by Rose Pressey
I had three other brothers. The rest of them were sprinkled around town, but I didn’t talk with them often because we all had strange work hours. Stephen was a firefighter and Seth was a lawyer. Miles was the doctor. We had all the professions covered, which made my mother extremely happy. She eyed me for a moment and I knew the questions were about to start. She’d probably already interrogated Ty, now it was my turn.
A little grin crossed her lips. “I heard that Chloe Beaumont is back in town. My, isn’t that something. She finally came to her senses and came back to Belle Grove. If she’s smart she’ll stay this time.”
I stared at Ty. He shrugged. So that was how he’d gotten away from her questions. Why had he told her? Yeah, it was just so he didn’t have to answer her questions about his dating life. Five sons and not one of us was married or had children.
My mother felt as if she had been a failure because of this. I decided to avert the conversation. The more I was in control of the topic the better off I’d be.
I looked at Ty. “Did you know about the police checking on her uncle?”
“What’s wrong with her uncle?” my mother asked.
My father looked over the top of the paper again.
Ty frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“You’re a cop, I figured you’d know about this. Her uncle is missing,” I said.
My mother let out a little gasp.
I leaned against the table. “Chloe seems to think he just took off.”
“Why would he do that?” my mother asked.
My father set the paper down. He was fully invested in the conversation now.
“Chloe says that her uncle and his girlfriend had a disagreement and after that she said he came up missing. I guess he didn’t answer the girlfriend’s calls,” I said.
My mother shook her head. “Well, did they check his house, for heaven’s sake?”
I sat on the edge of the table. Usually my mother would have warned me against this, but she was too engrossed in my story. “The police went out for a welfare check at his place. Said they couldn’t find anything suspicious.”
My mother frowned. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
“I didn’t know that they’d been out there.” Ty ran his hand through his hair. “I thought I would have heard about that.”
I folded my arms in front of my chest. “Yeah, I thought you would have heard about it too.”
“Well, I’ll look into it and see what details I can find out,” he offered.
“I’m sure Chloe would appreciate that.”
“So are you going to talk with her again?” Ty asked.
I studied my shoes. “There’s no reason for me to talk with her. I’m sure if something is really wrong then Ty can talk with her.”
“She probably needs someone to talk to right now,” my mother said in a warning tone. “Tell him, Wayne. Tell him that the girl will need a friend.”
“She’ll need a friend to talk to,” my father said in an even tone as he pulled the paper in front of his face again.
“I’m sure it’s nothing. Chloe can handle it. She was always a tough girl,” I said.
My mother started picking up things from the counter. That was her way of telling me she wasn’t happy with my statement.
Ty grabbed his cup of coffee. “I have to go. I’ll let you know what I find out,” he said as he kissed my mother’s cheek.
“Yeah, thanks,” I said over my shoulder as he walked out the door.
“Do you really mean what you said? Do you think there’s nothing wrong with her uncle?” she asked.
I stared for a moment and then nodded with a smile. “Yes, I think he’s fine.”
The words slipped out, but I couldn’t deny that there was a slight bit of doubt in my mind. That was only normal though, so I pushed the uncertainty to the back of my mind.
I reached down and gave her a hug. “I’ll see you later. I have to get to work.”
“Will you do me a favor?” She used her sweetest voice.
I should have gotten out of there before I let this happen. I knew I wasn’t going to like this favor. She knew I’d do anything for her, but some things she asked for were just too much.
“Will you find Chloe and make sure she is okay? And tell her to come in here and see me.” She pleaded with her big brown eyes.
I didn’t tell her, but if Chloe wanted to see her I was sure she would stop by without having to be told. I nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.” I figured that was a vague enough answer that would get me off the hook.
My father rattled the newspaper. “Yeah, see you later, son.”
Luckily I made it outside without another question and hopped into my truck. My office was tucked away next to the bayou. A large covered boat dock was near the parking lot. When I pulled up I noticed someone was out there by the dock. And it wasn’t just anyone… it was Chloe. My heart thumped in my chest when I saw her. What was she doing?
Chloe looked sexy in her jeans and tight pink T-shirt as I watched her from afar again. She hadn’t noticed that I was around. Apparently, she’d done enough research to know that her uncle’s boat was docked here. She was walking around the edge of the dock. Something told me that she had no idea what she was doing. Sure, she was from the bayou, but that didn’t take away from the fact that she was clumsy and didn’t know the ins and outs of the area. I remembered the time she fell trying to step off the bleachers in high school. When I’d grabbed her to break the fall she’d landed on top of me. We’d both tumbled to the ground, but having her soft body next to mine, I wasn’t about to complain.
I inched a little closer, but she still hadn’t looked back and noticed me. She was peering out over the water. What was she looking for? When she finally stepped to the side, she slipped on the wet ground and tumbled to her knees. I sprinted across the lot toward her. Within seconds, I was at her side with my hand on her arm helping her to her feet. She let out a gasp when I touched her.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” I said.
