“Surreal. There are so many emotions I can’t pinpoint one long enough to explain.” The expression on his face is a mixture of wanting to cry and pride. I’ve never seen Aiden so overwhelmed before. “She’s perfect.” He lifts his finger which Laurie’s tiny fist is wrapped around. “Every inch of her is perfect.”
I’m smiling at Aiden when Chloe walks into the nursery. She stops, and her eyes dart between us before she teases, “Usually men are hesitant to be around babies, but it looks like I’m going to have to fight the two of you so I can hold her for a second.”
“Is Emma still sleepin’?” Aiden asks as he gets up so he can hand Laurie over to Chloe. Em and Laurie have only been home for two days, and we all try to help out so Emma doesn’t overdo things and can get some rest.
“Yes, I thought I’d check Laurie’s nappy.”
“Nappy?” I ask, having never heard the word before.
“She means diaper,” Aiden explains.
“Sorry, I’ll get the hang of American words soon,” Chloe says lightheartedly.
While she lays Laurie down on a dresser and begins checking the diaper, I say, “Nothin’ to apologize for.”
Emma walks into the nursery, and it looks like she hasn’t slept at all. Her hair is up in a ponytail, and there are dark circles under her eyes.
“Em, go rest some more,” Aiden says, his eyes filled with concern.
“I can’t sleep. I keep worrying something will happen to Laurie.”
“There are three of us here, Sunshine. The only thing that’s going to happen is us spoiling her rotten. We won’t take our eyes off her.”
Emma gently strokes Laurie’s cheek. “I’ll sleep for an hour. Will you wake me if she begins to cry?”
“We will,” Chloe answers.
As soon as Emma’s out of the room, Aiden says, “She’s gonna burn herself out.”
Chloe gives him a reassuring smile. “It’s normal. She still has to get used to the overwhelming feelings which come with motherhood.” It gives me a glimpse of what Chloe was like as a nurse. With her soothing tone and reassuring smiles, I’m sure she was great at her job.
“Changin’ the subject but are you guys still gonna go to Cole and Birdie’s weddin’ on Saturday?” I ask while letting my eyes jump from Chloe to Aiden as I wait for the reply.
“Yeah, with the whole family there, I’m sure we’ll be able to cope being out with Laurie for the first time.”
My eyes find their way back to Chloe. “Are you also comin’?”
“It’s a family thing. I’m not sure.”
“You’re family, Chloe,” Aiden says, then checking on Laurie one last time, he heads to the door. “I’m gonna get the grill going for a late lunch, so Emma doesn’t have to worry about food when she wakes up.”
When it’s just Chloe and me watching over Laurie, I say, “You should come to the weddin’. That way you can meet the rest of the family.”
“Do you guys dress formally for weddings?” She asks. Taking a seat in one of the rocking chairs with Laurie in her arms, her face softens as her eyes slowly go over every inch of the baby.
I have to admit Chloe seems calmer after the sleeping-together-scare I gave her.
“Cole said it will be semi-formal. They’re havin’ it at their place. I can tell you now it’s gonna turn out to be just like all the BBQ’s the family has regularly, so there’s no need to worry.”
“From what Emma’s told me it sounds like you’re all pretty close,” she comments. “Is that normal here in America?” Her eyes are focused on Laurie’s cherub cheeks.
I sit down on the other rocking chair, glad that I have a moment to get to know this side of Chloe a little. She’s been here for a month, and so far, I’ve only seen the reckless and carefree side of her. I’m sure there’s more to Chloe. After hearing about all the loss she’s suffered and the conversation between Emma and her, I see Chloe in a different light. In her own way, she’s screaming for help, and it calls to my protective side.
“It’s the same as anywhere else in the world,” I answer her. “You get some really close families, like the Holden’s, and then there are families like mine who barely talks to each other.”
Chloe looks up with surprise, probably shocked by me telling her something about my life. Taking a chance and hoping she’ll open up to me, I say, “Emma said you’re the life of the party, but I can’t help thinking it’s all a front. I might be wrong because we haven’t spent much time together.”
