Seal Next Door

by Brooke Noelle

  “Our annual neighborhood barbecue is this Saturday evening,” Erika said, extending a flyer to me. “Please bring Darren. I bet he’d like to play with all the neighborhood kids for a little bit.”

  “We probably won’t—”

  Erika stomped her foot. “Don’t be the Grinch on the block, Jake.” She glared at me, flourishing the flyer. “Just come to the damn thing. Everyone is always nice to you, so it’d be nice to see you there.”

  “Fine,” I said, sighing as I took the flyer. “We’ll be there then.”

  “Great!” she exclaimed in that cheerful voice. “This flyer has two admissions as well. You can bring a date.”

  I sensed the hook for information even though it was subtle. There was no doubt in my mind that Erika wanted to know what was going on between Chloe and me. I folded up the flyer to shove it into my pocket.

  “Just Darren and I will be there,” I replied, and I started to shut the door. “Excuse me. I have to take a shower before picking up my son.”

  “Hold on.” Erika slammed her palm into the door to keep it from closing. “How is everything going between you and Chloe?”

  “Everything is fine.”

  “Just fine? There is something going on between you two. I see it.”

  Erika was the gossip queen among the other women in the neighborhood. I was sure there were rumors flying around, but I didn’t care to indulge in them. I had nothing personal against Erika besides that the woman was just too damn nosey sometimes.

  “Nothing is going on,” I said as calmly as possible. “She babysits Darren for me. I help her out around the house. That’s all that is happening.”

  “Before you wouldn’t let anyone besides Hayley and myself watch Darren,” Erika said, narrowing her eyes at me. “There are a few single women on this street who tried for a long time to get your attention. All of a sudden, you’re comfortable with Chloe. You can’t blame me for being curious.”

  I stared at Erika as she looked at me without batting an eyelash. There was something else that Erika wasn’t saying. I picked up on the protective tones in her voice when she spoke of Chloe.

  “You know about Chloe’s past,” I said. “Don’t you?”

  Erika gave a sharp nod.

  “I’ve been where she’s at,” she said, all cheeriness gone. “She’s vulnerable to getting involved with men who aren’t good for her. She’s so young, and she has her whole life ahead of her.”

  “I agree with what you're saying. That’s why I’m telling you that nothing is going on.”

  “If you’re sure,” Erika said slowly. “Not that I’m implying you aren’t a good man. I just don’t think you two would be a good fit.”

  “You’re the one who set this whole thing up,” I said wryly. “You suggested that she come over and babysit.”

  Erika dropped her gaze guiltily. “I was thinking about Darren at the time. I didn’t think anything else of it.”

  “Right,” I said, rolling my eyes. “You weren’t trying to play matchmaker then?”

  “Of course not.” Erika looked mildly offended at that. “I wouldn’t do something like that, because I know how you feel about that sort of thing from past experiences.”

  A headache pounded in my head. I wanted nothing more than to shut the door, retreat to the shower, and spend some time with Darren to keep myself distracted from the recent turn of events with Chloe.

  “I need a shower, Erika,” I said, not containing my annoyance any longer. “She’s an adult. I’m an adult. If something were going on, it’s none of your business to ask about it.”

  “I’m just looking out for her is all,” Erika said defensively. “I wasn’t trying to pry. I just don’t want to see that girl get hurt more. She’s beautiful and young. Her mother is concerned that she won’t complete college.”

  “And that has to do with me?” I questioned, arching an eyebrow at her. “Chloe is capable of making decision on her own good will. I don’t even understand why you’re here besides to pester me.”

  “I’m not pestering.” She sniffed indelicately. “I’m inviting you to the barbecue. That’s all I’m doing.”

  I rolled my eyes in exasperation. “Thanks for the invitation then. I’ll see you Saturday evening.”

  “I better see you there.”

  A threat dripped off those words, but coming from a petite housewife like Erika made it comical. The only thing she could do was annoy the hell out of me every time we crossed paths. I shut the front door before anything else could be said and headed upstairs for a quick shower. It turned into a steamy one when my mind wandered back to what had happened earlier that morning.

