Chloe inhaled quickly when she slowly turned in a circle and saw Brad standing behind her. She wondered how long he'd been observing her. Chloe gave him a nervous look when Jake completely fell asleep in her arms. She didn't exactly know how to put him back in his crib.
Brad held his hands out; Chloe knew he was asking if she wanted him to take Jake. Chloe nodded and Brad stepped towards her.
Chloe carefully handed Jake to Brad. Jake stirred a little but he didn't wake up. Brad kissed him on the top of his head and then walked to the side of the crib. He gently placed him in his bed and covered him with his blanket. Chloe smiled as she watched Brad lean over the side of the crib and kiss Jake's forehead.
As soon as he stood up straight, Brad motioned for Chloe to follow him. The two exited Jake's room into the hallway. Brad turned to her with a smile across his face.
"Thank you for doing that. He must miss his mom. Kathy is the one that looks after him most," Brad explained in a whisper.
"It wasn't a problem," Chloe whispered.
"We should get to bed," Brad suggested.
"Okay. Goodnight Brad," Chloe replied, as she lost the nerve to talk to him.
"See you tomorrow," Brad responded. Chloe crept back to her bedroom. She immediately climbed under the blankets.
There was a thought she just couldn't stop from repeating. Brad had mentioned that his ex-wife was named Kathy. Chloe remembered back to the first text message she had received from her friend.
I don't know what's going on. Kathy has been spending a lot of time at the gym and she's really distant at home. I just don't understand.
Chloe's heart began to pound against her ribs as her breathing sped up. Was it possible that Brad could be the friend she was emailing?
Chloe tried to get her facts straight. They were both divorced from an affair. Both their ex-wife's names were Kathy, and now both Brad and her friend had new roommates. Not just any roommates, both of them had roommates they used to know back in high school.
Chloe was almost certain Brad was her mystery friend. Everything added up. It would be too much of a coincidence if they weren't the same person.
Immediately Chloe decided to go talk to Brad. She knew she needed to confront him right away about this. Chloe quickly tiptoed into the living room. The room was lit only by the glow of the moonlight. Everything was so calm and quiet. The only sounds came from her bare feet on the hardwood floor and Brad’s steady breathing.
Chloe crept around the couch and stood opposite Brad on the other side of the coffee table. She gazed at him as he lay on his back sprawled over the couch. One of his feet was on the floor, while the other rested on the arm of the couch. He had an arm behind his head. Chloe felt bad for making him sleep on the couch.
The moonlight hit his face and Chloe could see the calm expression he wore. His lips were slightly parted and his hair was disheveled. He looked so peaceful.
Chloe decided to leave him be, as he looked too comfortable. Plus she had no idea how to even begin to tell him what she had discovered.
She returned to her room and just lay down with her hands behind her head. She couldn't help but think about how much she enjoyed being here.
Chloe had never expected to like spending time with a baby like Jake as much as she did. She was having a great time getting to know him. The truth was she really loved Jake; he was such a sweet little boy.
Her thoughts made her proud of herself. Never could she have imagined liking the feeling of being a mother figure. She supposed she had never admitted to herself she wanted kids because of the life they would be raised in. But Jake had definitely made her rethink things.
Chloe glanced at the table beside her and noticed a picture of Jake and Brad. Brad held Jake in his arms; he was so small and wrapped in a blanket. The look on Brad’s face was so touching as he gazed down at his son with love clearly written in his eyes.
Chloe realized that she really did like Brad. He was so kind and so considerate of her, especially when he had stopped their kiss in order to protect her. He respected all those around him. She loved that even though he was sad about his divorce, he made good light of it by helping her through her own divorce. He was a caring father, brother and friend.
Chloe's mind jumped to a part of her friend's email.
Plus I have a new roommate that I want to tell you about. She's that girl I met that I liked back in high school.
If the guy she was talking to was Brad, then that meant that Brad liked her back in high school. If he liked her back then, could that mean he still liked her now?
