“Too broad. Be more specific.”
“What I love to do when I’m not working.”
He thought for a moment. “Fancy food. Eating at expensive restaurants.”
She shook her head slowly. “I don’t particularly like restaurants, but I love to cook.”
“Cooking? Since when have you loved cooking?”
“Since childhood. But cooking wasn’t the answer.”
“How on earth do you expect me to guess? I can’t read your mind.”
“No, but you could’ve asked me.”
“When?”
“Anytime since I met you. When we were in high school, for instance. Do you have any idea which club was my favorite in high school?”
“This is stupid, Chloe.”
“The photography club. Is that enough of a clue for you?”
“You like taking pictures?”
“I loved developing my own film, doing my own printing, and I love digital photography and everything that’s possible now. I’m sure that surprises you.”
“Why haven’t you done it, if you love it so much?”
“When did I ever have time?” Would he understand if she tried to explain? Judging from the impatience she saw in his expression, she doubted it. “I think I’ve made my point.”
“You made it all right. Now let me make mine. Maybe I don’t know your favorite hobbies, but you never told me about them. If you preferred cooking to eating in restaurants, why didn’t you say so? You have to be reasonable. You can’t expect me to spend time wondering which questions you think I ought to be asking in case you decide to give me a pop quiz.”
He made the whole thing sound like her fault. As usual. She fought the urge to accept that pronouncement and said nothing, waiting to see what he’d say next.
“Okay, I’m here now, and I’m listening. Tell me what you want me to know, what you want me to do, then come home with me and we’ll start again. It’s as simple as that.”
“Things are always simple when I don’t protest and do what you want.” When she didn’t respond, he frowned, apparently irritated with her. For once, she didn’t rush to sooth his irritation by telling him she was tired, trying to keep peace between them. The one issue she knew he wouldn’t broach was the one she couldn’t forgive.
“How can I convince you to come home?”
“Tell me about Ellen Delacorte.”
He removed his arm from her shoulders, his jaw tightened and his face got redder. “What about her?”
“Do you still insist you didn’t have a relationship with her, outside the office?” She fought to keep her breathing even, fighting hurt and anger and fear of his reaction.
His jaw, set and rigid, twitched. “You obviously don’t believe my explanation for what you saw. Let me ask you something. For the sake of argument, let’s say that I did have an affair with Ellen. And let’s say that it meant nothing to me, that it just happened, that it’s over, that it will never happen again. Couldn’t you forgive me for making one mistake?”
Chloe’s chest tightened until she thought she might be sick. One mistake?
“No!” Chloe got up from the swing. “I’m through being manipulated. I have hopes and dreams for the future that don’t revolve around you or what you want me to do. Whether or not I forgive you for what you’ve done has no bearing on what I decide to do with the rest of my life. It will be my decision. Not yours.”
“You’re talking nonsense, Chloe.”
“Nonsense? You think I’m being unreasonable. As usual. Well, not for the first time in your life, you’re wrong! And maybe—just maybe—I’ve found the truth about what I really want to do, for the first time in my life.”
“If you say so.”
His patronizing attitude only made her angrier. “I do say so. I’m not leaving Ouray. Not now and maybe not ever. Go back to Houston.”
Kyle had heard most of the argument. He didn’t try to stop Chloe when she came into the house and went straight to her room. Instead, he went out on the porch.
Greg sat in the swing with one hand over closed eyes, shaking with anger.
“I’ve given you every chance, friend.”
Greg glared at him, eyes blazing. “You call what you’ve been doing ‘giving me every chance?’ I’m not sure I share your definition of friendship.”
“I don’t think you deserve Chloe. Not that I do, either, but she deserves someone who’ll love her more than a vice-presidency or anything else that comes with a twenty-five hour-a-day job. I’ve been where you are now. I know what it feels like to see the woman you love walk out of your life, with no way of getting her to come back.”
“So you’re convinced I’ve lost her. I should fold and leave the table, letting you take everything.”
“I’m not saying the last cards have been played yet, but it looks to me like she’s called your bluff. Bottom line—you’re betting on a pair of deuces, without the slightest hint you ought to be trading them for something better.”
Greg nodded, his mouth a tight line. “We’ll see about that, truck driver.” He leaped up from the swing and stormed out to the curb.
“Time to call it quits and go home to Houston. In case you didn’t notice, Chloe didn’t ‘heel’ when you told her to.”
Greg continued to glare at him. “You’d like to see me quit, wouldn’t you? Well, don’t count on it. I may have a pair of aces up my sleeve.”
He got in his car and drove away.
Kyle watched him go with a deep sigh. So much for friendly competition.
Chapter 12
When Chloe heard the door slam downstairs, she looked out the window. Greg’s car streaked off toward town. An ache started in her chest at the realization they couldn’t talk to each other anymore without arguing, or without anger flaring inside her at his obstinate conviction that he was always right, and that she was …
And why had Kyle created an opportunity for her to be alone with Greg? Had he seen something in Greg that made him change his mind about wanting to be with her? Had he decided she belonged with Greg instead? Why else would he have backed off the way he did?
