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He washed his hands and resisted the urge to call the office, especially since it was a holiday weekend and he’d told his secretary to take the rest of the day off. Tuesday morning would arrive soon enough. Surely he could find out who the mystery woman was then.
MIRANDA CRAIG FOUND Bay Tire easily, and within a few minutes was sitting inside the store, watching while a cat yawned his assessment and sauntered off.
Her tire couldn’t be plugged, so she nodded in approval of the new one they wanted to install.
This wasn’t one of those chain establishments, but rather a mom-and-pop operation. “So Chase sent you?” the wife asked, flipping through a magazine while her husband changed the tire. Both seemed to be in their early fifties.
“He did,” Miranda replied.
“His whole family buys their tires here. Have for years. You his girlfriend?” Mrs. Bay set her magazine down for a minute.
Miranda shook her head. “No. I’m a new employee.”
The woman gave her a once-over, and Miranda squirmed. “Probably for the best. He does seem to go through women like water.”
“Uh-huh.” Miranda was grateful when Mrs. Bay began reading an article. It was easy to understand why women would be attracted to Chase. Miranda had felt that initial quiver of interest herself, before she’d realized exactly who the tall blond guy approaching her was. Chase McDaniel wasn’t quite the boy next door.
He was a lot hotter and a lot sexier than he looked in the photos she’d seen on the Internet. His pictures had done him justice, but came nowhere close to capturing the man in the flesh.
His hair was sandy-blond, like something you might find on a California surfer. His ocean-blue eyes had sparkled, and his mouth…To be kissed by those full sensuous lips could only be heavenly.
His dress shirt hadn’t hidden the fact that he was fit and toned, and the thought of touching his six-pack abs sent chills down her spine.
He hadn’t bothered to conceal his interest. His attentions had flattered her, as had his willingness to get his hands dirty. He wasn’t such a pretty boy that he was afraid of grease and grime. She’d found him highly attractive and extremely tempting.
She’d wanted to say yes to his offer of lunch, but no was the safer choice, and Miranda always erred on the side of safety. At thirty-three, she’d given up everything in Chicago and had to make a success of her new life in Chenille.
Flirting with Chase McDaniel, thirty-five-year-old heir to the McDaniel Manufacturing throne, would only complicate matters.
She couldn’t let his cheeky grin sway her from her destiny. She’d made that mistake before. She’d fallen fast and hard for Manuel, a dark-haired smooth talker. Eventually she’d figured out his seduction wasn’t about her, but about what he could get from her company. She’d discovered that he was using her to win a big contract between her firm and his. The knowledge he’d lied to her and hadn’t truly cared for her at all had wounded her deeply.
“You’re all done,” Mr. Bay said, reentering the shop. He wiped his hands, reminding Miranda of Chase. “You’re good to go.”
Miranda dispelled the image of Chase’s smile. No need for her knees to wobble. She had a long weekend ahead of her, and unfortunately, she’d be seeing him again soon. Tomorrow, in fact.
The reality was he was a means to her dream job, and she wasn’t going to let her physical attraction to the man stand in the way of finally getting what she wanted—a chance to shatter the glass ceiling. She’d come too far to fail now, no matter how much he’d piqued her interest.
Cursing under her breath at how unfair life was, Miranda went to pay her bill.
THE MCDANIEL LODGE on Lone Pine Lake had been in the family since the mid-1950s, when Leroy had purchased the property on a rare whim.
As Chase climbed the back stairs, he realized that someday, this too would be his. He paused, his hand resting on the cedar railing while he took a minute to gaze past the house to the shoreline.
Chase had been spending summers at Lone Pine Lake ever since he’d been born, and whatever stress he was feeling always disappeared the minute he stepped out of his car.
He could understand why his grandfather loved the lodge and why he spent most of the workweek here from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The lodge was like fine wine; it developed more character as it aged. The house sprawled at the top of a grassy knoll and offered a panoramic view of the four hundred feet of shoreline at the front of the property.
