A Secret Chance: A Small Town Love Story (Chance Rapids Book 4)

by A. J. Wynter

  “Lauren,” he whispered. He brushed the snow off her hat and when she smiled at him, he felt his heart swell along with other parts of him.

  “Shhh.” She stopped him with her mouth. She let her lips linger on his and then kissed his jawbone, before resting her cheek against his.

  Lights flashed and the snowflakes around them reflected in the headlights of an oncoming car. Lauren tucked her head into Baxter’s neck, and he turned to protectively shelter their faces away from view. They couldn’t get caught like this. As the taillights disappeared around the corner Lauren emerged from his protection.

  “Just one night,” she whispered. He didn’t know if it was a question.

  “Just one night.” He took a deep breath and willed his cock to calm the fuck down. He took Lauren’s hand and started to walk to her house. The faster they got there, the less likely they were to talk each other out of it. And at that moment, there was nothing more in the world that he wanted, than Lauren Bunkman.

  “Wait.” She stopped and tried to pull him back.

  He knew it.

  “Not my house,” she said.

  The woman was killing him. “I can’t take you back to the corporate house.” He tugged at her hand. “I’ll leave before morning, no one will see me.”

  “No.” This time she practically shouted.

  “Lauren?”

  “This was a mistake,” she said.

  He wasn’t letting her go again. “What about a hotel?”

  “People talk. It’s too risky.” She leaned her head on his chest. “I’m so sorry.”

  Baxter had no idea why she was so against the idea of her house.

  “Your house. It’s literally, right there.”

  “I know, I know, but we can’t.” Her eyes started to well up with tears.

  “Hey, don’t cry. Remember what I said about that?” He brushed away the wetness under her eyes with his thumb. She held onto his wrist and her face fell heavy into his palm.

  “Good night, Baxter,” she whispered. She pulled his hand away from her face and stood on her toes to kiss him. He felt her lips quiver as they lingered on his. She squeezed his arm and then walked to her house. He stood in the howling wind and watched as her porch light flicked off. She hadn’t turned back once.

  Chapter 21

  WITHOUT TABITHA, THE house was eerily silent. Lauren rubbed her bleary eyes and tried to make out the time on her watch. It was seven a.m., barely daylight. Sleep had only come to her about an hour earlier. She had spent the night tossing and turning, wondering if she would regret walking away from Baxter again. She reluctantly pulled back the covers and quickly got dressed in her sweatpants and college sweatshirt. She pulled her hair into a messy ponytail and after brushing her teeth and making a pot of coffee she sat down at her desk. Tabitha would be home soon, so she had to take advantage of any free time she had.

  She checked her cell phone to make sure that there weren’t any messages from Tabitha, she had only just started feeling comfortable sleeping at her friend’s houses. As much as she wanted to repeat the best night of her life with Baxter, there was no way she would’ve been able to explain the pink bedroom covered with posters. She hadn’t technically lied to Baxter, but she hadn’t been truthful either. She was already in too deep to try and backpedal her way out of this mess. The best way to dig herself out was going to be to win, defeat Caldwell, and hope that Baxter left down never to be seen again.

  She took a sip of her coffee and started to work. Two hours later, she hadn’t touched her coffee, but she had made major headway with the paperwork. She would’ve kept going but was interrupted by a knock on the door. She swallowed hard. Tabitha didn’t knock. She just burst into the house. Lauren set down her pen and pulled back the lace curtain on the door.

  “Charlotte.” She opened the door and her sister stepped inside, knocking the snow off her boots before unlacing them. “Come on in,” Lauren muttered as she followed Charlotte into the living room.

  “Are you going to tell me what happened?”

  “I’m fine thanks. How are you?” Lauren walked past her sister and headed into the kitchen to put the kettle on to boil. “Would you like some tea?” she asked.

  “I want to know what happened last night,” Charlotte shouted. “And yes, chamomile.”

