by JoAnn Durgin
The taxi in front of them stopped abruptly, causing Chase to brake hard to avoid rear-ending the car. At the same time, he threw his arm across his dad’s chest. “Sorry about that. You okay?”
“Not a problem,” David said. “I’m fine. Glad you didn’t hit him. I wouldn’t want to drive in this bumper-to-bumper traffic. It can be killer.”
“If I’d known there’d be this much traffic, I’d have avoided this street, but it’s the most direct route. Wonder what’s going on?” Chase mused. They’d changed the meeting place for some unknown reason, complicating things even more.
David lowered the window and leaned his head outside. “Looks like something’s going on at the theater across from the Hyatt.”
“Close the window. It’s freezing and you’re bringing the cold inside.” After cranking up the heat, Chase tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as he stopped for a red light. A small group of men in tuxedos and women in evening gowns, many with fur coats, entered the crosswalk. Chase shivered as David closed the window. Crossing his arms, his dad hunkered down in the seat.
“Must be some fancy shindig.” David whistled under his breath. “Would you look at those pretty young ladies? You ever think about settling down? You’re not gettin’ any younger, you know.”
Chase ran a hand over his beard and then tapped some more. Would the light never change?
In a surprise move, his dad reached over and stilled Chase’s fingers on the steering wheel. “You’re too impatient, kid.”
Ironic statement coming from the Jittery One.
“About everything except finding a wife, apparently.” That came out more of an agitated grumble. Chase nodded at the passing parade of women in the crosswalk. “Ever think about getting married again, Dad?”
“Nope. Your mother was the only one for me.”
“That’s admirable, and I know how much you loved Mom.”
“I know what you’re thinking but it won’t work. I tried a couple of times.”
Chase shot a glance at David as he passed under the light and crawled past the small theater. “Tried what?”
“I went on a few dates and started seeing one woman on a fairly regular basis.”
This was news. “When was that?”
“Two years ago.”
“What happened?” Chase bit back an accusation. His dad had been closed off for years. Why should he expect he would have told him?
“Just didn’t work out between us. I think Paula wanted something I couldn’t give her. I tried, and we dated for about six months, but I couldn’t keep up the pretense.”
“Should I ask?” And again with the stopped traffic. Chase glanced at the clock on the dashboard and resisted resuming his drumming. If the traffic pace didn’t pick up soon, he’d be about ten minutes late getting David to the Gamblers Anonymous meeting. His father hadn’t always been big on punctuality but, ironically, he hated to be late to his meetings.
“Seems I kind of closed up after your mother died.” David ran his hand over the growth of new beard on his chin and stared out the passenger window.
Chase had recently found a photo of his dad at the age of thirty. Physically, they closely resembled one another, although David had never worn a beard. In every other way, Chase was not his father’s son. He couldn’t argue with the closed-up assessment so he remained quiet. He’d shuttered his own emotions for a long time after his mother died. A 10-year-old boy needed his mom to make his school lunches, tuck him in at night, take care of him when he was sick.
At 16, he’d started a period of rebellion. He did okay in school and stayed clean in terms of the law except for a few minor scuffles, but he’d soothed his hurt and frustrations another way…with Jacqui Henderson. She was his neighbor for years, and with her long blonde hair and pretty blue eyes, Jacqui was his dream girl and best friend. Jacqui’s mom, Kaye, was a single mom who’d worked nights and didn’t seem to care what her daughter did. She was a curvaceous, attractive woman who knew how to get what she wanted from men. Kaye always had a new boyfriend and rarely bothered to come home, especially on the weekends.
As a result, he’d spent too much time alone with Jacqui doing things they were too young to understand. Not using each other as much as trying to drown their loneliness and feelings of abandonment. Natural curiosity and teenage hormones took control. He’d become a Christian not long before his mother’s death, but he’d turned away from God almost as quickly. Pushed aside his newfound faith without a second thought and clung to the only love he knew at that time in his life. His excuse for indulging in sinful behavior with Jacqui? He loved her. He intended to marry her. He’d mistakenly assumed she wanted to marry him.
His mother would have been so ashamed.
Chase knew better.
His dad hadn’t cared.
A vicious cycle. Just like his father’s addiction.
Lord, help us all.
Chase had asked the Lord’s forgiveness repeatedly through the years. All he had to do was ask once, but somehow his heart needed to ask again and again. Only in the past few years had he finally come to terms with what happened and put it behind him once and for all.
The muscles in his jaws flexed and Chase tightened his hold on the steering wheel. The thought of Jacqui saddened him as it always did.
As they rolled past the theater, the flashing marquee caught Chase’s attention in the midst of the bright lights and the well-dressed crowd flooding the front entrance. Nothing like glitz to scream for everyone’s attention. Some local civic organization was celebrating the life of a man named Jeremy Montague.
Montague? The name wasn’t exactly common. Heather was the only one he’d ever met with that last name.
A large sign on an easel sitting on the sidewalk featured a black and white photo of a nice looking older man with light hair in a slick suit and tie. His arms were opened wide with a look at me! expression on his face. The man stood in front of a building with C-A-S-I-N-O spelled out behind him in red letters. Blood red letters.