The prospect of that fact being true made Chloe very elated. She realized that she didn't just like Brad; she was falling for him. She was in love with him.
The way he looked at her made her melt. The way he took her in and helped her get back on her feet made her like him even more. Chloe's heart was pounding again, this time with the anticipation building inside of her.
Chloe decided that she would confront Brad about the emails, and even if it wasn't him emailing her she would still tell him how she felt. Either way Brad was still a great guy, but she was almost certain it was him emailing her. How could it not be?
For once in her life Chloe fell asleep content. Finally she was making her own decisions and living the life she wanted to live. It was just a matter of confronting the man who could possibly be the one true love she'd been missing.
Chapter 10
"Chloe? Chloe?" Brad whispered, gently shaking Chloe's shoulder.
Chloe let out a soft groan in protest, annoyed that she was being awakened so early. She slowly opened her sleepy eyes to the bright sunlight. Chloe had to squint to see, but she could clearly tell it was Brad standing at her bedside. He was dressed in a suit and tie with a leather briefcase in his hand.
"What is it Brad?" Chloe mumbled groggily. She propped her head up on her elbow to look at him.
"I'm sorry to wake you, but I was called to a meeting. Do you think you could watch Jake for an hour or two? I would get Vanessa to do it but she has to work. Anyways, you were so great with him yesterday and last night," Brad explained quickly, with a panicked tone to his voice.
"Brad, calm down. I'll do it," Chloe agreed. At first she felt a little reluctant, but she felt better about her decision when she saw the gratitude and relief in Brad’s eyes.
"Thank you so much. I promise I'll be back as soon as I can," Brad stated.
"Okay I'll see you later," Chloe replied.
"Bye," Brad said before leaving the room in a hurry.
Chloe got up out of Brad’s bed and travelled to Jake's room.
Upon entering the room, she walked quietly in order to peak over the side of the crib. Jake was still sound asleep, breathing slow breaths as soft as a whisper. She smiled as she watched him; there was something so calming about the look on his face as he slept. He was so peaceful, so innocent.
Chloe exited and noticed Jake's bag on his stroller. She decided she would take him to the park when he woke up.
Chloe had gotten dressed and finished a bowl of cereal before Jake's cries broke the quiet atmosphere. She strode hurriedly into his room.
Jake stopped crying the moment she arrived. He stood, holding onto the side of his crib, looking at her strangely. Tears filled his eyes and his bottom lip quivered. Chloe hesitantly walked closer.
"It's okay Jake. Don't cry honey," Chloe said soothingly. Jake gazed up at her, his blue eyes filled with curiosity. Then he reached out to her with his little hands.
"Mommy?" Jake whispered, uncertainly. Chloe picked Jake up nervously, unsure how to hold him. She tried to copy how Brad held him by sitting him on her hip.
"I'm not Mommy. I'm Chloe," Chloe told Jake. A small smile spread across Jake's pink lips.
"Mommy," Jake insisted, as he looked Chloe in the eyes.
His words warmed her heart, even if he didn't know what he was implying. She decided not to correct him again.
Chloe put Jake on the floor, where he
ran to play with some toys. Meanwhile, Chloe went to his dresser and pulled out some clothes for him to wear. She enjoyed picking out a cute little outfit for him.
It took a while to get Jake changed, mainly because Chloe had to catch him first. But she beamed with satisfaction when she was eventually able to figure out how to dress him properly. Soon they were ready to leave.
"Do you want to go to the park Jake?" Chloe asked as she crouched down to his level.
"Yeah!" Jake exclaimed, clapping his hands with excitement. Chloe sat him in his stroller and figured out the straps after a few minutes. Then, they were on their way out the door.
Chloe took Jake to a nearby playground. She was a little nervous to be taking on this much responsibility for Jake, especially since she had never looked after him alone before. She almost had second thoughts about bringing him to the park, but when she saw the smile on his face, she couldn't bring herself to turning around.