  This was what I had feared. I looked down through the steam at the hardness between my legs. I couldn’t figure out what it was about Chloe that brought me in, but now I couldn’t resist it. I had to have her again.

  I stepped under the cold water to cool my heated body down. It only dulled the desire to an almost painful ache that I couldn’t stand no matter how much I tried to ignore it. It persisted even after I got Darren home, and when I got up from the couch once again, Darren turned to look at me strangely.

  “What is wrong with you, Dad?” he asked. “You keep pausing the game and getting up.”

  “I know,” I said, shrugging the tension out of my shoulders. “I’m sorry, buddy. Why don’t you play alone while I wait for Chloe? She should be here any minute now.”

  “Fine,” Darren said, visibly relieved at that. “I can beat these levels faster without you anyway.”

  He stuck his tongue out before turning around to resume the game. I watched his little fingers work the controller expertly until the front door opened. Chloe stepped inside with a small and bashful smile. My breath caught in my throat at the sight of her in a loose navy romper, her long hair braided loosely. She set her backpack on the ground next to the door.

  “Hi,” she said, tucking an errant piece of hair behind her ear. “Is Darren already sucked into his game?”

  “I got him started early after he came home with an A+ on his test,” I said. “You shouldn’t have a problem with him tonight.”

  Chloe took a step toward me. “I never do,” she murmured. She popped up on her tiptoes to kiss me.

  She tasted of iced tea and sugar when I kissed her back. I didn’t care about anything at that moment besides the softness of Chloe’s lips against mine and how warm her waist felt through the cotton fabric of her romper. We pulled back quickly before things escalated. I still needed to have a talk with Darren.

  “There’s money on the table to order whatever you two want to eat,” I said, reluctantly letting go of her. “I have to get going to work. I’ll try to be back early if I can…”

  Chloe’s lips curved up into a smile when I gave her a heated look.

  “I’ll wait up for you,” she said.

  I kissed Darren on the head good-bye before leaving. What hope I had to get home early, though, faded away the moment I walked into the percent to find SWAT dressed and ready to go.

  “We got a hit on the BigBoy193 you’ve been tracking,” Nicholas informed me, adjusting the strap of his bulletproof vest. “He’s in the general area tonight. We’re going to stake him out until we get a positive hit.”

  I nodded. “I’m coming with all of you.”

  Five hours later, I returned to my cubicle with a relieved sigh. BigBoy193 was a 42-year-old man from Utah with a wife and kids. It never ceased to amaze me how people worked sometimes, how they used trafficking as a way of paying for their family’s needs. I rubbed at the back of my neck while I scrolled through my emails before glancing at the time. By the time I finished the reports, it’d be nearly 5:30 a.m. The prospect of having some alone time with Chloe before I got Darren off to school seemed dim.

  And my body ached horribly thinking of it.

  I paused halfway through filling out the police reports. Luke Hoult. My conversation with Erika replayed in my mind. I typed the name into the system to pull u
p his picture. Pretty boy. That was all I could think about his perfectly styled blond hair, clean-shaven jaw, and sharp blue eyes. He was smirking in the mugshot, as though he thought everything were a joke.

  My blood boiled. I clicked out before I was tempted to read the police report attached to him. They still had an ongoing case, which meant Luke still had court to argue against the domestic violence charges. The court date was in two weeks.

  Rubbing at my face in exhaustion, I realized with a sinking gut that what Erika had said was true. Chloe was vulnerable and in danger at this time. Seeing Luke Hoult’s picture had solidified it all in my mind.

  I had also taken advantage of the situation, whether or not Chloe was aware of it. There was no doubt she was acting out of defiance, and I had caved into the temptation of it all.

  I took the long way back home after clocking out for the morning. I pulled up the driveway right as dawn light spilled into the sky. Darren opened the front door as I walked up the pathway.

