by Wendy Smith
His focus is on the road, so I take the chance to drink in the sight of him. His lips look so soft.
What would it be like to kiss him?
Part of me feels as if I’m not being faithful to my husband. But I don’t want to be alone forever, and being with someone else isn’t infidelity.
Hunter thinks I’m gorgeous.
I never thought I was anything special with my honey blonde hair, and freckles all over my nose. But he just made my heart swell with his confession.
I’m more alive than I have been in a very long time, and it’s so good.
“Nearly there.” He shoots another glance at me, and I smile. “Are you sure you’re okay, Chloe?”
My brows twitch. “I’m fine.”
He takes the last turn and pulls into our street. Parking the car in his driveway, he’s out and around before I even put my hand on the door handle.
“I’ll walk you home.”
My heart’s heavy as we reach my front door.
Despite the rocky start, I don’t want the night to end. But how do I spend more time with Hunter while trying to work out these new feelings?
He grasps my arm as I slide the key in the door.
“I’m sorry about that tonight. I thought Meredith would sit us together. And I’ve heard before how handsy Russell is.”
I shrug. “There’s nothing for you to be sorry about. What you did was pretty amazing.”
His smile breaks through his intensity. “You mean a lot to me, Chlo. I’ll always be there for you.”
I swallow hard to stop the tears that prick my eyes. Scott was always fiercely defensive of me, and it drove me nuts at times, but I appreciated it. I need to stop comparing the two men, but Hunter’s actions tonight were familiar, and they made me feel safe.
He makes me feel safe.
His eyes search mine. “Hey. Are you okay?”
I fling my arms around his waist and bury my face in his chest. I don’t have the words to tell him how much he means to me right now, and I never thought coming home would have the added benefit of Hunter.
“I’m just glad you were there with me.”
He chuckles, stroking my hair and kissing the top of my head. “Anytime you need me, I’m right here.”
For a few moments, we just stand there, and I draw strength from his arms around me. God, how I’ve missed being held. And Hunter is the best hugger ever with his big, strong frame.
I need to let go before I start having inappropriate thoughts about him.
Again.
I disentangle myself from him and gaze at him. He’s such an enigma to me at times, with that bearded face that hides the way he feels. But I know his heart, and it’s good, and he genuinely cares for me.
Could it turn into something more?
My stomach flips as he casts his gaze over my face and a wry smile crosses his lips.
Hunter Emerson’s stealing my heart.
And for the first time in a long time, I think I might be ready for it.
Ten
Chloe
What does falling in love feel like?
For as long as I can remember, it was always Scott and Chloe. Chloe and Scott.
Scott was the boy who shared his chocolate biscuits in his lunchbox with me. He was the boy who held my hand on the way to class. He grew into the man I loved and married, and the man I shared two beautiful children with.
We just always were.
Neither of us ever planned to be without the other. We were joined at the hip from the start and that didn’t stop until the day he died.
There was no plan for this.
Hunter’s been such a good friend since I returned. There were hints that he was interested, but I ignored them not knowing what was real and what wasn’t. I’ve never been in this position before because I always knew where I stood with Scott.
Last night changed everything.
His intensity over the situation showed me a side of him I’d never seen. He was protective, attentive, and for the first time in my life, I imagined being with someone else.
It’s the weirdest feeling, and it leaves me giddy with excitement.
There’ll always be a part of me that longs for Scott. I wish with all my heart that he would just walk back in the door and everything would go back to the way it was. But that life disappeared the night the police showed up at my door.
No matter how much I want it, I’ll never have that life again.
In two more years, my sons will be starting their adult lives, whether that means university or working, and it’ll just be me.
I deserve a life of my own.
And maybe Hunter could be that life.
But would he really want to be? Being with me means more than loving me. It means taking on the fact that I lost the man I thought of as the love of my life, and the father of my two children. And it means taking on my children. We’re a package deal.
That’s a lot for a man to deal with.
I always thought there’d only be room in my heart for that romantic love with Scott, and it’s hard to see past that, but now I can see how Hunter could fit in there too. And it feels right that it’s him.
He knew me so well when we were children.
Right now, I need to push that aside because I have to do the one thing I’ve been putting off since we got here. The boys should see their other grandparents, and at some point I’m going to have to talk to Scott’s mother.
It’s never fun.
My stomach’s in knots as I dial her number.
“Hello.”
“Hi, Kay. It’s Chloe.”
There’s a pause. “Chloe. Nice of you to call. Are you settled in?”
So far, so good. But it’s always a case of waiting for the hammer to fall.
“We are. So, I thought it would be a good time for us to come and see you. Or you could come to dinner here, whichever works for you?”
I already know what the answer will be. Before, it was easy because it was her visiting us. Now, she’s going to want to see us on her terms and in her territory.
“I think it would be best if you come here. I’ll cook dinner. I’m sure the boys would love a good home cooked meal.”
