“It’s not,” he said. Since the beginning of time women had figured out how to get men to do what they wanted and that was the beauty of the opposite sexes. “I always liked seeing you smile, so if I have to do something to make that happen again then I guess I’d do it,” he said. Even walking away from her, he’d done that to make her happy because her father had been making their lives hell back then.
“What about now? Still like my smile?” she asked. “My teeth have been professionally whitened and straightened and Daddy has always said I could charm the whiskers off a cat with this smile.”
He leaned in closer and put his hand under her chin, tipping her head to the left then the right, studying her very pretty mouth. “Can you frown for me?”
She chuckled but then pouted for him. He rubbed his thumb over her lower lip. “Now smile.”
She did and it was like taking a punch to the gut. He’d forgotten how powerful his reaction was to a true smile from Macy. And this was a true smile.
“Yes. I think it’s safe to say you still have some power over me with that smile.” Even after all this time. No other woman that he had met had affected him the way she had. He didn’t want to admit it, but he’d thought of her often over the years, and being here with her tonight was very fulfilling.
“I’ll have to remember that. How long are you in town, Chris?”
“At least the rest of August. I have a project that I have to oversee in Dallas that I will need to return to for September. Why, anxious to see me leave?” he asked.
“Not at all.” She leaned forward and rubbed her index finger over his knuckles. Then she looked up at him, her green gaze meeting his, and he felt everyone else in the dining room disappear. There was just the two of them.
“I would miss you if you left today,” she said. “I’m sorry we didn’t keep in touch when you left Royal. I think I missed out on seeing the best of you as you matured into the man you are today.”
“Me too,” he said. “I would have liked to see you before your accident so I would be able to tell you how much more beautiful you are now.”
He lifted her hand to his mouth and brushed his lips across the back of it. That little display of affection was really all that this conservative community would allow, but he wanted so much more from Macy, and this time he wasn’t going to leave without taking what he wanted.
“I’ve got a bone to pick with you, Richardson.” A booming voice jarred him back to the present. He looked up just in time to see Harrison Reynolds barreling down on their table like a Texas longhorn on a rampage.
He was a tall man with a big stocky build and he wore his success well with his nine-hundred-dollar boots and a Stetson on his head. If anyone looked as if he belonged in the club, it was Harrison.
Reluctantly, Chris let go of Macy’s hand. It seemed more than one thing hadn’t changed since he’d left Royal all those years ago. He wondered if he’d ever have enough money or be influential enough for Harrison to accept him. Because it was very clear to him that no matter what he’d done so far, Harrison Reynolds still didn’t believe Chris was good enough for Macy.
Macy glared at her father. Couldn’t she have one night that wasn’t marred by … what? Her father didn’t know that this was a date. He probably thought she and Chris were here discussing club business.
“What about, Harrison?” Chris said, turning that affable grin on her father.
She hadn’t realized that his smile was just part of an act and now she did. Was he playing her to maybe get back a little of his own after the way she’d dumped him? That hardly seemed likely since high school was eons ago, and Chris didn’t strike her as the kind of man to hold a grudge.
“Your prejudice against Reynolds Construction. Is there a reason why we aren’t good enough to win a place on any of your projects?” Harrison asked. He grabbed a chair from a neighboring table and sat down with them.
“Hello, Macy.”
“Hello, Dad,” she said.
“I’m sure you must have been high when you bid with us. I don’t give anyone preferential treatment,” Chris said.
“Bull. You and I have had past dealings, thanks to Macy here.”
“Harrison, I would never let anything stand in the way of making money. You should know that better than anyone. I’m sure your bids were too high. Stop by my office tomorrow and I’ll run through the records and see what we can find.”
Harrison nodded. “I’ll be there. I hear you are in the running to rebuild the headquarters and other parts of the club. I’d like a piece of that.”
“Dad,” Macy said, sounding extremely exasperated. It was clear she didn’t want to be sitting here with him while her dad tried to talk about business.
“Macy. Leave this to me and Christopher,” he said.
She rolled her eyes and once again tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ll be happy to, but you are intruding on my date. My first date in nearly three years, so I’d appreciate it if you’d move on.”
Her dad turned to her and she realized what she’d said. “Wait a minute. Did you say date?”
“Yes, I did,” Macy said a little defiantly.
“With Richardson?”
“He is the biggest developer in Texas, Daddy,” she said.
And just like that, Chris knew that, as the son of a working class man, if he hadn’t made something of himself, he wouldn’t be sitting here with Miss Macy Reynolds.
He shook his head. “I’m not sure how I feel about this.”
“Dad, don’t even think about saying anything else. This isn’t up for debate,” Macy said.
“Fine. We’ll discuss this tomorrow, Richardson.”
Her dad stood up and walked away as quickly as he’d joined them, and Macy could only watch him leave, incredulous that he’d managed to talk about business and threaten Chris in one breath. She never quite got used to her father and his larger-than-life business persona.
“Um … sorry?”
Chris laughed. “I don’t think anyone can apologize for that man. It was nothing. If my company is showing a bias against him then I need to know about it.”
“Okay. But what about us? I don’t want …”
“Things to be like they were before?” he asked. He didn’t have to be on CSI to figure out what she wanted. He wanted the same thing. A chance to date her and get to know her without her father and all of Royal looking on.
“Yes. I mean, I know they aren’t, but I wanted to make sure you knew. I’m sorry for the way I broke up with you,” she said, biting her lower lip as she waited for him to respond.
He nodded. “I am too.”
He smiled at her. He really liked this woman and her honesty. She was refreshing compared to the women he’d been dating lately who were always trying to be what he wanted them to be instead of just being themselves. Macy wasn’t like that.
“Not a problem. So, where were we? I believe you mentioned that you’d miss me if I weren’t here,” he said.
“Did I? I can’t remember. Why would I miss you?” she asked.
“Because we didn’t have a chance to really get to know each other when we were kids,” Chris explained. She’d always been the one girl he’d never been able to forget. He hadn’t spent the years pining over her or anything like that, but Macy would just pop up in his thoughts from time to time. Like in