  “Morning, Dad!” he said cheerfully. “Chloe made me waffles for breakfast this morning.”

  I forced a smile at that. “Great.” I scanned his combed hair and fresh clothes. “I see you are ready to go to school too.”

  “Yes.” He leaned in to hug me around the legs quickly before peering up at me. “I really like Chloe, Dad. I’ve decided that I like her.”

  “I’m glad that you do, Son,” I said tightly. “Go grab your backpack. We have to get going.”

  Chloe appeared in the hallway with a smile when I closed the front door. She smoothed Darren’s hair fondly when he darted by her to go back upstairs. A frown tugged at her lips when she caught sight of my expression.

  “Are you okay?” she asked timidly. “Was it a bad night, or—”

  “Erika came to talk to me today,” I said, and Chloe’s face immediately tightened into a suspicious scowl. “She mentioned something that I think she’s right about, and I’ve thought about it too.”

  Chloe crossed her arms over her chest. The smell of her shampoo and fresh soap filled the hallway. She gazed at me intently, waiting for me to continue.

  “You’re vulnerable right now with everything that happened to you,” I said. “I thought about it after looking at his court date, which is coming up in two weeks. We—”

  “You looked up Luke?”

  Her sharp question echoed in the hallway. Anger glittered in Chloe’s eyes as she stared at me with an indescribable expression.

  “Yes, I did,” I said. I refused to look away from her. “What happened the other morning shouldn’t have happened.” Tears filled Chloe’s eyes, but I continued. “I’m sorry that I took advantage of the situation. I’m older than you, and I shouldn’t have done it.”

  “I’m not a child,” Chloe said, her voice trembling with emotions. “Not everything is about Luke. I don’t know why people keep making it about him. I refuse to regret anything that I do right now.”

  “That’s my point. You’re being defiant.”

  “Damn straight I am!” she suddenly shouted, wincing when her voice echoed in the hallway. “I am trying to move on with my life. I thought you were moving on with yours, but you’re just being a coward.”

  Indignant anger shot through me. “How am I being a coward?”

  “Because you think you’re being noble about it, but you’re just afraid to get hurt again because of your past too.” She tilted her chin to look me directly in the eye. “Admit it.”

  “That’s not what it is,” I said sharply. “You’re young, Chloe. I’ve already been through a lot in my life. You need to finish college. You need to do fun things again. You can’t be complete coming over here every single night to babysit Darren.”

  “Dad!” Darren yelled from his room. “I can’t find my hat. Can you help me?”

  I started in the direction of the stairs. Chloe stood rooted in the middle of the hallway as I passed by her, clenching my fists to keep myself from reaching out to touch her.

  “I don’t believe you,” she said. “I don’t think you even believe yourself.”

  “You’re probably right about that,” I said, and I turned to look at her. “It still doesn’t change my mind though. What happened yesterday can’t happen again. That’s it.”

  Chloe’s lips thinned into a determined line. “We’ll see about that.”

  She turned on her heel before I could say anything else. The door slammed shut a second later, leaving me alone in the dim light of the morning. I sighed inwardly in dread. I had to give it to Chloe. Despite everything she had been through, she was still determined to prove me wrong, and she probably would.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chloe

  “You slept with him?!”

  I grimaced at my mother’s exclamation through the phone. “Just one time. I just thought—”

  “Chloe Rae Johnson. I raised you better than to run into some strange man’s bed. What were you thinking?”

  “I wasn’t,” I said. “It just happened. Neither one of us planned it out.”

  The smell of mayonnaise hit me hard as I scooped one cup of it into the cooked macaroni salad I planned to take for the barbecue.

  “I didn’t call to talk about this,” I said, stirring the mayonnaise in. “I just wanted a recipe from you is all.”

  “Then why did you tell me about what happened?”

  “I have no idea,” I groaned out. It had clearly been a mistake to confide in my mother about things like this. “I just needed someone to talk to about it.”

  “Well, he does have a point about all of this,” Betty said. “You should be concentrating on finishing your degree rather than babysitting for him. There needs to be a balance in your life.”

