When Darkness Falls

by Jennifer Youngblood

  “Don’t do that.” Chloe ran hot water over the dishes in the sink. She squirted dish soap and swirled it around to make suds.

  “What?” Darbie asked innocently.

  Chloe’s brows knitted together as she shut off the faucet and turned to face Darbie. “You know what.” She took the milk out of Darbie’s hand and put it on the counter. “Don’t drink out of the jug. There are plenty of glasses in the cabinet.”

  Darbie put the milk back in the fridge and slammed the door shut. “You’re so picky about everything.”

  Chloe’s hands flew to her hips. Enough was enough! “We need to have a talk.”

  “Okay, talk,” Darbie said. “But you’d better make it quick because I have to get back before my next class.”

  “First of all, I don’t appreciate you taking my car without asking. Because of you, I was late for my interview this morning.”

  “I did ask you … last night.”

  “No, you asked if you could ever borrow my car, and I said maybe sometime.”

  “Okay, then what’s the problem?”

  “I didn’t mean that you could use it today. I meant that we could talk about it, and that maybe down the road that might be a possibility.”

  “Sorry.” Darbie rolled her eyes. “Is that all?”

  Chloe could’ve strangled her! “You don’t just take someone’s car and leave them a note. What kind of person does that?”

  “I thought your interview was tomorrow.”

  “No, it was today. TODAY!” Her voice had risen to near yelling, and she clenched her fists in an attempt to remain in control of her emotions.

  “Geez. Sorry. I didn’t think it would be a big deal.”

  “Well, it is.”

  “I guess you didn’t get the job.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Darbie shrugged. “I can tell by your sulky attitude that you didn’t get the job.”

  Chloe gritted her teeth. “What did you say?”

  Darbie cut her eyes at her. “You heard me.”

  Chloe had never considered herself a violent person, but at that moment, she thought about ramming her fist down Darbie’s smart mouth, just to shut her up. Instead, she picked up the dishcloth, wadded it, and then threw it across the room.

  “Why’d you do that?” Darbie demanded.

  Chloe’s voice rose to a fevered pitch. “Because I don’t want you taking my car again without asking, and I’m sick of cleaning up after your messes!”

  “Hey, calm down. You’re blowing this way out of proportion.”

  “No, I won’t calm down! Look at this place!” She grabbed the butter knife that Darbie had left laying on the counter and slung it into the sink, splashing dishwater onto the counter and floor.

  “My mother told me you were a little crazy, but I certainly didn’t expect this.”

  Chloe’s head began to spin. “What did you say?” She could tell from the look on Darbie’s face that she knew she’d gone too far.

  “Nothing. It was nothing.”

  Tears welled in Chloe’s eyes.

  “Look, I shouldn’t have said that. I was out of line.”

  “I’ll be in my room,” Chloe said, running in that direction and slamming the door behind her.

  5

  Chapter 5

  Chloe pulled out her suitcase and started slinging clothes into it, knowing all the while that a few minutes later, she would have to take them all out again and put them back in her closet. Oh, she would go home in a heartbeat if she could, but what would that solve? Her parents thought she was crazy. The reason Darbie’s words cut so deeply was because Chloe knew that Darbie had gotten the information from her mother, who no doubt had heard it from Chloe’s own mom. Good grief. Was her mother blabbing her business to the entire world? She sat down on her bed and blew out a breath. Not that she could blame her parents for thinking she was crazy. Seeing Dan … or thinking that she was seeing Dan was crazy.

  Even as a child, Chloe craved order. Her mother used to joke that Chloe was the only four-year-old she’d ever seen that would meticulously straighten all of the shoes in the closet. She’d always been sensible—to the point of exasperation. So where did this thing with Dan fit in? She’d watched those shows on the Discovery Channel where people with hushed voices talked about feeling the presence of a ghost. She’d always passed them off as coots—like those people who swear they’ve been abducted by aliens, experimenting on their bodies.

