Chloe (Chardonnay Series Book 1)

by Hollye Davis

  He smiled, “No, don’t apologize, she’s within her right. I think she’s very understanding and wants to make sure you’re okay. She loves you very much.”

  Such simple words but they shocked her. No one had ever loved her. Her expression must have looked as incredulous as she felt because Edwin reached out and touched her cheek tenderly, “I’m surprised you haven’t realized that yet.” But she hadn’t, she still didn’t. They stood and watched each other for a moment until he dropped his hand and cleared his throat. He walked over to the sink and began washing the dishes. With his backed turned she reached up and touched her cheek softly, still feeling his sweet, lingering touch.

  Edwin spent longer than usual with her that day. They talked about little things, about her experiences with school, how she liked to read. She even showed him her stash of old books. He left shortly after two and the rest the afternoon she alternated from taking a nap and reading. When night fell, Edwin showed back up to escort her to the fire where she met her friends to laugh and talk about more little insignificant things. It was wonderful.

  An entire week went by and their routine stayed the same. She saw Edwin for an hour or so at lunch and then she would stay busy with whatever project she had. He would always return after dark to escort her to the fire.

  She never had a best friend like him. A person she could rely on. She was growing dependent on their visits.

  For the first time since arriving in California, rain fell steadily from the sky pattering on the roof in a methodical beat. I cracked my eyelid open to peer outside. Everything looked gray and fierce. Where the ocean met the sky was indistinguishable. The water seemed to swirl angrily up into the tumultuous clouds. The violence gave me a twinge of anxiety. I rolled over and went back to sleep. -Chloe’s diary

  Chapter 10

  The Almost

  It was the rain that caused her to oversleep, she told herself as she rushed to prepare lunch. She was an hour behind and decided on her simplest recipe. When Edwin walked in and resumed his seat she barely spared him a glance.

  “I am so sorry,” she looked up briefly, “I’m late today. I overslept. I guess from all the late nights out at a fire coupled with the rain.” She winked at him. He grinned. She resumed chopping celery when she heard him get up, too intent on the celery to spare a glance to see where he was going. That was until the hairs on the back of her neck stood when he touched her arm.

  She slowly turned around to see nothing but a nicely shaped chest. Nerves strummed through her as she followed his chest up to the column of his neck and finally finding his eyes. Goosebumps broke all over her body as his fingers continued to run up and down her bare arm. His eyes blazed and she was mesmerized as her lips slightly opened. They stood gazing heatedly at each other when his head began to lower.

  She had never been kissed before but she thought that was about to change. Her body, mind, soul was elated, all in sync and primed for the kiss, but it didn’t stop a small shiver of apprehension. What if she was a bad kisser?

  Before his lips touched hers the doorbell rang. She flinched then blushed. He cleared his throat. They stood momentarily watching each other. He still looked at her as if he very much wanted to kiss her. The door rang again.

  She finally excused herself, rounded the corner and stopped to catch her breath. Her hand clinched making her realize she was still holding the celery knife. Not quite remembering why it was in her hands, she laid it on a side table in the front entryway. The doorbell rang a third time. Ugggh.

  She angrily flung the door open to find Christoph dressed in shorts and polo shirt. He gave a large grin, “Surprise, may I come in?”

  She blinked several times before she was able to function enough to move out of the way.

  He strolled in as if he owned the place, as if he always had. Perplexed she slowly closed the door, walked to the table and picked up the celery knife. He turned briefly, his smile still wide, he said, “What are you cooking? It smells delicious.” But he didn’t wait for answer as he made his way into the kitchen.

  By the time she caught up with him, Edwin was glaring at Christoph. The two tall beautiful men seemed to swallow the kitchen as their uncompromising stances dominated the space.

  “Christoph, what the hell are you doing here?” Edwin said between clinched teeth, his venomous tone startling her.

