Page 64 of Bachelor CEO

Fifteen minutes later Miranda was settled inthe room she’d stayed in her first time here. An hour later she was lying inbed, staring at the ceiling. While she was physically exhausted, being at LonePine brought back too many memories and emotions that kepther awake.

She clicked on the light and picked up thenovel she was reading, but after staring at the page for several minutes,unseeing, gave up.

Tomorrow she was leaving. She might as well godown to the dock for one last visit. Maybe that would finally exorcise thedemons and lay them and Chase to rest.

She slid out of bed and carried her flip-flopsin her hand so she wouldn’t wake Walter and Christine. The moon wasn’t full,but there was enough light to see, and soon she was dangling her feet from theend of the pier.

A sense of peace had washed over her theminute she sat down. The world was still, except for nocturnal creaturessearching for food and mates. Then she heard something else—the motor of aboat. She peered through the night, but didn’t see anything. It was probablythe sound of a fishing boat far out across the water. Lone Pine’s runabout wasgone, but she assumed the caretaker had put the craft in dry dock after she’dcalled about Leroy.

She lay back and folded her hands under herhead so she could stare at the stars. Even Canada couldn’t compare to this, andwhere she’d been, the sky had been as close to heaven as one could get.

This place was magical. She sighed. She wasgoing to miss coming here.

Water began to lap at the dock, and Mirandarose up on her elbows. The bow of a boat came into view about fifteen feetaway. The craft was hugging the shoreline, and for a moment Miranda worried thedriver wouldn’t see the dock, since a big oak tree jutted from the point.

But the boat maneuvered around it smoothly andcame closer. She realized why as the man on board grabbedthe post at the end of the dock. The words left her mouth at the same time theyleft his.

“What are you doing here?”

“ME? I LIVE HERE.” Chase stared. He’d beenout on a night cruise, seeking solace. He certainly hadn’t expected to findMiranda sitting on the dock like some water nymph. His libido slipped into overdriveand he tried to calm himself. Even in the shadows she was breathtaking. “Andyou?”

“I’m staying the night with Walter andChristine. Tomorrow I leave for Chicago.” Her tone turned accusatory. “I didn’tthink you’d be here. Where’s your car?”

“We hired a limo. Leroy needed the space tostretch out.” Chase drew the boat alongside.

Miranda’s jaw dropped. “He’s here, too?”

Chase nodded. “For the weekend. We’re closingup the house. And he wanted to visit with Walter.”

“When did Walter learn you were coming?”

Chase shrugged. “I think they arranged thistrip sometime last week.”

“I don’t believe it. Of all the sneaky thingsto do.” Miranda jumped to her feet.

Chase killed the engine and tossed her therope. “So what’s going on?”

“Walter. He told me Leroy wasn’t coming…No, Iguess he didn’t. I just assumed.” She looped the rope, securing the runabout.“I’m sorry, but it seems as if Leroy and Walter are doing some matchmaking.Walter knew I was flying into Minnesota today and he insisted I come by andvisit him and Christine. I didn’t realize you would be here or I would havesaid no.”

Chase hopped onto the dock. “You’re a surpriseto me as well.” And not a bad one. He thought of her often.He missed her. And right now, in the soft moonlight, she was a vision. “How areyou doing?”

“I’ll be fine once I get out of here.” Shestepped forward, but Chase stood between her and the shore. He held his ground.

“Do you hate me that much?” he asked.

She waved him aside. “It’s just better if weavoid each other.”

“That day at my grandfather’s, he suggested wetalk. Perhaps our meeting here is a sign that we should.”

“Oh Chase, what is there to talk about?Haven’t we said all that needs to be said?”

The answer came to him in a flash. “No, wehaven’t. I was wrong.”

She sighed and planted her hands on her hips.“Please don’t start. You’re never wrong. You know, I was bored in a week’stime. There. I said it. I’m headed to Chicago to find a job. So don’t. I’malready beating myself up enough with the fact that you were right.”

He ran a finger down her forearm. She jerked,but not like someone who hated his touch. “I’ve missed you terribly.”

She looked startled and her arms straightened.“You have? I don’t believe you.”

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