  Dead people don’t come back no matter how much you want them to. Fear needled its way through her stomach. She needed help. She’d already spent so much time in counseling. What was the next step? A psychiatric ward? She hugged herself and tried to take deep breaths. These kinds of thoughts weren’t helping the situation.

  “Chloe.” Darbie was knocking on the door.

  “Go away!”

  More knocking.

  “Go away!” Chloe said louder. “Leave me alone!”

  “Well, that’s just it … I can’t.”

  Chloe looked at the closed door in disbelief. “What?”

  “I need you to take me back to school.”

  Chloe let out a laugh. And Darbie was calling her crazy? To think that she actually thought Chloe was going to take her anywhere! There was no freaking way!

  Darbie knocked again. “Chloe … please …. I really need your help. I can’t miss this next class because I have a test.”

  Chloe shook her head and looked at the ceiling. Great! Next, Darbie would be blaming her for failing a test. “Fine, I’ll take you. Just give me a minute.”

  “Chloe?”

  “What?”

  “Could you open the door, so we can talk?”

  Chloe jumped off the bed and threw open the door so quickly that Darbie practically fell into the room.

  “Sorry,” she said dryly. “Didn’t realize you were leaning against the door.”

  Darbie recovered herself and looked around. “Gosh, you are a neat-freak.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “No wonder you’re upset about the kitchen. Your bedroom looks like it came right out of Pottery Barn.”

  “Thanks … I think.”

  “No, I really like it. Maybe you could help me pick out a few things for my room.”

  It was a lame attempt to patch things up between them, but at least Darbie was trying. Chloe shrugged. “Sure … whatever.”

  Darbie picked up a frame from the dresser. “I recognize your mom. This must be your dad.”

  “Yeah.” The picture had been taken on the beach during a family vacation.

  Darbie put the picture down and sat on the edge of the bed. She tucked a curl behind her ear. “Look … about what I said. I didn’t mean …”

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  “You know, crazy is a relative term.”

  Chloe just looked at her, making Darbie shift uncomfortably.

  “What I mean is that my mom got it in her head that I was going to be a nurse like my aunt Linda, and she about lost it when she realized that I want to be a police officer instead. The whole family thinks I’m crazy.”

  As if a career choice could possibly compare to what she was going through. “I understand what you’re trying to do, but it isn’t necessary. I already told you I’d take you back to school.”

  “I know. I just thought that maybe we could talk about it.”

  Chloe crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the dresser. “So what do you want to know?”

  “Well … this guy who died …”

  “My fiancé, Dan.”

  “Yeah, Dan. Do you really think you’ve seen him … since his death, I mean?”

  Hearing the words spoken out loud made the situation seem even more absurd. How had things gotten so twisted? It was all she could do to keep her voice even as she spoke. “Yeah, he shows up here every night to tuck me in. Haven’t you seen him?”

  Darbie gave her a nervous laugh. “I guess I deserved that.
It’s just that my mother told me—”

  “I’m not sure what you’ve heard, but whatever it is, I can assure you that it has most likely been blown way out of proportion.”

  Darbie gave her a speculative look. “So you haven’t been seeing a ghost?”

  Chloe looked her in the eye. “Do you believe in ghosts, Darbie?”

  Her eyes grew round. “No, of course not.”

  “Well, me neither.”

  Darbie looked relieved.

  “Any more questions?”

  From the way Darbie started chewing on her inner jaw, Chloe guessed she had a million of them. “No,” Darbie finally said. “No more questions.”

  “Good, let’s get you back to school.”

  “Just one more thing.”

  Chloe stopped.

  “I’ll make a deal with you. I won’t pay any more attention to this nonsense about you seeing your dead fiancé if you’ll be a little more tolerant about my lack of housekeeping skills.”

  Chloe chuckled. “Lack of housekeeping skills, huh? I guess that’s one way to phrase it.”