My teeth grind together. “I’m sure. It’ll be a break from the cooking they get from me every night.”
“How about tonight?”
It’s Sunday, so we can excuse ourselves with the boys having school tomorrow. I’d rather not go at all, but she’s given me an out at least.
“Sounds great. I’ll let Braden and Xander know. They’ll be happy to see you.”
“Well, it has been so long. They’ll be much happier now they can see their grandparents more often instead of being kept away.”
My blood boils. We went where Scott got jobs, but somehow she always makes it about her.
I take a deep breath. “I’m sure. What time would you like us to be there?”
“Make it five-thirty, and we’ll have dinner around six. Nice and early. We don’t want to keep the boys up too late.”
I bite my bottom lip. I’m not sure Braden and Xander will appreciate being treated like little kids, but we’ll just go and get it over with and come home.
“Okay. Thanks, Kay.”
As I disconnect the call, I breathe a sigh of relief. But there’s a good chance she’ll save her questions for when we go and I get interrogated about my personal life because I think she wants me to be the grieving widow for the rest of my life. And while I’ll always grieve her son, that’s not what I want for me.
I want more.
I think I want Hunter.
“Boys. Can you come here, please?”
First Braden and then Xander make their way down the stairs and into the living room.
“What’s up, Mum?” Xander says.
“We’re going to your grandmother’s for dinner.”
“But her cooking …” Braden starts.
“Your other grandmother.”
His eyes widen. “Th
e one who doesn’t like you?”
I bite my cheek. When they were younger, they never picked up on any bad vibes between my mother-in-law and me. But it wasn’t long before they both separately noticed the underlying tension.
I’ve never said a bad word against Kay to them, but they know. This is the first time either of them has voiced it.
“It’s not that she doesn’t like me.”
He snorts. “This is how tonight will go. We’ll eat dinner. She’ll ask you if you’re seeing someone because anyone but Dad is cheating, and then she’ll pick on some habit of mine. Or Xander’s. And she’ll blame you for it.”
I place my hand on his arm. “Oh, honey. She loved your dad so much.” What else do I say? She loves my boys and I don’t want this resentment between them.
“Then she should respect you because he loved you.”
I tighten my grip. “I love you, Braden. And I agree with you. But she’s handling her grief in her own way, and she loves you and Xander more than anything.”
He frowns, but it goes unsaid that we’ll go and get this over with.
“We don’t have to stay long. She knows you have school in the morning.”
“When are we going?” Xander asks.
“Grab anything you want to take and we’ll get going now. The last thing we need is to be late.”
He rolls his eyes. “I’ve got my phone. That’s all I need.”
“Me too,” Braden says.
I take a deep breath. “Well, then, let’s go.”
The stuffy car makes it so hard to breathe, and I wind the window down a little to get some fresh air flowing and try and ease my anxiety over this visit.
This is the house Scott grew up in. I lost my virginity in this house one weekend while his parents were away. The memory makes me smile—neither of us had any idea what we were doing, but we worked it out.
“Here we are.”
“Do we really have to do this?” Xander asks.
“It’s just for one evening.” I sigh. “Look, guys. She’s your grandmother and she loves you. I’m fine.”
“I just hate the way she treats you.”
I hate the way they’ve worked this out without me saying anything negative. I hate that my relationship with Kay has reached this point. But I guess it’s all the boys have ever known.
We get out of the car and make our way to the door. Kay opens it, her face lighting up at the sight of Braden and Xander. I stand back to let her say hello.
“Chloe.”
I nod. “Kay.”
“Come in.”
We kick off our shoes and step into her home where Preston, Scott’s father, is standing with his arms open wide. “Chloe.” He embraces me, and I hug him back before stepping aside so he can welcome his grandsons.
Kay kisses me on the cheek. “It’s good to see you all.”
They lead us into the living room, where we all sit on the couch.
“How’s the new house, Chloe?” Preston asks.
I run my fingers through my hair. “It’s great. We’re settling in. It’s a lovely house.”
“And how’s school?” He turns to the boys.
Xander shrugs.
“Good,” Braden says.
“I’ll just check on dinner,” Kay says.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” I go to stand.
She shakes her head. “No. Everything’s under control.”
Turning, she disappears into the kitchen.
I hate this. When I was a kid, I’d stand in that kitchen peeling potatoes and helping as best I could. This was my second home. But that all changed so quickly when I fell pregnant. Seventeen years is a long time to hold a grudge.
“Xander tried out for rugby at school,” I say to Preston.
He smiles. “Following in your father’s footsteps.”
Xander nods. “I was too late to finish the cricket season, but I want to play next year if I can.”
“What about you, Braden?” He turns to my other side.
“I don’t like sport much. But I play on the computer a lot.”
I smile to myself.
“Oh, I see those Esports on TV. Some of those young guys make a lot of money.”
“Don’t encourage him.” I laugh.