Chloe lets out a burst of nervous laughter, which solidifies that I’m right about her.
“Nope, I’m a wild child, Zac.” She gives me a cautious look, then asks, “Did we sleep together? It’s driving me insane, not knowing.”
Deciding to let her off the hook, I admit, “No we didn’t. You passed out on the couch, and I slept in my own bed.”
She lets out a relieved sigh, and her body relaxes into the chair. “Thank my lucky stars.” She smiles remorsefully, and adds, “Sorry for being such a pain in the butt. Usually, I’m not that reckless. I promise to behave a little from now on.”
It’s the first time we’re actually talking, and I’m enjoying it. Not wanting it to end, I change the subject by asking, “You’re the same age as Emma, right?”
She nods. “I just turned twenty-four.” Her eyes dart in my direction before they settle back on Laurie. “If I’m not mistaken, you’re ten years older than me.”
She’s right, I turned thirty-four this past May.
“Have you started lookin’ for a place to stay?” I ask.
She scrunches her nose, and admits, “It’s not as easy as I thought. Most of the places are in Greenville and Spartanburg.”
“Have you thought more about movin’ into my place?” Her eyes find mine, and for a moment she searches for something on my face. Maybe sincerity? “You’re more than welcome. I’m hardly home so you’ll have the place to yourself.”
She smiles remorsefully. “After all the hell I gave you, you want me to live in your house? You’re a brave man, Zac.” She laughs and shakes her head, but then to my surprise asks, “How much will the rent be?”
I haven’t even thought about that. “Whatever you’re comfortable payin’.”
“You have to give me an amount,” she persists.
I hate taking money from her, but I know there’s no way she’ll move in if I say she can stay there for free. “How does five hundred sound?”
“I suck at math,” she scrunches her nose which is cute, then asks, “How much is five hundred times fourteen?”
Pulling my phone from my pocket, I bring up the calculator, then say, “It’s seven thousand.”
She thinks it over for a moment, then answers, “I’ve seen what an apartment goes for here, and what you’re offering is so much better, so I’m going to take you up on your offer. Only until I can find a place of my own, though.”
I smile at her, glad we got to talk about her moving in with me. I feel better after seeing this side of Chloe, and knowing I can help in some way.
Aiden’s off from work for this week, which has me dealing with all the incoming cases by myself. I’ve had very little time to focus on the meth lab case, but tonight I’m making time for it.
Once it’s dark, I park my SUV down the road from Pastor Doug’s house and watch his driveway through my rearview mirror. I’ve done random stakeouts of his home and the church, but so far, I’ve had no luck. The man lives the life of a damn saint, which only makes things harder for me. I can only hope he’ll slip up at some point.
There’s no way I’ll give up on catching Pastor Doug. It sickens me knowing that a drug dealer officiated our wedding and Laurie’s funeral.
While I stare at the empty driveway, I think about this upcoming weekend. Chloe’s moving in, and there’s a BBQ to celebrate the arrival of Laurie, so it’s going to be busy.
I haven’t heard from Chloe in two days, and I’m not sure whether I should appreciate the silence or worry about it. I’m seeing
her today at the BBQ, and the thought makes me push the worry to the back of my mind.
After making sure the house is ready for Chloe when she moves in tomorrow, I drive over to Aiden’s. I’m a little early so I can offer my help in getting everything ready. With a knock on the front door, I let myself in.
I find Emma and Chloe in the kitchen. I stand by the entrance and watch them work together.
Emma notices me first. “You’re here. Aiden is out back getting everything ready.”
I wave at them, offering them both a smile. With a dishcloth in her hand, Chloe waves back.
“Call me if I can help with anything.” I leave the women to go search for Aiden.
We get everything done just in time. Wyatt is first, and I can hear his laughter all the way from the kitchen. Moments later he comes outside whistling low.
“Aiden tells me Chloe’s been givin’ you hell.” Trust Wyatt to not miss the opportunity to tease me.
