“I’ll be fine. Go get some sleep.” She managed a small grin, enough to draw a hopeful smile from him. “You did really well tonight. I think you’ve just about got that romance part down.”
A proud smile tugged at the right side of his mouth, making her heart skip. That was the man she’d kissed - the man who made sarcastic jokes and flowed through the day with an easy confidence. She instantly regretted not asking him to stay. Maybe, she was being overly dramatic. But her mouth just wouldn’t form the words.
“Goodnight,” he whispered. And then he was gone.
It took her nearly an hour to put all the finishing pieces on the set. A modern day manger setting took a surprising amount of work. By the time she was done, Chloe had an overbooked motel, a broken down van to serve as the manger, and an ambulance to carry her modern-day wise men to the scene. Her play was going to be fantastic; she could feel it. They just had to make it to Christmas Eve before Amanda gave birth to her own Christmas baby. Easier said than done.
Picking up her paint supplies, she turned off the rest of the lights and headed to the kitchen to wash up. She couldn’t remember a time when she wasn’t working on this play, spending every waking hour obsessing over the details. It would be strange to be done with it.
As she approached the swinging double doors to the kitchen, she heard the strange hum of voices. One was a feminine whisper and the other, a hushed male voice. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but adrenalin coursed through her body.
The church was supposed to be empty. Pastor Steve had asked her to lock up tight when she left. The only kind of visitors that came at this hour of the night on a weekday were the kind with nefarious intentions. Instantly, she thought of the silver communion cups and crosses in the rectory. Something like that might catch a few bucks on the black market…or Ebay. She couldn’t let that happen.
Pressing a shoulder softly to the swinging door, she inched it open. The kitchen was dark, but the owners of the voices were clearly inside. Peering into the darkness, Chloe waited for her eyes to adjust. She’d bust the thieves. She wasn’t afraid of them. No one stole from her church.
The voices grew louder. Listening hard, she realized with a start that she recognized both of them. Right away, the mellow baritone of her sister’s fiance came into focus. She could spot his tall outline next to the sink, his characteristic striped leather jacket draped over his torso. He was facing a woman, someone with long dark wavy hair and darkened skin. She wore a schoolgirl style skirt with boots that reached her knees. Her hands were wrapped around Aaron’s neck and their faces only inches apart.
Chloe had to slap a hand over her mouth to keep herself from gasping. The woman with her sister’s fiance was none other than Ashley Lynn. She watched in horror as Aaron tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and then leaned in to plant a kiss on her lips, drawing her hips closer to his.
Without a second thought, Chloe backed out of the kitchen and ran to the exit, dropping her wet brushes in a heap at the door. Snagging her purse, she sprinted to her car, threw it in drive, and didn’t stop moving until she’d pulled up to her home. The lights shown warmly through the lacy curtains, inviting and comforting. Staring at her front door, she clung to the steering wheel, unsure what to do next.
She should tell her sister. That’s what any good sibling would do. Her fiance was cheating on her. And with none other than that awful Ashley Lynn. It was the worst news of all. She would’ve rather given her the news that he’d died.
The familiar figure of her mother crossed in front of the living room window. Abandoning her purse in the car, she strode toward the front door and burst through it.
“Mom?” If anyone knew what to do, it was her mother. “Mom, I need you!”
“I thought you stopped needing me when you became a teenager.” Her mother rounded the corner to the hallway and fixed her with a warm smile. “I’m glad to know I was wrong.” She got one look at Chloe’s horrified expression and the smile melted from her face. “What happened?”
“Is Brianna here?” Chloe looked around wildly, poking her head into the kitchen.
“She’s at work.” Her mother ushered her in, parking her at a kitchen bar stool. “Your father is at bowling league. It’s just you and me.”
“Good, good.” It would be a lot easier to get mom’s opinion without her sister here, pressing her for information. “I need to ask you a question. A hypothetical question.”
Her mom gazed at her with one eyebrow lifted in amusement. “Hypothetical, huh? I’ll see what I can do.”
