Give Hope a Chance - A Chance and a Hope Book 3 (ebook)

This is the final part of Chance and Hope's trilogy. We left them in a good place at the end of Finding Hope. Now it's time to see how their story concludes.

Chance is starting to relax and to believe that he and Hope can have a future together. She's moving to Montana to be with him, but will a visit to Summer Lake help him decide to give Hope a chance—or will he find that he can't let go of the past?

Hope knows she's found the man she wants to spend the rest of her life with. Chance keeps talking about their future, but he's a man who doesn't make promises. Ever. She thinks he wants to marry her, but he isn't asking—and how can he? As far as she's concerned, saying "I do" is the most important promise you can make.

The future is looking bright for these two, but will the past always overshadow it?

Chapter One


“What time are you leaving?” asked Beau.

Chance looked up at the clock on the wall just inside the barn door. “She’s supposed to land at three-thirty, so I’ll finish up with this fella and then go take a shower before I head to the airport.” He patted Maverick’s neck as he finished brushing him down.

Beau smiled. “I guess we won’t see much of you this weekend, then?”

Chance shook his head with a grin. “I doubt it.”

“How long has she been gone?”

Chance’s grin faded. “Almost two weeks.” He shrugged. “She wanted to get done sooner, but I guess setting up her business to function without her wasn’t as easy as she’d hoped.”

“Never mind. At least now she’s done it, she shouldn’t have to go back again anytime soon.”

“I hope not. The theory is that now she’s extricated herself from the athletic wear, she’ll be free to get on with her life here.”

“And she’s going to be day trading, is that right?”

“Yup, her dad’s going to be teaching her everything he knows.”

Beau laughed. “I imagine that’d take a lifetime or two. Seymour Davenport is one smart man.”

Chance nodded. “He must be. I don’t claim to understand the markets and all the money he makes, but he built his huge empire out of nothing.”

“And he’s smart enough to know when his daughter’s found a good man, and smart enough to want to come home and be part of her life, just in time for grandkids to start coming along.”

Chance laughed. “He’s got a while before that happens.”

“I bet it won’t be too long,” said Beau with a grin. “You’re not getting any younger, Chance. You two need to get married and start making babies already.”

Chance pressed his lips together, but it was more to hold in a smile, than an expression of annoyance. “I haven’t even asked her yet.”

“I know, but you’re going to, right?”

“Yeah, I am.” Chance couldn’t hold the smile in any longer. “And I’m going to do it soon. I don’t see the point in wasting too much time. We both know it’s what we want.”

Beau grinned. “So just get on with it.”

“I plan to, just as soon as I come up with something good.”

“What kind of something? What do you mean?”

“I mean …” Chance shook his head and shrugged.

“What? What’s up?”

Chance rolled his eyes. “I’m embarrassed, is what’s up. I thought you guys all went soft when you met the girls. Each one of you started doing weird stuff, stuff that was out of character, but it was kind of sweet. I was fascinated by the effect that meeting the right woman had on you.” He reached up and tilted the brim of his hat back so he could look Beau in the eye. “Now I understand it. I’m embarrassed to admit it, but every night since Hope left I’ve spent hours sitting there trying to dream up the perfect way to ask her to marry me. I want it to be special. I want it to mean something to her, to be a moment that she’ll always remember. You know?”

“Aww,” Beau shoved his shoulder with a grin. “That might be the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard you say.”

Chance narrowed his eyes at him, but couldn’t help smiling back. “A word to the wise?”

“What’s that?”

“Don’t ever call me sweet again.”

Beau laughed. “Or what? You don’t scare me anymore; I know you’re just a big teddy bear really.”

Chance shook his head. “And there I was thinking that you might show some understanding, maybe even try to help me out with an idea or two. You’re still an asshole really, aren’t you?”