  Christoph smiled a wicked smile in response, “After you been bragging about how excellent a cook Chloe is, and then I find out you have been sneaking over here at lunch to sample everything, I thought why should you get all the favors? I’d like some too.” Edwin looked posed to attack Christoph.

  Chloe stepped between the two guys trying to defuse the situation, “Oh it is fine Edwin. We will have enough food.” Laying her palm on his chest in a vain attempt to calm him down but his heart was pounding so hard that she removed it quickly.

  Then she tried to joke to Christoph, “Don’t mind Edwin, he likes his food.” But the joke fell flat as they both sent each other death glares. At that point, she decided her best efforts would be spent cooking. She turned and began finishing their lunch, adding extra ingredients to compensate for the extra mouth.

  The tension was high while they ate yet Christoph seemed to enjoy it, almost revel in it. Where he waxed the poetic about her cooking, Edwin was silent and angry. They forewent their afternoon walk even though the rain had passed. Edwin dragged Christoph out of the house and to some unknown destination, maybe to fight it out somewhere or something. She shook her head. It was like watching two dogs fight over a bone. She will never get men. When it came to food they were positively barbaric.

  Christoph didn’t come back for lunch the next day or the following week. It made her wonder what Edwin did to stop him.

  The fires became lively when music was added. We all randomly danced until the girls pulled me aside. They taught me special steps to what I assumed were line dances. I hadn’t laughed so much in all my life. Life was good, and I couldn’t imagine it getting any better. The socially challenged me actually made friends. Maybe I am not a complete loss. – Chloe’s diary

  Chapter 11

  A Bikini Party

  One afternoon Chloe opened the door to find Christine, Sandra, and Penelope standing on her front porch with their towels and bathing suits. They asked if she would join them for sun bathing but she rather thought she didn’t have a choice in the matter. They were pushy friends but she really didn’t mind.

  It was a beautiful day, as usual. The horrible winters in Germany faded further into her memory.

  Sandra talked about a new little shop down the road that recently opened and how they had the cutest selection of shoes. Penelope joined in about a pair of shoes she just got and how uncomfortable they were.

  They all three discussed fashion and Chloe sat awkwardly looking at the waves repeatedly crash onto the shore.

  She had nothing to say. What was she going to say? She had these greatest tennis shoes that a boy gave her to walk to school in when her soles came off old ones. Somehow she didn’t think that’s what they were looking for in a conversation about shoes. Not to mention that she never left the community, she only read fiction books, and she never went anywhere. She realized she was a complete and total bore. Her brain must be short wired. How could Edwin stand her?

  A slight breeze ruffled her hair as she lay down and closed her eyes. She heard a seagull squall in the distance and the waves roll in. It was restful. She must have fallen asleep because the next thing she remembered was something tickling her nose. She swatted at it but it returned. She peeled one eye open to see Edwin grinning above her. Springing open both eyes she shouted, “You!!” As usual her intelligence was incomparable. She pushed herself but realized she was in nothing but a tiny little bikini and was immediately self-conscious. She drew up her legs to her chest and tried to act as if being half naked in front of Edwin was an everyday occurrence. He was still smiling at her.

  “Why are you here?” She aske
d.

  Christoph, who was standing behind her answered, “We came to see you Chloe but you weren’t at the cottage. When we saw four beautiful women laid out on the beach we thought we would come and flirt.” She rolled her eyes at Edwin who glared at Christoph. She guessed they still hadn’t gotten over their disagreement over that lunch.

  But it didn’t really matter. All she could think about was how she was going to extract herself from this beach without having to walk up to the cottage in a bikini. She realized her options were nonexistent.

  Sandra said, “Oh cool, we were just getting ready to go back up to the cottage anyway. It is only about a couple of hours until the sun sets anyway.”

  Edwin held out his hand to help her up. She looked at the offending appendage realizing her time just ran out, and reluctantly grabbed it. He pulled too hard and she went flying into his arms. Her entire body touched every inch of his. He was grinning when she looked up at him and he said insincerely, “Sorry.”

