Love Takes Time (Christian Romance) (11 page)

“It’s
not for me to judge.  I made my decision because I thought it was the
right one for me to do.  You did the same.  They just didn’t want you
to have it as hard as they did.”

“I
know.  The funny part is that for the past few years they have been
completely right.  Dance school wasn’t what it was cracked up to be for me
and money was tight.  That was why I started waitressing to meet the bills
and that just wasn’t doing it.  I was so far behind on some bills that if
it hadn’t been for the studio, I would have had to go groveling back to them
admitting defeat.”

“Well
how do they feel about the studio now?”

Chelsea
looked down at the ground.  She knew what his response would soon be.

“They
don’t know.”

“Huh?”

“I
haven’t told them about it yet.”

“What?
 Chelsea, it’s been a few months now hasn’t it?  Don’t you think they
deserve to know?”

“Yeah,
I know you’re probably right but I’m just not ready to admit failure to them.”

“Who
says you failed Chelsea?  You just need to make a decision on what you
actually are going to do and do it.  What I’ve learned now is that you are
an extremely talented woman.  Bright and beautiful and able to achieve
anything you put your mind to.  The question is, what are you going to
really dedicate to?”

Chelsea
placed her hand on his cheek and tilted her head to stare into his magnetic
warm eyes.  

“It’s
funny how we both started out with similar pressures and responded to them
differently, but still ended up finding the part of us that we ran from in each
other.  You’re lecturing me on being more serious and I’m telling you to
smile a while and give your serious eyebrows a rest.  We really do make a
pretty good combination.”

“I,
for one, am really happy about that.”

“Me
too.”

“Like
I said, tell me how you feel about me after meeting my folks.  For now, I
am going to take full advantage of you still seeing me as prince charming.”
 He took her hand.  “I’m sure you’re pretty much starved since you
worked me so hard today.  Want to get something to eat?”

“I
think I’d like that but for the record, I was totally easy on you.”

***

It
was Saturday and Chelsea felt the butterflies flittering around in her
stomach.  Normally she was the last person in the world that even cared
about what people thought about her but since she and Ryder had been getting
closer and closer in their relationship, she found that she wanted nothing more
than to make sure that she made a good, lasting impression on his family. 
She knew that his family was extremely important to him.  Leading up until
today, she had been pretty confident in herself that she would make a good impression. 
That all changed on the way over as he coddled her.  Now she was wondering
if he was thinking the same thing that she was. 

“Don’t
worry about me Ryder, I am going to be fine.  You know me.”

“You’re
right.  Maybe I need to look out for my dad instead!”

Chelsea
knew that would probably be their final laugh together before she had to meet
his family since he pulled his tiny sports car up to the gate at his family
estate.  He looked at the camera and the gate immediately began to open,
allowing them access to the place.  As they drove onto the property,
Chelsea didn’t expect that many people to be there.  Judging by the
numbers of cars and people she saw, she would guess there were at least fifty
to one hundred people inside.  Maybe more.

So
much for only having to worry about embarrassing myself in front of his family. 

“What’s
going on Ryder?  I thought this was supposed to be a smaller, more
intimate gathering.”

He
chuckled at her comment. 

“Believe
me when I tell you that this is a small one.  Catch her on any holiday and
it’s more like one hundred and fifty to two hundred people.  The formal
ballroom can fit over three hundred people alone.  This will just be our
family and a few close family friends.  Of course when you add their kids
and their dates, well you get the gist.”

“So
you’re saying your childhood home has a ballroom in it that is big enough for
over three hundred people.  One room?  Okay you did 
not 
grow
up like anybody I know.”

Chelsea
released a deep, heavy breath.  What they had pulled up to was way beyond
what she expected and as nervous as she was, she was also excited to meet his
family.  Moments later they parked and Ryder got her door, escorting her
towards the doors of the giant building.  It looked like a mansion.  
Or the white house.  She wouldn’t be surprised if one of the “close family
friends” Ryder talked about included a couple former presidents and first
ladies. 

The
large, oversized doors were wide open as a lot of the guests seemed to be
arriving at that instant.   As she looked around the inside of the
home, if it could be called that, she was floored.  Super high
ceiling.  Low hanging chandeliers every few feet.  They sparkled so
much that she wouldn’t have been surprised if they were some form of diamond if
that didn’t sound so ridiculous.  The long greeting area had a burgundy
carpet with flourishes all around the corners and trim.  On either side of
another set of large doors a good distance away were two sets of stairs leading
to the second floor.  She followed Ryder’s lead, silently as she walked
through the palatial home. 

“Ryder,
honey how are you?”

Chelsea
heard the woman before she saw her.

“Mother. 
It’s good to see you.”

He
smiled as he enveloped his mother in a warm hug before being smothered by her
kisses. 

“A
little old for that now mother.  Embarrassing me.”

“Nonsense
son.  A man is never too old for his mother to treat him like her son.”

