by Creator
She eyed her small sack, the drawer, and finally looked at Michael. “I somehow don’t think my
worldly possessions will take up enough space to warrant having a whole drawer to myself.”
Michael’s throat constricted. He knew she was only being flip to hide her pain. He couldn’t imagine how she had felt seeing her stuff out on the street, knowing she didn’t have a place to live any longer. “Just take the damn drawer, Chloe. We’ll discuss your belongings, or lack thereof, in the morning.”
Chloe nodded and emptied her sack into the drawer. She’d only managed to snag two changes of clothes, some clean bras and panties, and one or two knick knacks that had been special to her.
Michael noticed she didn’t have a nightgown in the drawer and pulled out an extra-large tee for her to sleep in; tossing it on the bed he turned to face her, “Do you need anything else tonight?”
Chloe shook her head. “I’m fine.” Michael turned to go, but her voice stopped him. “Michael, I just wanted to say thank you. You didn’t have to let me sleep here tonight.”
“Yes, I did, Chloe, but you’re welcome just the same.” Michael left, closing the door behind him, leaving Chloe to her thoughts.
She sank onto the edge of the bed and looked around the room. It wasn’t overly large, but it was big enough to hold the queen-size bed, a dresser, and a nightstand. There weren’t any decorations, pictures, or much of anything making the room Michael’s. Without the personal touches, it didn’t look lived in; more like it was a resting place. Knowing Michael and his proclivity for sleeping around, it probably was just a resting place.
Chloe picked up the t-shirt and held it to her face, breathing in Michael’s scent. Closing her eyes, she remembered their brief time together. Before she could stop it, a tear slid down her cheek. She'd thought that Michael was different, that they had something special together. Instead, he had turned out to be like every other guy she’d dated--only after her body and not her heart. Well, whether he had wanted it or not, Chloe had given her heart to Michael. She just hoped he didn’t realize it while she was staying here. He’d already broken it once, and Chloe wasn’t sure it could take too much abuse. Loving Michael was dangerous.
Sliding off the edge of the bed, she walked into the hall and into the bathroom. A shower was just the thing before turning in for the night. While it was still early, she’d had a long day and hadn’t managed to get in a nap. Her ever changing body required more sleep than she had been getting and she could barely hold her eyes open.
In the living room, Michael sank onto the sofa. Burying his hands in his hair, he tried to absorb the fact that he was going to be a father. He hadn’t planned on settling down anytime soon. While
he had known that Chloe was special, he hadn’t been ready to face a forever kind of relationship, so of course he’d bailed on her. Looking back, he wished that he had called her at least once. Maybe he would have known about the baby, known that she needed him.
He heard the water turn on and looked down the hall. Clenching his fists, he forced himself to remain where he was. Knowing that Chloe was getting in the shower, he wanted nothing more than to go to her. Her body had been beautiful the last time he’d seen it; petite with just the right amount of curves. Now it was growing with his child and he wanted to share in the marvel, but knew that she would freak out if he were to walk in there right now. Chloe needed time, a lot of time, before he could be a part of her life. And Michael realized that he wanted precisely that.
Leaning back against the sofa cushions, he dropped his head back and closed his eyes. He’d call Matt’s wife Cassie and see if she had any maternity clothes that might fit Chloe until he could take her shopping. Maybe it would be the peace offering he needed to crack the hard shell Chloe had built around herself, effectively blocking him from her heart.
Chapter Three
The next day Chloe woke with a start. Looking around the room, everything was unfamiliar to her. As she pushed herself into a sitting position, she remembered where she was – Michael’s house.
Pushing the covers aside, she got out of bed and walked over to the dresser. She opened the drawer and pulled out one of her remaining clean outfits. Quickly putting on the knit top and jeans, she went into the bathroom to brush her hair and teeth.
Chloe took a breath, steeling her nerves; she was uncertain of what she would find when she opened the door and walked down the hall. Reaching for the knob, she hesitantly turned it, pulling the door open one inch at a time.
As she peered into the hallway, she realized the house seemed quiet – a little too quiet. With a frown, she crept into the hall. Both of the other bedroom doors were closed so she wasn’t sure if Michael was asleep or not. Venturing down the hall, she stepped into the living room. No sign of him.
Just as she started to relax, she heard a key in the lock of the front door. Shoulders tense, she faced the door and waited. When the door opened, she saw Michael, and her breath caught in her throat. His dark hair was windblown; his blue t-shirt clung to his muscular chest and upper arms. Chloe let her eyes travel down his denim clad legs to the worn black boots on his feet. Her eyes snapped back to his face just as he stepped into the house.
“I thought you were at work,” she said, hoping her voice didn’t give away her thoughts.
Michael looked at her over the top of his sunglasses. “I have the day off.”
Chloe noticed the paper shopping bag in his hand. “You went shopping awfully early.”
“Actually, I went to see some friends. Cassie was cleaning some stuff out for a garage sale and thought you might be able to use these,” he said, handing the bag to her.
Chloe took the bag from him and peered inside. She bit her lip when she saw the clothes. Tears clogged her throat. Why was he being so nice to her? He was making it really hard to stay mad at him.