Beau was still grinning. “Yeah, I can still pull off the asshole exterior, even though I’m just as mushy on the inside as you are. You’ll learn to hide it again after a while. Are you serious about wanting help, though? I’ll brainstorm with you, if you like, but will it be the same if the way you propose is my idea? I thought it had to be something you came up with yourself.”

Chance sighed. “Yeah, you’re right. It should be. It’s just that I’m stumped. Everything I can think of that she might like, isn’t something that I’d feel comfortable doing.”

“Like what?”

“Like taking her out for a fancy dinner and …”

“Whoa!” Beau held up a hand. “Not only no, but hell no! That’s way too generic, plus it just wouldn’t be you. You’re asking her to marry you—Chance Malone, broody cowboy, badass, wounded soul, introverted you. You need to come up with something that’s as unique as you are.”

Chance nodded. “I guess. I was thinking more along the lines of doing something she might enjoy. You know, the fancy restaurants and that kind of thing?”

“Does she really enjoy that, or is it just something that’s been a part of her life? The life that she’s in so much of a hurry to give up to come here and live in a cabin with you?”

Chance smiled. “Yeah. I guess you’re right. I hadn’t thought of it like that.”

“Well, you need to start thinking that way, bro. You’re the man she wants; this is the life she wants. If you’re going to do something special, it needs to be born of who you are. That’s what will make it special.”

“Daddy!” Little Ruby came skipping down the path toward them, with her mom, Corinne, following her.

“Hey, Pumpkin. Are you ready to go?”

“Yes! And yes, I’ve been good.”

Beau smiled at Corinne as she reached them. “Hey, beautiful.”

“Hey yourself.” She turned to smile at Chance. “Hello, Chance.”

Chance watched the two of them as Corinne leaned against Beau briefly and he planted a kiss on her forehead and placed a hand over her stomach. The little hairs on the back of Chance’s neck stood up. The way Corinne covered Beau’s hand with her own and smiled up at him, Chance just knew it—they were pregnant.

Beau looked up and caught him watching them. He nodded briefly and his eyes shone with happiness and something Chance could only imagine was pride. It made him wonder what that must feel like—to know you were about to be a father. He sucked in a deep breath. He needn’t concern himself too much with that just yet. First, he had to figure out how he was going to ask Hope to marry him. He untethered Maverick and led him away through the barn. “I’ll leave you guys to it. I need to get going if I’m going to have time for a shower before I leave for the airport.”

Corinne smiled at him. “Say hi to Hope for me? And let me know when the two of you want to come over for dinner.”

“Thanks, I will.”

Beau chuckled. “But it won’t be for a while yet, right?”

Chance grinned and shrugged at them as he led Maverick away. It wouldn’t. He wanted Hope all to himself for at least the next few days. He couldn’t believe how much he’d missed her while she’d been gone. And from their long phone conversations every night, he knew she felt the same way.

~ ~ ~

“Parting is such sweet sorrow.” Toby gave Hope a forlorn look when they got out of the car at the airport.

She smiled, but she was feeling a little teary. “We’ll see each other soon.”

“I know, but it won’t be the same, will it?”

Hope sighed and shook her head. “It won’t. I hope you’re going to come and visit me, and you’ll be my first port of call whenever I come back, but you’re right, it won’t be the same.”

Toby nodded sadly. “We had a good run.”

She chuckled. “We did, but now we’re each moving on to better things. Even if I were staying here, it wouldn’t be the same. You spend every spare moment with Sirena these days.” She held up a hand when she saw the look on his face. “And that’s as it should be. We got each other through when neither of us had anything else going on in our lives, but now you have Sirena, and I have Chance.” She stepped forward and hugged him. “And we’ll always have each other.” There were tears in her eyes when she let go of him and stepped back again. She wasn’t surprised to see that his eyes were glistening, too.

“We will. Anything you need, all you have to do is shout. I’ll be right there.”