Grabbing a paper napkin from the tray, Chloe twisted it in her hands and began to tear it into tiny pieces. She wanted to come right out and confess what she’d seen, but she had to know if she was doing the right thing. She didn’t want her sister to blame her - to hate her for giving her the news.
“I have this friend…” she began. The way all hypothetical stories started. “And, let’s say that this friend had another friend in a committed relationship with a boy.”
“Uh huh…” Her mother sat in the stool next to her. She nodded her head slowly, her tight curls bouncing with her every move.
“And let’s say that one day, this friend of mine happened to walk in on this boy kissing another girl. What should she do? She doesn’t want her friend to hate her for breaking the news.”
“That’s a very serious problem.” Leaning back in her stool, her mother clicked her tongue and considered. “But I think it would be best for this friend of yours to confess to her other friend what she saw.”
“That’s what I was afraid you were going to say.” Chloe buried her head in her arms. Her mother patted her on the back, a sympathetic smile lighting up her lips. “But my friend thought these two were meant-to-be. They’re perfect together. Practically soul mates. It’ll destroy her.”
Raising a single eyebrow, her mother didn’t ask any questions about the identity of this friend, but frowned and reached for her hand. “You know, dear, love is messy. Even the best couples have hard times.”
Chloe gestured at her. “But look at you and dad. I mean, you’re perfect. I don’t think I’ll ever find anything like that.”
“You won’t find anything like that because it doesn’t exist.” She frowned again and stared hard at her daughter. “Did you know there was a time when your father and I were split up?”
Chloe gaped at her. That had to be a misunderstanding. Her parents were the strongest couple she knew. “What? No! When was that?”
“When you girls were very little. I’m not surprised you don’t remember. I got the house and your daddy went to live with a friend. We were split for a good six months.”
She never would’ve guessed her parents had split. The thought was too awful to imagine. Even now, with her mom confessing it to her, she didn’t believe it. “But, you guys made up.”
“It took some time.” Her mother smiled weakly and brought her hand to her neck. “But your father and I had to come to an agreement. He couldn’t put work above family and I had to find a way to deal with his long hours. It took dozens of counseling sessions and more tears than I care to admit, but we made it through.”
“Why are you telling me this?” Chloe asked, swallowing hard. Her parent’s near split certainly had nothing to do with that dirt-bag cheating Aaron.
“I just think that sometimes you put us on a pedestal and I want you to know that no relationship is perfect.”
She wrinkled her nose in anger. “So, what? Does this cheating guy get a pass then? Because no relationship is perfect?”
“Absolutely not,” her mother shot back, her eyes flashing. Deep lines formed around her mouth as she frowned. “This friend of your friend of yours needs to decide what she’s willing to forgive. But the point I’m trying to make is that relationships take work. They’re not perfect all the time. We’re humans, after all. We’re all deeply flawed. If you can find someone to counter those flaws, I’d say you’d have a match made in heaven.”<
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Chloe nodded her understanding, although the weary lines on her forehead made her look like she’d aged a few decades in those five minutes. “Thanks, Mom.” She slid off the stool, ready to head to bed. A good night’s sleep was all she desired. That would make things clearer. “I’ll think about what you said.” Her mother kissed her goodnight and she headed down to her apartment, the day’s events heavy on her mind.
Love was messy. That much she’d found out. Between Jordan’s relationship with his mother, the shocking revelation about her parents, and the crumbling relationship of her sister and her fiance, she wasn’t sure she wanted love anymore. It had a way of stripping you down to nothing, exposing your weak spots. Chloe didn’t like feeling weak.
Maybe she didn’t want this thing called love after all.
Chapter Eleven
Not even the annoying chirp of the singing elf with the dying batteries could ruin Jordan’s Saturday morning. He strutted around his motel room in his boxer shorts, belting a Journey song into his toothbrush. Today was a brand spanking new day. He and Chloe were hitting up the Christmas parade in town. Yesterday was nothing but a bad memory.