“Thank you,” she said huskily.
Michael noticed that her eyes looked a little teary. “Are you okay, Chloe?”
She fought back her tears, wishing he hadn’t seen them. “I’m fine. It’s just pregnancy hormones.”
Michael looked at her, skeptical.
He motioned toward the sofa, “Chloe, sit with me a minute?”
She eyed him, not sure if she should accept or escape to her room. Michael’s room, she corrected herself. Sitting on the edge of the cushion, she watched as he sat beside her. Michael turned toward Chloe and reached for her hand. She wanted to jerk out of his grasp, but he held tight.
“Chloe, if we’re going to be staying together, even for a short time, I think we need to talk. I’m sorry for the way I acted, the way I disappeared.”
Chloe shook her head. “You don’t owe me an explanation, Michael. You told me before that you weren’t looking for a serious relationship. I just didn’t listen.”
Michael visibly swallowed. “Chloe, I may not have been looking for a permanent relationship, but if I were going to have one, it would be with you.”
Chloe turned her face away. “Why are you doing this to me, Michael?”
“Doing what?”
She took a breath to steel her nerves before facing him again. “Why are you saying these things? If you feel guilty, you shouldn’t.”
“It isn’t that. Please, Chloe, just listen to me.”
Chloe shook her head. “I don’t know if I should.”
Michael gently reached up and caressed her cheek. “If I could go back and change everything, I would have called you the next morning. I would have been by your side this whole time.”
“Then why didn’t you? Why did you leave and not call?” Chloe asked her voice breaking as she fought to hold back her tears. It wasn’t fair that he was saying everything right, now that it was too late. Or was it?
“Because I was afraid,” he admitted.
“Afraid? What on earth do you have to be afraid of?” she asked, incredulous.
“Of you, of the way you make me feel. Before I met you, I'd always been happy w
ith one night stands. It’s all I’d wanted. But then I met you, and I couldn’t seem to get enough of you.”
“Michael…” she interrupted.
“Shh. Let me finish. Chloe, I didn’t call you because I was terrified of how you made me feel, of the things you made me want. For the first time in my life, I actually wanted a steady girlfriend. I wanted you."
Chloe swallowed and looked down at her feet. She didn’t know what to say or what to think. He was telling her that he wanted her, but hadn’t mentioned love. Was it too much to ask for love
in a relationship? Or should she think about the baby? For that matter, was he really telling her he wanted a relationship with her? Just because he regretted what had happened between them, didn’t mean that he was ready to take that step yet. She could be reading into the situation.
“Say something, Chloe,” he implored.
“I don’t know what to say, Michael.”
“Say that you can forgive me, that you can give me another chance,” he answered.
Chloe shook her head and stood. “I don’t know that I can give you another chance, Michael. But, if it helps, I do forgive you.”
“Chloe…”
She held up her hand. “No, please don’t say anything else. I need some time to myself.”
Michael nodded. “There’s a gate in the backyard that leads to a park if you’d like to go for a walk.”
“Thank you,” she said, heading for the back door, trying to hang on to her dignity. If she stayed another moment, she knew she would throw herself into his arms.
Michael stayed on the couch and hung his head.
Chapter Four
Chloe escaped through the back door and into the yard. Walking briskly toward the back fence, she opened the gate and stepped into the park. Breathing in the morning air, she tried to steady her nerves.
Everything Michael had said had meant more to her than she would ever let him know. If only he'd figured it out before he stopped calling her. Now it was too late, the damage had been done.
Wrapping her arms around herself, she started down the path. As she walked through the wooded park, she thought about her life over the past five months.
Within a few weeks of Michael leaving her, Chloe had found out she was pregnant. She'd been terrified, but knew that she would keep the baby. She had continued on with her life just as she always had; she got up and went to work, kept her apartment clean, and did her grocery shopping. Then she’d lost her job. She hadn’t been too worried. She had money in savings and felt sure she would have a job in no time.
But two missed payments later, the bank got the car. And her savings, which she'd devoted to rent, had dwindled fast with no job in sight. Now she had nothing.
Feeling as if she couldn’t sink any lower, she had sought out Michael, in hopes of… well, she honestly didn’t know what she had hoped for. She certainly hadn’t counted on moving in with him.
Could her life possibly get more complicated? Living with Michael wasn’t easy, but she had known it wouldn’t be. She’d only been in his house for one night and already she felt the need to escape. Being in the same room with him was hard. She’d trusted him, and he’d broken her heart. And yet she still desired him. If he’d put his arms around her, she'd have been lost, unable to say no to him.
Spotting a park bench, Chloe sat down.
She wasn’t sure what she wanted from Michael. Maybe if she figured that out, she could find some peace. What she really wanted she knew she couldn’t have – his heart and his love. Being with Michael was unlike anything she’d ever experienced. She’d felt as if she belonged with him, had felt as if he was “the one.” Then he'd proven himself to be like every other jerk she had dated. Well, maybe not as much of a jerk as Atwood had been. The man had pretty much told her he was just using her for sex. She’d dumped him the next day.
