“I think he’d love to watch you play,” Chloe said through the thickness in her throat. “You’re an excellent soccer player.”
“Sometimes,” Derrick said, his train of thought already moving on to something else. “Coach says I need to kick with the top of my foot when I’m shooting, though.”
“You’ll get it,” she said. “You just need to keep practicing.”
“I will,” he assured her. “I’m sorry I got into trouble today, Chloe. It won’t happen again. I promise.”
“I know,” she said. Her chest ached with all of the crippling emotions she wished she didn’t feel. Most of all, the want she felt for the only man who’d ever managed to lay claim to her heart and break it all in the same day.
TWELVE
“I’ve never seen a SEAL cower in the presence of an office building before.”
Nate gave Travis the side-eye. It was true, Chloe’s office had never looked more imposing, and his goddamned heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest like one of those things in Alien. He hadn’t heard a word from Chloe since he’d left the message on her voice mail five days ago. In fact, she’d washed her hands of the Christensens altogether, telling Travis that she didn’t feel right accepting his donation after what had happened between her and Nate.
Fuck that. She might not have wanted to talk to him, but he refused to let her foundation close its doors. Like Travis said, it was time for Nate to think about the legacy he wanted to leave.
“You sure you don’t want me to come in with you?” Travis teased.
“There’s no use in both of us being thrown out. I’ll be fine.”
“Good luck, brother,” Travis said. “Lunch later?”
“I have a pre–holiday break board meeting,” Nate groused.
“Try not to sound so excited.” Travis laughed. He put the Chevy in gear and waited for Nate to close the door.
“Yeah. That’s easy for you to say. You don’t have to sit through it.”
“Damn straight. Good luck,” Travis said as Nate shut the passenger door.
“Thanks.” He was going to need it.
Nate drew in a deep breath and held it in his lungs. When they started to burn, he let the air out in a rush that made his brain buzz and his skin tingle. He pulled open the glass door and stepped up to the reception desk, piled high with banker’s boxes and large manila envelopes. All he could see of the receptionist was the top of her blond head. “I’m here to see Chloe.”
“Nate!”
A kid’s voice called out from down the hallway and Nate turned to see Derrick rushing toward him. “Hey little man.” Nate held out his fist and Derrick bumped it with his. “What’s up?”
“Staying with Chloe,” he said. “For a while, anyway.”
Could that be why he hadn’t heard from her? Nate could only hope that she’d ignored him not because she never wanted to see him again, but because she had her hands full. “Is Chloe here?”
“Yeah,” Derrick said. “In her office.”
Nate turned to the receptionist and she nodded. “Want me to buzz her?”
“No, that’s all right.” The last thing he needed was to give her the opportunity to throw him out before he could talk to her. “She’s expecting me.”
The receptionist gave him a suspicious glance but nodded slowly. “Okay, go ahead and go back.”
“Do you think Chloe would let you get ice cream from the shop next door?” Nate asked Derrick.
“Sure. As long as I don’t cross the street it’s fine.” He laughed. “Chloe acts like I can’t take care of myself. I walked halfway across the city one time before anyone knew I was gone.”
It was probably a good idea that Chloe keep a tight rein on the kid. Good lord. “Just for ice cream.” Nate handed him a ten-dollar bill. “And then back here.” The last thing he needed was for Chloe to find one more reason to hate him.
“Yes, sir,” Derrick said with a crisp salute before he tore out of the office.
Nate headed down the hallway toward Chloe’s office. Dead man walking. He knocked and her voice called from the other side of the door, “Come on in!”
He brought his palm up and laid it on the cool wood of the door and let his head hang between his shoulders. Anxiety crept up his spine, drawing his shoulders toward his ears. If she turned him away, it would ruin him. She won’t. At least, he hoped.
Deep breaths. Nate pushed open the door and willed his thoughts and emotions to settle the fuck down. One look at Chloe and Nate was lost. Her hair was gathered up in a high, messy knot atop her head and she wore a pair of thick-framed glasses that gave her a decidedly naughty librarian look. Stress pulled at her expression and exhaustion weighed on her soft features, but damn. Nate didn’t think she’d ever looked so beautiful.
“Hey.”