  Darbie smiled as she stood and held out her hand. “Deal?”

  They clasped hands. “Deal.”

  “Hey,” Darbie said on their way out the door, “if Dan does show up here one night, maybe we could put him to cleaning the house.”

  “Ha ha, real funny.”

  * * *

  Chloe was relieved that Darbie was meeting with a study group and would be home late. The last thing she wanted was for her mom to get wind of her going on a date with a virtual stranger. Her nerves were jumping on ends, but it made her feel alive in a way she hadn’t felt in a very long time. She had to put the past behind her once and for all, and a date with a good-looking guy was the fastest way to do it. She was giving her cheekbones a final dusting of bronzer when she heard the doorbell. “Here goes,” she said to her reflection.

  “Garrett,” she said a little breathlessly when she opened the door. “Hi.”

  He looked her up and down, not trying to hide the appreciation in his eyes. Chloe had toyed with the idea of dressing down but had ultimately decided to dress up instead, choosing her favorite red blouse, black pencil skirt that hit just above the knees, and wedge sandals. It was a good thing too because Garrett looked dashing in his royal blue button-up shirt and jeans. “Never date a guy who’s prettier than you, Chloe,” her mom had always told her. As good as Chloe looked this evening, Garrett looked better. He really was stunning with his thick head of wavy blonde hair and sparkling smile.

  “No tennis shoes?” There was a hint of amusement in his eyes.

  She looked down at her sandals. “Well, I did think about it but then decided to wear these old things instead.”

  He shook his head. “I guess they’ll have to do.”

  They laughed.

  “You ready?” he asked.

  “Sure.”

  He surprised her by giving her a peck on the cheek and then pulling a single red rose from behind his back.

  Her eyes widened. “Thanks, I love flowers.” She felt so darn awkward and unsure of herself around this sophisticated man. “I’ll be right back, just let me put this in water.” She walked quickly into the kitchen and grabbed the first thing she could find—a drinking glass with a chip in the top. It’s a little too early for some guy to be sweeping you off your feet, she told herself. She needed to keep her feet planted firmly on the ground so she wouldn’t get hurt again. She couldn’t handle another heartbreak! When she walked back into the living room, she felt more composed and sure of herself, but that was short-lived.

  “You drive a convertible BMW?” she said when they stepped outside.

  He smiled and hit the clicker. “Yep.”

  Why was she not surprised? This guy had to have a flaw … somewhere.

  She reached for the door handle, but he was faster. In fluid motions, he opened the door and helped her into the car. “Thanks,” she mumbled.

  He drove the streets like they were an old, familiar friend, and he seemed completely at ease—unlike her. She could feel her pulse pumping in her neck, and her hands were clammy. They weren’t talking, and the silence was getting the best of her. She searched for something to say. “You drive well.”

  “What?”

  Her throat went dry. It was a stupid thing to say. She was just about to repeat it when he chuckled and put a hand over hers. “Your hands are like ice.” He gave her a confident smile. “Relax, I don’t bite. We’re just going to dinner.”

  Yes, she was acting a bit absurd and blowing things way out of proportion. She gave him a nervous laugh and then settled back in her seat. Garrett turned on the CD player, and the band Cold Play came over the speakers.

  “I love the way the city looks at night,” he said.

  Chloe looked out at the thousands of lights shimmering against the velvety darkness.

  “When I was little, I used to pretend that they were stars that had fallen to the earth.”

  “Or diamonds,” Chloe added.

  Garrett laughed and raised her hand to his lips. “Spoken like a true woman.”

  A few minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot of a trendy restaurant with a stacked-stone exterior. Two large gas lamps, one on each side of the massive wooden doors, flickered, casting shadows against the stone. When they entered, Chloe was impressed to find that the interior was just as charming as the outside. The aroma of freshly baked bread hung heavy in the air, making her mouth water. She took in the solid mahogany shelves, filled with bottles of wines of different varieties and vintages. The shelves were a pleasant contrast to the opposite walls, which were a dark brick. An oval doorway led from the foyer into the actual restaurant. Wide wooden planks covered the floor, and intricate rod iron encased the light fixtures. The place had a true authentic flavor, and judging from the amount of people waiting to be seated, she guessed the food must be good.

