Just One Moment

by Dena Blake

  “I doubt that. She’s very capable of mingling on her own.”

  “Well, if she isn’t, she should be by now. She’s on her fourth glass of wine and ready for you to take her home.” He arched an eyebrow. “Isn’t that the way you like your women, plied with alcohol and uninhibited?”

  Jackson knew how Erica had seduced Chloe the first time. Chloe’s anger and too much alcohol had pushed her into bed with Erica. The guilt had overwhelmed her, and she’d gone to his house the next day and told him and Whitney everything, crying through the whole sordid story. Everything she’d discovered about Shay and Lila had made her incredibly vulnerable, and all it had taken was a few margaritas to send her crashing over the edge. And crash she had, right into Erica’s bed. She’d sworn she would never go there again, but she was weak and had ended up there again the following week. Erica had taken full advantage of the situation, and soon there’d been no coming back from it.

  Erica’s eyes narrowed. “Fuck you.”

  “Au contraire.” Jackson’s eyebrows rose. “Fuck her.”

  Erica took in a breath and focused on Chloe. “You know I’m not going to fuck her, right?”

  “You brought her here for me to see. I don’t know what you’re going to do with her.” Nor did she care.

  The muscle in Erica’s cheek quivered as her face tightened, and she flattened her lips. “We’ll talk about this later.”

  Chloe shook her head. “No. I don’t think we should talk. Clearly, you need attention that I can’t give you right now, and I don’t want to upset Shay.”

  “Clearly, Shay is more important to you than me.” Erica looked shaken.

  “I’m not having this argument again. Not here. Not now. Just go home, Erica.”

  Erica opened her mouth as though she intended to say something and then snapped it shut. She went to the door, yanked it open, and headed inside.

  “Don’t forget your date,” Jackson sang after Erica as the door closed behind her.

  Chloe slapped him on the shoulder. “Stop. She’ll never leave if you keep that up.”

  “She may never leave you alone anyway.”

  Chloe wasn’t even sure she wanted Erica to stay away. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m in this state of indecision all the time now. I saw Erica tonight with Barb, and it bothered me. I hate to admit it, but I was jealous.” She spoke to the wind as she paced, unable to look at Jackson. “Then I think of Shay with Lila doing the intimate things we used to do, and it makes me sick to my stomach. Visions of Shay holding her hand and whispering in her ear pummel my mind, and I feel like I’ve been gut-punched. Then my mind wanders to Shay, and I think about doing those same things to her—Shay doing them to me as well, and my body reacts in ways it never has with anyone else.” She didn’t tell him about what had happened at home before they got to the gallery tonight. “How did I lose that? Why did I even think of looking elsewhere? What the fuck is wrong with me, Jackson?”

  “Nothing.” He stepped in front of her, touched her chin with his fingers, and forced eye contact. “Absolutely nothing. You’re human and want to be desired. Erica is hot. Even I have to admit that. But Shay.” He shook his head. “Shay is hot, smart, and ridiculously unpretentious. I always thought Shay was your perfect match.”

  “She is my perfect match.” She held her hands out in front of her. “I just let something unimportant get in the way and forgot that fact.”

  “I wouldn’t call it unimportant. Another woman was involved. You should’ve communicated with Shay about it, not Erica. She purposely caught you at a weak moment, stole you away before you had a chance to deal with the situation you’d been put in.”

  “Before I even realized what was happening. I fell right into it.”

  “You’ve learned that lesson the hard way.”

  She nodded. “The hardest lesson ever.”

  “She’s not going away, you know. It may get worse because her plan to make you jealous backfired, and she knows it.” He put his arm around her shoulder and squeezed. “Erica’s the kind of woman who likes to be the one who walks away, not vice versa.”

  “I can handle her as long as she stays away from Shay.”

  The frown on Jackson’s face made it clear he didn’t think she could. “I’ll run interference whenever I can.”

  It was entirely possible that Erica had already told Shay everything in the few minutes she’d been inside without her. All Chloe could do was hope she had a sliver of compassion in her heart for them both. Dreading what she might encounter when she got back inside, she moved toward the door.

