Her Crazy Rich Ex High School Crush: Crazy Rich Crushes

By Laura D. Bastian

She's on a humanitarian mission. He's the crazy rich guy funding it.

Sage Erickson has finally shed her high school shyness and found something she's passionate about--helping install water pumps in South Africa. The man funding the project is none other than her old crush, and he's interested in more than her plans to educate the villages they bring water to. Which is fine with Sage.
Ryker Campbell always like Sage in high school, although his pride kept him from pushing past her quiet personality. Now she's a tenacious woman who works hard for what she believes in, and he can't help a resurgence of his old feelings. The business trip feels more and more like the vacation romance of a lifetime, but his lavish lifestyle and social connections could prove to be too much for Sage.
As the two rekindle a friendship that blooms into something more, Sage worries that she's just not cut out for that kind of life. Can they find a way to come together, or will the continents divide them forever?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lange House Press
• Release date: Jul 2, 2019
• ISBN: 9798223272281

Book preview

Her Crazy Rich Ex High School Crush

by

Laura D. Bastian

***

Sage Erickson has finally shed her high school shyness and found something she's passionate about--helping install water pumps in South Africa. The man funding the project is none other than her old crush, and he's interested in more than her plans to educate the villages they bring water to. Which is fine with Sage.

Ryker Campbell always liked Sage in high school, although his pride kept him from pushing past her quiet personality. Now she's a tenacious woman who works hard for what she believes in, and he can't help a resurgence of his old feelings. The business trip feels more and more like the vacation romance of a lifetime, but his lavish lifestyle and social connections could prove to be too much for Sage.

As the two rekindle a friendship that blooms into something more, Sage worries that she’s just not cut out for that kind of life. Can they find a way to come together, or will the continents divide them forever?

***

Copyright © 2019 by Laura D. Bastian

All rights reserved. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. No part of this book can be reproduced in any form or by electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without the express written permission of the author.

Cover Design by Lange House Press

Chapter One

Hot and arid, just like home. Sage Erickson should have been used to the desert landscape around the small villages in South Africa, but right now she really could go for a cold drink of water. That thought pushed her harder. She would make sure this village got their water pump placed so the children here could have clean water.

Memories of watching the young girls or women walk miles to the nearest watering hole, and sharing the water with the grazing herds tugged at her memory. Though the animals could manage fine with that water, it wasn’t healthy for human consumption.

She’d been to countless villages over the years, working with a non-profit company that supplied the equipment while the engineers and workers like her were paid just enough to cover cost of living. It was hard work, but she wouldn’t trade it for the world. Sage smiled at the tribal woman who was standing near the pump. Still not sure of the language, Sage gave her the word for water and soon and the woman smiled wider, her beautiful eyes brightening with excitement.

The chief of the tribe watched from the other side and when the final part was tightened and the pump handle was ready, Jerry Norman, the head of the project motioned for the chief to come forward.

Give it a try, Ermand.

The chief listened to the words of the interpreter and stepped closer, lifting the handle of the pump then pressing it down. Jerry motioned for him to continue pumping and Chief Ermand did as instructed. After a dozen pumps, clear water poured out of the pipe and the hopeful silence burst into deafening cheers.

It works, Jerry said. Fresh, clean water for your people.

The chief smiled, then bowed his head in thanks, turning to each of the crew who’d helped with the well. When he reached Sage, he had tears in his eyes as he took her hand and bowed over it.

Thank you, he managed.

It’s our pleasure, Sage said. It makes us so happy to see you all so happy.

The chief bowed again and turned to his people, talking excitedly to them. They all cheered and began to sing and dance. The chief took the cup that Jerry offered him, then drank deeply from it. After a gasp for air, he shouted in excitement again. The chief walked over to the pump and began pumping more water into a bucket that had been placed underneath. Then he reached in with the cup, scooping water up and passing it to each of his villagers who took long drinks, then passed it on. Each time he filled the cup, he said something that made Sage sure he was giving thanks or pronouncing a blessing upon the person he passed it to.

When all of the tribe members had taken a turn drinking the new fresh water, each one of the tribe members seemed to want a chance to lift the handle on the pump.

The sparkling of the water as the sunlight hit it almost seemed magical and Sage could feel the excitement that continued to build among the people there. Children filled up water bottles almost too large to carry and more than a few kids laughed in delight when the water sloshed over the sides and onto their feet.