Chloe heard a rustling noise to her right and turned toward the sound, thinking it was just a squirrel or bird. Instead, she saw Michael walking toward her.
“Mind if I join you?” he asked.
Chloe shrugged. Part of her wanted to scream no and the other part wanted to say yes. She hated feeling conflicted. Most of all, she hated that she wanted him. By all rights, she should never want to see or speak to him again. Instead she found herself wanting to make love to him as she had five months ago.
“Chloe, I want to ask a favor of you.”
“What kind of favor?” she asked.
“I want you to give me another chance. I know that I can be a good father and that I can be someone you could depend on. Please let me prove that to you,” he implored.
She shook her head. “I can’t just forget what happened, Michael. We already discussed this at the house.”
“I’m not asking you to forget. I’m simply asking if we can try to move on from that point to rebuild whatever relationship we had,” he said. “I know I screwed up and I’m sorry.”
“You said you left because you wanted to stay,” she reminded him, a perplexed look on her face.
Michael rubbed the back of his neck. “I know it sounds crazy, but it’s the truth. I felt myself being drawn to you, wanting to be with you all the time. I did the first thing that came to mind, I ran. It wasn’t the best decision I’ve ever made, but I can’t change it, either.”
Chloe eyed him thoughtfully. “If I give you another chance, you have to start from square one.”
“I don’t mind starting over.”
She chewed on her lip, a nervous habit, and then nodded. “Okay, you can have another chance. But the first time you screw up again, it’s over.”
“I won’t screw up this time,” he promised.
Chloe rubbed her stomach. “Could we possibly start over by getting some breakfast?”
Michael laughed and held his hand out to her. “Breakfast sounds good.”
***
Once they were seated at the Waffle House, Michael tried to think of ways to help Chloe with her other problem – getting a job. Kiera was already helping out at the garage so they didn’t need anyone to assist with office work. Marin worked with Cole at Sabin Bio-Med. So what did that leave for Chloe?
Michael picked up his menu, but immediately put it back down when his phone rang.
“Hello,” he answered, recognizing Matt Spencer’s cell phone number on the display.
“Michael, I need help,” Matt replied.
“What’s up? Everything okay with Cassie and the kids?” Michael asked, immediately concerned. Matt never asked for help.
“No, it’s nothing like that. Cass and the kids are great. I actually need help with the house rentals,” he answered.
“What about them?” Michael asked.
“I guess I have my fingers in too many pies these days. I have six rental homes and about a dozen more for lease or sale.” Matt blew out a breath. “I don’t have time to keep up with it all. I’m opening a small office on Apple Wood Drive and need someone to man the desk.”
Michael perked up. “What are the days and hours?”
“Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from ten o’clock to two o’clock. Cassie wants to help on Fridays and Saturdays. I’m going to close the office on Sundays and Mondays,” Matt responded. “Do you know of anyone that might want the job? It pays ten dollars an hour.”
Michael rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. “I may know of someone as at least a temporary fix. Give me an hour and I’ll call you back.”
“Sounds good. Thanks, Michael!” Matt said before hanging up.
Michael put his phone back in his pocket. Chloe was perusing the menu, but he knew she was curious about his phone call.
“That was a friend of mine. It seems he’s opening a real estate or property management office. I’m honestly not sure which or what the difference really is, but the point is that he needs someone four hours a day three days a week,” Michael said.
Chloe perked up. “Really?”
“It only pays ten dollars an hour and won’t
have benefits, but it would give you a way to start saving money,” he answered.
Chloe bit her lip.
Michael could tell she was interested, but was holding back. “What’s wrong, Chloe? If you aren’t interested, that’s fine. I’ll just tell Matt that my lead didn’t work out.”
“It isn’t that I’m not interested. It’s just… I need insurance, especially with the baby on the way,” Chloe answered.
Michael finally saw his opening, a way to convince Chloe to marry him. “You know, I have health insurance through work. Gabriel and I picked up a health plan right after he and Kiera got
married. If you married me, you’d be covered, too.”
Chloe choked on her water. “Excuse me? Did you just ask me to marry you?”
“Yeah, I guess I did,” Michael replied, aware that the proposal was a bit lacking, but hoping she would take him up on the offer.
“What happened to taking it slow? To starting over?” she asked, panicked. Marriage to Michael… she wasn’t sure she could handle it, wasn’t sure it was what she wanted.
“I still want to do all of that, but… Well, I just thought it might solve your insurance problem and allow you to take the job. Working part-time probably isn’t such a bad idea while you’re pregnant,” he replied.
“I don’t know if anyone has ever received a marriage proposal for health insurance before,” she commented.
Michael had the grace to blush. “I told you before that I had feelings for you and was drawn to you. It wasn’t just because of the insurance.”
Chloe tilted her head and observed him. He looked like he meant what he said, but could she trust him? What would happen if he decided he didn’t want a wife and baby? What if he wanted his old life back? More importantly, could she live without love? Could she make a marriage work just based off lust and an unplanned pregnancy?