He was determined to move on.
Even Chloe’s distracted and distant mood at yesterday evening’s rehearsal couldn’t pull him down. Things rolled off his back as easily as a skee ball on ice. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve and the day of their big event. He wanted nothing more than to enjoy his last two full days with Chloe before he had to head back home and prepare for his big interview.
He glanced at his phone and blinked at the screen. No calls, no messages. Not even from Mary. He shouldn’t have expected his mother to call. She never did unless she wanted something from him. But he couldn’t help but to hope. Hope that maybe she’d come to her senses and left his step-father once and for all. That she’d beg him to come pick her up and help her start a new life. He’d do that for her. More than anything, that’s what he wanted for her.
But, that wasn’t happening today. He threw on a pair of jeans and a thick chord sweater before heading out into the brilliant winter morning. The sun shone down as if it had forgotten it was December. He waved to Ed, who was lounging outside with a cigarette dangling from his lips, before jumping into the Grand Am and speeding toward Chloe’s home.
And suddenly there she was, walking toward him in black leggings, an over-sized sweater that draped to her thighs, and brown boots. He tried not to stare at the way she’d twisted her braids on top of her head that morning or how her purple lipstick on made her mouth look so tempting. The moment she slid into his passenger seat, he leaned over and placed a hand on her cheek, gently pressing his lips against hers.
It was a slow, passionate embrace. Nothing rushed or harsh about it. She moaned into his mouth as his tongue darted into hers, her hands finding the front of his sweater. Electricity zinged between them. He ran his hand down her cheek and lingered for a moment longer, before pulling away.
“Good morning,” she said breathlessly. Her eyes were wide, staring up at him. He could almost detect a bit of desperation in them. “That was unexpected.”
“I’m full of surprises,” he joked, leaning back into his seat. Yep, today was going to go a million times better. He was sure of it. “Ready for the parade?”
She nodded silently. Jordan took them to the middle of downtown, parking across from the Blue Stem Bistro and hopping out of the Grand Am to open Chloe’s door for her. She took his hand and smiled weakly at him.
Finding Laurie and Gemma wasn’t easy in the New Hope crowd. It seemed that every single family in town had shown up for the big event. Santa was making an appearance at the end of the parade. Little children with sparkling eyes hopped up and down on one foot, eager to spot the big man himself. Chloe and Jordan finally found their friends down the block, each clinging to a cup of coffee in their hands.
“Coffee drips, stat,” Gemma cried when she saw them, handing each one their own source of caffeine. She groaned as she sipped at her cup and rubbed her tired eyes.
“Chloe, I’m surprised you made it,” Laurie said with a smile. Of the three, she was the only one looking slightly perky. She bounced on her toes, her hair moving with her little spurts of energy. “Last year, I believe we had to drag you out of bed for the Christmas parade.”
“Not a morning person?” Jordan asked her with a smile.
She shrugged, looking down at her coffee. “Not really. Especially on Saturdays. The weekend was God’s gift to us anti-morning people.”
“The morning is my favorite time of day,” Laurie chirped. A smile stretched across her freckled face. “I find it’s my most productive time.”
“In case you haven’t noticed, Laurie never wakes up on the wrong side of the bed,” Gemma told Jordan with a laugh. “She puts us all to shame.”
“I do not!” Laurie pouted. “You two are perfectly lovely in the mornings. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Gemma raised an eyebrow and gave Jordan a disbelieving grin. They both held back their laughter and instead the group migrated toward the street to watch the parade. Chloe was uncharacteristically quiet during the entire event. She lingered at Jordan’s side, never bumping into his shoulder or reaching for his hand.
He could feel his newly found optimism slipping away as the minutes passed. Apparently, she hadn’t forgotten yesterday’s events. If anything, she was colder than during rehearsal last night. A nervous knot began to form in his gut. He tried to stave it off by laughing with Laurie and Gemma as they watched the parade, but it kept festering. By the time the big jolly Santa appeared, he was a mass of nerves, eager to get out of there and back to his motel.
