Page 19 of Bachelor CEO

Since she’d lingered in his office, she didn’thave time to freshen up, so she headed straight for the elevator. It didn’tsurprise her that he was already waiting. As soon as he saw her, he pressed theDown button.

She’d eaten lunch with Walter and othercompany executives dozens of times, but Chase’s waiting for her felt almostlike a date. It wasn’t, though, so she’d better get herself together, and fast.

“Thank you for changing your plans. Iappreciate the gesture. I’m sorry it was sprung on you.”

“It’s nothing.” Chase entered the elevatorbehind her and pressed the button for the lobby. “I should have been moresensitive about welcoming you to the company properly. With anyone else Iprobably would have. Itisyour first day, and ofcourse I should be taking you to lunch. I’ve been a bit of a cad.”

Miranda didn’t have any illusions that she andChase would kiss, make up and be friends, but she recognized the maskedapology. She acknowledged it with a slight nod of her head before changing thesubject. “I noticed the saddle in your office. Do you still ride?”

“Not like that. I stopped roping about tenyears ago. Couldn’t quite get rid of the saddle, though. For years it was apart of me.”

“You shouldn’t. It’s a memory. A good one,right? You enjoyed it.”

He shrugged. “I did okay. I earned a fewribbons and belt buckles.”

The elevator door opened and they stepped outand crossed the lobby to the main entrance. The rain had let up, but puddlesremained. The sun was starting to break through the clouds,which was a good thing, since Miranda had left her umbrella in her office.

“I’m parked over here.” Chase led her toward acompact SUV with a bike rack on the back. “When I leave, this will be yourspot.”

Which would be good for rainy days, as it wascloser to the entrance, Miranda noted.

Chase opened the front passenger door and sheclimbed in. The drive took under five minutes, since Maxine’s was in astorefront on Main Street. Chenille’s downtown was pristine and unspoiled bytime, the buildings old-fashioned and charming.

“I like all the little shops down here. Ihaven’t had a chance to explore them yet.”

“They’ll have most everything you need,especially if you don’t want to drive. The nearest Wal-Mart is twenty mileswest. We aren’t a big enough town to support our own, which is fine by me.”

“I found it. I went there yesterday to pick upsome things.”

Chase held open the outer door. “Maxine’s hasbeen here for about twenty years, but the building is much older. It’s on thehistoric registry. When you get inside take a look at the millwork. It’s alloriginal.”

He opened the second door and they steppedinside.

“Chase,” the hostess called. “How are youtoday?”

“Fantastic. Diane, this is Miranda Craig.She’s McDaniel’s new vice president. This is her first day and her first timeeating here.”

“Nice to meet you, and welcome to Chenille. Ihope you enjoy your meal and that you like it enough to come back often. Yourusual table okay today, Chase?”

“That’ll be fine,” he replied as she grabbedtwo menus. He put his hand lightly on Miranda’s back to guideher. Despite the layers of clothing, her body immediately reacted to his touch,and she bit her lip.

As she followed the hostess, Chase’s handsuddenly fell away. Miranda glanced behind and noticed he’d stopped for asecond to greet someone. But he was there to pull out her chair before Dianehad time to set the menus down.

“Sorry for that,” he said.

“I guess you know just about everyone intown.” Miranda glanced around the restaurant. Chase hadn’t been kidding aboutthe woodwork. The place reminded her of an old tavern, complete with heavywooden tables. Maxine’s had several rooms, and just about every seat was full.

“You’ll quickly get to know the movers andshakers of Chenille. Most of them eat lunch here every day. If they’re stillthere I’ll introduce you on the way out. That’s Martin Villas. He’s presidentof one of the local banks, and he’s with Butch Ifland, the former mayor. Butchis running for county commissioner.”

“Your town seems pretty tight-knit.”

“There are only three hundred kids in the highschool. My graduating class had seventy-three students.”

Miranda put the burgundy-colored cloth napkinin her lap. “There were over two thousand in my high school. No one really knewanyone. I was happy to get out. I didn’t have many friends, since I didn’t getthere until the middle of my junior year.”

“You transferred midyear?”

She fingered her napkin. “It wasn’t my choice.My parents died.”

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