  Humph, he wasn’t sorry at all. Christoph shook his head and mumbled something about, “Why didn’t I think of that?”

  She tried to be affronted, she really did. After all Edwin was copping an easy feel. However, it felt good to be in his arms and she made no effort to let go. He smiled down at her, his hands resting on her lower back. But their audience made her untangle herself from him, pick up her towel, and start walking to the cottage. The girls were in front of her when she noticed neither Edwin nor Christoph had followed them. She turned around to see them staring at her in such an intense manner that it made her very uncomfortable. She took her towel and wrapped it around her in a vain attempt to cover up. She heard Christoph say, “Shame.”

  “More like shameless,” she mumbled to herself as she made it up to the steps into the cottage. The girls had congregated into the living room, sliding on shorts over their bikini bottoms. She walked past them into the bedroom, also sliding on something to cover her body. The memory of Edwin’s hot expression was so deeply embedded in her brain that she almost left off the tank top she had dangling from her fingers. But her own modesty and insecurity had her thrusting it over her head and sliding it down her body.

  It was between the state of awake and sleep that I loved to prolong. The warmth of the bed, the relaxed state of my muscles, and my romantic dreams of Edwin were a combination I never wanted to wake up from. –Chloe’s Diary

  Chapter 12

  In love with Bear

  When Aunt busted into her room with all her energy, Chloe groaned pulling the blankets over her head, “Go away.”

  Aunt shook her, “Get up, get up!”

  “The house better be on fire,” Chloe grumbled as she peeked one eye out from underneath the duvet.

  “I have the most wonderful present in the world for you!” her aunt shouted. A present? That was cool but did she have to be so loud about it? Chloe uncovered the rest of her head and glared at her, “What for?”

  Aunt looked surprised by the question, as if she was going to say does it matter?

  Instead she answered, “Let’s just say it is a belated birthday present for like the last 17 years.”

  Chloe was getting more curious but before she could ask what it was her aunt left the room apparently satisfied she was awake. Her aunt’s departing words were “Wear jeans.” That really got her moving.

  Five minutes later she was still trying to work the sleep out of her eyes when they piled into her little red zippy car. Evidently her aunt wasn’t satisfied she was moving fast enough because she waved her hand for her to hurry up. If she kept up this cheerfulness Chloe might be forced to drink the brown sludge her aunt calls coffee.

  “I didn’t realize we were actually going anywhere today,” Chloe said grumpily.

  “Not far,” Aunt answered. Gee, she hoped not. She had not prepared herself to leave the community.

  Thankfully, it wasn’t far. After a couple of turns within the community her aunt zipped into a parking lot of what appeared to be a small horse stable. A sign said, “Horse rentals.”

  Chloe stared. She had no idea this was here. How fun to be able to ride a horse on the beach, in the water. The possibilities were endless eliciting a grin from her tired cheeks.

  Her aunt, who was positively ecstatic, jumped out of the car heading the direction of the stables not even waiting for Chloe to follow. When Chloe was finally able to reach her, her aunt grabbed her hand and pulled her through the office of the stables. She was impressed that her little aunt could walk so fast, especially since Chloe towered a good six inches over her and her legs were at least twice as long.

  An older lady behind the counter waved at Aunt saying, “I see you couldn’t wait, Claire!”

  “No I couldn’t!” Aunt answered. Then if it was at all possible she picked up speed as they went through another door that led into a very long, very well kept stable.

  Beautiful horses lined the stalls and the smell of fresh hay and horse filled Chloe’s nostrils. It was like coming home to Texas and a comfort level she hadn’t felt since her grandfather died engulfed her.

  All of sudden, in the middle of a stride and thought, her aunt made an abrupt stop in front of a stall marked “Bear” and said, “Surprise!”

