by Terri Marie
Conner hated to ignore the young girl, but the last thing he wanted to do was get in the middle, especially after his son told him to keep his nose out of it. Matthew needed the time to figure things out in his own head. He knew his son better than anyone and was well aware that Matthew was more stubborn than a mule. Conner didn't understand why Chloe withheld the truth, but knew there was a reason. She had a good heart, and this whole thing bothered him greatly, but it wasn't up to him to find out the answers.
Chloe stood outside the door and knocked a few more times. When she was sure she'd given Conner more than enough time to answer it, she walked back down to her apartment and shut the door. Matthew wasn't going to be home for another couple of hours. Hopefully she could catch him outside before he went upstairs. Chloe went to the bathroom, showered, and did her hair exactly the same way she had it on the first night she met him. In cut offs and a t-shirt, she went downstairs and sat in her car. If he saw her standing in the parking lot, he'd keep driving and she knew that.
Chloe rehearsed her words over and over again in her head, and sometimes out loud. The new truck she'd bought for Matthew stood out like a fly in the punch bowl. Come on, keep it together, Chloe. This might be her only opportunity to talk to Matthew, so she had to make sure not to blow it. Hours later as daylight began to fade, the old red pickup truck drove into the parking lot. Before she could even get out of her car, Matthew spotted her. His eyes could have easily burned holes right through her. Chloe could have cried, but instead she got angry. She was going to make him listen to her one way or another.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
John tried to stay out of it, but watching his best friend be so preoccupied and pissed off all the time wasn't going to cut it. He wanted to shake some sense into him, but it wouldn't be that simple. He watched Matthew lower all his guards for this girl and knew how hurt he was.
"Have you talked with Chloe?"
"Let's not talk about her…ever. She was a fake."
"Matt, there has to be a reason. I mean look, she deposited fifty thousand in your account, paid your dad's medical bills, bought you a new truck, and yet she still lives here. Hell, she could have done all that from her mansion. Be mad at me if you want, but if she saw you as just a charity case, she would have already hit the road. She's staying because she cares about you."
"She humiliated me, and I trusted her. You think a relationship can be built on deceit and lies?"
"I just think—"
"I'm done talking about it…"
"All I'm saying is, I think you should give her five minutes of your time to explain. You don't have enough facts to just cut her out of your life. I know you love her, or you wouldn't be this pissed off."
"John, you're my brother. I know you're concerned, but back off. I don't need any more of your advice. Following it the first time was a sucky thing to do."
"Okay, I'll be blunt. You walk around here barking at everyone or ignoring them. The guys are threatening to quit. If that happens you'll lose the business."
"Yeah, well maybe that'll be the best thing that can happen to me."
Matthew spotted Chloe again sitting in her car when he pulled up to the apartment. Why don't you just go the hell away? Every time he saw her, it reminded him of what he couldn't become. She was no different than Josie. Both women let him know that he fell short in life. Even though Josie really hurt him with her words, she at least told the truth. When he climbed out of his truck, he saw Chloe get out of her car. Here we go again.
"Matthew, wait…" Chloe watched him briskly walk into the building.
Chloe took off running up the stairs and reached Matthew's door just as he shut it. She knocked every couple of minutes for half an hour. Finally she went back home.
The next day Chloe wasn't scheduled to work, but got up anyway and was in the office at five-twenty sharp. Sherry had only been there for twenty minutes. Both women paused when Matthew put his hand on the door at five-thirty and stepped inside. Chloe poured him a cup of coffee as quickly as she could. Before she could hand it to him, he left.
"He isn't even giving me a chance, Sherry."
"Don't give up on what you want. You proved to him you had no money…now work just as hard to prove to him you're the same woman he fell in love with."
"How do I that? He won't even talk to me."
"No, you can't talk to him. Show him."
Why does he have to be so difficult? Chloe went back home and let herself fall back into bed, where she stayed for two more days…
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Becky was beside herself with worry. Chloe wasn't answering her phone again, and she had to find someone to help her. The only other person who Chloe was close to was Lois. She hopped in her Jaguar and hoped Lois would be willing to come to the pits of Detroit with her. Getting her best friend out of that apartment and back home wasn't going to be easy.
She drove through the gates without stopping. The staff knew Becky, and she could come and go as she pleased. If Becky had someone else in the car with her, she would have been stopped. When she rang the bell, a maid answered the door.
"I need to see Lois."
"Lois Shepherd?"
"Yes, the cook. Could you get her please? This is kind of an emergency."
"I'm sorry. She no longer works here."
"Are you kidding me? Lois is family to Chloe. Where is she?"
"I don't have that information."
"Great. Are the Burlington's here?"
"No, ma'am."
Becky left the estate as quick as possible. Chloe is going to freak out over this. She stopped by her house and packed a bag. She left a note for her mother explaining she was going to stay at Chloe's for a few days. It wasn't a lie, but if her mother knew where she was going, she'd tie her to the wall.
She pulled up at the apartments and went right up to Chloe's door. Becky didn't pound on the door, but repeatedly knocked on it without pausing. She knew that would get her friend moving.
