13
FRANCO
I knew lettingher go would be a mistake.
But I did nothing to stop her because I’m an idiot and somehow convinced myself she needed space.
I’ve parked my truck outside Latterature, but it’s early. Way too early. It looks like I’m here before Chloe, and anxiety spikes through my chest. I’m worried, first and foremost, because after she left in such a rush yesterday, I didn’t hear from her. Not a call, not a text. Not a damn word.
I rake a hand through my hair and check my phone for the millionth time. I hardly slept a wink last night, wondering if she’d made it home safe. If her place was okay. If she was able to sleep. If she missed being with me.
We’d talked plenty about her going back to Ann’s to pay the rent in the days before it was due. What we never talked about was what it all meant. What we’d do after she bought herself another month in Ann’s place.
Ann’s place. Yeah, I say that because it doesn’t feel right calling it Chloe’s place. The last couple weeks, I’ve been acting as though Chloe’s place is with me.
But is it?
I’ve got to admit, something in me panicked and shut down hard when my ma showed up yesterday.
She absolutely knows I’ve been with Chloe. There’s no way shecan’tknow. And although we’ve kept things cool around my family, bringing Chloe to two family dinners… That was a first. A first that I assured myself was fine, didn’t mean anything. But when Ma showed up, acting like she did, I started freaking out. And my level of freak-out boiled over like a pot filled to the top with water when Ma told me why she’d dropped in yesterday.
As usual, I hadn’t been answering my phone—becausesex—so Ma stopped by my place yesterday to seeChloe, not me.
I see the lights go on in the shop, so I get out of the truck and jog up to the store. I knock lightly on the door. I see soft shadows under Chloe’s eyes when she looks up at me. She looks like she got as little sleep as I did, but she smiles at me as she unlocks the door and lets me in.
“Hey,” I say softly, wanting nothing more than to touch her.
Her face falls completely as she peers over my shoulder.
“Hey, asshole.” Vito claps me on the back as he walks up behind me. “Chloe.” His voice is so sweet when he says her name. “This is Evan.”
She smiles at them both, her eyes never meeting mine. “You’re right on time. Thanks for coming,” Chloe replies as they get closer.
Right away, Evan gives Chloe a look that makes me want to tear the eyes from his head.
Breathe, Franco.
Chloe asks Evan if they need her for anything because she’d like to go into the kitchen and make us all coffee and some breakfast. She writes down the Wi-Fi password and network name she’d like to use, and my brother gets to work setting up her new router.
Within a few hours, she’ll have wireless internet for the store, a tablet for ringing up customers, and a basic security system.
She’ll be all set.
She won’t need me.
Not anymore.
I wander the stacks while Evan and Vito look at the wiring and drill mounts for the camera heads into the walls and ceiling. Honestly, I don’t even know why I’m here. I’m useless at electronic shit.
And other than supervising to make sure my shithead brother and his friend do what, technically, I’m paying them to do, there’s no point in me being here.
It’s Sunday, and we’re all going to Ma’s for dinner in a couple hours. I may as well go home, go for a run. Go work out in the garage. I could go anywhere, but here is the only place I want to be.
I pull a book from the shelves and drop into one of the old chairs to skim through it. The words swim in front of my eyes. All I can think about is Chloe. I hear her voice as she chats with Vito and Evan, answering their questions. I’m lost in thought when I feel her hand on my shoulder.
“I made you a coffee.” She is smiling at me, no judgment in her voice at all, but the sadness on her face makes me sure she’s as confused or hurting as I am.
“Are you charging those assholes for their drinks?” I take the coffee from her with a grin. “No freebies. Not even for family.”