After
he finished hugging his mother, Chelsea saw him turn towards a younger looking guy
that had been standing next to him.  He was very sharp looking. 

“Royce.”

The
young man whom she now realized was his younger brother responded in kind.

“Ryder.”
 

They
stared at each other for about ten seconds, neither flinching nor saying a word
until the younger Chatham grinned and grabbed him.  

“You
win!  There has never been a time I could stare at that ugly face of yours
for more than a few seconds at a time.”

“Whatever.
 You know I have all the looks in the family.  Hey, I’d like you two
to meet my date for tonight, and hopefully many nights beyond.  Mom, Royce
this is Chelsea Warner.  Chelsea, this is my lovely mother and not so
lovely brother.”

“Nice
to meet you both.”

“It’s
a pleasure.”  

Royce
smiled at her, taking her hand and kissing it on the back, before looking into
the eyes of his less than pleased brother.  

“Oh
Royce, stop it before your brother hits you.   I know you can see how
he’s looking at you.  Chelsea, I am glad you could join us tonight.
 I hope you make yourself at home.  Ryder has told me a lot about
you.”

A
deep voice came from behind Chelsea and she noticed Ryder and Royce both stand
up a little taller, their facial expressions getting much more serious. 
She didn’t mean to but she found herself following suit as well. 

“Funny,
I haven’t heard anything about her at all.”

“
Well
dad, you will get an opportunity to meet her for
yourself right now.  This is Chelsea.”

“Yes
son, I heard the introduction.  I could have guessed there was a woman in your
life with the way I catch you every other day staring at your computer screen
pretending to work.  I presume you, ma’am, are the object of my son’s
affections.”

“Yes...well
um no.
..well
I mean it would be kind of presumptuous
of me to speak for him like that but I am hoping that I am the woman that you
speak of.”  

He
had flustered her a bit with his forthright question.  

“Well
if you don’t know by now, then maybe I need to take my Ryder here and teach him
a lesson or two on how to treat a lady.  He can run a fortune five hundred
company and make millions in a day, but can’t make a lady feel special? 
Is this young man really mine Diane?”

His
father is a sweet talker.

“A
little too late to be asking that now, isn’t it R.L.?”

“Maybe
so.  Well it’s a pleasure to meet you Miss Warner.”

Chelsea
smiled at him and responded.

“Thank
you Mr. Chatham.  Just to clear the air, you have done an excellent job
with Ryder.  I’ve never been treated with such respect like he has shown
me.”  

“In
that case thank you for coming and let me know if he gets out of hand.
 Now, my family and my newest friend, come.  Let’s get this thing
started so that we can finish it and I can get back to work.  There is
always a deal to be done.”

A
few minutes later the matriarch of the Chatham household had greeted all the
guests and everyone had sat down to eat.  Chelsea sat at the family table
since she was Ryder’s date.  Royce arrived alone so it was just him,
Chelsea, Ryder and Mr. and Mrs. Chatham.  

As
their dining wound down, and the fuller conversations started, Chelsea
remembered that Ryder had two siblings.

“I
noticed that Ryder’s older brother isn’t here. I was really looking forward to
meeting you all tonight.”

Royce
laughed out loud at the table.  

“That’s
because he is off trying to be the savior of the world.”  

Mrs.
Chatham spoke up.

“I
wouldn’t put it like that.   I’m sure you will meet Ramsey eventually
Chelsea.  He’s just so busy with his political career right now.
 Honestly I can’t stand it at times. Who knew getting into politics could
be so problematic.  I had hoped to see him tonight too.  It would
have marked the first time that he’s been home since his divorce.”

“Diane
come now.  Don’t bring the mood down.  You’re right that he could
come home more often but I’m proud of him.  I mean I did want my eldest to
take over the business like I took it from my father but Ryder is shaping up to
do that well.  Ramsey is working hard for his goals.  Nothing wrong
with that at all.”

Ryder
pushed his chair out from under the table and stood up.  

“I
agree dad.  Now I am sorry to interrupt, but I did tell my mother that
Chelsea had been giving me lessons to brush up on my waltz and she demanded the
first dance with me tonight.  You don’t mind, do you Chelsea?”

“Of
course not, as long as she leaves one for me.”

Mrs.
Chatham laughed at Chelsea.

“Dear
all I am giving this boy is one dance.  I just ate and I don’t even know
if I’m going to make it all the way through that one.  I’m a little rusty
myself so just promise me that you taught him to not step on my toes.”

“I
think I’ve got you covered there, Mrs. Chatham.”

“Ok
then, one dance and he’s all yours again.”   

The
two walked arm in arm onto the dancefloor, leaving Chelsea, Royce, and Mr.
Chatham at the table alone.  The elder Chatham wasn’t nearly as bad as
Ryder made him seem.  If anything, he was pretty cordial and
enjoyable.  She had no idea what the big deal was with Ryder.  She
wasn’t thinking anything when he addressed her directly.