The Pursuit (Capitol Love Series Book 2) Page 12

  “I can take both if you like,” Rayne said. “If they don’t sell, you’ll get them back. And if they do, you’ll get a bigger tax write-off.”

  Crystal’s smile lit up her whole face, and Rayne felt a twinge of guilt for not telling Crystal that she was seeing Chase. It was sneaky and dirty, and it was starting to remind her of how things had been with Brandon.

  “I can’t thank you enough for letting me do this,” Crystal said.

  “I should be thanking you. Seriously, your work is gorgeous,” Rayne said. “Just drop the paintings off at the office tomorrow. The address is on the invitation. Will you be at the gala?”

  “Wouldn’t miss it for the world!”

  Rayne smiled and took the box of pastries and headed for the door. She paused outside and sent Savannah a quick text: Just met with Brandon. We need a girl’s night, stat! When will you be home??

  Moments later, she got a response: Half hour. Is this a wine or a cupcake night?

  Wine. Definitely wine.

  On it! See you soon.

  Rayne put her phone away and started for home. She had decided to tell Savannah everything, and that decision instantly made her feel better.

  Rayne got home fifteen minutes later, and her phone beeped as she set her bag down on the couch. It was a text from Chase: At your office. Where RU?

  Rayne felt a flash of irritation. He’d barely texted her in the past couple of days, and she hadn’t set eyes on him since leaving him at the subway on Saturday night. And now he decided to show up at her office one of the few times she wasn’t there.

  Home, she texted back. Then added, I’m telling Savannah.

  Telling her what?

  About us. I’m tired of lying. She flopped down on the couch, suddenly feeling exhausted, and stared at her phone.

  When he still hadn’t replied after three minutes, Rayne felt a rush of anxiety. She jumped up from the couch and stalked into the kitchen, where she pulled out two large wine glasses and fought the urge to text him again. Maybe he was in the bathroom or talking to someone or getting on the subway. Or maybe a giant acorn had fallen on his head and he had amnesia.

  She was debating texting Savannah to ask for cupcakes after all when she finally got a response from Chase, but the message only heightened her anxiety: I need to talk to you first. Heading your way. B there in 5.

  She didn’t text him back.

  Chapter 12

  Savannah walked in the door carrying not one but two bottles of wine, which she set on the coffee table before tossing her bag on the floor and sitting down next to Rayne on the couch.

  “You look freaked out,” she said. “You never look freaked out. What did Brandon say to you?”

  “He told me his wife left him.” Rayne was still shaken, but at least she knew what was up with Brandon. She couldn’t say the same about Chase. Why did he want her to wait before telling Savannah?

  “Let me guess,” Savannah said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “He wants you back?”

  Rayne nodded. “He basically admitted that it was all his fault and he should have left her long ago—for me. He said I was the only one he cheated with. And he sounded so...sincere.”

  “Rayney, this is Brandon Wallace we’re talking about—the man who would do or say anything to get what he wants.” Savannah stood and carried a bottle of wine into the kitchen while she continued talking. “And right now, he wants a pretty young woman on his arm to show the world how well he’s adjusting to his divorce.”

  Savannah returned with an open bottle and the two glasses, which she promptly filled.

  “Wow, you cut right to the chase,” Rayne said and immediately wished she’d used another expression. Then she realized it was just the opening she needed.

  “Speaking of Chase,” she said, her eyes on her wine glass. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

  Savannah raised an eyebrow. “Chase, as in Colin’s brother?”

  Rayne nodded then stalled by taking a long drink of the sweet white wine. This was proving to be harder than she’d expected. “Remember that weekend last month when I was just starting to plan the gala and Carol was at her conference and you were staying at Colin’s?”

  Savannah nodded warily, lifting her wine glass and taking a healthy sip. But before Rayne could say she’d made crazy-mad love to Chase and then didn’t tell Savannah or anyone else about it, there was a loud knock at the door. Setting her wine glass down and giving Rayne a questioning look, Savannah got up to answer it. Rayne stood up, too, but stayed by the couch.

  “Speak of the devil,” Savannah said as she held the door open for Chase.

  He looked at Savannah, then his gaze flicked over to Rayne and he smiled but without his usual confidence. “You guys were talking about me?” he said.

  Rayne felt a tangle of emotions and knew that whatever he had to talk to her about was not going to be good, so the first emotion she plucked out was anger.

  “And Brandon Wallace,” she said.

  Chase looked thoroughly confused. “Who?”

  “The guy you gave my cell phone number to.”

  “I didn’t give your number—” He stopped. “Oh, that guy. He’s some friend of my mom’s and he said he knew you and planned to donate a bunch of money. I figured you’d want to talk to him. Right?”

  “Wrong! You should have asked me first.”

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “He’s not some sort of stalker, is he?”

  “He’s just a regular jerk,” Rayne said. “And I was doing fine avoiding him until you gave him my number.”

  “I am really sorry, Rayne. I didn’t know.”

  She eyed him suspiciously. He was being way too contrite. She’d expected at least a little pissiness in response to her anger. When Rayne didn’t say anything else, Savannah looked from her to Chase and back again, and Rayne could see her putting two and two together.