There were a few children running around, climbing, and sliding down the slide. Jake squealed with joy when the jungle gym came into view.
"Out?" Jake asked, eagerly.
"Yes, let's go!" Chloe exclaimed. She parked the stroller under a nearby tree, beside the bench that sat in its shade. She unbuckled Jake and awkwardly lifted him out of the stroller to stand him on the grass. As soon as Jake's feet hit the ground, he grabbed Chloe's hand and was already pulling her towards the playground.
Chloe let him lead her into the sand around the playground. Jake began to walk with her towards the swings. Chloe quickly guided him away from there. Even as an adult, the swings were still a fear of hers. Jake changed direction and happily ran for the slide.
"Me slide?" Jake asked adorably.
"Okay, let me help you," Chloe said, unsure if he could climb up there himself. She helped him climb the stairs. When they reached the top, she sat him on her lap and eased herself forward to slide down the slide. Jake laughed with amusement as they glided to the bottom.
Jake made Chloe slide with him a few more times. When Chloe put Jake back on the ground, after reaching the end of the slide, he stopped in the sand. He was quickly distracted and began playing.
Chloe just strolled to sit on the nearby bench to watch him. She was so proud of herself. She was doing a fine job looking after Jake, considering she had never been around kids before. Chloe wondered if she wanted kids in the future, having a great time with Jake had brought that thought to mind.
Chloe smiled to herself as she watched Jake inspect a few rocks and then dig a hole. Soon he looked over at Chloe to see where she had gone. Chloe waved at him and smiled. Before she knew it, he was running over to her.
"Look!" Jake exclaimed, proudly holding out a rock for Chloe to see.
"Wow!" Chloe said, enthusiastically peeking into his tiny palm. Jake put the rock on the bench and then gazed at Chloe with a smile that showed off all his tiny teeth. Without warning, he tried to climb onto her lap. Chloe lifted him up for him to sit facing her.
"I love you Mommy," Jake said sweetly. Then he leaned in and hugged her around the neck. Chloe had to blink tears out of her eyes. Even though she figured he was only calling her that because he was around women most of the time, she loved the sound of it.
"I love you too, Jake," Chloe whispered, barely loud enough for anyone other than herself to hear. She rubbed his back and closed her eyes, enjoying the moment.
Soon Jake pulled away and decided he wanted to go play again. He began to struggle to get down so Chloe put him back on the grass. He ran back to the sand.
As Chloe watched Jake play some more she pondered the notion that she had never wanted kids with James but she loved Brad’s son. Could it be that it was just because he was Brad’s son?
Chloe looked at her watch. It had been an hour already. She concluded that she should get home, since Brad said he would try and be quick. She didn't want him to get home and panic because she was missing.
"Jake let's go home to see your Daddy now," Chloe called, as she got up off the bench to catch Jake's attention.
Jake fell asleep in the stroller on the short walk home. Chloe figured the fresh air and running around tired him out. She put him down for a nap when they got back.
In the meantime, Chloe went to check her email. Sure enough her friend had answered her last message.
I'm really glad you're all right! I'm proud of you for leaving James; I knew you could do it! You'll be so much happier without him and without that life you were living. I'm sure your father will come around.
It's hard to explain what Chloe's like. She's just so incredible! On top of being beautiful, she has such a big heart and she's amazing with Jake. She's been through so much by starting a new life. She has so much courage. I'm blessed to have found her after so many years.
To tell you the truth I've been thinking of confessing that I love her. I've loved her since high school. I just don't know how. I don't want to wreck our roommate situation.
Chloe had tears of happiness cascading down her face. Her suspicions had been right. She now knew for sure that she had been talking to Brad this whole time.
She couldn't believe it. What were the chances that he would send her that text message, then they would meet in an elevator, and then she would move in with him, all the while not knowing it was each other on the other end of the emails.
Chloe was filled with a sense of euphoria as she sat there unable to move, but satisfied with staying put.