She wished, suddenly, to be utterly alone, without anyone or anything to bother her. That sounded like a coward’s way out, but dwelling on all that had happened and what she might have done to prevent it accomplished nothing.
Her mother had always told her, “State the problem once, then focus entirely on solutions. Don’t ever go back to the problem again.” In Houston, she’d ignored the problem and never stated it until last week. And now that the problem had been acknowledged, she hadn’t had time to look at solutions before the problem had followed her from Houston and stubbornly refused to leave.
A tap at the door produced Kyle, his smile at half-mast. “May I come in?”
“Sure.” She left the door open.
He went straight to the bed, stretched out on his back and stared upward. “Have you noticed the stars on the ceiling?”
Amused, Chloe spotted a dozen silver stars there. “No, I hadn’t.” Another indication of how exhausted she’d been when she first arrived.
“They’re another reason this is my favorite room in this house. When I was a little snapper, I had nightmares from time to time. Byrdie put stars on my ceiling and told me as long as they twinkled above me, nightmares couldn’t enter the room.”
“It worked, didn’t it?”
“Like a charm. So I told her she’d better put stars in all the rooms, so nightmares couldn’t come into the house at all.”
“I’ll have to look for them.”
“You probably didn’t notice them because they’re a serendipity—an unexpected happiness. People tend to see only what’s right in front of their noses, seldom thinking to look high, low, or behind them. Once you’re open to serendipity, you find it everywhere.”
She knew there would be a point to this little allegory, and decided to wait for it.
Kyle released a huge sigh. “I left you two alone
so you could patch things up, if there was any way to do that. What went wrong?”
Tears threatened but Chloe was too stubborn to cry. “Greg wants me to stop this nonsense, be reasonable, and go home with him to Houston.”
“Are you going to do it?”
“I’m surprised you have to ask.”
“That’s what I figured. So you two are at a standoff. He said, ‘Come home,’ and you said, ‘Stick it—‘”
“Kyle!”
“Sorry. You said, ‘No way,’ and walked out on him again.”
“That’s about the size of it.”
“He thinks he loves you.”
“I know. Maybe he does, in his own way. But all of our adult lives, I’ve done things because it would help Greg’s career. I gave up wanting to be a photographer because a paralegal’s salary was steady, and, in case he was transferred, I could find another job wherever that happened to be.”
“Only you never got married.”
“Greg wanted us to have the best. He wanted to make Vice-President because he didn’t want me to work after we were married. He wanted me to be his ‘lovely wife,’ play tennis with other corporate wives, go shopping every day, and play ‘lovely hostess’ for lots of entertaining—exactly what I didn’t want to do.”
Kyle smiled. That description fit Sherry to a tee.
“Every time he told me it would be another three months, or six months, I lost a little more hope it would ever happen. And the longer I had to wait, the less I wanted what I was waiting for.”
“So you ended up with nothing.”
“Not exactly nothing. I got to see him a couple of times a week, when he was too tired to see another client or tackle another stack of paperwork.” She gazed out the window. “Or when he wasn’t entertaining GCS’s newest award-winning saleswoman.” A knot formed in her throat.
“That’s no way to live your life, Chloe.”
“That’s why I left. I want to breathe air that isn’t clogged with industrial waste, take photographs of beautiful things, and just be me for a while. Is that so wrong? So unreasonable?”
“Nothing wrong with that. Entirely reasonable.” It was what he wanted, too. “I wish I could help you get what you want.”
“You already have.” She sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his arm, pushing the soft hairs the wrong direction, then smoothing them out again.
Kyle groaned.
“What’s wrong?”
“I can’t lie here, with you touching me, without wanting to do some touching of my own.”
She nodded and took his hand, resisting the urge to keep stroking his arm. “When Greg and I were seniors in high school, we got to the point we couldn’t keep our hands off each other another day. I know that feeling.”
“Did you do something about it?”
“Almost. I backed away, too afraid of the consequences. My father would’ve been livid if he’d ever found out. Even in high school, Greg and I talked about being married someday. We couldn’t wait for college and freedom from parents looking over my shoulder. Then, he decided he wanted to finish college and get firmly established in business before we got married. Even then, I felt the need for a little independence, and insisted on having my own place. So, he stopped by my apartment whenever he felt the need for … closeness. But after a while, there was no more closeness. I longed for more from him—more affection, more proof that he still loved me. When I realized my longing wasn’t there any more, I left.”
Kyle wanted to shout with joy. Maybe— He touched her arm, then trailed his fingers along the outside of her elbow. He stroked her arm and noticed a reaction. She released a long sigh.
“Kiss Me, Chloe. Please.” He scooted over on the bed and coaxed her to lie next to him. Gently, he pulled her mouth down to his and took his time kissing her eyelids, cheeks, shoulders, and finally her lips. By then, her eyes were closed, her breath coming faster. Her lips parted, anticipating, inviting, craving …
Chloe gave herself to the kiss willingly, loving the way the sensations moved through her, making her want to be closer, to stop being afraid and give in to her feelings for him.