  Chase turned to Savannah and said, “Could you give us a minute? I need to talk to Rayne about something.”

  “Really?” Savannah asked, crossing her arms and looking like she had no plans to go anywhere. Chase glanced at Rayne, the frustration visible in his face.

  “It’s OK,” Rayne said to Savannah.

  Savannah looked like she wanted to argue, but then she slowly picked up her wine glass and headed for the stairs. As she passed Chase, she gave him a look that made even Rayne feel chilled. When they heard her bedroom door click shut, Chase turned to Rayne and said, “I wanted to talk to you before you told her.”

  “I was just getting started, but I think she got the picture,” Rayne said.

  They were standing only feet apart, and though Rayne ached to touch him, she felt unable to move, taut with nerves. “Why did you want me to wait?”

  Chase ran a hand through his already rumpled hair and looked all around the room, everywhere but at her. The silence stretched, and Rayne fought the urge to fill it. He took a deep breath and said, “I finally heard about that Nepal gig.”

  Her heart beat hard, and her breath caught in her throat.

  “When do you leave?” she asked, bracing her hand on the back of the couch to steady herself. It was just a gig, it didn’t mean—

  “First thing tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow?” Her heart was a swirl of emotions and she was still reeling from her encounter with Brandon, but then everything snapped into focus and she saw things with a sudden, unwanted clarity. “You’ll miss the gala.”

  “I’m so sorry,” he said, taking a step toward her. Rayne wrapped her arms around herself in a protective stance and took a step back. “It’s a great opportunity—”

  “Of course it is!” Rayne’s voice sounded cold and harsh to her own ears, but she kept going. “And the timing is perfect.”


  “Perfect? No, it’s not.”

  She’d never felt such intense anger, not even when she found out that Brandon was married. But it was directed mostly at herself. She should have known better. It was her own fault she’d gotten hurt again.

  “The timing couldn’t be better,” she said. “Things were getting good between us so of course you’re taking off. Just like everyone said you would. Just like you did with Crystal. Just like you’ve done with every woman you’ve ever dated.”

  “It’s only a couple weeks. A month at the absolute most.”

  “That’s not the point!” Rayne shouted. She wanted to throw something. She wanted to scream until the windows cracked. She never let herself give into emotion like this, except—it suddenly struck her—for the night she and Chase made love. The realization made her want to scream even more. What was it about this man?

  “I don’t want to break things off,” he said, reaching for her arm.

  But she twisted away. “Why? So you can make sure you have a warm piece of ass to come back to?” It felt good to say it and even better to see the shocked look on his face.

  “Please, Rayne.” Chase looked like he was starting to panic, which she thought was surprising because surely he’d been through this before with other women. “I care about you. A lot. I want—”

  She was thinking of those other women, of Crystal, when she interrupted him. “I don’t care what you want. I’ll make it easy for both of us. It’s over. Now you can go to Nepal with a clean conscience.”

  “Rayne, please let me explain,” he said with a desperate edge to his voice.

  She knew there was sadness just waiting to break through the anger, but she wouldn’t let that happen until he was gone. And like a spiteful child, she wanted him to feel some of the pain she did.

  “I thought I could be like you,” she said. “I thought I could do whatever it was we were doing. Just have fun, be casual and not get emotionally involved—at least not right away. But I can’t. And I’m glad I can’t. I don’t want to be like you. Self-absorbed and alone.”

  He pulled back as though he’d been slapped. “You think I’m self-absorbed? You think I’m not capable of falling in love?”

  “I think you’re not capable of feeling anything real because that would be inconvenient. I think you avoid anything that gets in the way of your free-wheeling existence. Anything that makes you accountable to anyone else.”

  He staggered back a few steps and then looked away from her. She had a moment of regret but told herself it was just an act, one he’d perfected over the years.

  “You’ve been waiting for me to disappoint you from day one,” he said, facing her again. “Despite that one incredible night and all the fun we’ve had together, deep down you’ve always believed I was the awful guy everyone made me out to be. But you’re wrong about me.”

  She felt a twinge of guilt that he might be right, but she plunged ahead. “Am I? Because coming here to tell me you’re leaving the country in less than twenty-four hours and abandoning your commitment to the gala would seem to confirm the rumors.”

  When he didn’t respond, she said in a low voice, “Did you really think I would be OK with you running off at the last minute? Bailing on the fundraiser? Bailing on me?” She was close to tears but fought them back. “After we agreed to start a real relationship after the gala?”

  Chase looked away.

  “I mean, did you really see this conversation going any other way?” The anger was rapidly leaving Rayne’s body and a deep sadness was taking its place. She didn’t know how much longer she could do this.

  Chase finally looked at her. “I knew you’d be upset, which is why I avoided telling you until now.”

  She was taken aback. “How long have you known?”

  He glanced away again. “Since Sunday.”

  She closed her eyes, totally out of energy, out of words. Finally she looked up at him, soaking in his beautiful blue eyes and shaggy brown hair one last time. In a clear, calm voice, she said, “Stay in Nepal as long as you like. You’ve got nothing to rush back to.”

