“I hate to break it to you, Nate, but even if you give every dime of that money away, nothing is going to change the fact that you’re his son.”
“I didn’t tell him when I came home.” Admitting it to Chloe lifted a huge weight from his shoulders and at the same time, filled him with shame. “After I was discharged, I moved to Sanger. A couple of hours away, and he never knew it. I probably don’t deserve that money. I wasn’t any better of a son than he was a father.”
“Nate.” The sadness in Chloe’s tone sliced through him. He wouldn’t have been able to stand her pity, but this was something else. Empathy. “No one’s perfect. That doesn’t mean we’re not deserving.”
He didn’t say another word. Couldn’t. His own emotions would get the best of him if he opened his mouth. Instead, he lay his head back on the pillow and tucked her body into his. For long, quiet moments they lay in silence. When Nate could finally trust himself to speak, he said, “I’m headed home tomorrow. I want you to go with me.”
*
“I’m headed home tomorrow. I want you to go with me.”
Chloe stared at her computer screen, the numbers on the spreadsheet nothing more than jumbled symbols. Nate’s words had been running a loop through her head all day to the point of distraction. As well as the response she’d given him without an ounce of thought: “Yes.”
What had she been thinking? What had started out as a ploy to convince him to help bail out her foundation turned into something that Chloe had no control over. And though she still needed his money like a drowning person needed a lifeline, her motive in convincing him to keep his inheritance was no longer selfish. She’d meant what she’d said: turning his back on his father’s legacy would be a decision that would haunt him.
“Hey, you okay?” Hailey poked her head into Chloe’s office and leaned against the doorjamb. “That was one bitch of a board meeting.”
Understatement. The board meeting had been catastrophic. “Nothing like being told your number is up,” Chloe replied. “I’d rather have all of my teeth pulled—without anesthesia—than tell these kids that their clubs and programs are going away. We’ve kept them motivated. Out of trouble. All of that is going to end. They’re so used to disappointment. I never wanted to be just another person to let them down.”
Hailey sighed. “You won’t have to do any of this alone. I’m here ’til the bitter end.”
Chloe gave her a rueful smile. “I’ll give you a glowing recommendation wherever you apply. You’ll find a job in no time.”
“Oh, I know.” Hailey brushed a hand down the length of her body. “All this and a killer set of grant facilitation skills … puhleaze.”
Chloe snorted. She hoped she’d be able to find a job as easily. Otherwise she’d be living off of tap water and saltines. “I’m thinking about taking a few days off…” Thinking? She’d already told Nate she’d go home with him. “Would you mind holding down the fort until Monday?”
“I think I can manage this asylum without you,” Hailey remarked. “So … whatcha doin’?”
“Nateaskedmetogohomewithhim,” Chloe said on a whisper of breath.
“What was that?” Hailey leaned in, a wry smile tugging at her lips. “You sort of mumbled that last bit.”
Chloe took a deep breath. “Nate asked me to go home with him.”
“Get out!” Hailey exclaimed with wide eyes. “You’re gonna kick it with the Billion Dollar Man? At his request? For five days? Chloe, this is freaking perfect!”
“No.” Chloe held up her hand. “That ship has sailed, Hailey.”
“Are you kidding me?” Hailey rolled her eyes. She stepped fully into Chloe’s office and shut the door. “Okay, I can see how you didn’t want to hit him up when you thought it was a one-night stand because you didn’t want him to think you’d slept with him to get a fat donation in return. But this is different. He’s into you, Chloe. Do you think he invites any random chick to his house?”
Chloe hadn’t really considered it. Obviously something had changed between them last night. Her heart had ached for Nate. Seeing him in such distress and not knowing how to help him was the worst feeling in the world. He was such a strong man. So gruff and serious. Every smile he let slip was a treasure, every deep rumble of laughter a treat to Chloe’s ears. His vulnerability had laid her low. Stabbed through her chest. She’d done the only thing she could when she’d reached out to caress the tension from his muscles. And she’d expected the subsequent massage to end up in another round of mind-blowing sex. Instead, he’d cradled her in his arms as though she was a breakable, precious thing that he couldn’t bear to be parted from and fallen asleep beside her.
Chloe rubbed at her chest. God, just thinking about Nate made her ache.
“I don’t know what this is or isn’t between us. But until I do, I can’t ruin it by making him think that I’m in it for the money.”
Hailey pursed her lips. “You must be crazy about this guy, Chloe.”