Chloe opened her eyes and stared at the door. Angrily, she threw back the covers and jumped to her feet, only to find herself landing back on the bed when the room started to spin. She got up more slowly and made her way to the door.
"Chloe! Open the dang door!"
Becky stared at her disheveled friend. She was almost in the same condition as when Becky rescued her before. She took Chloe's hand, walked her to the sofa, and then went into the kitchen and came back with water and a slice of toast. The last thing Becky was going to do was yell at her.
"You have to drink and eat this."
Chloe nodded her head and did as told. When she was done, she laid her head on Becky's shoulder.
"You stopped answering my calls. Where's your phone?"
"Over there. It's off. I was making myself crazy checking it every other minute to see if Matthew called. I couldn't stop so I shut it off."
"Sweetie, you have to let Matthew go. You can't destroy yourself over a guy."
"I care so much for him and his dad. I can't let people I love suffer. How do I get them to accept my help?"
"What does his dad say? Is he mad at you?"
"I don't know, he won't talk to me."
Becky knew Chloe wasn't going to let this go. To get her home, she'd have to help resolve this dilemma. The girls sat in silence for a while.
"Do you want me to talk with either of them?"
"No, Matthew's pretty angry at you too I think. You went along with the lies. I'm sure he's told his dad about you. It has to be me."
"You're chasing him."
"All I want is for one of them to listen to me. If Matthew could see that I'm the same girl he fell in love with, he'd let me help him."
"But that isn't what Matthew believes. All he sees is you chasing him."
"So what am I supposed to do, wash my hands of this whole thing? What if Conner dies because Matthew couldn't get him help? What if they go hungry or can't afford to keep the heat on? What if the roofing company fails or, God fo
rbid, Matthew gets hurt on the job? Becky, I have got to find a way to help them."
"You still love him, don't you?"
"I love him more than I've ever loved anyone in my entire life."
"I'll help you, Chloe, but you have to listen to me. If you don't take care of yourself I'll move in permanently just to smack you every morning."
"Tell me your plan, please. I'm completely lost and have no idea what the first step should be."
"Step one is to shower. I love you but you stink…"
While Chloe was in the bathroom, Becky discarded all the rotting food in the fridge, and started a grocery list. It was very obvious her friend had lost weight and was already thin to begin with. It was important to get Chloe outside in some fresh air, even if it was just a trip to the grocery store, but avoiding the guy causing all the stress was imperative right now. Becky checked her watch and felt some relief, knowing Matthew would still be on someone's roof and not here where he could see her. If he was mean to Chloe in front of Becky, she'd come at the jerk like a crazy woman. That's when it hit her. She knew exactly how to help her friend.
Chapter 8
Chloe drove back from the grocery store with bags of fruit, veggies, and microwavable meals that required very little preparation. Even though Becky made sure she got some nutrients in her system, she felt dead. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't keep her mind off the horrible situation she ended up in. Her fall from grace in Matthew's eyes played over and over in her mind. The good memories of her time with him were tainted. When she would try to think of the happy days, sorrow overcame her. If only things could be different. Why won't he let me explain it all to him? Chloe knew there was no one else to blame; she caused it herself. She lied. Chloe hated liars as much as the next person. Since when did I become a liar? Suddenly it dawned on her; she'd been telling lies all her life, and it began with her parents, especially her mother. Hiding her mom's neglect and abandonment became second nature. I should legally change my name and start over. Maybe move to a new state. My life is so screwed up.
"Are you even listening to me?"
"I'm sorry, Beck. Tell me again."
"Stay away from him. That's what you have to do. Stop trying to contact Matthew, stop knocking on his door, and if you see him, go the opposite way."
"If I do what you're suggesting, he'll forget about me. There'd be no hope of helping him after that." Chloe sighed in frustration as she pulled up in the parking lot at the apartments. "I should knock on their door one last time. Maybe Conner will talk to me."
"No! So help me, Chloe, if you make yourself crazy again, I really will make you come home."
"Okay, okay. I'll try it for a few days and that's it. Deal?" Chloe knew that Becky would do exactly what she threatened. Having to go back to square one and live inside that blasted mansion would be the end of her.
"It's better than nothing. You'll see that I'm right, and when you do, I won't have to convince you of anything. Just don't give up, Chloe. You're worth more than this."
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Becky stayed for a couple more days, and when she left, the challenge of keeping away from Matthew became greater. It was easy to do with someone breathing down her back all the time, but now the conscious decision lay on Chloe's lap. She couldn't believe how much of her day revolved around finding an opportunity to talk to him. Every time she spent money, she pictured Conner and his lack of medical care, Matthew's worried face, their empty refrigerator, his old truck…Chloe wished she could go talk to Lois, but the fear of security not allowing her to leave the estate again kept her away.
Each day was blending into the next. She was forcing herself to stay out of bed, forcing herself to eat and drink. After Chloe found herself struggling to fill all the hours in the day, she went to visit Sherry after her shift. She'd been refusing the paychecks the older woman tried to give her, which made her question why the young, wealthy woman wanted to clean up such unpleasant messes for free. But Chloe desperately needed to keep busy, even if it meant cleaning up those unpleasant messes several hours a day.