  He took a step toward her. “Rayne, please,” he said. “Please don’t do this.”

  She moved back, out of his reach. “I’d like you to go now.”

  “I can’t leave things like this.”

  “Get out!” she shouted on the verge of hysterics. “Just go!”

  He stumbled back a pace, clearly startled by her tone, but she didn’t waver and he finally walked away. She folded her arms tight against her chest because she was shaking from the effort of holding herself together. As soon as the front door closed behind him, she collapsed on the couch and burst into tears.

  Savannah flew down the stairs and wrapped Rayne in a fierce hug. As Rayne sobbed onto her shoulder, Savannah stroked her hair and made soothing noises. When her crying subsided, Savannah said in a quiet voice, “How long have you two been seeing each other?”

  Rayne pulled away and dug a tissue out of her purse. “A few weeks. Ever since that weekend last month. And please don’t say I told you so, even though I totally deserve it.”

  “I wasn’t going to say that,” Savannah said. “Why didn’t you tell me what was going on?”

  Rayne blew her nose. “Because I knew you wouldn’t approve. And deep down, I knew it wasn’t a good idea.” Chase had been right about that—she’d never really trusted him. “We agreed to keep it low key until we could see where it was going and because I wanted to stay focused on the fundraiser. And then once we had the gala, if we were still into each other, we were going to come clean with everyone.”

  Rayne sat straight up. “Oh, god, the gala! I booked us a room at the Willard. I had this whole romantic thing planned, and now I won’t even get to see him in a tux!”

  Savannah laughed, and Rayne smiled through her tears.

  “I’m really sorry you’re hurting, sweetie,” Savannah said. “But I do think you dodged a bullet. It’s better that you ended it sooner rather than later. And with that stunning dress you just bought, you’ll be turning heads at the gala.”

  “I’m so, so sorry I didn’t tell you,” Rayne said and started to cry again. “I hated keeping it from you. I don’t know why I keep finding these men who can’t date me in broad daylight. Like I’m some kind of vampire.” It occurred to Rayne that she’d been the one who suggested they keep their relationship a secret. But Chase hadn’t tried to talk her out of it, and right now, she was too miserable to make sense of any of it.

  Savannah put her arm around her. “They’re the vampires. We just need some silver bullets.”

  “I think that’s werewolves,” Rayne said with a sniffle. “You kill vampires with a stake through the heart. Or exposure to sunlight.”

  “Well, I’d say you did a pretty good job of frying our old pal Chase!” Savannah said, then when she saw the look on Rayne’s face, added, “Sorry, too soon.”

  Rayne made an effort to smile. “Yeah, but Brandon must have nuclear-strength sunblock because he’s out walking around.”

  “Ah yes, Brandon. Please tell me you told him to go to hell.”

  Rayne didn’t answer. She was thinking about how handsome he had looked even though, or maybe because, he was so sad and anxious. At least he was capable of emotion.

  “Rayney?”

  “He told me to call anytime, that it was all up to me. That he wanted me in his life.”

  “And you said...?”

  “Nothing. I didn’t know what to say. But I’m not going to call him. I’ll let Jeremy take it from here. Speaking of which, Brandon said Jeremy pushed him off the board of directors because of me. Because he figured out what was going on.”

  “I love that man,” Savannah said.

  “Get in line!” Rayne said, and they both laughed. “Want
to order Chinese takeout and get drunk?”

  “I thought you’d never ask!”

  Chapter 13

  Chase stumbled home from Rayne’s house barely aware of where he was or where he was going. The look on her face when he told her about his trip was like a knife through his heart. He’d been prepared for her to be angry, but her voice was so intense, so full of rage that for once he was sorry he’d provoked her passion. And she didn’t even give him a chance to explain. She just immediately assumed he was breaking up with her. That hurt, but he shouldn’t have been surprised, not when everyone seemed to believe it was their job to warn her off him. And deep down, he’d been afraid of that reaction all along.

  It hadn’t helped that she’d been angry before he’d even gotten there. About that guy...Brian Walrus—or something? Chase remembered Colin saying some guy really did a number on Rayne and that’s why Savannah was so protective. Could Walrus be the guy? And why was he calling her now?

  Had Chase just made an even bigger fumble than he realized?

  But no, Rayne was angry that Chase had given the guy her number, and why would she be mad if she wanted to hook up with him? Or could she have been trying to cover her feelings?

  His mind was still spinning when he got back to his apartment. He looked through his phone’s call history, found the guy’s number, and googled it. The number belonged to a company in Annapolis that did some kind of management consulting and had some pretty big clients, including government agencies.

  Chase went to the website and clicked on “About us” and found the bios of the company’s executives. The president and founder was Brandon Wallace.

  “Brian Walrus,” Chase said under his breath.

  Even if the photo wasn’t up-to-date—and as a photographer, Chase knew these executive types held onto the best photo they had till well past the time their hair thinned and their cheeks went jowly—the guy had to be a good fifteen years older than Rayne. The bio didn’t have much in the way of personal info, so on a hunch, Chase googled “Brandon Wallace” and “wife.”