  Lauren popped the teabags into the mugs and leaned on the kitchen counter. “I don’t really want to talk about it. There’s actually nothing to talk about.”

  “He knows that you know,” Charlotte said.

  “I know.”

  “So, he found you then.” Charlotte’s voice was quiet, her eyes warm as she watched Lauren pour the water into the mugs and carefully set them down on the coffee table. Charlotte patted the cushion beside her, and Lauren took a seat.

  “He did.”

  “Okay, I knew that,” Charlotte smiled.

  “What? How?”

  “I also know that you two chatted for hours at the G-Spot and then disappeared into a snowstorm.”

  “You filled that monstrosity up with gas this morning, didn’t you?” Lauren said. She blew on her steaming tea. She had been trying to get her uber-rich sister to give up her gas-guzzling SUV and get an electric car for years.

  “You know it,” Charlotte smiled. “Muriel asked me if you and the handsome man were an ‘item.’ Charlotte used air quotes.

  “Do you think that she’ll say anything to anyone else?” Lauren had hoped that Muriel wouldn’t start spreading any gossip.

  “Lauren, half the town saw you looking all moony-eyed at Baxter Caldwell. It doesn’t matter if Muriel says anything or not, which I doubt she will. She whispered it to me when Logan was buying a breakfast sandwich.”

  “Nothing happened.” Lauren rubbed the handle of her mug, thinking back to the wee hours of the morning when she had walked away from Baxter.

  “Define nothing,” Charlotte smirked.

  “Okay, so we kissed a little bit. That’s it.” Lauren wasn’t used to getting the third degree from her sister.

  “That’s it?” Charlotte raised her eyebrows as if she didn’t believe her.

  “What was I going to do?” Lauren pointed to the door of Tabitha’s bedroom. “Bring him in here? How would I explain all the drawings on the fridge, the pink bedroom...?”

  “You didn’t tell him about her?”

  “No.” Lauren looked into her mug. “But I’ve made a decision about that. I’m going to tell him. I am.” She said it as much to herself as to her sister.

  “That’s good,” Charlotte smiled. “He deserves to know.”

  “I’m going to tell him when the development stuff is over. We’ve decided to put whatever is going on between us on hold until after the council meeting.”

  “You don’t think you’ve already crossed the line into a conflict of interest?”

  Lauren knew that Charlotte was right. “I’m considering it to be more of a gray area.”

  “Dark gray?”

  Lauren narrowed her eyes. There was no way she was giving up all the hard work she had done over the past year. She couldn’t trust anyone to know the ins and outs of this file like she did. The future of the town was at stake, and she potentially fucked it up by kissing the devil in charge of the wrecking ball.

  “We danced and drank horrible coffee together. That’s all anyone saw. It’s not a gray area at all if no one knows about that kiss.” She took a sip of her tea while maintaining eye contact with Charlotte.

  “You know I won’t tell anyone.” Charlotte set down her mug. “Come on Lauren, I can’t believe you actually had to say that.”

  “Sorry.” Lauren relaxed into the sofa. “I know that you would never say anything, but in this case, this means so much to me.”

  “And Baxter, what does he mean to you?”

  “I don’t even know him,” Lauren said. “I can’t throw away everything for a guy, especially a guy like him.”

  “I don’t know, he seems like a pretty good guy to me.” Ch
arlotte nudged her sister with her elbow. “I’ve never seen you look at anyone like that before. Ever.”

  Charlotte was right, Lauren had never felt the way she did when she was in Baxter’s arms. “He’s not a bad guy,” she sighed. “His company is terrible though.”

  Lauren could practically see the steam coming out of Charlotte’s head, “Wait. You two have put this on hold until one of you wins. And then what? Did you talk about that?”

  “Not really. Kind of. I don’t know, Char.” Lauren was avoiding the questions but racked her brain to remember where they had left that conversation. “He wins, the town blames me, and I never get another job here again. I win, he has no reason to stay here.”