  Jackson took her hand and pulled her in the opposite direction. “Let’s walk around front. You don’t want to go in after Erica, do you?”

  She shook her head. “No. You’re so smart, Jackson. How did I ever get so lucky to have you as my brother?”

  “You were in the top three when I chose. I took a chance.” He flashed his perfectly white teeth and laughed.

  He wasn’t only her brother, but also her mentor, confidant, and best friend. She would be forever in his debt for all the times he’d saved her from herself—before and after she’d met Shay.

  * * *

  When Shay had slid Chloe’s wedding ring onto her finger, their wedding day had flashed in her mind and her heart had felt heavy instead of warm and contented, like she usually felt with Chloe. She would have to overcome the guilt she had no memory of. She’d taken a deep breath, ignored it, and when Chloe kissed her the second time, she’d made it clear that she wasn’t done with her, not completely. Everything had faded away at that point. She’d wanted so much more and had intended to take it, but Chloe had put on the brakes, and she hadn’t pressed for more. Chloe had to choose when the intimacy progressed between them. It had to be that way.

  She’d watched her from across the gallery as Chloe laughed and mingled with the guests. The chunky, multicolored, handmade necklace Chloe had chosen to wear with the mint-green, sleeveless, flowing dress set off the outfit perfectly. Her tanned legs and arms were glorious against the color. Chloe was still the most gorgeous creature she’d ever seen. It was a miracle she’d even married her in the first place.

  She wasn’t particularly fond of the gallery events, and after Chloe had left her on the bed earlier, she hadn’t wanted to go at all. Staying home and wallowing in self-pity seemed so much more appealing than dealing with a bunch of strangers. But, irritated or not, she had to remain close to Chloe if she wanted to have any chance of winning her back. She intended to do everything in her power to make her fall in love with her again.

  The night had dragged on longer than Shay had thought it would. Chloe had actively avoided eye contact with her for most of the night until Erica arrived with her date. The look she’d seen in her eyes wasn’t clear. Panic, fear, maybe. She didn’t know, but whatever it was, something told her Chloe needed her. So she’d sucked up her pride, gone to her, and slipped her arm around her waist. Shay was pleasantly surprised when Chloe had done the same. She was still hers, at least for the time being.

  Once Erica and Barb had left them alone, they’d exchanged a few words. She seemed to enjoy herself for a while after that, and then she’d seen her go out the back door with Erica. She didn’t follow. They would have to work out whatever they needed to without her, whether it was business or personal.

  Chloe’s mood had changed again when she’d returned with Jackson. She was guarded, almost defensive. What had happened to prompt the change? She was afraid to ask. When Chloe had introduced her to Erica and Barb, she felt friction between them. Not with Barb, but definitely with Erica. She recalled seeing her at these events before the accident. Then she felt a headache start, and she’d tossed back a couple of glasses of wine to hold it at bay. She didn’t dare go home early. Something was very familiar about Erica, and it had made her uncomfortable. She wasn’t about to leave Chloe alone at the gallery while Erica was still there.

  Conversation had been sparse on the way home. It w
asn’t until they’d gone into the house that she decided to ask, “What happened to you tonight?”

  “What do you mean?” Chloe seemed distracted. “Nothing happened.”

  “You were gone for quite a while.”

  “Sorry. I was getting claustrophobic with all the people in the gallery. I went out back with Jackson for some air.”

  A half-truth. She’d seen her head out the back door with Erica, and then Jackson had followed soon after. Why hadn’t she mentioned Erica?

  “Your friend Erica seems nice.” She tossed her sweater onto the couch. “I didn’t get to talk to her much, but Barb and I visited quite a bit.”

  Chloe stopped in the bedroom doorway momentarily. “That’s nice. What did you talk about?”

  “Lots of things. Her, me, you, Erica. She was very engaging. Not sure why Erica left her all alone most of the night.” Shay sat on the edge of the bed and slipped off her shoes. “She said Erica seems to be a huge fan of yours. She has several of your works in her house.” She’d also noticed that from the receipts but hadn’t asked Chloe about it yet.