The entire estate consisted of ten acres, and besides the lodge, two small guest cottages sat a short distance away. The lodge itself had five bedrooms and slept fourteen. The cottages each slept four.
Chase inhaled, letting his lungs and senses fill up with the earthen smells of crisp air and fresh pine. An eagle soared across the water, talons out as it descended to catch a fish. Lone Pine Lake, with its fourteen miles of shoreline, remained an untouched gem. The houses surrounding the McDaniel estate also sat on acreage, and there were no condos or high-rises anywhere on the lake.
He’d always felt at home here, even more so than at his grandfather’s massive residence in Chenille, where Chase and his siblings had grown up.
“You going to stand there all day?”
“Hey, Grandpa,” Chase said as Leroy came around the side of the house with a fishing pole in one hand and a tackle box in the other. There was a boathouse near the dock, but Leroy liked to keep his gear on the screened-in back porch. “Was the fishing any good?”
“Nah. Still can’t convince me that there are any fish in this lake,” Leroy replied with a snort.
Chase laughed. The largest fish his grandfather had ever pulled from Lone Pine wasn’t even close to being a keeper. It was the family joke that the fish knew when a McDaniel lure was in the water.
“I expected you a little while ago. You didn’t have any trouble, did you?” Leroy asked, thumping up the stairs, pole in hand.
“No.” Chase stepped aside to let him pass. His grandfather was six inches shorter than Chase, and slowly shrinking with age.
Chase waited while Leroy put away his fishing gear, and then followed him into the spacious kitchen. Decades ago the house had been a hunting lodge, where a cook had prepared meals for many. The room’s most recent updating had been about eight years ago, three years before Chase’s grandmother’s death. His grandfather had little use for the gleaming stainless steel appliances, preferring to simply microwave some soup or a frozen meal when he wasn’t eating out. The local country club was open to the public and had the best food in the area.
Leroy reached into the big SubZero refrigerator and removed a pitcher of iced tea. “Grab me a glass, will you?”
“Sure.” Chase opened a cabinet and took out two tall tumblers. Because he hadn’t stopped on the drive up he was hungry and thirsty. “So what did you want me to come up early for?”
“Did you bring all my work from the office?” Leroy asked, after taking a sip.
“Everything your secretary gave me,” Chase replied, balancing his own glass. “It’s out in my trunk with my luggage.”
“That’s fine. I’m going to go wash up. Let’s meet in twenty minutes.”
“Perfect. I want to unpack and make a sandwich. I missed lunch.”
“Okay.” Glass in hand, Leroy left the room. Chase drained his iced tea, put the tumbler in the dishwasher and made a turkey sandwich. When finished, he retrieved his cases from the car.
This was his first visit since closing the house last fall, and as he carried everything in, he looked to see if there were any changes from last year. He wandered through the kitchen and entered the huge vaulted great room.
He set the big envelope Leroy’s secretary had given him on the dining room table, and paused to take in the view of the water through the front windows. To Chase’s right was a glassed-in porch that could easily seat forty people when filled with tables.
The great room contained multiple groupings of comfortable sofas and armchairs, beneath a ceiling that rose to twenty-five feet. The bedrooms were located in a wing on the far end of the house, opposite the enclosed sunporch.
Chase made his way to his bedroom, on the second floor. He unpacked before returning to the great room and curling up in his favorite armchair near the floor-to-ceiling fireplace. He had fond memories of crackling fires that heated the pinkish-colored stones until they were hot to the touch.
“Ah, good, you’re here,” his grandfather said, emerging from the first-floor hallway that led to the master bedroom and Leroy’s office.
“I put your stuff on the table,” Chase said.
“I’ll look at everything later. Are you still hungry? I thought we could swing over to the country club for a quick appetizer and a drink before everyone gets here.”
“I’m fine,” Chase answered. It wasn’t yet 4:00 p.m. His siblings would start arriving around five-thirty. “You said you needed to talk to me,” he prodded, a bit surprised by his urgency to hear the official word that he’d be CEO. He’d always assumed there’d be no glitches, but now that the time had arrived, he was a little nervous. He simply wanted everything signed, sealed and delivered, so he could relax and enjoy the weekend festivities.
