“I know. I’m just getting a feel for the car first.”
He smiled. “Take all the time you need.”
Chloe ran her hands over the leather-covered steering wheel, enjoying the luxurious feel of it, then she let her gaze slide across the controls on the dashboard. Finally, she lifted the cover over the start button and held the button down until the engine rumbled to life. Loving the feel of being behind the wheel of such an outrageously expensive, yet gorgeous and fun car, she couldn’t wipe the grin off of her face. She wasn’t even annoyed with Nathan for basically strong-arming her into going to lunch with him. “Where do you want to eat?”
“I have a place in mind,” he said, then he punched an address into the navigation system. A moment later directions appeared on the screen. “There you go.”
With a huge grin, Chloe pulled away from the curb, and with the wind blowing in her hair, she followed the directions on the nav screen.
“I have to admit,” she said as they flew down the highway, “this car is a blast to drive.”
His smile matched hers. “I know. That’s why I bought it.”
Soon, they reached the restaurant, and once she parked, Chloe let Nathan help her from the car before walking beside him into the restaurant. A place she’d never been, it was like a garden inside—vines trailing up walls and flowers everywhere.
Trying to ignore the romantic vibe, as she and Nathan were seated at a table for two, she smiled at him. “Thank you for letting me drive your car. I think it made up for all those times you told me no when we were in high school and college.”
His lips quirked up. “I should have let you then.”
She picked up a menu. “Yes, you should have.” Then she held back a chuckle as she perused the options.
“Nathan Hewitt,” a female voice said from behind Chloe. “Is that really you?”
Chloe couldn’t see who was speaking, but she could see Nathan’s reaction to the woman. A broad smile lit his face as he stood.
“Misty,” he said as he stepped toward the woman. “How are you?”
Chloe turned in her seat to check out this Misty that Nathan was so happy to see, but it was hard to get a good look at her since she had her arms around Nathan in a very friendly embrace. Finally, she stepped away. Model-tall and slender, she was about Chloe’s age. Blonde hair cascaded halfway down her back and her green eyes danced.
Wait. She looked familiar. Where had Chloe seen her before?
“This is Chloe,” Nathan said, gesturing to her, “my interior designer.”
Now, why did that sting? He was telling the truth—and she’d made it abundantly clear that this was a business lunch. What else did she expect him to say? Chloe and I used to be close friends until her sister died while on my yacht. Now our relationship is complicated. Uh, no.
“Chloe,” he went on, “this is Misty.”
Misty smiled adoringly at Nathan. “Nathan and I knew each other years ago.”
Now Chloe remembered. There had been a period of time while they’d been in college that Nathan had dated someone mysterious, someone he’d refused to tell Chloe or Lisa about. Someone he’d liked quite a lot. And then one night while Chloe had been out with friends at a dance club, she’d seen Nathan and Misty. He hadn’t seen her though. He’d seemed really into Misty, and when one of Chloe’s friends had joked that they should join them on the dance floor and basically cut in, Chloe had quashed the idea. Seeing him with the mystery woman had sparked the green-eyed monster inside her and she hadn’t liked it.
And now the object of that jealousy was standing beside her table.
“I’m sorry I haven’t stopped by to see you,” Misty said, her attention completely on Nathan. “I’ve been in Europe for the last few months and just got back to the states.”
“What were you doing in Europe?” Nathan asked.
“Modeling.”
Of course she’s a model.
Chloe stood. “I should probably get back to the office, Nathan.” She glanced at Misty with a small smile, then shifted her focus to Nathan. “I’ll grab an Uber.”
Chapter Sixteen
Nathan was losing control of the situation and Chloe was about to leave. As nice as it was to see Misty, he’d lost interest in her long ago. It was Chloe who held his attention.
At Chloe’s words, Nathan noticed that Misty’s eyebrows had risen as if to say You and I can have lunch together.
“It was good to see you, Misty,” Nathan said in a friendly but firm tone.
Disappointment was plain on her face, but she’d never been one to beg, so after giving him another hug, she said, “Good to see you too. Perhaps we can get together and catch up.”
“Yeah,” he said without really meaning it. “Take care.”
With that, she strode away and Nathan turned back to Chloe. “I’d still like to have lunch with you.”
Chloe seemed to consider it. “All right.” With that, she sat back in her seat and, relieved, Nathan sat across from her.
A moment later their server took their order, and as they waited for their food to arrive, Nathan scrambled for something to say that would cover the slightly awkward feeling that seemed to linger around their table. Before he had a chance to open his mouth, Chloe spoke.
“Why did you stop dating Misty?”
Startled by the question—it was so long ago that he didn’t know why it mattered—he narrowed his eyes. “Why do you want to know?”
She lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “Just curious.” Then she smirked. “I just remember that you never introduced her to me or Lisa and I thought that was kind of interesting.”
He laughed. “Was I supposed to run every date by you two?”
Chloe realized she was speaking about Lisa without the usual grief and anger that accompanied the mention of her name. Particularly in Nathan’s presence. Kind of shocked, but immensely pleased, she said, “Of course you were. We needed to make sure the girl wasn’t just interested in you for your—”
“Good looks?” Nathan said, cutting her off with a grin.