  “She’s been to her house?”

  “They’re dating, so I would say yes.”

  “Right.” Chloe’s voice weakened. “That makes sense.” She took in a breath. “Well, I’m glad someone likes my art.”

  “Have you known her long? She seems to be a good customer.” She pulled her dress over her head and put on a T-shirt. “While I was getting the books organized, I noticed that she’s purchased quite a few of your paintings.”

  Chloe looked away quickly and rushed into the bathroom. “She’s a very good customer. Sometimes keeping her happy is more work than the sale’s worth.” When she came out, she was dressed for bed. “I’m kind of tired. Can we talk about this another time?” She slid under the sheets, rolled onto her side, and faced the wall.

  “Yeah, sure.” Shay stared at the ceiling. Sleep wouldn’t come right away. Something wasn’t right about tonight. She didn’t like Erica’s involvement with Chloe, and something in her head told her she knew why. Yet it was lost somewhere in her foggy brain. She wanted to be held, needed to be held, but she wouldn’t ask. Not while another woman was on Chloe’s mind.

  Chapter Twenty

  Chloe had left the beach house before sunup this morning. She’d left a note for Shay on the counter telling her she’d gone to paint the sunrise from one of the rooftops in Tampa. Avoiding sex had become her first priority now. The fact that Shay wanted to make love with her was weighing heavily on her mind. It was becoming much easier for her to go back to a place before they’d split up. But Shay hadn’t even come close to her in bed last night, and she had an idea why. She wasn’t sure if Shay had noticed the tension between her and Erica, but it was obvious to anyone who knew them. Jackson had seen it right away.

  When she walked into their apartment in downtown Tampa, it was like walking into a past life. Shay hadn’t removed any of her paintings from the walls, and she hadn’t put the pictures of them into a box as Chloe had done. Everything in the apartment had remained undisturbed, exactly the same as when she’d first moved to the beach house alone.

  She went into the bedroom, searched the closet, and found the remaining months of Shay’s journals on the upper shelf. There weren’t nearly as many here as at the beach house, which contained her thoughts from years past. Was she prepared to read any of them? She took the first one from the stack. This would be the last before Shay’s accident, and she already knew Shay had come to the beach house to ask her to reconsider the separation. She dropped it back on top and slid the bottom journal from the stack. She knew how it ended. Now she wanted to know what went wrong between them.

  A miserable discovery.

  I got off work early tonight and went by the gallery to see Chloe. The door was locked, and the sign that hung in the window said Closed. I knocked, but no one was inside. Chloe’s Tahoe was there, but she wasn’t answering her phone, so I walked down the block to the restaurant across the street where we’d become regulars while we were getting the gallery ready to open. I saw her through the window from across the street, laughing and smiling with the beautiful blonde who’d been at all the gallery events since it opened. I didn’t go in. I couldn’t. I didn’t want to believe Lila when she’d told me she’d seen them together. But she was right. While I was working all the extra hours to save enough money to buy the beach house, Chloe had been seeing another woman. How blind could I be?

  The more she read, the more she realized how it had all happened. She let the journal fall to her chest. “Fuck me.” When had the universe started working against her so relentlessly? She’d made so many mistakes in her younger days—drugs, alcohol, too many women. She’d dealt with her struggles in life, hadn’t she? That was all before Shay. She hadn’t even thought of another woman since she’d come into her life.

  Everything had spiraled out of control so quickly. If Shay had only talked to her, they wouldn’t be in this mess. She’d been so jealous of the attention Chloe had been getting from Erica, innocent attention that an admirer gives an artist. But she hadn’t been able to convince Shay it was all purely business on Chloe’s part. When Chloe had found the text messages to Lila on Shay’s laptop, she’d been so hurt. When she’d found the two of them together, the hurt had morphed into an anger she couldn’t control.