Leroy settled into his recliner and kicked up his feet. While he might appear relaxed, his blue eyes were razor sharp and his gaze locked on to Chase. “I’m worried about you,” he stated.
“W-why?” Chase sputtered in surprise. The last time his grandfather had been worried, Chase had been seventeen and had failed to call and say that he’d be late arriving home one night. “What are you worried about? Have I made a mistake of some sort?”
“No, no, it’s me who’s screwed up.” His grandfather exhaled a sigh.
“You’re not ill, are you?”
Leroy produced a reassuring smile, and with a slight shake of his head said, “It’s nothing like that. I’m fit as a fiddle. Unlike my Heidi, I’ve got quite a few years left in me. Someone has to be there for the grandkids your dad and mom never got to enjoy.”
Chase frowned. He knew his grandfather missed his wife and son, but he’d never seen the old man like this. He seemed vulnerable. He never revealed weakness.
Leroy was a tough, self-made man. He didn’t crack under pressure. But he appeared to be doing so now. He’d become nostalgic and reminiscent. Maybe that occurred when you hit eighty. Chase didn’t know.
The only thing he was certain of was that his stomach had become unsettled, the turkey sitting like a lead weight. Something was wrong. He sensed a problem, knew it instinctively, as he had that day long ago when his grandparents had come to tell him his mother and father were dead.
The knowledge that whatever this was couldn’t be as severe as that announcement didn’t necessarily provide comfort.
Leroy sighed. “I’ve been unfair to you, Chase. I realized that a few months ago. You’ve always done everything I’ve asked of you.”
“It’s been no problem,” Chase assured him. “I haven’t minded.”
Leroy exhaled again, as if the conversation pained him. He shifted, lowering the footrest and leaning forward to plant both feet on the floor. He clasped his hands together. “Yes, it is a problem. One I should have stopped long ago. You should have had the freedom to make your own choices. You’ve been trapped into an endless cycle of meeting my expectations.”
Chase’s forehead creased. “You’ve lost me. I don’t meet your expectations?”
“Of course you do. You exceed them, actually. No grandfather could be prouder.”
“So what’s this about?”
“I’ve spent the last few months contemplating my mortality. I’ve always said I’d step down when I hit eighty, but I’ve had a change of heart. I think I’ll stay another year.”
“Well, that’s great,” Chase said, fumbling for the correct words. So that’s all this was about. Leroy was afraid Chase would be disappointed at not being named CEO.
“I wanted to tell you first. I know I’ve been grooming you to take over for me, but…” Leroy’s voice trailed off.
“It’s fine,” Chase said quickly. “Another year is no big deal. I’m actually glad you’re staying. Work’s kept you young. You’d miss it too much.”
“It’s certainly kept me busy, and that keeps my mind off other things,” Leroy corrected. One corner of his lips inched upward in a sad, reflective smile. “No, this isn’t about me. It’s about you, and my failure to do what’s right. I’m not sure being CEO is what’s best for you.”
“What?” The word shot out of Chase’s mouth, propelled by pure shock. “You’re kidding.”
“No, I’m not. I’ve come to realize that you’ve always been expected to work for me at McDaniel. I’ve groomed you to fill your father’s shoes, without really asking if that’s what you wanted. Remember when you wanted to be a forest ranger? Or a doctor?”
“That’s Chris and Chandy. If I considered medicine, it was a long time ago. I almost passed out after the last company blood drive.”
Chase’s head was spinning. He felt as if he’d been sideswiped. “I love working at McDaniel Manufacturing. I’ve never resented it. I’m happy there.”
“Still, I’ve never given you the opportunity to explore other options. When your father died I assumed you would take his place in the business. I should have given you the freedom to choose your career, like your brother and sisters.”
“I chose business,” Chase protested. “I have an MBA.”