Braden nudges my arm.
They make small talk with their grandfather while I watch Kay taking plates to the table. This really sucks. But I’ve tried so many times reaching out over the years.
“Dinner’s ready.” She appears in the doorway.
“Let’s wash our hands and go and eat,” I say to the boys.
We all stand and file up the hallway, and I’m just grateful for the small reprieve before heading back to the dining room where we all take our seats.
“Smells amazing,” I say to Kay.
She smiles. “I remembered how much the boys loved roast chicken last time we were at your place.”
She’s gone above and beyond. There’s a ton of chicken, a mountain of roast potatoes, and my mouth is watering.
Kay’s always been a good cook.
“Help yourselves.” She nods toward the boys.
I sit quietly as Braden and Xander pile their plates up, and then the rest of us help ourselves.
At first, everyone’s busy eating and I start to relax.
“So, Chloe do you have anyone new in your life?” Kay studies me like I’m under a microscope.
“I’m assuming you’re asking me if I’m seeing anyone, and the answer is no.” I don’t drop my gaze. Not that it’s really any of her business, and even if I were, I wouldn’t be telling her.
She sucks in her cheeks. We used to have a good relationship when I was a kid. I wish we could find a way back to it, but she wanted better for her son and apparently I wasn’t it. He was the golden boy who could do no wrong, and while I can’t resent her for thinking that way, she blamed me for our teen pregnancy.
But she does love my boys.
“How’s your dinner?” she asks Xander.
I clamp my lips together because Braden is much more diplomatic.
He shrugs. “It’s alright.”
She turns to Braden. “How about you?”
“It’s good. Thanks.”
I turn my head to look at Braden, but he shrugs just like his brother did and returns to eating.
“You two are talkative,” Kay says.
“Eating,” Braden mumbles with a mouth full of food.
I shake my head. They’ve been taught better.
“Anyone would think you didn’t feed them, Chloe. They’re starving.”
“They’re teenagers,” I reply.
She fixes her gaze on me. “Scott never used to eat like this.”
It’s very rare for me to bite, but she pushes my buttons like no one else. “Scott used to eat like this all the time. And then we’d go out and he’d buy more food.”
“You did always say Scott ate us out of house and home at times,” Preston says.
Across the table, I meet Preston’s eyes. He gives me a kind smile.
“Well, yes, but Braden and Xander seem hungry.”
“They can eat a full meal and still be hungry. They’re growing boys.”
She huffs and returns to eating.
I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to win her over, and if it was just me I wouldn’t subject myself to her scrutiny.
It’s exhausting, but at least it’s only for one evening.
Eleven
Hunter
Chloe: Dinner at six. Please join us.
My head’s been elsewhere since I got that text, and I’ve not focussed on work at all.
I poke my head out of my office. “Liz, can you take the interview at four for me? You’ve done all the paperwork for it. I trust you to decide if the guy’s a good fit.”
Her side-eye makes me chuckle. “You? Control-freak Hunter letting me decide who works here? What’s wrong with you?”
I grin. She’s right. I’ve had a tight contro
l on staff intake since I started the company, and the best hire I ever made was she. But I’ve never given her a chance to spread her wings and maybe it’s time to do that.
Liz has been with me from the beginning. She’s about twenty years older, with her own grown-up family, and she was looking for an opportunity to run her own office. I’ve never regretted hiring her.
“Nothing’s wrong. I just have another engagement.”
Her eyebrows rise. “Is it a woman?”
Chuckling, I nod. “It’s been a while, but yes. She’s just a friend before you ask. Not that it’s really any of your business.”
“It never is. Good luck. I mean, you have to want to be more than friends if you’re giving me hiring responsibility.” She looks back down at the paperwork on her desk.
I smile and shake my head. “When did you take such an interest in my potential love life?”
She fixes her grey-eyed gaze on me. “You were such a pain in the arse after your divorce, and you’ve been grumpy ever since. Whether she’s a friend or more, it’s nice to see you behaving like an actual human.”
All I can do is laugh again as I close the door and go back to my desk. She’s right. Going through what I did made me harder than I’d like, but I wanted to protect myself. Maybe things are changing. Having Chloe back in my life in any way definitely makes everything better.
Another hour of working on these contracts, and I’ll get home and ready for dinner with Chloe and her family. I’m still unhappy about what happened at Meredith’s house. And if that Russell bloke gets anywhere near Chloe again, it’ll be too soon.
He had no right to put his hands on a woman, and they’d literally just met. Even days later, thinking about it makes me mad.
And she’s not just any woman, which makes it even more personal.
She’s Chloe.
“Just a minute.”
I smile at the sound of Chloe’s voice, and even wider when she opens the door.
There’s a spot of flour on her nose.
“Hunter.”
“Hey, Chlo.”
I reach out and brush the flour away. “You spilled something.”
She laughs. “Thanks.”