Chase frowned and hoped his dad hadn’t also noticed the sign. No need to worry. David seemed preoccupied and continued to stare out the window, the front window this time.
Please, Lord, don’t let Heather be related to Casino Guy. He couldn’t begin to fathom the irony of that one. Maybe he was a distant relative.
The thought that Heather might know Jeremy Montague, might be related to him, needled Chase. She obviously came from money. Girls raised in the poorer areas of town generally didn’t use phrases like “blissful euphoria” and “let’s take a meeting.” Didn’t drive a top-of-the-line Jeep and eat things like hummus on a regular basis. Heather Montague dripped class and fine breeding. Elegance was branded in her every nuance, no matter how subtle. Yet she was one of the most down-to-earth truly lovely women he’d known.
A fleeting idea passed through Chase’s mind to circle the block and take a closer look at that sign. No, he’d conduct a search on his phone or computer instead. An important guy like Jeremy Montague must have a bunch of articles written up about him.
“I think you need to turn right at the next corner,” David said.
“Right. Thanks.” Chase pulled over into the right lane and flipped the turn signal.
“You got quiet there. Everything going okay at the church?”
“Yes. I’m preaching again in a few weeks if you’d like to come.”
“I’ll think about it.”
And so it went.
“One of these days, I’ll get you to come,” Chase teased. “Not sure how, but it’s gonna happen.”
“Don’t hold your breath. Your mom tried for years, but she never got me to set foot inside a church.” After Chase drove through the intersection and pulled to the curb in front of a church, David opened the passenger door. “I’ll call you, but you can expect the meeting to be at least an hour.”
“You got it.” Chase saluted. “Oh, and Dad?”
David paused halfway out the door.
When he laughed, his dad smirked and slammed the door.
“Thank you, Jesus.” Chase cranked up his CD player. “Soul on fire!” he sang along with Mac Powell and Third Day. Man, he loved that song about emerging from the darkness and the restoration of joy. All about running for God’s heart and running until he was a soul on fire and burning for the Lord. Music was one of the best ways to revive and refresh his soul. Never failed.
As he parked in a nearby coffee shop lot, grabbed his laptop, and hurried inside—the temperature had dropped at least twenty degrees in the past hour—Chase’s thoughts strayed once more to Heather. Not that he expected to see her again soon, especially since she hadn’t returned his calls. All two of them. He hadn’t left a message. What could he say? I thought we shared something special. Why won’t you talk to me? No, that’d sound whiny and pathetic.
He wouldn’t have kissed her if he thought she wouldn’t respond with at least a little enthusiasm. Oh yeah, Heather liked him just fine. They were compatible in a lot of ways, and she seemed to enjoy being with him.
Something else had to be holding her back from pursuing a possible relationship. Chase was determined to find out what it was.
Doing an Internet search for Jeremy Montague might be the place to begin.
Chapter 13
~~♥~~
“Hello, Heather.”
Heather instinctively leaned into the perfunctory kisses her father planted on her cheeks, first one and then the other. In his late 50s, dressed in his tuxedo, Jeremy Montague was tall and distinguished as one might expect for a man befitting his station in life. Whatever that really meant.
“Hi, Dad. Congratulations on the big award.”
Taking the seat next to her, Jeremy greeted the others at the round table by name. He lowered his voice. “I wasn’t sure whether you’d make an appearance tonight, but I’m glad you decided to come.”
“You can thank Mom. She talked me into it. Grandma M. made sure to put in her plug, too. I hate to disappoint her.” Interesting how her father had made his way to her table within seconds after her mother excused herself to visit the powder room.
Her father leaned close enough to smell his signature cologne, overpowering as ever. “As a matter of fact, your mother has graciously agreed to make a speech tonight on my behalf. The organizers have several business associates and long-time Montague employees lined up for testimonials, but they suggested it might be good for a family member or two to say a few words.”
Heather couldn’t hide her surprise. “Are you sure Mom’s…qualified to speak?”
A deep frown creased Jeremy’s forehead and his lips thinned with displeasure. “I can see you haven’t let that go. Don’t be so judgmental. You were a child, Heather. You misconstrued my words then and apparently you’re still doing it.”
She took a quick sip of her water. In that moment, she wished it could be something stronger. “I was sixteen, hardly a child, and I know what I heard.”
“That was a private conversation between your mother and me. I never intended to insult Ellyn, but it was a benefit with college presidents and top Washington government officials in attendance. I couldn’t afford to make any mistakes.”
Heather gasped but made sure to keep it appropriately subdued. “A mistake? Your reputation was worth the risk of damaging your wife’s self-esteem? Your words were hurtful to Mom.” She wasn’t the only one. Surely her dad knew that much.
Jeremy released a deep sigh. “We don’t have time to get into this now.”
“Of course not.” Perhaps she should apologize, but the words wouldn’t come easily. She hadn’t intended to sound so bitter and accusatory. He was right about one thing. They couldn’t engage in verbal warfare—even a polite, controlled war of words—at this event tonight where her father was the guest of honor.