  “My life is balanced though. What does everyone want from me?”

  “It’s not what people want from you. It’s what you want from your life. That’s all I’m saying. That’s what everyone is saying to you. You just don’t want to listen.”

  “I am listening though,” I said, running a hand through my hair in aggravation. “No one is listening to me. That’s the problem.”

  “You’re so much like your father, honey, stubborn and proud.”

  I glanced up at the clock above the kitchen door. “One of our many happy qualities, I guess. I have to go, Mom. The barbecue starts in a few minutes.”

  “Whatever you do—”

  I hit the end button before she could finish her sentence: don’t sleep with him again. I wrapped the salad with a piece of cellophane. A part of me readily agreed with that. It wouldn’t be healthy to have it happen again. While I knew Jake would never physically hurt me, I could sense the emotional scars in him. He was warm one second and cold the next. He didn’t know what he wanted, and I didn’t blame him. There was also Darren to think about, who was already confused enough about what had happened. It was too damn complicated to even think about, but I couldn’t help it.

  That morning played teasingly in the back of my mind more than I wanted. I craved Jake’s touch again, but he was right. I needed to do something to balance out my life besides watching Darren every night.

  After slipping my feet into a pair of flip-flops, I slipped out of the house to head out through the hot evening to Erika’s house. Cars were parked in front of the sidewalk, and the sound of laughter reached my ears as I ventured up the driveway. I went to the fence gate that Erika had told me to come through earlier when she’d handed me the flyer.

  Laughter and the sizzle of hamburgers reached my ears when I came around to the backyard. My eyes immediately landed on Darren as he played happily on a swing set with Julie and a few other kids from the neighborhood. I swept my gaze along the back patio, which had hundreds of flowerpots covering it, to where Jake stood talking with a group of men, a beer in one hand. He looked extremely uncomfortable.

  My heart raced when his gaze caught mine briefly before he looked away.

  “There you are!” Erika called out from the kitchen window. She
motioned for me to come inside. “Bring that delicious-looking salad. We’ll put it in the fridge while the men finish up with the burgers and hot dogs.”

  Erika’s kitchen was spacious but filled to the brim with various trinkets, jars, and plants. She took a hold of the salad with a smile before managing to make space in the fridge.

  “I’m so glad you came,” she said. She turned to look at the group of women standing in her kitchen with wine glasses in hand. “Ladies, this is Chloe Johnson. She lives right next to Jake Mason.”

  Their eyes swept up me critically. I tensed under their stares, but Erika kept an assuring hand on my shoulder.

  “You look so young,” one of them said. “I’m Carla. I live right next to Erika and her husband.”

  “She’s not that young,” Erika said. “Although she is compared to us older ladies. This is Natalie and Sally. They live a little farther down the street.”

  “I’m surprised that Jake is even here,” Natalie said, sipping daintily at her wine. “How did you manage that, Erika?”

  Erika picked up a wine glass from the kitchen island and, ignoring my protests, poured a hearty glass of sweet wine. “A little persuasion is all.” She winked at them mischievously. “There is a gentleman underneath all that hostility of his.”

  “I haven’t seen it yet,” Sally said.

  “Neither have I,” Natalie added, and she gave me a long look. “The only person he lets into that house is you, Chloe.”

  I gathered from the tinge of jealousy in Natalie’s eyes that she was one of the women in the neighborhood who craved Jake’s affections. Sipping at the sweet wine, I briefly contemplated what their reactions would be if I told them I had ended up in Jake’s bed, and he was good at it too. It wasn’t just our hopeful imaginations that he was good in bed. He actually was.

  Too good at it. I took another sip of wine while trying to keep my expression as clear as possible.

  “He’s a jerk to me too,” I said. “So, there really isn’t anything different about it.”

  Natalie’s eyes narrowed slightly. She really was a pretty woman in her mid-thirties, more around Jake’s age, and she had brunette curls and tanned skin.