“I’m about done here, so yes, I am.” I close my laptop and turn to him as he passes over a file. He doesn’t try to “sell” it to me. Instead he lets me read everything through. It’s generous, but it’s also ambitious, far more than I would have planned on my own. It also allows for growth, not just more clients for me, but to employ other agents. I lean back and blow out a breath.
“Do you think this would work?” I ask.
“There are always things we can’t predict in business, but I’ve been in this game a long time and I’ve done a lot of research over the last week. Also, you’re talented, skilled, and you genuinely care about your clients. Once that becomes known and you build a name for yourself, you’ll have people queuing up to join.”
“You believe in me that much?” I ask, starting to feel more excited about it even though it’s still scary.
“It’s not purely belief, sweetheart. Everything I said was true. You’re very good at your job.”
“Thank you.” I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face, which Chase matches. I understand most of the details, but not all. Although I trust Chase implicitly, I need to ask.
“Is it alright if I ask my Dad to look it over as well?”
“I’d be worried if you didn’t,” Chase says approvingly. He sends me an electronic copy, which I email to my dad and also call him to ask if he’ll look at it immediately. I want to be able to sign it before I get on the plane.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Chase
Grant parkson the departures level at the airport and gets out to get Noah’s suitcase from the back.
I tighten my grip on Noah’s hand to get him to stay in here just for another second.
I’m hoping he’s going to take the news that I’ve upgraded him well, but since we’ve been official for not even twenty-four hours, there’s no way to know for sure.
He might be one of those people who genuinely hates surprises, but he hasn’t given me that impression.
I’ll find out as soon as I gather the courage to actuallytellhim.
I suck in an audible breath then finally look him in the eyes.
“After we signed the contract yesterday and we went by your place so you could pack, I upgraded your flight.”
“Wh-what?” he asks quietly, but I still can’t get a gauge on how mad and or happy he is about it.
“I was doing your checkin, remember? While you were packing. And I saw you had like, the worst possible seat. Dead last row, in the middle of the middle seats. I know not asking you was probably not right, but in the moment, I just wanted to surprise you and help you to have a good flight so you’re ready to work once you actually get to the States.”
“Chase,” he whispers, then trails off. His mouth opens and closes a few times while I wait with bated breath and my heart in my throat.
He throws himself at me, climbs fully into my lap.
The five minutes we spend making out in the back of the car is what I remember the most when I get back home late every night for the next ten days. It’s what keeps me going when I inexplicably miss Noah like a limb while he’s away.
I’ve known him less than six months... three actually, if you want to be generous, but he’s already the one thing I think about most on any given day. And if I’m honest with myself, he has been for almost as long as I’ve known him.
Reminding myself of our age difference helped right up until the moment when I realized it doesn’t matter.
He’s not only a capable, responsible man, but he’s also so aware of who he is, so incredibly passionate about his work, that I know he’s capable of understanding how I feel about my own work.
Yes, we’ve joked about his love for ancient things, but that’s yet another thing I never thought we’d have in common when Nate first introduced us in Ibiza.
So while he’s away, we of course stay in touch, text as much as possible with six hours’ time difference—sometimes seven or eight—and two busy schedules.
As per our agreement, I make sure one office in my building is set up for him. It’s one of the smallest units, but it’s on the floor right below my own headquarters, and it has a functional kitchenette, a spacious meeting room, and plenty of space for an assistant.
Which is the second thing I tackle with the help of Elsa—she really is the most valuable employee I’ve ever had.
She helps me shorten a list of potential assistants for Noah, and vets them while we wait to set up dates for interviews with them when he gets back.