Forgive my harsh and unforgiving words, Lord.
“It might be good if you’d walk with Ellyn to the podium. You don’t need to say anything,” Jeremy said. “If you can’t do it for me, then do it for your mother.”
How ironic considering her mother’s earlier attempts to convince her to attend this dinner. If the man would interject a please in there somewhere, and act with a little more humility, she might be more inclined to consider his request.
“Good for the photo ops?” Heather turned her gaze on her father. “Isn’t that what this is all about?” One big happy family.
“Cynical as ever, I see.”
Heather twisted her lips. “I should think the current Mrs. Jeremy Montague should be the one making a speech for her husband.”
“Kate doesn’t like to speak in public,” he said. “I tried to tempt her with a trip to Aruba—first class all the way—but she declined.” Her father tapped his fingers on the table in an impatient rhythm. “If that doesn’t do it, then nothing will.”
Good for Kate. Not many said no to Jeremy Montague. Heather sipped her water. “Imagine that.”
She was thankful the kids wouldn’t be paraded up to the podium in front of the crowd. Not that they hadn’t already been subjected to such expectations. Heather had played her dutiful daughter role earlier in the evening. She and her mother had arrived toward the end of the cocktail hour, and she’d spent a few minutes with Tiffany and Palmer. In spite of being spoiled with what their father’s money could provide, they seemed like sweet kids. Heather could only pray they’d stay that way. Once the teenage years hit, the entitlement factor might kick in.
Lord, bear with me. I know my attitude stinks. For all his worldly gain and earthly accolades, Jeremy Montague didn’t know Jesus. Sadness filled her heart. She might still be mad at him, but she wanted her father to know the peace she’d found in a relationship with Christ. Trying to bridge the gap would be a good first step toward a full reconciliation with her dad. But now she desperately needed to draw upon that strength and control her sharp tongue.
“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit,” she quoted quietly. For once, her father stopped glancing around the room and focused on her. Listened.
“What’s that?” His voice held the sharp edge of irritation.
Heather sipped her water. “A Bible verse I’ve learned. A reminder of how powerful God’s word can be and that only He can judge the intentions of someone’s heart. It’s from the book of Hebrews. There’s another one in James that says, ‘But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.’” She met her father’s gaze levelly. “That verse is a good reminder that I need to curb my sharp tongue.”
Jeremy simply stared at her. She’d shocked him. Might as well keep going with the shock therapy. “Kate’s doing a good job with Tiffany and Palmer. I talked with them before dinner. They’re good kids and seem to have a handle on all that comes with…being a Montague.” After a shiver ran through her, Heather pulled her wrap more closely about her shoulders.
“Yes, they are.” Jeremy sounded surprised by the compliment. “And so are you beneath that veneer of toughness, sweetheart. One day I hope you’ll be able to look at me the same way you used to when you were younger.”
Heather blinked hard at his endearment. “I hope so, too, Dad.” She could try to bridge the gap, but it worked both ways. Sentimental words couldn’t automatically smooth over the resulting pain from years of neglect and hurt. Problem was, she didn’t know what could.
I can. If you’ll only listen.
Before she could ponder that still, small little voice inside her, Jeremy brushed aside a stray strand of long blonde hair that had fallen across her cheek. Leaning close, he whispered, “I’m trying, Heather, believe it or not. If that Bible verse was your way of apologizing, then I’ll accept it. I’d better get back to my table.” He had moments like this where he seemed genuinely concerned about mending their fractured relationship. Then he’d open his mouth
soon after and negate the positive with a careless, hurtful comment.
“Dad.” He’d risen to his feet but, at her call, he waited.
“Thanks for trying. I will, too.”
Jeremy nodded in the same manner she’d seen him do with multiple business associates, rote and with the full knowledge he was being watched by others. “We’ll talk soon. I’ll call you.”
Ellyn slipped back into her seat seconds later. “What did I miss?”
Heather was tempted to respond with nothing much. “I’ll be walking with you to the podium tonight.”
“Oh, excellent. So, then, Jeremy told you he’s asked me to say a few words on his behalf? You’re more than welcome to say a few words if you’d like, darling.” Ellyn patted her hand. “I’m sure that would please him very much.”
Heather tamped down her sigh as her mother began a discussion with the couple sitting next to her. After their earlier discussion at the house, she was surprised her mother would even suggest such a thing.
What can I say?
Then again, Ellyn Montague knew her daughter well enough to know she usually did what was expected.
Although not always.
~~♥~~
Chase draped his jacket over a chair in the kitchen and headed into the bedroom of his one-level rental home. After pulling his cell phone out of his pocket, he tossed it on the bed. Next he moved into the small bathroom, stripping off his damp running clothes as he walked. He left the articles of clothing in a heap on the cold tile floor. He’d throw them in the short wash before going to bed.
Working up a good sweat with a long run had been exactly what he needed tonight although it wasn’t always the safest option in his neighborhood. That’s why he carried pepper spray for protection but never a piece. Guns didn’t solve anything although he’d been encouraged by more than one cop to carry one.
