Seducing Chase by Cassandra Carr Page A

Christmas and found not only were they not planning to be in Philly for a major holiday, and the first time they could see their son in months, but they’d actually converted my bedroom into an exercise room. When I raised a stink about it I was told politely by my mother that perhaps I should go back to school. I left, heartbroken.”
    Nate took a deep breath. “I met Doug the next semester, and when it came time for summer break he knew I had nowhere to go. Without a question his parents took me in. From then on, they became much more like my real parents than my biological set. When I graduated, they were the ones who attended and took me out afterward. My parents sent a card with money in it. They didn’t even bother to sign it.”
    “My God, Nate, I’m so sorry.”
    He rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s over and done with. But if Doug’s parents hadn’t taken me in, if Doug hadn’t advocated for this kid they’d never even met, I don’t know what I would’ve done. I didn’t have my own money. My parents had some, but they hadn’t offered any to me despite basically eliminating me from their lives. And really, would you have called to beg for money from people who clearly didn’t want to have anything to do with you?” Clearing his throat, Nate continued. “So anyway, that’s why I hold Doug in such high esteem and why I’d do anything for him.”
    “I had no idea. I am so, so sorry.”
    Nate saw pity in her eyes and hated it. He didn’t want people to pity him. “Anyway, I have three different versions of the TV spot and four of the radio one.” Val nodded mutely, her mouth now full of the lasagna she’d purchased. “I put some stuff about the hospital being a trusted source of treatment for cancer for a hundred and forty years first, then the information about the incident and the reassurance that the hospital is doing everything it can, then finished up with the research studies.”
    “Always put your weakest point in the middle,” Val said. “Sounds fine. If you could email those to me, I’ll take care of keeping them straight and only hand them off as they’re needed to tape.”
    Nate grinned, happy he’d told Val about his past, but equally happy she hadn’t dwelled on it. “Is there anything else I can do for you?”
    “Not at the moment, unless you can track down a wayward, philandering doctor.”
    “I wish I could.”
    Val snorted. “I think we’d all like to have a few words with that guy right about now.”
    “Well if you’re set for now, and you don’t mind, I’d like to take care of some things this afternoon for my business. If you need me you can reach me on my cell.”
    “I doubt I will, but thank you.”
    Figuring a strategic retreat was in order, Nate stood and then closed his to-go container. “I’ll leave you to your lunch.”
    She didn’t even look up, and he fought a triumphant grin. He was getting to her. It was obvious. But how to convince her to have a little harmless fun?
    After stopping back at his office to pick up his laptop, he went back to the hotel and tried to buckle down and get through the mountains of email and voicemail piling up in his absence, but his thoughts kept returning to that blazing hot kiss he and Val had shared in her office earlier. Finally he chucked working entirely and went to the hotel’s fitness center to run off some aggression on the treadmill. By the time he got back, showered, and ate the dinner he’d ordered from room service it was after seven. Sighing, he sat at the desk in his room and forced himself to hunker down until he could at least put things into neat and manageable piles. His assistant Lesli was doing the best she could, but she’d only been with him for about six months and didn’t know all the ins and outs of the business yet.
    At nearly midnight he shut his laptop down. Flopping onto the bed, he watched a little late-night television and hoped he’d be able to sleep without dreaming about an