Page 52 of Bachelor CEO

“I just wondered if it’s your feelings forChase that have made you so upset,” he continued.

“I’m not upset,” Miranda protested. And wherehad this come from? She and Leroy had been discussing the fall festival.

Leroy’s hand trembled as he reached for hiscup of water, a sign he still had recovering to do. “Ah, but you are. I couldtell as soon as I saw you.”

“Well, it’s not because I love Chase.” Mirandamanaged to force the words out. No way could she be in love with Leroy’sgrandson. “We snap at each other and get on each other’s nerves. He resents mefor the position you gave me. He usurps my authority.”

“I figured that would happen the moment thedoctors and my grandkids told me I couldn’t work for a while. I knew he’d marchin and take over. Are you going to let him?”

She’d gotten comfortable talking to Leroysince Chase had left, but this question she avoided. “Your family doesn’tintend for you to go back.”

“I know that, too. It doesn’t surprise me abit. They’ve lost both parents and all their grandparents but me. And I’meighty. They have every reason to be overprotective. Doesn’t mean I’m going tolet them bully me around, though.”

The nurse entered and Leroy let her check hisblood pressure. She also refilled his water cup. “It’s for my health. Doctor’sorders. And I plan to be around to hold my nextgreat-grandchild. Cecilia’s getting close.”

“I saw her at the hospital. She looks verypregnant.”

“Don’t remember much of that weekend, but thedoc says that’s okay. I remember everything else from my life, or at least thegood parts, so that’s all that counts. Have you considered the reason you andChase get on each other’s nerves might be because you belong together?”

“Really, I don’t think so.”

“No? I disagree. Did I ever tell you about mywife? Heidi lived on the next farm over. We’d grown up together. But let meassure you, we weren’t childhood sweethearts. No sirree. She and I fought overeverything. See, she was smart and so was I, and there could be only one highschool valedictorian. I was certain it would be me. Sure didn’t plan to let herwin. Wasn’t going to lose to a girl.”

Miranda nodded. She had no idea where Leroywas going with this, but she found his story fascinating.

“Now, at the time the war was going on. Theend of it, sure, but the Japanese hadn’t surrendered. I was too young toenlist. My father also needed my help with the farm. We actually had a littlemoney, so my mom hired Heidi to watch my little brother—you met Harvey—and dosome of the cooking and cleaning. Both of Heidi’s older brothers died fightingfor the cause.

“But Heidi, boy, she held her head up. Sherefused to look at her job or our buying their farm and letting her family staythere as pity. And you know what? That girl who I used to throw worms at, whosetongue could be barbed wire, ended up being the love of my life. She coveredher crush by being ornery and rude. Luckily, I wised up before I threw awaywhat was right in front of my nose. I called her bluff.”

“So who wasvaledictorian?” Miranda asked.

“She was. I failed a final in my math class. Ididn’t have time to study, since I had to get the spring planting done. Took ahigh B+ in the class.”

“And she gloated.”

Leroy chuckled. “Oh no. She yelled at me thatI’d failed on purpose. I kissed her, told her she was going to marry me, andwell, look how it all worked out.”

“You’re a cocky man, Leroy.”

“Yeah.” He grinned, and Miranda could seewhere Chase got his smile. “I could be bold when I wanted. Funny how lifeworks. My mortal enemy the love of my life. So back to my grandson. I’ve seenthe way he looks at you.”

“With malice?”

Leroy shook his head. “No, I’ve seen truehate. His eyes certainly don’t contain that. It’s something very differentaltogether, and it’s not the way he’s looked at other women, either. Maybe youtwo ought to have a heart-to-heart. Clear the air. See if you can find somecommon ground.”

“Perhaps,” Miranda replied, not wanting totell Leroy that it was far too late for that.

He fingered the throw. “Did you know thatHeidi earned a scholarship because she was valedictorian? She attended college.Became a teacher. She taught for a few years before we had Chase’s father.Heidi was worth failing a test for, that was for sure. Besides, I didn’t needthat money. I was going to be a farmer and build a company.”

The sly fox. “So she was right. You dupedher.”

Leroy’s eyes twinkled. “No. I took myself outof the running and gave her what she needed. In return, she gaveme the best years of my life. No man could have been happier.”

There was a lesson in his words, Miranda wassure, but figuring out exactly what Leroy was trying to tell her would have towait, because the front door slammed and Chase strode into the room.

Leroy must have been wrong. Chase’s face couldreflect pure hate. And rage.

He didn’t even attempt to hide his anger.“What the hell areyoudoing here?”

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