She scowled as she steadied herself. I knew by the look that she was surprised to see me again.
“What are you doing here?” she asked as she wiped her pants off.
Her dark hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail. Her face had a natural glow and her green eyes shone in the sunlight.
I motioned with a tilt of my head. “I work here.”
She looked over my shoulder. “Your office is in there?”
I nodded.
She scowled. “When did that happen? It wasn’t always here, was it? That building is new. I used to come out here to the dock all the time and don’t remember seeing it.”
I motioned toward the building with a tilt of my head. “It’s been here about two years now. So what are you doing here?”
She averted her eyes and blew the brown lock of hair from her eyes. “I came here to check on my uncle’s boat. Do you know when he was here last?”
“Just a few days ago, I think. He waved but I didn’t get a chance to talk with him.”
She peered out over the bayou. “When was the last time you saw him at his house?”
“Since the houses are far apart and separated by trees, I didn’t see him often. He came over a few weeks ago. You haven’t heard from him?” I asked.
She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “No, I haven’t. Did he say much when he came over?” Chloe stared at me with her big green eyes and I lost my concentration for a moment.
“Well, you know he was going to build a house on that land that he owned,” I said.
“He had mentioned it. Do you know when he was starting that project?” she asked.
I shook my head. “He didn’t say. Sorry I don’t have more information for you.”
I watched her for a moment. There was more that I wanted to ask, but I didn’t know if it was the right time. Would there ever be a right time?
Finally, after a long silence, I said, “I told my brother that
you were back in town.”
A sweet smile slid across her lips. “I bet he was surprised about that.”
“He was surprised. He didn’t know that the police had checked on your uncle.” A strand of hair fell near her cheek and I wanted to reach out and brush it away.
She tucked the hair behind her ear. “Really? I figured since it’s a small town everyone would know everything.”
“You know this isn’t the typical small town,” I said.
She nodded. “Yeah, how could I forget? So your brother didn’t know anything?”
I shook my head. “No, he said he’d ask around though.”
Chloe grinned. “I’d appreciate that.”
We exchanged a look. Was she going to say more? It had been so long and there were a lot of questions I wanted to ask. I wouldn’t overstep my boundaries though. I would wait for her to make the first move. The problem was I didn’t think she would make the first move.
“You know there were a lot of newspapers piled up by his front door,” she said.
“And you think that means something is wrong?” I asked.
She waved her hand. “No, I mean, I don’t know what to think.”
“He probably forgot to stop the paper before he left. Especially if it wasn’t a planned trip. If he had an argument with his girlfriend and just took off, I doubt he would have thought of that.”
“Maybe so,” she said as she looked out over the water. I studied her pretty face. If she knew I was watching her she never let on. Finally, she turned to me and said, “I should go.”
I’d barely had a chance to nod when she turned and walked away. I watched her as she made her way across the parking lot and to her car. She didn’t look back, but I knew she felt my eyes on her. How could I not stare? Chloe climbed in her car, cranked the engine, and pulled away.
I didn’t know why the universe had brought her back into my life, but I was glad that she was there.
Chapter Five
Chloe can’t run from her past
As I walked along the sidewalk of my hometown I realized that I was almost smack dab in front of the store that Grant’s parents owned. They’d been running that store since I could remember. Grant used to work there after school. I wished I hadn’t been daydreaming. Now I had to either turn around or cross the street. I decided to cross the street because I wanted to go into a shop a couple doors from theirs. I stepped over to the curb but suddenly there was a traffic jam in Belle Grove, making me have to wait.
I made the mistake of turning around and looking back at the store window. There was a little face peering out at me. Damn. It was Grant’s mother. If I turned around and acted as if I didn’t know her would she go away? No, that would be incredibly rude of me. She’d never done anything to me and she’d always been nice. There was no need to be mean to her. She wasn’t responsible for her son’s actions. Since I still couldn’t cross the street, I knew that my only option was to turn around and acknowledge her.
Just as I looked back to wave at her, she was coming out toward me. There was nowhere for me to hide. I would have no choice but talk with her. Would she be mad at me for leaving her son? After that many years I hoped that she had forgotten about what had happened. It was her son’s fault and not mine so she couldn’t hold me responsible.
I smiled at her as she marched toward me. When I found my uncle he was getting an earful from me for making me come back to Belle Grove.
“Chloe Beaumont, is that you? Oh, my goodness. It’s so nice to see you.” She spread her arms out, moving in for a hug.
I offered a wide smile. “Hello, Mrs. Kenner. How are you?” I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed back.
She stepped back and looked me up and down. “You look great.”
I smiled again. “So do you. I love what you’ve done with your hair.”
She fussed with her hair. “Oh, I am due for a trip to the beauty parlor. What are you doing standing out here? You need to come inside and say hello to Mr. Kenner.” She motioned for me to follow her.