Hope smiled. “And the same goes for me. Anything, anything at all, Toby. You promise me, you’ll always come to me? If you need an ear or a shoulder or help or advice or …”

Toby laughed. “I promise. And although we’re making a big deal out of this goodbye, we both know I’ll be bending your ear within a week about something Sirena said or asking you what I should or shouldn’t say or do.”

“I know, the only thing that’s changing is how far apart we’ll be. There’ll be more miles in between us, but we’ll still be as close.”

“I hope so. And I’d better be one of the first people you call when Chance pops the question.”

She smiled, hoping that would be a call she’d be able to make very soon. “You’ll be right up at the top of my list. I promise.”

“Good. And say hi to him for me, won’t you? I’m sad he’s taking you away, but I’m still glad you found him. He’s a good man; he’s the right man for you.”

Hope nodded. “I will, and he is. He’s not really taking me away, though. What he’s done is given me the chance to go home.”

Toby nodded. “How amazing is that? That you go to Oregon and meet a guy who lives in the same place where you grew up? What are the odds? It’s a miracle; it must be fate.”

Hope chuckled. “Actually, the odds aren’t that long when you think about it. We were both there because of Uncle Johnny …”

“Stop!” Toby held up his hand. “Don’t spoil it with logical connections. I much prefer to believe that destiny brought the two of you together. I like your Uncle Johnny, but that just doesn’t sound quite so romantic.”

Hope nodded. “You’re right. I’ll go with your version instead. Chance and I were just meant to be.”

Toby sighed and looked toward the doors where the pilot stood waiting. “I suppose I’d better let you go.”

“Yeah.” She nodded sadly. “I’d better not keep him waiting or we’ll miss our slot. I’ll call you when I land, okay?”

“You’d better.” Toby put an arm around her shoulders and walked her over to the pilot. “You take care of you, Hopey. Be happy, okay? And if Chance ever screws up and hurts you, he’ll have me to answer to.”

Hope had to wipe the tears away as she nodded. She knew he meant it. She was so lucky to have him. “Thanks, Toby.” She hugged him one last time. “You be happy, too. Sirena had better be good to you.”

He nodded. “She is.”

As she followed the pilot out through the doors, Hope knew that this chapter of her life was ending. She was sad to leave Toby behind, but he was beginning a new chapter of his own, and there was nothing else she would miss about this part of her life. It was over, and she was ready to step into the future with Chance.

~ ~ ~

Chance pulled into an empty space outside the general aviation building at the Bozeman airport and cut the engine. Instead of getting out of the truck, he sat back a moment. He was early; Hope wasn’t due to land for another fifteen minutes. He watched an elderly couple come out of the building and walk toward a waiting SUV. The driver jumped out to greet them while the porter brought their bags. Chance shook his head. Not that long ago he’d felt like he lived in a different universe from people like that. People who traveled in private aircraft, who had drivers and such, were a different species in his mind. At least they had been. His views had started to change when he first met his brother-in-law, Dan. Dan had made millions with his tech company, and his brother, Jack, had a private, well, a corporate jet that he and his partner flew around in. That jet had even come here last year to pick Chance up and get him home in a hurry when his dad had his stroke. Chance shook his head at the memory. For a while there he’d thought he might not make it back to the lake to see his dad one last time. He’d been so grateful to Dan for sending the jet—and even more grateful for the opportunity that trip had given him to rebuild his relationship with his dad before it was too late. Getting to know people who lived that way had showed him that they weren’t any different. Hope and her family had shown him that. They might have more money, more things, life might be a little easier for them in some respects, but maybe it was harder for them in other respects.

He started at the sound of his phone ringing and fished it out of his pocket. It was Carter.

“Hey. Is everything okay?”

“It is. Is she there yet? Has she landed? I’ll let you go, if she has.”

Chance smiled. “No, I’m a few minutes early. What’s up?”

“Nothing. You’re going to think I’m a big ole dumbass, and you’d be right.”

“Don’t you go calling my brother a dumbass.”

