“Why do you say that?”
“Because I know how much you love this foundation and you’re willing to sacrifice it for something that might crash and burn before it even gets off the ground.”
Chloe stared at Hailey. A denial sat at the tip of her tongue but it refused to take form. Was she willing to sacrifice the foundation—something she’d poured her heart, soul, hell her life into—for five days with Nate that might end up being nothing more than a fling?
When she’d told Nate to keep the money and his shares in Christensen Petroleum, it hadn’t been the result of some selfish machination. In fact, the foundation and her own problems hadn’t even entered her mind. She truly believed that Byron had meant for his sons to have a share in his wealth as a way to make amends. They’d all done well for themselves. Been the self-made men that their father had wanted them to be. And his legacy was their reward for venturing out and not relying on his name and wealth to get them ahead in the world.
“Hailey,” Chloe said as a thought took form. “Do you have Travis Christensen’s contact information?”
“I might,” she responded slowly. “At the very least, I’ll have his manager’s information. What are you thinking?”
“I don’t know yet,” Chloe said. “I’m hoping it’ll come to me.”
Maybe she couldn’t force herself to plead the foundation’s case with Nate, but maybe she could manage to bend another Christensen’s ear.
“I’ll get it for you,” Hailey said. “But in the meantime, your lunch dates are here.”
“Dates?” Had Derrick brought a friend?
“Yep.” Hailey flashed a conspiratorial smile as she headed out the door. “I’ll tell them to come on back.”
“Chloe! ’Sup?” Derrick strode through the door with a wide grin.
“Hey kiddo. Hailey said you brought a friend along.”
“Hope it’s okay if I tag along.” Warmth suffused Chloe’s skin at the sound of Nate’s voice. He strode in behind Derrick and put his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “I stopped by to see if I could take you to lunch and found out you already had a date.”
“You didn’t tell me you knew somebody so cool, Chloe,” Derrick said with a wide grin.
Nate gave her a lopsided smile that nearly buckled her knees. “I don’t know about cool,” he said. “Little man and I got to know each other while we were waiting in the lobby. Talked soccer,” he added with a wink. “I have a feeling he’s cooler than me.”
“No way.” Derrick practically bounced with enthusiasm. “Did you know Nate saw Leo Messi play? In person! How freaking awesome is that?”
Chloe’s gaze locked with Nate’s. “Definitely awesome.”
Nate shrugged and gave her a sheepish half-grin that melted her heart. “A friendly. When I was overseas.”
Derrick looked ready to burst out of his skin with excitement. “Can he come to lunch with us, Chloe?”
His hazel eyes flashed with heat. “I’m buying. It’s the least I can do considering what you did for me last night.”
Derrick looked from Chloe to Nate, a too-knowing grin spreading over his young face.
“Okay then.” Time for a change of subject. She was sure her face had flushed to a deep rose. “I think we’d better take Nate up on his offer. Pizza?”
“Yeah!” Derrick exclaimed. “Want pizza, Nate?”
His gaze met Chloe’s again. Intense and full of unspoken need. Need that echoed her own to a T. “Pizza sounds great.”
“Great.” Chloe’s words came slowly. “Let’s get going, boys. I’m starved.”
She grabbed her purse and rounded the desk. Derrick took off at a tear down the hallway. Nate waited for Chloe in her office doorway and held out his hand. Chloe laced her fingers with his and he brought her knuckles to his mouth and kissed them.
“Hope this is okay,” he murmured in a husky tone that sent a zing of electricity through Chloe’s body. “I couldn’t wait until tomorrow to see you.”
It was better than okay. Chloe’s stomach twisted into a pretzel as she walked with him down the hall. “I’m glad,” she replied. “I couldn’t wait to see you, either.”
He flashed a wide smile. “Perfect.”
Perfect. Chloe couldn’t agree more. In fact, she was beginning to think that this was too perfect. Too good to be true. She just hoped that by contacting Travis for help with the foundation, that she wasn’t about to bring all of this perfection to an end.
EIGHT
“What’s his name?”
Nate watched as Chloe nuzzled the little white-faced calf through the slats of the chute. Damned thing was already pushing a hundred and fifty pounds and would take all of his muscle to restrain. But Chloe treated it like it was a helpless newborn, tiny enough to carry around in her arms.
“He doesn’t have a name,” Nate replied. “He’s a steer.”
“He has to have a name.” If Chloe had it her way, every last cow on the ranch would be wearing a name tag and a bow by the end of the week.