  Charlotte’s brow was furrowed and then she leaned back and crossed her arms tightly. “Classic Lauren.”

  “What?”

  “That’s what you’re banking on. That one of you will have to leave and you won’t have to tell him at all.”

  Busted.

  “That’s not true,” she lied.

  Lauren’s meditation music filled the air between the sisters as they stared each other down. Lauren knew she was lying, and so did Charlotte. That’s the problem with being close to your sister, she thought, that woman knew her next move before she did.

  The door flew open and Tabitha burst into the house. She tossed her backpack on the chair and kicked her boots haphazardly against the wall. “Hi, Mom. Hi, Auntie C.”

  “Whoa,” Lauren shouted. “Where does your backpack go?”

  Tabitha turned on her heel and let out an exaggerated groan. She picked up her backpack and hung it on the hook by the door and then set her boots in the tray. “How was your sleepover?” Lauren asked.

  “Good,” Tabitha said from her bedroom.

  “Come here and say hi to your mom,” Lauren said. They heard another groan and then the surprisingly heavy footfall of the nine-year-old as she headed into the living room and jumped onto the sofa between them. Lauren squeezed her shoulders and kissed her on the cheek.

  “Did you stay up all night talking?” Charlotte leaned in and whispered conspiratorially.

  “Yes,” Tabitha giggled then stopped as Lauren pretended to give her a harsh look.

  Lauren’s eyes glanced at the stack of papers on the kitchen table, and her mind wandered to the paragraph she had just about completed. Tabitha was showing Charlotte the haphazard manicure the girls had given each other when they were interrupted by a knock at the door.

  “You expecting someone?” Charlotte asked.

  “No.” Lauren headed to the door, expecting to find Julia’s parents holding something Tabitha had forgotten at their house. Instead of peering through the window, she pulled the door open wide.

  Baxter Caldwell was standing on her doorstep with a bouquet of flowers.

  Chapter 22

  BAXTER PUT THE CAR in park in front of the little bungalow with the green trim. Lauren’s hot and cold attitude was frustrating but understandable. She was stronger than he was. Although she had more to lose – he couldn’t be kicked off his own project by banging the opposition’s lawyer – she was smarter than he was and he loved her for it.

  “Oh, hi...,” He was surprised when she pulled the door wide open. She was dressed from head to toe in sweatsuit material, her hair was messy, and her fuzzy socks were mismatched. He had never seen anyone look so beautiful.

  “Hi.” Her voice sounded strained. The expression on her face told him that she had been expecting someone else.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked. She pulled the door in front of her so that it was almost closed, peering through the gap.

  “I thought that we had a field trip booked for today.”

  “What?” she hissed.

  “I thought you were going to take me out, show me what makes this place so special that it should never change.” He was doubtful that she could change his mind but told himself that he was willing to give her show and tell tour of Chance Rapids a chance when in reality he just wanted a few more hours alone with her.

  “Oh, right. That.”

  “Here.” He thrust the bouquet at the opening in the door. “These are for you.”

  “I really shouldn’t accept those. From you.” He looked up and down the street. “Just take them. You don’t have to tell anyone where you got them.”

  She bit her lower lip; he could see that she was torn.

  “I drove all the way to the greenhouse in Windswan for these. I thought that these were your favorite.”

  They are,“ she said, puzzled about when she told him about the tulips but didn’t move from her jailor stance in the doorway. He thrust the bouquet at her. “If you don’t want them, just give them to someone else. Or throw them in the snowbank.”

  Lauren seemed to soften but didn’t move to take the flowers from him.

  “Who is it?” A woman’s voice yelled out from behind Lauren.

  “I didn’t realize that you had company,” Baxter said stepping back.

  “It’s not company,” Lauren chuckled. “It’s my sister.” Lauren turned away from him and said, “It’s Mr. Caldwell.”