<><><>
Downtown, Greg parked the car, then wandered in and out of the stores lining Main Street. In one shop, he found an antique player piano he knew Chloe would love. Letting his fingers drift over the keys, he thought about the times he’d gone to her piano recitals in high school. They’d been boring, but he’d listened to every silly little tune. She played with exceptional sensitivity, though, which her teacher said was rare in one so young. Only now could he appreciate how special it had been. Leaning on the keys, the harsh discord brought a clerk running.
“Thinking about buying a piano?” she asked with a wide smile. The name embroidered on her pocket was Cindy.
“No, just passing through,” he told her.
“Where are you from?”
“Houston.”
“Long way from home, but you picked the right place for the holiday. Ouray may seem quiet in some ways, but holidays are another story altogether.” She seemed to be happy to visit with a stranger. “The Fourth is really fun. Ever been here before?”
“No. First time.” And, if he had his way, the last time. He stared out the window, wishing she’d go away and leave him alone.
“There’ll be all sorts of contests tomorrow. It’s a real scream. People come from miles around to be here for the festival.”
“Sounds like fun.” Fun was the last thing on his mind right now.
“There’ll be a barn dance at the end of the day, and fireworks. It’s a grand day to be in Ouray.” Proud of her rhyme, she repeated it. “A grand day to be in Ouray. You don’t seem the least bit enthusiastic about it. Did someone spit in your Post Toasties this morning?”
“Look, I have to be going. Maybe I’ll stay.”
“If you do, come by again. I’m Cindy.”
Courtesy took over. “Glad to meet you, Cindy. Maybe I’ll see you again.”
She smiled broadly and winked at him, without a hint of apology for her shameless flirting. What a smile. Any other day, he’d be asking her out. The thought brought a wave of shame for the first time. No wonder Chloe had left him. He’d gotten sloppy. Let her catch him with Ellen. He never should’ve taken her to that restaurant. He should’ve been more discreet. But discretion had never been one of his strong points. Full speed ahead and mow down anyone in his way. Greg took another look at Cindy, an idea pushing into his mind. What if he gave Chloe a dose of her own medicine and took Cindy to the festival? A taste of jealousy might shock her into seeing the life she was throwing away. She’d seen him with Ellen, but he’d eventually talk his way out of that blunder and convince her she’d overreacted. And, in the future, he’d choose a different restaurant for “entertaining clients.”
Yes, a visit from the green-eyed monster might be exactly what the occasion called for.
“Cindy, do you have a date for tomorrow’s festivities?”
“As a matter of fact—I don’t.” Her dark hair, cut short above the left ear, but chin-length over the right, bounced when she shook her head.
“How would you like to be my guide for the day? I don’t want to miss anything important.”
“I’d love to, sugar, but you haven’t told me your name. I never date guys without names.”
“Greg Reynolds.”
She stuck out one hand. “Glad to meet you, Greg. Are you here all by yourself, or visiting someone?”
“A friend of mine is staying at the Byrd’s Nest.”
“Don’t you just love Byrdie? She is the sweetest person on the earth! Does a great business at the Nest, too.”
“Probably because of the food,” he mumbled.
“Bingo. Best cook in town. Sometimes, when she doesn’t have a full house, I have supper there.”
Better and better. “It’s hard to believe you don’t have a date for the Fourth.”
“Well, I have a boyfriend. But he’s a truck dr
iver and not around a lot, so we’re pretty lenient about dating other people while he’s on the road.” She cleared her throat. “You’re not looking for anything real serious, I hope.”
Greg smiled. “Absolutely not. Just some fun.”
“Good. Me, too.”
“I suppose your boyfriend lives in Ouray.”
“Actually, he’s from Dallas. He’s a friend of Byrdie’s nephew, Kyle Stanton.”
“A friend of Stanton’s?” Greg’s stomach started to churn.
“You know Kyle!”
“We’ve met.” He pulled a packet of antacid tablets from his pocket and chewed two of them, frowning when the chalky tablets stuck in his teeth.
“He’s another sweetie. I’ve tried to get him to ask me out a dozen times, but he’s still pining over a lost love.”
“Not anymore.”
“You’re kidding. Kyle has a new girlfriend I don’t know about? That rascal! I thought he’d given up women permanently after he left Sherry. That woman thought work was more important than love.” She smiled broadly. “I’m glad. It’s time Kyle got on with his life.”
Greg nodded, realizing Ouray was small enough for everyone to know what everyone else was doing most of the time. “He met her in Albuquerque and invited her to come here for the Fourth.”
“She must be something special.”
“What time should I pick you up in the morning?”
“Just meet me here at eight. That’s when the fun starts.”
“See you then. It’s been a pleasure meeting you.”
“We’re just getting started.” She winked again.
Greg made his way back to the car, wondering all the way if it was such a good idea to use Cindy to make Chloe jealous, especially since Cindy knew Kyle Stanton. Cindy didn’t seem to mind, though. She might if she knew the whole story, but he’d have to make sure that didn’t happen.
He got into his car, wishing again for his new Lexus. These rentals were always too small, without any of the extras he considered essentials. The time spent here was money down the drain—and a severe blow to his momentum at GCS. He had to get Chloe home so he could be the one to dump her, instead of the other way around.
Kiss Me, Chloe Page 11