  Erica had been there for her, and she’d taken advantage of the situation. She’d woken up the next morning in Erica’s bed and knew there was no going back. Her life had been forever changed at that point. Looking back, Erica had never been innocent, and she’d made sure Shay knew that. The messages, the looks, every one of her actions made it seem as though they were having an affair. God, she was so naive.

  “Damn her for not trusting me.” She shot up in bed and threw the journal across the room. “Damn me for not paying attention.”

  She took out her phone from her bag and hit Jackson’s number. It was early, but she knew he’d be awake. He answered right away. “I need to show you something. Can we meet?”

  “Do you mean, good morning, Jackson. Can I buy you breakfast at that new little restaurant by your apartment?”

  She smiled. “Yes. That’s exactly what I mean.” Jackson always had a way of lightening her mood.

  “Oh, good. The reviews have been awesome, and I’ve heard the food is divine.”

  “Where is this new place where the food is so spectacular?” she asked.

  “Just a couple blocks down on the corner, between our complexes. Are you coming from the beach?”

  “No. I’m at the apartment. I’ll see you in ten.” Chloe knew exactly where the restaurant was. She’d noticed the diner-style place on the corner several times before she’d moved to the beach. When it first opened, she’d thought she and Shay would be spending a lot of time there. Chloe wasn’t a bad cook, but neither of them had much spare time to spend in the kitchen. As it worked out, they hadn’t had the opportunity to try it before Chloe had moved permanently to the beach.

  People were waiting in front of the restaurant when she arrived, but she didn’t see Jackson. She went inside to put her name on the list, and the hostess directed her to where he was already seated. “You must have just beaten the crowd,” she said as she slid into the chair across from him.

  “No. We have connections. We eat here a lot.” He looked across the restaurant and waved. Whitney was coming in the front door. “I hope you don’t mind. She’s hungry.”

  “No. Of course not.” She stood and gave Whitney a hug. “Why are you wearing a hoodie? Aren’t you hot?”

  Whitney slid into the chair next to Jackson. “You dragged me out of bed. I’m still in my pajamas.”

  The table rattled as Jackson slapped his hands to it. “Before you show me whatever it is you need to show me, we have some news.”

  “Oh?” He was smiling, so it looked like good news.

  He pointed to Whitney, who unzipped her hoodie and gave her a flash of the T-shirt und
erneath, then smiled widely.

  Chloe caught only a glimpse but thought the shirt said Tacos for two, please. “Wait. What?” Does that say what I think it does?” She sprang from her chair, reached across the table, and pulled Whitney’s hoodie open. She read the shirt again and saw two baby feet on the bottom. “Oh my God. You’re pregnant?”

  Whitney nodded eagerly.

  She squealed, rounded the table, and hugged Whitney again. “I’m so excited for you two.” After rubbing Whitney’s belly a few times, she went back to her chair and sat, but she couldn’t stop grinning. This was the best news she’d heard all year.

  “Where’s my favorite-aunt shirt?”

  “Don’t feel bad. I didn’t get one either.” Jackson pointed to his plain blue T-shirt.

  “When are you due?”

  “January fifth. I’m already in my second trimester. We didn’t want to say anything just in case.”

  Chloe understood their reasons. Whitney had been pregnant twice before and had miscarried early each time. “Wow, you’ve been hiding it well. I can’t believe I didn’t notice.”

  “Morning sickness was a bitch.” Jackson twisted his face into a grimace, and he hooked his thumb toward Whitney. “She actually lost weight.” He picked up the menu and perused it. “But now she’s eating like a horse.”

  Whitney slapped him on the shoulder. “I am going to get so fat, and you’re gonna love it.”

  “You bet I am.” He put his arm around her and kissed her.

  They were both beaming like they’d just won the lottery, and it seemed as though they had. They’d been ready to start a family for some time now, and it was finally happening. What she wouldn’t give to be that happy again. She decided to leave the journal in her bag. Today was not the day to talk about her problems. It was a day to celebrate new life and having the opportunity to be the best aunt ever.

  Chapter Twenty-One