She burst out laughing and for a moment it felt like old times. “Yeah. That’s it.” Then she shook her head. “You’re not that hot.” Total lie. “I was going to say for your money, but you knew that.”
Nathan pressed a hand to his heart in mock pain. “I’m hurt that you think a woman would only be interested in me for my money.” Then he frowned. “And even more deeply hurt that you don’t think I’m attractive.”
That was so far from the truth that Chloe had to look away, focusing her attention on the napkin in her lap, which she straightened. He was the hottest man she knew.
“Here you go,” the server said as she placed their plates in front of them.
Glad for the distraction, Chloe picked up her fork and used it to mix the slices of chicken with the lettuce in the salad.
“Was Misty a model when you dated her?” Why was she asking that? But she knew why. Misty was stunning and Chloe had to know why Nathan had stopped seeing her.
“Yeah,” he said after he swallowed the bite of burger he’d been chewing. “Why?”
“Just curious.”
He set the burger on his plate. “You seem to be quite curious about Misty.” He narrowed his eyes. “Why?”
Just because she’d asked two questions about her didn’t make her curious, did it? Well, of course it did, but she didn’t want to admit that.
“Just making conversation,” she said before popping a chunk of chicken into her mouth.
Surprised that Chloe had any interest in someone he’d dated long ago, Nathan pressed her for a better answer. “How’s this for conversation,” he said as he stared right at her. “Why aren’t you dating anyone?”
Her eyebrows rose. “Who said I’m not?”
“Are you?” From the little investigating he’d done—primarily stalking her on social media—he’d determined that she was single. Then again, maybe she wasn’t one to share those things on soc
ial media.
“Why do you want to know?”
Her deflection only seemed to confirm his assumption. With a smug smile, he said, “Just curious.”
Her lips twitched like she was trying to hold back a smile. “Guess I’m not the only curious one.”
Then he remembered a game he used to play with her and Lisa called Truth. One person would ask a question and the person being asked would have to answer honestly. Or sometimes they would just end a sentence with the word Truth to show they weren’t joking. “Let’s play Truth.”
Her eyebrows shot up and she stared at him for several seconds. “Only if I go first.”
That was fine with him as long as she was willing to play. “Deal. What’s your question?”
“Why did you stop dating Misty?” Did she actually care or had she just wasted her first question? Too late now.
Nathan’s eyebrows tugged together like he wasn’t sure he really wanted to play this game. But it had been his idea and Chloe knew he had questions he wanted to ask her so he would answer this one. And the fact that he was hesitating made her even more curious.
He audibly exhaled. “She became hyper-focused on her modeling career and, uh, decided she didn’t have time for me.”
“Wait,” she said, shocked. “Are you saying she broke up with you?”
Nathan looked around like he was afraid someone had overheard, then he grinned. “Hard to believe, I know.”
It kind of was. And knowing that Nathan hadn’t been the one to break it off, added to the fact that Misty’s interest seemed to have been rekindled, ignited that familiar feeling of being attracted to Nathan while knowing he would never be hers.
Trying to smother the unpleasant sensation of helplessness and vulnerability, Chloe pushed a smile onto her lips. “Very funny.”
Nathan straightened in his seat. “My turn.”
Now sort of dreading what he was going to ask, Chloe looked at him with raised eyebrows.
“Are you dating anyone?”
That was a simple question with a simple answer, although Chloe couldn’t help but wonder why he was asking. “No, I’m not.”
Nathan slowly nodded, like he was filing away that information. “Your turn.”
“Okay. Why do you want to know if I’m single?”
This time his eyebrows went up. “I don’t think I’ve made it a secret that I want to go out with you.”
That was certainly true, although with her old insecurities surfacing it was easy to be suspicious of his motives. “So, you’re saying…” She let the words trail off.
He stared at her in silence, then a soft smile curved his lips. “Will you let me take you to dinner? And I don’t mean a business dinner. I mean an actual date.”
All at once, Chloe pictured Nathan asking Lisa to go on his yacht with him and her sister happily agreeing, having no idea she wouldn’t survive the trip.
Chloe tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. How could she agree to go on a date with him when Lisa’s last date with him ended in tragedy?
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she finally said.
“What? It’s a great idea.”
Why couldn’t he just let it go? Why did he have to keep pushing? “I’m sorry, Nathan, but no.”
A look of acceptance flashed across his face, then he nodded. “Okay. I get it. And I apologize for continually asking you when you obviously have no desire to go out with me.” A muscle worked in his jaw. “I won’t ask again.”
Panic swept over Chloe. She actually had a lot of desire to go out with him but she just couldn’t push herself past the block of her memories and feelings. And now he would never ask her again?
“Is that what you want?” he asked, perhaps reading the indecision on her face.
Were they still playing Truth? “Yeah,” she heard herself say. “I think that’s best.” Quiet! Stop digging a deeper hole!
Nathan’s lips flattened as if he wasn’t happy with that answer. Neither was she, but she couldn’t bring herself to change it.
