“I heard that,” Lou said, making a beeline for the restroom.
“I know you did, love,” Sawyer said, and the affection in his voice made Chloe want to cry all over again.
The air inside the café felt like a sauna after so long outside, and Chloe began undoing the buttons on the oversized coat.But her fingers felt stiff and numb, and she couldn’t quite manage it.
“Here, let me.”Sawyer brushed her hands aside and quickly dispatched them, drawing the coat over her shoulders and hanging it on the rack on the wall.“You want to grab a seat, and I’ll get your drink?”
“Okay.”She looked around and spotted an empty table by the front window.“Over there?”
Sawyer nodded and turned for the counter.“Back in a minute.”
Chloe walked to the table, her socks squishing in her shoes, and took the bench seat along the window.There was a napkin dispenser on the table, so she grabbed a couple to swipe at the melted snow in her hair.They were wholly inadequate for the job, and her hair was still shower-wet when she was done, but at least it wasn’t dripping down her neck anymore.
Wadding up the soaked napkins, she set them aside and looked up.Lou was walking toward the table, her coat and hat gone, belly leading the way draped in a deep green sweater that made her skin glow and her hair shine like copper.
She pulled out a chair, eased herself into it belly-up the way pregnant women did, and smiled.“I like your earrings.”
Chloe let out a half laugh.These damn earrings.“Thanks.”
“Where’d you get ’em?”
“I made them.”
Lou’s dark brown eyes went sharp, and she leaned forward as much as her belly would allow.“Seriously?”
“Yeah.”Chloe glanced up with a grateful smile as Sawyer approached, three steaming mugs cradled in his hands.He set them down, slid one in front of her and one in front of Lou.“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.Be careful, it’s hot.”
“Did you get me peppermint?”Lou asked.
Sawyer pulled out the chair next to his wife.“Yes.”
“You’re the best,” Lou enthused, picking up her mug.
“I know.”Sawyer lifted his cup, gestured to Chloe.“You want to talk about it?”
She wrapped her hands around the mug, savoring the heat that seeped into her chilled hands.“Not really.”
“God, that’s good.”Licking whipped cream off her lip, Lou looked at Chloe.“Why not?”
Chloe shrugged, watching the whipped cream in her mug melt into the chocolate.“What’s the point?”
“Maybe we can help,” Sawyer said, then added gently, “It can’t be that bad.”
“Oh,” Chloe said with feeling, “it can.”
“We’ve known Knox and Jesse a long time,” Lou chimed in.“They’re occasionally clueless and often morons, but they’re not assholes.”
Sawyer aimed a look at his wife.“I’m not sure that’s helpful, love.”
“Like she doesn’t already know,” Lou said and slurped her hot chocolate.
“They haven’t been clueless or morons,” Chloe said, annoyed that this ridiculously beautiful woman would be talking shit abouthermen.“They’ve been kind and generous and patient and loving and I don’t think I like your tone.”
Silence settled over the table, tension humming while Lou stared at her over the rim of her mug, whipped cream smeared on her upper lip and her eyes narrowed in what seemed like a dangerous manner, but Chloe didn’t care.Her feet were cold and wet and her heart was broken, and that was enough shit for one day and she wasn’t putting up with any more.
“Well,” Lou finally said, setting down her mug.“I guess you told me.”