Brad was an amazing guy and to hear him say things like that filled her heart with warmth. She could now tell Brad with certainty who his mystery friend was. They could be together. Suddenly an idea dawned on her and she began typing.
If you want my advice I would just tell her how you feel. It's better for you and for her if you're honest.
Take her hands in yours and tell her that you don't want to mess up your roommate situation, but you can't help it because you're in love with her. Tell her you want to know if she feels the same. If she does feel the same, kiss her.
You're a great guy and I'm sure she'll be pleased to know how you feel. I just have a feeling she'll feel the same.
Yours Truly.
Chloe hit send and, as if it was planned, Jake began to cry letting her know he was awake. Chloe didn't hesitate to pick him up when she walked in the room. She was much more comfortable holding him after their time together.
All of a sudden there was a knock at the door. Chloe figured it was Brad and he had forgotten his keys, so she carried Jake with her to answer the door.
Unfortunately, the man that stood before her was not Brad. In fact it was one of the people she wanted to see the least: her father.
"Daddy? Wha-How did you find me?" Chloe asked, still in complete shock. Philip Etienne had a very angry expression on his face as he looked from Chloe to Jake.
"Long story short, I tracked you down," Philip explained, quickly.
"I told you to leave me alone," Chloe said bitterly. Philip completely ignored her comment.
"What are you doing with a baby?" Philip asked. He confusedly furrowed his eyebrows at Jake.
"Calm down, I'm babysitting," Chloe replied.
"Babysitting? I thought you didn't like kids," Philip said, confusion turning to anger.
"I didn't think I did either. But I guess I changed my mind after meeting Jake," Chloe explained smiling at Jake, who looked at her when he heard his name. "What are you here for Dad?" Chloe asked, wanting to get to the point of his visit.
"I'm here to bring you back home," Philip said.
"I'm not going anywhere," Chloe stated. She realized her father wasn't leaving anytime soon so she put Jake down. He walked away hurriedly, unsure of who this man was, and began playing with his toys.
"Oh come on Chloe. It's time to stop this little game," Philip spat.
"I'm not playing a game. I'm serious about this. I'm not coming back; I don't belong in that world. I belong here," Chloe explained calmly.
"Why are you doing
this to me Chloe? Can't you come home with me and have kids with James, if looking after a kid is what you want?" Philip suggested. Chloe let out a frustrated breath.
"That's not the extent of this. I want to live a life where I'm free to do what I want, and where I work hard for my money, and where I'm cared about.
I don't want to have kids with James, and that's part of the problem. I never wanted to date him or marry him because he isn't right for me. I was basically forced into this life and marriage and now I'm finally making my own choices," Chloe explained.
"You can't be serious," Philip said in disbelief.
"I am serious. I'm sending James the divorce papers. I've already filled them out," Chloe explained. Philip looked like he was going to blow a fuse. His nostrils were flaring and he was breathing rapidly.
Their moment was interrupted when Brad suddenly showed up in the hallway behind Philip. As soon as Brad arrived, Philip turned his head to glower at him. Brad immediately knew exactly who the man at his door was. Brad swallowed hard when he noticed the death stare he was receiving from none other than Chloe's father. He hadn't changed a bit.
Brad cleared his throat nervously.
"Doctor Etienne. It's so nice to see you again," Brad greeted. He hesitantly held out his hand for Philip to shake. Philip glared at Brad’s outstretched hand and then he just disbelievingly stared at Brad’s face.
With that, Brad awkwardly put his arm back down by his side.
"Don't you dare come here and act like that around me. You ruined my daughter's marriage," Philip hissed with fury. Brad shuddered, looking away from Philip's eyes to the floor in terror. Chloe gasped at her father's vulgar words.
"Leave!" Chloe just about yelled at her father. "How could you treat my friend like that? He let me stay with him. You should be thankful for that."
When Chloe's father didn't say anything, she assumed he would leave soon. So she turned and picked up Jake before angrily storming out of the room. But Philip turned on Brad once more.
We Ended Up Together Page 8