  “Hi, Baxter.” Lauren jumped as Charlotte popped up behind her. “I’ll put those in some water,” she reached around Lauren and took the tulips from his hand. Baxter’s eyes followed Charlotte over Lauren’s shoulder and spotted Tabitha on the sofa.

  “Thank you for the flowers,” Lauren said. “I have a lot of work to do today, so we will have to reschedule our tour for another day.”

  “Sure, um, okay.” Baxter ran his hand through his hair. He hadn’t expected the red carpet, but the cold reception surprised him. “Another time then.”

  “Another ti—Ouch” Lauren winced.

  “Are you okay?” Baxter turned and rushed to the door.

  “I’m fine.” Baxter could see her rubbing her back, no it was lower, she was rubbing her ass. “Could you give me a minute?” she said through gritted teeth.

  Baxter inhaled sharply but agreed. “Sure. I’ll wait...” She shut the door before he could finish. “...here.” He shook his head. He hadn’t gotten the crazy vibe from Lauren, but this morning she was acting really strange. His feet were starting to turn into ice blocks, and he stomped them in place while he waited for her to return. The snow along her walkway was about six inches deep. He grabbed the red-handled shovel that was propped up against the side of her house and proceeded to clear her walkway while he waited. His footprints, along with the little girl’s and he was guessing Charlotte’s were almost filled in with fresh snow.

  He heard the door open and Lauren emerged from the house. She was wearing her puffy coat and tall lace-up winter boots, her hair was no longer in a pile on her head but tumbled out from underneath her wool hat. She looked so gorgeous it took his breath away.

  WHILE BAXTER SHOVELED her walkway she and Charlotte had been holed up in Lauren’s bedroom, whisper-arguing about what she should do.

  “You’re being incredibly rude,” Charlotte had said.

  “Rude? He just showed up here,” Lauren said.

  “Sounds like you two had plans.” Charlotte’s voice was calm and rational compared to Lauren’s, which was quivering. “And you’re bailing on them.”

  “I didn’t expect him to show up.”

  “Well, he did.” Charlotte had rummaged through Lauren’s closet and tossed her a pair of leggings and the green sweater – the one that Baxter had bought for her. “Here, put this on.”

  “I’m not going.” Lauren clutched the silky fabric in her hands.

  “Lauren. Don’t be a fucking idiot,” Charlotte said.

  “Shhhh. Language, Charlotte. She can probably hear everything we’re saying.” Lauren jerked her head toward the living room where Tabitha had commandeered the TV.

  “Fine, don’t be a flipping idiot. Now change.”

  “No.”

  Charlotte rushed over to Lauren and whispered in her ear. “He said he would wait for you and you’re terr
ified that he actually will. You’re trying to ruin any chance of being with him, aren’t you?”

  “No,” Lauren said. She sat down on the bed and stared at the green sweater in her hands. “Maybe.”

  “Go talk to him,” Charlotte sat down beside her. “If there’s a chance, even a remote one, that you two could be together in the future, don’t ruin it by being a bitch today.”

  Lauren stood up and pulled her university sweatshirt off over her head, exposing her bare breasts and she reached for the bra on her bed. “Wait, try it without,” Charlotte said.

  “You’re crazy.” Lauren shook her head and clipped on her most comfortable bra.

  “That thing is hideous.” Charlotte’s lingerie collection easily cost her more than all of Lauren’s clothes put together, and probably her car too.

  “It doesn’t matter because no one is going to see it.” Lauren put on the outfit and smoothed the green sweater with her hands. It felt as good as the first day she had worn it.

  “Lauren, tell him today or tell him next week, but that is a good man and he deserves to know. Promise me that you won’t keep this secret from him.”

  “I already decided that I was going to wait until after the hearing. I’m just not ready yet.” Lauren had laced up her boots and gotten into her warmest outdoor jacket and hat.

  “I’ll stay here with Tabitha. You go and just talk to him. Get to know him with your clothes on.”

  “Ha. Ha.” Lauren opened the door and slipped out onto the porch. Baxter looked up mid-scoop.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.