  “How many?” A pretty blonde receptionist with a mouth too small for her teeth smiled at her.

  “Two,” Chloe said.

  “What’s the name?”

  Chloe hesitated, not sure if she should give her name or let Garrett give his. Then the girl’s polite smile changed to recognition when she saw Garrett step up. She retrieved two menus. “Your table is ready. Right this way please.”

  She led them to a table by the window and then looked at Garrett. “Is this okay?”

  He rewarded her with a gracious smile. “It’s great. Thanks, Tammy.”

  Chloe thought the woman was going to melt into a puddle right then and there. It was unsettling how much power this man wielded over the opposite sex.

  “Do you come here often?” Chloe said, wondering how many other women he’d brought here before her.

  He winked. “Just when I want to impress someone.”

  Chloe blushed and changed the subject. “Whoever decorated this place did one heck of a job. I love the combination of the rustic with the trendy. This restaurant has a very comfortable feel.”

  Garrett didn’t comment but instead opened his menu. “As I told you earlier, the shrimp remoulade is excellent, and so is the calamari.”

  “Calamari? Isn’t that …”

  “Octopus,” he finished for her.

  Her face must’ve said it all because he started laughing. “It’s really very good. They cut it in thin slices and fry it.”

  “I’m sorry. I just don’t think I could ever eat octopus, regardless of how it’s prepared.”

  He looked disappointed.

  “But you could order some … if you want,” she said, trying to lighten the mood.

  Before he could answer, their waiter arrived, bringing them a basket of aromatic bread with honey butter. He took their drink orders, and Garrett ordered a sampler plate for the appetizer.

  “How is the job hunting going?” Garrett said.

  “I’ve found a couple of interesting looking positions,” Chloe lied. “I’m going to send out a few ré
sumés tomorrow.” The truth of the matter was that she’d been counting on getting the job with Marsh Interiors and was now going to have to formulate a new plan. “How’s your job search going?”

  He gave her a funny look. “My job search?”

  “Yeah, this morning when we ran into each other, you said you were late for an interview.”

  He cocked his head, giving her an appreciative look. “You have an excellent memory.”

  “So, what type of job was it?”

  “I’m sorry, I’m not following you.”

  “What type of job were you interviewing for?”

  He gave her a smooth smile. “Let’s not talk about work tonight.” He reached for a slice of bread. “Tonight we celebrate fate.”

  She lifted an eyebrow. “Fate?”

  “Yes, fate brought us together.”

  She leaned back and crossed her arms. “Really? I thought it was circumstance. I was going one direction. You were going the other. We ran into each other.” She shrugged. “It’s as simple as that.”

  He laughed. “I like you, Chloe Kensley. You’re all right.” His eyes caught hers. “Call it what you will. I’m glad that our paths have crossed.”

  Chloe looked at the man who was approaching their table. For a second, she thought it was the waiter, bringing the appetizer, but it was someone else. He was wearing a polo shirt and black slacks. She guessed him to be in his early forties. He had a stocky build, and it was obvious from his bulging biceps and tapered waist that he spent a lot of time in the gym. His hair was thinning on top, and he had a closely trimmed goatee.

  Recognition instantly lit Garrett’s features as he held out his hand to the man who clasped it in his.

  “When did you get back in town?” the man said, “I’ve been trying to get in touch with you.”

  “The night before last. I was going to give you a call,” Garrett said quickly, “but things have been hectic.”

  “I see,” the man said curtly.

  The tension between the two was sharp enough to cut, making Chloe feel uncomfortable.

  Garrett forced a smile. “Relax, man. I’ll stop by first thing in the morning. How’s that?”