Sage turned to a man in her group. It’s so fun how every village celebrates.

Water at your fingertips does that to you, for sure. Conner took the cup he held and lifted it high, pouring it slowly over her head.

Sage looked up, wanting to enjoy every second of the cooling sensation. She laughed with delight as a little boy who’d seen what Conner did, reached over and poured water on the girl next to him. Before long, a miniature water fight with handfuls and cupfuls of water were tossed about and instead of running from the water, everyone nearby pointed at their heads, or faces, or chests.

The chief called out a playful sounding reprimand and the children all giggled, but stopped pouring out the water and instead took more sips from the cups they passed around while the adults filled the four and five gallon water bottles they had used. Now, instead of walking miles to fill them, they’d be able to walk only a few minutes away from their huts to get the life sustaining miracle.

Sage, Jerry called out. I believe our benefactor has arrived. Come, let me introduce you to him.

Sage offered her cup to a darling little girl nearby and turned around to head over to Jerry. Before Sage had taken five steps, she froze in her tracks. The man who had gotten out of the jeep didn’t look a thing like what she’d expected.

Most of the rich men who’d donated to charity groups like the one she worked for were older men with obvious gray hair and a grandfatherly appearance. This man was nothing like that.

The guy wasn’t overly tall, but would have been at least a half foot taller than her own five foot, three inch stature. But it was his physique that was impossible to ignore. His muscles looked honestly acquired and not just sculpted from professional trainers and hours at the gym.

His hair was short and dark and she could almost imagine his eyes, hidden behind dark sunglasses, would have been dark as well.

Trying to regain her earlier ease, she pasted a smile on her face, wishing she’d been blessed with the ability to communicate with strangers. Especially good looking rich ones. Right now, she’d rather go try to learn the local language instead of attempt to string a coherent sentence together in front of this guy.

Mr. Campbell, Jerry said. This is Sage Erickson. She’s the sanitation engineer on our project.

Sage? Mr. Campbell said, pulling his sunglasses off and leaning closer toward her before straightening again and laughing. Sage Erickson, what are the odds that I’d see you again, out here, thousands of miles from home?

Sage could only stare. She was barely aware that Jerry and Conner were looking at her, waiting for her to reply. But what could she say about the guy she’d had an enormous crush on all through high school? She was actually impressed he even remembered her name.

Hello, Ryker. That was all she could manage to say since her heart slammed against her chest and she returned to the breathing strategies her life coach had helped her figure out.

You two know each other? Jerry asked.

We went to high school together, Sage said.

***

I can’t believe it, Ryker said, stepping closer to Sage. It’s been what, nine years?

Ten, Sage said quietly.

Oh, that’s right. I got that announcement about the reunion. Couldn’t make it though. Can’t remember where I was traveling. Ryker stopped talking and looked at Sage, noticing she was still not one to talk. How have you been?

Good, Sage said and glanced at the other two involved in the project with her. As much fun as it would have been to just sit and catch up with her, he knew he had to take care of business here so he could let them get back to work and be on his way.

But the sight of cute little Sage Erickson, all grown up now with long brown hair and hazel eyes framed in thick lashes wearing a wet t-shirt no less, was so much different than what he remembered of her from school. She’d been cute then too, but wasn’t interested in him at all. More of a holier than thou kind of attitude that he wondered if she’d outgrown.

Mr. Campbell, Jerry began, but Ryker stopped him.

Please, call me Ryker.

Of course. Jerry nodded. We greatly appreciate the support you are providing for our next round of projects. If you would join me over here, we’ll show you the simple set up and explain the process. Then Conner can go over the list of materials and if you have questions on the water filtration part of it, Sage can explain.

Ryker followed Jerry and when he glanced back to see Conner and Sage just standing there watching them leave, he motioned for them to follow. When the two looked at each other, Ryker was relieved to see there didn’t seem to be any interest between the two.

Though why he would have allowed his thoughts to go there, Ryker had no idea. It wasn’t like he had time to date, let alone worry about a girl from his high school that had been friends with his best friend’s girlfriend. They’d hung out a lot during junior year while Chase and Serena dated, but Sage rarely said a word to him and they passed the time rather awkwardly.

This is Chief Ermand. Jerry introduced Ryker to the chief and they had a conversation through the translator that was nearby.