A Chance at Love (A Ferry Creek Novel): (a billionaire romance novel) by Karolyn James Read Free Book Online

this seat that Annie called again and said she wanted Bobby to give
her the house. It was in this seat that Bobby got the call about his father.
    And it was in this seat that Bobby
looked at his cell phone and saw two messages waiting for him.
    Bobby waited a few minutes before
attempting to listen to the messages. He just needed the time to prepare
himself. No matter what they said, he needed to get back into the hospital to
visit for a little bit longer before heading to the diner. Bobby trusted Jess
with the diner and sometimes felt like giving her the keys, the books, and a
pat on the back. But that would leave Bobby with nothing to do except watch his
father die and then... well, nothing.
    Looking at his phone, Bobby saw
that both calls were from the same number. The number appeared familiar. He took
a deep breath and listened to the first message and by the time he was done
listening to it, he had a firm grip on the steering wheel.
    What an asshole...
    “ Shit, ” Bobby called out. “ Shit. Shit. Shit. ”
    That ’ s
what Bobby feared. Pissing someone off with that kind of phone call. The guy on
the voicemail sounded like a pompous ass. Some suit and tie rich man looking
for nothing but the next million to make. He ’ d
have no interest in Ferry Creek and perhaps even if Bobby could get him on the
phone he ’ d have no interest
in meeting his father. After all, his father hadn ’ t
been in his life, right? That thought had been bugging Bobby for a while now.
How could his father have another son and not care? Not take care of the other
son? Not do more than wait for his death bed to make contact?
    Bobby didn ’ t want to be angry with his father for fear it
would be the last feeling he ’ d
have with his father alive. That ’ s
why he took the news on the chin and that ’ s
why he made the phone calls to try to get to his brother.
    Sullivan Chasen.
    The name didn ’ t sound anything like someone
with the Strate last name would have. Then again, Sullivan wasn ’ t born as a Strate. He was born
into another family and had no idea his biological father was out there in the
world, now dying.
    Bobby went to the second voicemail.
He feared it. If this Sullivan Chasen guy was that upset in the first message,
what would this one say?
    Before Bobby could press the play
button, his phone switched to a phone call.
    It was Leslie, his father ’ s nurse.
    This can ’ t be good news.  Don ’ t be mad at him, Bobby. Don ’ t be mad...
    “ Hey
Leslie, I ’ m right down... ”
    “ Bobby? ” Leslie yelled into the phone. “ Bobby, get up here. Hurry. ”
    Bobby had the door open and climbed
from the truck. “ What ’ s wrong? ”
    “ He ’ s coding, ” Leslie said. “ Get
up here! ”
    Bobby couldn ’ t move fast enough. This could be it. Bobby ran
through the halls to the elevators. He cut people off, apologized, and when the
elevator doors weren ’ t
closing fast enough he went to the emergency steps. He took them two by two and
when he came crashing through the door on his father ’ s floor he saw Leslie standing with a hand over her
mouth, her eyes shut. She had been crying.
    “ Goddammit,
no, ” Bobby said.
    Leslie looked at him. She turned away
and hurried to clean herself up. There was no need for Leslie to clean herself
up and Bobby told her that a dozen times. Leslie had been around it all long
enough that she had every right to show emotion.
    Bobby rushed up behind Leslie and
wrapped his arms around her. He squeezed her, felt his heart jump, and then
quickly let go. He turned Leslie around and looked at her.
    “ Is
he...? ”
    Leslie shook her head. “ No. No, Bobby. He ’ s not. They may need to operate. ”
    Bobby let out a breath and hung his
head. Leslie now wrapped her arms around him and pulled him tight. They hugged
and each silently cried. Bobby touched his pocket and remembered he had a
second voicemail message to listen to.
    Right then in that moment he wished
Sullivan Chasen was