I followed her inside. The store was just as I remembered it. Some things had changed like new items and displays sitting around, but other than that everything was the same. The store carried everything from food to household supplies. Of course being back in there brought back a flood of memories. That was the case with just about everything in town though. My stomach dipped a little when I thought about saying hello to Grant’s father. Maybe he wouldn’t be as friendly as Grant’s mother. He’d always been a jokester, but that had been a long time ago.
We passed by the small displays of snacks and candy toward the office at the back.
When I reached the back office I spotted Mr. Kenner sitting at a desk. He had the newspaper up in front of his face. I remembered he did that every morning. He pulled the paper down and a smile crossed his lips. He winked and said, “How have you been, young lady?”
“I’ve been fine, Mr. Kenner. How are you?”
“I can’t complain. Good to have you back.” He pulled the newspaper back up and began reading.
That was the extent of his small talk. Nothing had changed though. That was always his character. He didn’t look different either, just a little gray hair. He was handsome like his sons.
“Can I get you anything?” Mrs. Kenner asked.
I shook my head. “No, I’m okay. I was just headed to buy a couple of shirts. I didn’t pack enough clothing.”
She nodded. “I’m really sorry about your uncle. I heard the news. I hope you locate him soon.”
“Thank you. I’m sure he’ll call soon. He probably doesn’t know what kind of worry he’s caused me,” I said.
Her charm bracelet jingled as she waved her hand dismissively. “Men are like that sometimes. They just don’t think.” Mrs. Kenner cast a glance in her husband’s direction, but he didn’t take his gaze away from the newspaper. “I’ve been worried about you,” she said.
“Well, thank you for thinking of me. How have you been?”
She smiled and waved her hand through the air. “Working in this place. Someday we’re going to retire.”
I picked up a package of gum and then placed it back on the display case. “That would be nice. The place hasn’t changed much.” I looked around again. Mr. Kenner turned the page of the paper, but didn’t look up.
“Not much different as far as food to sell. That’s just the way I like it though. I don’t like change.” Mrs. Kenner stared at me and I averted my gaze.
Was that comment meant for me too? As in I shouldn’t have changed by leaving town?
“Are you staying in Belle Grove?” she asked.
I couldn’t avoid her stare any longer and I wouldn’t be able to avoid the question. I shook my head. “No, I’ll be going back to Arizona as soon as I find my uncle.”
She frowned and shook her head. “Well, I hope you like it there. Do you have a special someone back there?”
Mr. Kenner coughed. That did nothing to stop her penetrating stare though.
“No, I don’t have a special someone. I was thinking of getting a dog though,” I said with a smile.
She wasn’t happy with my answer. “I’m sorry things didn’t work out between you and Grant.”
Mr. Kenner coughed again. She’d caught me off guard with her comment. I had hoped that she wouldn’t mention the past. It was too late for that now.
“Sometimes things just don’t work out,” I said.
“That’s true.” She tapped her fingers against the desk. “Perhaps this will be a fresh start though. Things change in ten years.” She smiled widely and wiggled her eyebrows.
It was time for me to get out of there. There was no way to go back to the past. I glanced over my shoulder, looking for a way to escape.
“Leave her alone,” Mr. Kenner said from behind his newspaper. Thank goodness someone was there to try to save me.
She waved off his comment. “Oh, I’m just having a little conversation. Nothing wrong with that, righ
t?”
She stared at me, waiting for me to give the correct answer. I had no choice but to nod in agreement. What could I say, no?
“Now where were we? Oh yes, talking about new chances and starting over.”
I looked at my phone. “Oh, look at the time. I really should be going.”
Mrs. Kenner frowned and I knew she wasn’t happy with my comment.
She stepped closer to me and lowered her voice. “I hope you don’t mind that I ask what happened between you? You were such a cute couple.”
Mr. Kenner lowered his paper. “Will you leave the girl alone? She already said she has to go. Now stop asking her questions that she obviously doesn’t want to answer.”
She frowned at him and I knew if he wasn’t careful he’d be sleeping on the sofa tonight. Nothing was going to stop her line of questioning. I would just have to start making my way toward the door.
I stepped backward a little. “You know, it’s been so long ago. I’d rather not talk about it.”
“See, I told you,” Mr. Kenner said.
She glared at him and then frowned at me. “Well, that’s your choice, dear. I do hope that you will at least be friends now. There’s no sense in fighting your feelings.”
She didn’t take her eyes off me. What did she know about my feelings? How did she know how I felt about her son? Any feelings I had right now would fade as soon as I left Belle Grove. It was for the best.
She stacked a few items on the desk and didn’t look at me. I knew she was upset but she would get over it. I moved a few steps closer toward the door.
“Well, I hope you will come to dinner sometime.” She finally looked up and noticed that I’d moved even closer to my escape.
“I sure will,” I said with a smile.
I knew that I wouldn’t, not after the way she’d questioned me today. And I knew she would invite Grant too.
“Great. So I will see you tonight for dinner?” she asked.
What? How had that happened? “I should go,” I said, motioning over my shoulder and taking a few more steps.
I bumped into a display and it fell to the ground with a crash. Oh great. Now I would never get out of here.