After that they stopped playing Truth. Instead, as they ate, Chloe talked about the house project with Nathan responding in such a way that made her think he didn’t care as much about it as she did.
“Are you excited to get this project done so you can move in?” she asked, gauging whether her instincts were correct.
“Yeah, sure. But it’s going to take several months for it all to come together, isn’t it?”
The lack of enthusiasm in his tone only confirmed her suspicions.
“Yes, it will definitely take some time to make all the changes.” She softly chuckled. “We are renovating the entire house.” She tilted her head. “Your parents don’t mind you living there while the work’s going on?”
His eyebrows shot up. “Have you met my mother?”
That made her laugh. She did know his mother, and she also was confident that his mother would be happy if he never moved out. Not after he’d basically come back from the dead.
He grinned. “Exactly.”
They reminisced about growing up together, even talking about Lisa and some of her shenanigans. In the back of Chloe’s mind she realized that talking about Lisa with Nathan was becoming easier, and right at that moment, being with Nathan felt so natural and easy. Just like old times. Why couldn’t it always feel like that? Why was she letting that block stay in place? The one that wouldn’t allow her to take a step toward what she really wanted? Namely, a deeper, richer, and possibly romantic relationship with Nathan Hewitt.
Once they finished lunch, Nathan drove her back to her office, and as they stood on the sidewalk outside of the entrance, he said, “If you need my input on anything, don’t hesitate to contact me.”
He was all business, and though she half-expected him to ask her out again, when he didn’t, she was a little disappointed.
“Take care,” he said with a smile before striding away from her and getting into his Lamborghini and driving away.
She watched him go, mentally listing the times she would need to consult with him about his house.
Chapter Seventeen
“He let me drive his brand-new Lamborghini,” Chloe said to Hannah as she sat on the couch in Hannah’s spacious living room that evening.
Hannah smiled. “Nice.”
“And we ran into an old girlfriend of his at the restaurant.”
Eyebrows rising into her hairline, Hannah said, “Really? Tell me more.”
Chloe replayed the interchange at the restaurant, including playing Truth and ending with Nathan’s statement that he wouldn’t ask her out anymore.
“I thought you liked Nathan. I mean, from what you’ve told me, you’ve always had a crush on him.”
“I do.” Then she corrected herself. “I did.”
“So, you don’t now?”
Chloe leaned her head against the couch, closed her eyes, and audibly sighed. “I don’t know what I’m feeling anymore.” She straightened and looked at Hannah. “It’s all tangled up with Lisa and what happened to her.”
“Why? Because of what happened to her you’re not allowed to be happy?”
Was that what it was? Did she feel guilty for being alive? Did she feel guilty that her life was going on without her sister? Was she sabotaging her chances of finding happiness because Lisa never would?
“At some point you need to move past that,” Hannah said. “Really move past that.”
Chloe knew that was true, but knowing wasn’t the same as doing. “I know.”
Hannah gave her a look that said You say you know but you’re not doing anything to change your reality. “Anyway,” Hannah said, “I want to hear more about this chick that showed up.”
“Misty,” Chloe said, although she didn’t like thinking about her.
“Right. Do you know her last name? Maybe we can Google her.”
Regretting that she hadn’t gotten that information from Nathan, she shook her head, then chuckled. “We could Google Misty t
he model.”
Hannah immediately picked up her phone and began typing on her keyboard. Seconds later she held her phone out to Chloe. “Recognize any of these women?”
Chloe took Hannah’s phone and scrolled through the images. A moment later her heart lurched with jealousy. “That’s her.” She pointed to the image of Misty.
Hannah took the phone from Chloe, her gaze glued to the screen. “Wow. She’s gorgeous.”
That wasn’t what Chloe wanted to hear. “I know.”
Hannah set her phone down and looked at Chloe. “So, she broke up with Nathan?”
“Yep.”
“Huh.”
“What are you thinking?”
Hannah tucked her legs underneath her on the couch. “It sounds like this Misty wants to start things back up with Nathan.” Hannah narrowed her eyes. “How do you feel about that?”
“I don’t love it.”
Hannah rolled her eyes.
Truth be told, Chloe hated the idea. Hated it. But that wasn’t fair to Nathan. Chloe had made it abundantly clear—on more than one occasion—that she wanted nothing to do with dating Nathan. As such, she had no right—none—to have a say on who he dated.
“Why are you rolling your eyes?” Chloe asked.
Softly laughing, Hannah shook her head. “I feel sorry for Nathan.”
That wasn’t what she’d expected Hannah to say. “Why do you feel sorry for him? The man’s a billionaire who got a second chance at life.” She smirked. “And he has a pretty sweet car.”
“The man’s obviously sweet on you but you refuse to see it.”
Was that true? Yes, he’d asked her out multiple times, but…
Chloe’s eyebrows tugged together. Had she been so focused on how she was feeling that she’d ignored the signals Nathan had been sending? Signals that were kind of like flares. Signals that were hard to miss unless the person who was supposed to see them was wearing blinders of self-imposed restrictions on happiness.
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