“Don’t even go there,” I warn.
“I hear she’s movin’ in with you.” He wags his eyebrows at me. “It’s about time you get back in the saddle. Are you still not datin’ or are you gonna dip your toe in the pool?”
“I’ll tell you what I’m gonna do…” I grab Wyatt around the neck and try to drag him closer to the pool, but he’s a slippery little fucker and squirms his way out of my hold.
Chloe comes out, carrying a salad bowl, and she doesn’t miss a beat to join in on the bantering. “Zac just doesn’t know what he’s missing… yet.”
Wyatt grins, and it makes me want to groan. With Chloe and Wyatt together I’m no match for them.
I slap Wyatt upside the head. “Drop the subject, will you? Where’s Scarlett. I need some backup.”
“Hey guys,” Scarlett says just at that moment, and I let out a breath of relief.
“It’s good seein’ you again,” I say with a smile. “How have you been?” My eyes dart from Scarlett to Wyatt, looking for any signs that Wyatt might be struggling with his recovery.
I think we’re all a bit on edge after the scare we had, but knowing Scarlett is by his side makes the worry lessen a bit.
Scarlett looks at Wyatt, and I can see how much she loves him as her eyes warm. “We’re doing great. We’ve been lookin’ at places to stay.”
“You’re movin’ in together?” Aiden asks, sounding as surprised as I feel.
“Yeah, I’d be stupid to let her slip through my fingers,” Wyatt says, having a rare moment where he’s not joking around.
“You hear that, Zac.” Chloe wiggles her eyebrows. “We’re not the only ones movin’ in together.”
I shake my head and smile, adamant about winning her friendship. “I’ll never win with you, will I?”
“Nope, you make it easy to ruffle your feathers.”
“Is that so?” I walk closer to Chloe and leaning in, her sweet scent drifts up to me. It fills my lungs, and I quickly take another breath. She smells so refreshing.
“Uh-huh,” she mumbles, and I think I might just have shocked Chloe which is a win for me. But then she reaches up and wraps an arm around my neck. “I just love teasing you.” The words sound suggestive, but I see the laughter sparkling in her eyes.
“You two want to get a room?” Wyatt smirks from the side.
“Not yet,” I play along. “Good things come to those who wait.”
“You sure can make a woman wait. It better be really good,” Chloe says, not missing a beat.
“Oh my bloody word, next you’ll be undressing each other.” Emma shoves a beer into each of our hands. “Here, drink something and cool down. It’s hot enough with it being summer.”
The rest of the family arrives shortly after Wyatt and Scarlett. Everyone seems taken with Chloe’s spontaneous personality. I’m surprised when Cole and Birdie arrive. I didn’t expect to see them with the wedding being next weekend.
I walk to them and pat Cole on the back. “It’s been a while since we’ve seen you. How are you guys?”
Cole reaches out, and we shake hands. “We’re good. Keepin’ busy with gettin’ everythin’ in place for the weddin’. I want it to be perfect for Birdie.”
“Yeah, I can only imagine how much work must go into plannin’ it. You should’ve eloped like Aiden and Emma.”
“You eloped as well, right?” Cole asks.
Remembering he was away on tour, I reply, “Yeah, I took the easy way out.”
While catching up with Cole, Wyatt, Aiden, and Alec join the conversation.
CHAPTER 10
Chloe
Standing in a guestroom in Zac’s house, I stare at my luggage. The rent he’s asking for the room is next to nothing. Everything is already furnished. It’s perfect, and I can’t believe how lucky I am. Zac’s kindness is amazing, and it will give me time to find my feet in America.
Aiden organized an interview with the women’s shelter for tomorrow, and I’m hoping to finally land myself a job.
“It’s all happening so fast I don’t even have time to think it through.” I sit down on the edge of the bed and drag the biggest bag closer. “Maybe it’s a good thing because we both know I tend to overthink everything.”
Emma sits next to me and lays Laurie down in the middle of the bed. “You just need to get used to the new environment. I felt the same way when I first got here.”