Carter chuckled. “You should reserve judgment till you know why I’m calling.”

“Go on, then. I can’t talk for long. I want to be in there waiting when she lands.”

“I know. It’s just that I understand how you’re feeling right now. When I heard you were going to pick her up this afternoon, it took me back to when Summer arrived for her three-month stay. I went to pick her up from the airport and I sat outside in the truck a minute, wondering what the future might hold. I just wanted to let you know I’m with you while you’re no doubt sitting there feeling the same way.”

Chance smiled. “Thanks, Big C. That means more than you know.”

“Hey. I just wanted you to know. I’ll leave you to it. Be happy.”

“Thanks. I’ll see you soon.”

The line buzzed. Carter had already hung up. Chance kept smiling, even though he had a lump in his throat. If anyone was sweet, it was Carter. He was such a kind, gentle soul—even if he was built more like a bull than a teddy bear. He checked the clock on the dash. Hope was supposed to land in five minutes. He crammed his hat on his head and climbed out of the truck. It was time—time to get started on the rest of his life.

Inside the building he stationed himself by one of the pillars. He had a view of the taxiway from here and should be able to see her plane come in. He grinned when he realized it was already outside. His heart leaped in his chest when he saw she was coming toward the doors on the back of a golf cart. He started toward the doors and then changed his mind. He wanted to watch her. He wanted to see her come in and look around for him. She got down from the cart and chatted for a moment with the kid who was driving it. She always took the time to talk to people, always went out of her way to make people smile. He loved that about her. He smiled to himself as the kid watched her ass as she walked away. Chance couldn’t blame him; he watched her ass whenever he got the chance himself.

When she came through the doors she looked around. Her smile faded a little when she didn’t spot him immediately. Chance’s blood ran cold in his veins and he hurried forward to meet her, deciding as he went that he was going to do everything he could to never disappoint her.

She turned toward him and her smile lit up her face. “Chance!” She hurried to him and flung herself into his arms.

He closed them around her, loving the way she felt, and knowing she was now back where she belonged. “I missed you, honey.”

She looked up into his eyes and planted a kiss on his lips. “I missed you more.”

He chuckled. “I don’t think that’s possible.”

“Oh, it is. You have no idea.”

He hugged her tighter. “Neither do you. All that matters is that you’re back now.”

She nodded, her blue eyes shining. “I am. I’m back home.”

Chance closed his eyes for a moment, wanting to believe that she meant he was her home, but knowing she meant Montana. “Where are your bags? Are they bringing them out?”

She shook her head and looked guilty as hell.

He had to laugh. “What? What are you up to?”

She shrugged. “I wanted to bring a few things back with me, since I’m going to be living here.”

“Yeah, I thought you would. So, where are they?”

“I’m having them sent to Oscar’s.”

Chance frowned. “I thought you were coming to the cabin—to be with me?”

“I am!” She laughed. “Don’t worry. I’m not backing out on you; I’m just trying to ease you in. I may have understated a little when I said a few things. I didn’t want to scare you silly on my first day back by filling your place up with all my stuff.” She winked at him. “I thought I’d lull you into a false sense of security by moving in with just a case full of clothes, and then I’ll sneak my stuff into your place little by little.”

He laughed and shook his head. “You don’t need to do that. You can bring it all, and besides, it’s not my place anymore. It’s our place.” He wanted it to be true, but it didn’t feel it. The cabin was the home he’d shared with Mason and Shane. It wasn’t a girly house. It wasn’t enough for Hope.

She raised an eyebrow, seeming to understand what he was thinking. “I hope it will be, but it’ll take time. It won’t just suddenly be ours because I walk through the door or move stuff in. It will become ours by the way we live there.”

“Yeah. You’re right.” He narrowed his eyes at her and smiled through pursed lips. “As always.”

She laughed. “You really are a fast learner. Can we go home now?”

No matter what he might feel about her belonging at the cabin, he loved the sound of that; they were going home—together.