"You're already working for free. Why do you want to pick up extra days?"
"I like it here, plus I live in the building. Just think of it as me cleaning my home." Chloe smiled. Sherry stared at her.
"Is this because you're trying to run into Matthew?"
"No, it's the opposite. I really need to stay busy, Sherry. If he ever wants to talk to me, he can come to me. Matthew knows where I live."
Sherry nodded her head and returned the smile, but couldn't hide the concern in her eyes. "Here's the spare key for the supply closet. When you find yourself with time on your hands, you can clean anytime you want. But if I hear that vacuum running at three in the morning…" Sherry got up and wrapped her arms around Chloe. "You don't have to clean, sweetie. You're allowed to come down here and just sit and chat if you want." Sherry felt so bad for her. She wished the stubborn man would give her a chance to explain and stop being so hard headed.
Chloe thanked her and took the key. She had to get out of Sherry's office because Matthew was due home any second. Her strong urge to go out to the parking lot to wait, and hopefully talk to him, was almost overwhelming. Keep walking, she chanted over and over again. Just as she was ready to climb the stairs, she saw Matthew out of the corner of her eye. She pretended to be looking for something in her bag and was surprised to see him stop and stare at her. After about three minutes, she climbed the stairs without letting him know she was aware of his presence. Matthew was still standing in the same place, watching her every step.
Matthew slammed the door when he got inside his apartment. Conner looked up with a questioning look. His son had been on edge ever since he broke up with Chloe, but he knew he'd just set Matthew off if he approached the subject. When he heard the cupboard slam shut, then the refrigerator door close loudly he couldn't take it anymore.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing!"
"So you slam things around for no reason now?"
"Why is she still living here? I don't know why Sherry hasn't thrown her out."
"You saw Chloe I take it."
"Yeah, I saw her."
"Did she say anything?"
"I just stopped home to fix you some dinner, and then I'm going up to Cars for a beer."
"Matthew, you know you can talk to me, so I don't know why you insist on keeping everything bottled up."
Matthew heated up some soup and made a grilled cheese sandwich for his father without saying another word until he was walking out the door.
"I'll be back in a couple of hours."
Chloe was on her way to the store that evening to pick up some coffee and cleaning supplies for Sherry. She didn't even need to look over to see if Matthew's red pickup was sitting next to her at the traffic light, she could hear it. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him turn his head toward her, but Chloe kept facing straight ahead. Matthew revved his engine, and she pretended not to notice. When the light turned green she drove straight, obeying the speed limit. Matthew squealed his tires and turned the corner.
John sat at a table in the bar watching the ball game on television. He spotted Matthew come in, order a beer, and chug down almost the entire thing. John ordered a couple more and then waved his friend over.
"As ticked off as you've been, I can assume you're not celebrating. What happened?"
"Nothing."
"Here we go again, Matt. This is getting pretty old. It's okay to have a bad day now and then, but you're pissed off all the time. Your mood has Chloe written all over it."
"I want her out of the apartment. Everywhere I turn, there she is!"
"Talk to her."
"Look, I just came to relax. I don't want to talk about Chloe," growled Matthew through clenched teeth.
John just nodded his head and sat quietly. He knew if Matthew was left alone, he'd eventually spill what was in his head. Well, some of it, but if you read between the lines, you could
usually get the full story. After Matthew finished his second beer, he stared blankly at the television screen. John hoped the silence would help, but it wasn't looking good. After watching him tie five straws in knots, shred a few napkins, and slam his phone down on the table, Matthew began to mumble. Then he got up and headed towards the door.
"Listen, I'm heading home, so why don't you check on your dad and then come downstairs to my apartment and hang out for a bit?"
He ignored John and left.
Matthew tossed and turned in bed. Just thinking about what Chloe had done made his face red and his temper flare. At three in the morning he got up, threw on his clothes, and then slipped quietly outside. The night was chilly, and a slight drizzle had begun. He turned to go back inside but found himself walking down to John's apartment instead. Matthew hesitated before knocking and checked his watch. It was way too late to be popping in. He turned to walk back home when the door opened.
"Sorry, man. Did I wake you up?"
"Come on in. I was just watching some re-runs. Can't seem to sleep." John held the door open and watched Matthew go to the fridge and grab a beer. His concern about his friend is what kept him from sleeping. The last thing he needed was to bail Matthew out of jail from plowing someone in the face. He'd never seen the guy this angry.
"I love her."
"I know you do. There's nothing wrong with trying to work things out. I think you're making a mistake."
"She paid my father's medical bills, did you know that?"
"If she didn't love you, she wouldn't have done it. You're assuming she lied to mock you."
"I was paying the bills just fine on the plan the hospital set up for me. She made me feel like crap. Incompetent."
"She didn't make you feel that way, Matt. You've held a low opinion of yourself ever since Josie decided to be a wench. I don't understand why Chloe has to suffer because of something she had nothing to do with. Let me ask you a question. If you two were married, would you let her help you then?"