to let me design the theater on the property.”
His heart soared. “Okay.”
“I love you, Chase.” Once again, she leaned in and gently kissed him. “You’ve always been the better man and now I’m glad you’re mine.”
About Taylor Hart
Taylor Hart has always been drawn to a good love triangle, hot chocolate and long conversations with new friends. Writing has always been a passion that has consumed her dreams and forced her to sit in a trance for long hours, completely obsessed with people that don’t really exist. Taylor would have been a country star if she could have carried a tune—maybe in the next life.
@taylorfaithhart
www.taylorhartbooks.com
Also by Taylor Hart
The Last Play Series
Last Play (Free for a limited time!)
The Rookie
Just Play
A Player for Christmas
Second String
Bachelor Billionaire Series
Almost Everything
The Unfinished Groom
The Barefoot Groom
Snow Valley Series
A Christmas in Snow Valley: The Christmas Eve Kiss
Summer in Snow Valley: First Love
Spring in Snow Valley: The Bet
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Winter in Snow Valley (Snow Valley Romance) Page 64