  Chloe was still trying to regain her balance from the sudden stop, grabbing hold of the half door leading into one of the stalls, when a red bow drew her attention to where her aunt stood. Chloe turned to peer inside the stall to see a stunning black gelding. The horse was instantly curious of her and stuck his soft velvet nose out the opening. He took in a giant sniff of her hair. Oh, it was heaven. She laughed.

  Chloe turned toward to her aunt, “I don’t understand.” Her aunt patted her on her arm and said, “He’s yours.” Chloe blinked not comprehending.

  “I have this client and her daughter is a bit spoiled,” Aunt rolled her eyes then continued, “He had bought her this horse but she lost interest within an hour or so. He needed to find him a home and well I knew your love for horses.”

  Oh my… Chloe had no words. Tears overfilled her eyes and she let them. Her aunt had a heart the size of Texas. A sob nearly broke through as she flung her arms around her aunt and hugged her with all her might. She didn’t know what to say and every time she tried more tears came rushing down.

  “He came with tack too so you don’t have to worry about anything,” her aunt choked out, tears making her words soggy. After a few more moments of tears and silent sobs, her aunt dislodged from Chloe, “Well I’m going to head back to the cottage. You can have the office call me when you are ready to come home.” It was then that Chloe realized her aunt wasn’t comfortable with emotions, always wanting to run away. It was okay. She understood keeping emotions under control to protect oneself.

  Chloe spent the morning brushing and talking to Bear. He was a very good listener and very well mannered. After a while she peeled herself from the stables and made her way back home by foot. It wasn’t until halfway home that she realized it was lunchtime and she hadn’t made lunch for Edwin. She picked up her speed, nearly jogging the rest of the way.

  Disappointingly when she arrived at the cottage, Edwin had come and gone. Her aunt had explained to him that Chloe had another obligation. With nothing else to do, she showered and lay down for a nap, when she woke it was dusk. Sitting up, she rushed to the bathroom to do something with her wild hair. She settled for pulling it back, dashing out her door to the back deck right as Edwin walked up. Before he made it to the top step she apologized, “I’m so sorry about lunch…”

  He held his hand up silencing her, “I understand, it’s hard to compete against a horse named Bear. At least his name isn’t Edwin.”

  She laughed, “Don’t worry Edwin, you’re my favorite lunch companion.” His smile grew brighter as he lead her down the stairs, onto the soft sand, and down the dangerous path she feared was obsession.

  They danced again that night. She was getting pretty good, or at least not terrible. Edwin would swing her around
laughing in delight. She took turns with all the guys, as did all the girls, but Edwin was her favorite. She tried not to show her favoritism, but sometimes it was difficult, especially when he held her in his arms listening to his rich laughter.

  Sometimes she felt like she was going to burst if he didn’t kiss her. It was absurd how she craved a kiss she had never even tasted, but she did.

  When the sun was about to break through the horizon, Edwin walked her back to the cottage. The wind gusted giving her a slight chill. He shrugged out of his hoodie and put it over her shoulders. His scent and residue warmth surrounded her. It was the closest thing to an embrace she would have from him. She sighed. They were quiet for most of the walk, as he seemed deep in thought. She watched him, loving his beautiful profile, comfortable with the quietness, comfortable with him. Maybe she should kiss him, she thought, but quickly squashed the idea, she was too afraid to ruin their relationship. When almost at the cottage, Edwin broke the silence to ask if she would be available for lunch tomorrow. She readily agreed, then made a mental note to wait until the afternoon to go to the stables. Anytime with Edwin was worth the sacrifice away from Bear. As usual Edwin watched her until she disappeared into her room.

  Dreams of riding Bear down the beach, through the water, through fields of green and to Texas repeated throughout the night. I was anticipating again and I didn’t care. Bear was real, he wasn’t going away tomorrow and he was mine. –Chloe’s diary

  Chapter 13

  Cole

  She woke up with one thing on her mind, Bear. Well truthfully, Edwin was there in her mind too, but that was harder to admit.

  After lunch with Edwin, she made her way to the stables. She pulled the golf cart out and after a few turns arrived at the stables.