Top Dog

“Daddy, I wanted you to meet Chance.”

Her eyes met mine with a wide, blank look and I realized she still didn’t know my last name. “Chance Stevens,” I said, extending my hand.

“This is my father, Brent Chase.”

He gripped my hand with all his strength, and he had a pretty mean grip for someone who seemed so frail. “Pleasure to meet you, sir. Are you a doctor?” Her father looked back and forth at us with narrowed eyes and a lot of uncertainty in his voice.

“No, Daddy. Chance and I are dating.” She glanced at me as if to say now’s your chance.

“I wanted to meet you to ask if I may have permission to date your daughter, actually.”

“We met while Lindy and I were away.” She pulled her lips into a tight line as if she hated lying to father, but truly it was best.

“Well, that’s wonderful, and I’m sure if my daughter sees you’re worthy, then you’re all right with me.” He offered his hand again, and we shook as if making a bargain.

“He’s very worthy, Daddy.” She sat beside her father and took his hand. “He’s opening a business here in town that will employ hundreds of people.”

“That’s wonderful, and just what this town needs. We’ve grown a lot lately. This facility is one of the newer additions.” I looked around at his room, and while it was a nice facility, it just seemed a bit depressing.

“You know, Mr. Chase, I have a home in New York, and well, Carrie told me a little about your condition, and I’d like to offer you a place to stay there, closer to the city where you could get better care.”

“And I talked to the doctor; the procedure is being arranged.” Carrie smiled proudly.

“But that’s so much money. We talked about that, Carrie.” She looked at me, putting her head down, her face bright with a stain of blush.

She gave him a pleading look. “I’ve got the money, Daddy. It’s already scheduled.”

He shook his head, and his face pinched with worry. “But how? You didn’t sell the house, did you?”

“No, Daddy.” I knew she couldn’t tell her father that she’d allowed herself to be bought.

I had to speak up. “I put up the money, sir.”

His eyes narrowed. “That’s awful generous for someone we barely know. That’s a lot of money.” He stared down at my shoes and back up as if he were trying to figure me out. I wondered if he thought that his daughter had gotten into something bad, mixed up with a drug lord or something, so I thought it best to let him know more about me.

“It’s nothing, really. I wanted to do it. You see, I’ve been rather fortunate in life and I’ve worked hard. I own a multi-million-dollar company, and I’m an investor in a few others. My net worth is just over five billion dollars, so it would mean the world to be able to help you and your daughter.”

Her father wiped his brow and then brought his hand to his mouth. “I don’t know what to say.”

It was a reaction that I’d gotten used to. Not many people knew how to react to the amount of money I was worth. It had always set their brains into overdrive as they thought of all the things they could do with my money.

“It’s very generous, but I couldn’t—”

“It’s already done. And I’d like to talk to you about that move. I think I could make your recovery much more comfortable, and well, quite honestly, I’d prefer to have Carrie closer to me and where I live.”

“I don’t want to impose on your lives.” He looked to his daughter. “If that’s what you want to do, you go ahead. I’ll be fine here.”

“No, Daddy. If I went, I’d want you to go too. I’d miss you, and I need to know that you’re being cared for. It killed me that you had to come and stay here.”

“I’ll be back at the house as soon as I’m on my feet.”

They went back and forth, and I could see that Carrie grew more and more upset by the minute.

“With all due respect, sir, is it that you don’t want to move?”

“I just don’t want to be a burden to my daughter.” He turned and looked at her as she took his hand. “You’ve found your Prince Charming, Ladybug. You should start a life with him.”

“You’re my life, Daddy. You always will be, and I want you to come along. You’re no burden, and things will be much easier for the both of us in New York.”