“Only because I expected you to get one,” his grandfather pointed out, unclasping his hands and gripping his knees. “You’ve always done what was expected of you. Life’s too short to live that way. I want you to break the rules. Go forth and have some fun. Sail the seven seas. Hike Everest. See if there’s another career calling your name. I want you to be happy.”
“I am happy,” Chase said, as the hopelessness of the situation became clear. His grandfather had made up his mind. He’d determined that he’d failed Chase, which meant he was immovable. Leroy was known for not backing down once he’d decided on a course of action.
“I want you to be sure. I’m giving you the next year off with pay. If you decide McDaniel is where you want to be, this time next summer I’ll step aside and you’ll fill my shoes as CEO, no questions asked. But I believe you need time to think. To be really sure your heart is into running the company I built.”
“Of course it is,” Chase insisted.
His grandfather conceded with a tilt of his head. “You say that now, but that’s because you’ve never been truly allowed to make your own decisions. Don’t worry about disappointing me. I’d be more upset if you didn’t take this time to reflect and find out what’s right for Chase, not what’s right for McDaniel.”
“But all the work I do…”
“You aren’t indispensable. It can be handled. We have plenty of people who can cover for you.” Leroy leaned back and kicked his feet up again. “You know, I wish I’d had this opportunity. At twenty I was already running the family farm. Then I started expanding and producing, and your father was born two years after Heidi and I married. Don’t get me wrong. I loved every minute. I just want you to be sure.”
“I am.” Darn Leroy for not seeing that!
Chase wondered if his grandfather might be experiencing the onset of some kind of dementia. That would explain this sudden irrationality.
The older man smiled and got back to business. “You’ll have a year to explore what you want to do with your life.”
“Fine,” he snapped. His grandfather wanted to give him this opportunity. Chase had no desire to take it, but he had no choice. “In one year I’ll be back here and you’ll be stepping aside,” he declared.
“I admire your spunk. You remind me of myself at your age. We’ll see if it’s still what you want by the end of the year. If it’s really what you want, I’ll step aside, as I said, with no questions asked,” Leroy promised.
They fell silent, each lost in thought as they watched a pontoon boat motor by. His grandfather’s announcement had thrown Chase for a loop. He’d expected to be named CEO, not handed a one-year time-out. He’d been banished from the kingdom, so to speak.
“So where will you go first?” Leroy asked.
Chase frowned. That was the worst part of this mandatory sabbatical. His life had always been mapped out. Go to college. Go to work. Become CEO. Now he’d been set adrift. He answered honestly, “I have absolutely no idea.”
Chapter Two
Miranda checked the road map again, trying to figure out where she was. Getting from Chenille to Lone Pine Lake did not involve an interstate, and for the last several miles she’d been looking for Highway A, which according to her directions was just past a big red barn.
So far she’d seen neither barn nor road, and she wished she’d splurged and bought one of those GPS navigators. Since she mostly took the train or the El in Chicago, she hadn’t realized how useful a GPS would be.
As it was, she was a little hesitant about attending today’s birthday bash. But Mr. McDaniel—Leroy, she amended; he’d insisted she call him that—had wanted her to be there for some big announcement he planned to make.
She rubbed the bridge of her nose and readjusted her sunglasses. She hated being the center of attention, and prayed the announcement wasn’t about her. She knew she’d have to get accustomed to the spotlight, especially given her new position.
But that didn’t mean she had to enjoy it. She’d always been a private person, never wanting others to know she wasn’t quite like them. They’d known, though. In high school they’d looked down on her, called her names behind her back. In college she’d stayed out of the social scene.
Miranda squinted behind her shades, thinking she saw a big red barn looming ahead.
AFTER LUNCH WITH HIS grandfather and siblings, Chase paced the enclosed sunporch. Normally everyone retired for a siesta, but Chase had asked to talk with his brother and sisters.
“You have to help me change his mind. Please.”
“Maybe this will be a good thing for you,” Cecilia mused. She rubbed her stomach, her belly protruding with the baby due at the beginning of August.