“And look how happy you are now.” I grin at her and then open the bag.
“I hope you’ll be happy here as well.”
“I’m sure I will.” Being near Emma and with the way things are going, I feel more at ease. I still regret my actions during my few weeks here, and I’m adamant about showing Zac there’s more to me than just the party girl. Sure, I love having fun, but I have a serious side as well.
The past eight months have really been hard, and I know it will take time to adjust to my new life, but that’s no excuse for making Emma worry. It’s time for me to deal with the heartache of losing my parents and to pull up my big girl panties.
I can do this. I can make a new life for myself.
“The best part is that you’re walking distance from me.” Excitement brightens Emma’s face, and I know I made the right decision to stay.
“So…” My hand freezes midway to the bag when I hear the teasing tone in Emma’s voice, “what do you think of Zac?”
Oh… shit.
“Uhm…” Damn, I’m going to have to nip that idea in the bud before Emma gets her heart set on Zac and me becoming an item. “I think he’s a good guy, and we’re becoming friends.”
“Nothing more?” She asks, watching my reaction like a hawk.
I begin to take stacks of clothes from the bag, placing them on the corner of the bed. “I don’t know, Sunshine. Moving to a new country is overwhelming enough.”
“But that’s not a solid no either,” she says, still sounding too hopeful for my liking. “Think about it. We’ll be sisters then.”
I let out a burst of laughter while shaking my head. “Stop trying to set me up with Zac. If he hears what we’re talking about, things will become awkward, and I’d like for us to become friends. I think I’ve shocked the poor man enough as it is.”
Playfully pouting, she says, “A girl can dream.”
Emma left a couple of minutes ago, and while I’m alone in the house, I take the opportunity to look around.
It’s much bigger than I expected, though. Walking into the lounge, I see photographs and curiously make my way over to them. The previous times I was here, I didn’t get a good look at them. I’ve seen photos of Laurie at Emma and Aiden’s place, so I’m not surprised when I recognize her.
What surprises me is how different Zac looks where he’s standing next to her. There are no hard lines on his face, and his blue eyes shine with so much affection, I can’t stop myself from staring. A flare of compassion washes through me while thinking about the loss Zac suffered. I can’t even begin to imagine what it must’ve been like for him to lose his wife so early.
> Looking at his smiling face, I get to see a different side to the man who comes across as stern and abrasive at times.
I can’t imagine him smiling like that at me. I’d fall head over heels, which is something I can’t have happen. I mutter under my breath, “Ek sal definitief my gat sien as hy so na my moet kyk,”
I’ve promised Emma to be more careful, and after seeing the photos of Zac and Laurie, it’s going to be hard flirting with him. It also makes the regret I’m already feeling multiply.
I really screwed up this time.
Shoving the negative thoughts to the back of my mind, I decide to check the fridge and cupboards to see what I’ll need to get. I make a list of things to buy, and when I’m done, I grab my bag and the single key for the front door, before locking up behind myself.
I’m used to carrying a whole keychain of keys with all the security we had back home. Seeing no walls, no burglar bars, and electric fencing gives me the courage to walk to the shops at night, which is something I’ve never done before.
It takes me much longer to get everything on the list, not because the items are hard to find, but because I can’t stop staring at all the products on display. There’s an entire aisle just for coffee.
I’m in heaven.
On my way home I almost suffer a heart attack when a car pulls up next to me. Glancing nervously at the driver, I let out a massive sigh of relief when I see Zac.
He lets the passenger side’s window down and calls out, “Get in.” I place the bags on the backseat before climbing in the front, then he asks, “Did you go to the store?”
“Yes, I needed a couple of things.” Putting on my seatbelt, the darkness in the cab makes me way too aware of Zac sitting next to me.
“Next time just send me a message, and I’ll pick it up on my way home,” he offers.
My one eyebrow pops up, and for a split-second, I’m startled by how intimate the offer sounds as if we’re a couple.
I swallow hard on the unsettled feeling out of my element, I just nod.
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