Page 62 of Bachelor CEO

Chase shook his head. “To you it might seemlike I got what I wanted. But I didn’t, not really. I sacrificed something veryimportant.”

“Yeah, right.”

He stepped closer and put a hand under herchin. “I had to choose between my company and you.”

“As if you really spent any time thinkingabout that.” Chase truly knew how to rub salt into a wound. “Please, justleave.”

“Not until you tell me where you’re going.”

“Somewhere far away from here. Somewhere I canstart fresh. Now, leave.”

He ran a fingertip over her lower lip. “Inever wanted to hurt you.”

Didn’t he know his very presence hurt her? Shestepped out of his reach. “Go.”

He didn’t move. “If that’s what you reallywant.”

What she wanted was for the pain to stop. Sheneeded to pick up the pieces of her heart and heal. He’d never love her. Hisjob came first.

“It’s what I want. Go, Chase. I’m sure youhave work to do.”

He hesitated before saying, “Yeah, I probablydo. Goodbye, Miranda.”

She held on to the door, not trusting hervoice to get the words out without cracking. She had tomove on. He went down a few steps, and as he turned around for one final look,she let her dreams die, and closed the door.

Chapter Fourteen

Don Henley had a song with a line sayingsomething about work not keeping you warm. As Chase replayed “The Heart of the Matter”on his iPod for the tenth time during his nightly jog, he realized what wasbugging him.

Sacrifices sucked.

It had been a month since he’d been named CEO.In that time he’d worked ten-hour days, except for a one-day trip he’d taken tosee Cecilia’s baby, and he’d worked his body into even leaner shape.

He’d drop into bed each night exhausted, buthe never really slept. Instead, he replayed every moment he and Miranda hadspent together. It hadn’t taken him long to realize he’d made the dumbestmistake of his life. He’d let her go.

But there was no way to have her and be CEO.He’d been over every possible solution.

He, Chase McDaniel, would not have his Heidi,as his grandfather had. Chase’s role was to build the company into somethinghis nieces and nephews would want to run, or at least into something he couldsell one day and set the entire family up for life.

He had to be content with that. Tomorrow wasFriday, and he’d taken the day off so he and his grandfather could go to LonePine. Leroy had been going stir-crazy in Chenille and wanted to visit the lakeone last time before they closed the lodge for the winter. The doctor hadagreed with the trip, so long as Leroy had a nurse nearby just in case.

Chase hadn’t been to the lake since theweekend with Miranda. He knew it would only make him miss her more. Thecaretaker had long ago cleaned up any mess left in the haste of getting Leroyto the hospital, so Chase had had no reason to return.

If all went well, next year Leroy would spendthe entire summer at the lodge, having handed over the reins to Chase. So farthe transition was going smoothly. An interim vice president was in place andChase worked well with her. The next meeting with Rhodes Printing was a fewweeks away, when company representatives and Iowa officials would arrive intown for a site visit.

Chase reached his house and went inside toshower and pack. He’d hired a limo so that he, Leroy and the nurse could travelin greater comfort. His phone rang and he picked it up.

“Making sure nothing’s changed,” Leroy said.

Chase held the phone against his ear with hisshoulder and stripped off his shorts. “Not on my end.”

“Walter and his wife are meeting us there.They’ll be in the cottage.”

This was a surprise. While Walter did normallyspend a week at the lake, Chase had thought this year would be different, sinceLeroy was in Chenille. Maybe that’s why his grandfather had been so insistenton heading to Lone Pine this weekend.

“Chase?”

“I’m here,” he replied. “I’ll see you tomorrowat seven.”

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