“Can we talk?” Chloe whispered in his ear as the final float passed and people began to pack up their chairs.
He swallowed hard and nodded. Confrontation wasn’t exactly his strong suit. He preferred to ignore a problem and turn on ESPN. It was probably why he didn’t succeed in long-term relationships.
Waving goodbye to their coworkers, Chloe led him into the town park and toward a private bench hidden by icy hedgerows. She sat on the cold wooden surface and patted the space next to her, looking expectantly up at him. Gritting his teeth, he joined her and stared at the untouched snow in front of their boots. He’d only known this girl for two weeks, but he knew her well enough to know something was majorly wrong. This wasn’t a conversation he was looking forward to, that was for sure.
“Have you heard from your mom?” she asked suddenly.
He glanced up at her and then back at the ground. “No. She won’t call again unless she wants something from me. That’s how it always goes.”
“Have you offered to get her into a shelter? Maybe get her some help?” She leaned closer to him, searching his face. “She’s obviously being abused.”
“Of course I have.” He sat up and looked at her, hurt crossing his face. “Don’t you think I’ve been doing that for the past ten years? My grandmother tried to do it, too, before she died. And when that didn’t work, her friends from church tried to help her escape. But she went back to that loser again and again, until finally, she had no one left. Not a single friend or family member. She’ll never leave him. Don’t you think I’ve tried?”
Frustration sprung to life in Chloe’s eyes. “Maybe if you…”
“Forget it.” He stood up, his nostrils flaring. “She doesn’t want my help. When she changes her mind, I’ll be there. But I don’t see that happening anytime soon.”
Chloe stared at him silently, her eyes flashing. He couldn’t believe what she was suggesting. Of course, he’d tried everything in the book to help his mother. He’d taken on responsibilities no young teenager should have to. Researching shelters, packing their bags for a sudden departure, even squirreling away money to pay for bus tickets out of town. But she’d never budge. She was a prisoner to that husband of hers, body and mind.
Taking a deep breath, he sat down next to Chloe. Fighting wasn’t the answer. She wa
s only trying to help. He didn’t want her to be mad at him. “I’m sorry I lost my temper. I’ve tried it all; trust me. She’ll leave when she’s ready or she won’t leave at all. That’s the truth.”
She lowered her gaze to her hands and worked her jaw. He wanted so desperately to kiss her, to wipe away the last twenty-four hours and return to that blissful state they’d been in just yesterday.
“Are you okay?” he asked, reaching for her hand. Her fingers were cold, so he wrapped his around them. “You’ve been so quiet today.”
She took her time answering him, her gaze never leaving their hands. “I’m fine. It’s just been a rough weekend. I may be nearing twenty-six, but I think I’ve still got some learning to do. Life isn’t all rainbows and ponies, after all.”
He chuckled, deep and throaty. “I’m just glad you didn’t have to find that out until now. It’s better to keep your innocence.”
“Is it?” She looked up and met his gaze. “I’m not so sure, anymore. I think it’s set me up for some major heartbreak.”
“Trust me, it’s better this way.” He reached for her chin, running his thumb along the length of her jaw. “It’s been so amazing seeing life through your eyes this week. Your family, your friends, this little town. For the first time in a long time, I’ve felt like there was still room for good in this world. You made me feel that.”
She breathed out, her breath coming out like a cloud. He wanted to know what she was thinking, but Chloe kept her emotions hidden behind a solemn stare. She leaned toward him and once again, their lips brushed in a sweet kiss that lingered on his lips like the sweet foam from his coffee.
“I’ve got to go,” she said suddenly, pulling away. “I’ve got something I have to do.”
“Do you need my help?” He hoped she’d say yes. All he wanted was to be next to her today.
Instead, she shook her head, her wooden earrings bouncing back and forth. “I’ve got to break some awful news to someone. I think it best if I do it myself.”
Caroling in the Snow: A New Hope Sweet Christmas Romance - Book 2 Page 7