His words bothered me. Not the words themselves but the idea he still doubted himself. “We have each other’s backs, Nick,” I reminded him. “And that means through everything, good and bad. We’ll both screw up at times.Both of us. And I promise I’ll love you through it all, just as I expect you to love me.”
“I’ll always love you,” he said, putting all his heart into the words, while at the same time studying me with an unexpected sadness in his eyes that rattled my own, like he wasn’t as sure of my promise as I was of his. I was about to call him on it when he grinned and steered me back onto the path. “Enough navel-gazing. I’m starving. Let’s try this restaurant of yours.”
Knowing Nick, it was pointless attempting to revive a subject he’d so thoroughly dismissed, so I didn’t even try. “Fine, but I’m driving this time.”
Nick grumbled something about needing to get there before lunch finished, which I pretended not to hear. Back in the car park, I slid into the driver’s seat and told him to punch the restaurant into the satnav.
He squinted at the screen and sighed. “Fuck me. I can hardly see the letters on the damn keyboard. Why do you have your font setting so small?”
I swallowed a smile. “You want me to do it for you?”
Nick glared daggers my way. “No.” He searched his pockets, then undid his coat and searched the inside one as well. “Shit. I left my glasses at Chloe’s.”
I thought about just how pleased Austin would be to see us again and winced. “Come on, old man. You have to be able to read the menu. May as well get it over with.”
Nick groaned. “Nothing wrong with squinting.”
CHAPTER TEN
NICK
The second thecar rolled to a stop and I saw Austin’s car still parked in the carport, I was out the door and heading up the path. The plan was to get in and out of there as quickly as possible. No loitering. No emotional conversations. No getting pissed at Austin. Keep it simple and leave.
I was just about to knock when raised voices stayed my hand. Or rather,oneraised voice in particular. Austin’s. Chloe’s responses were a background murmur at the most.
“I don’t understand,” Austin whined. “What possessed you to invite them in?”
Chloe’s reply was too soft for me to hear.
“I’m not angry, I’m just... concerned,” he continued to protest. “It’s not safe, Chloe. This is another example of what we’ve been trying to tell you. You’re not making good choices. Safe choices. You’re putting yourself at risk. It’s why we want you to live with us. It would be easier for everyone.”
“Not for me,” Chloe grumbled, her voice louder, like they’d moved into the hallway. “I don’t want to live with you. I’m fine here. This is my home.”
Well, that was clear enough.
“It wasDad’shome,” Austin corrected a little snippily. “And you’re not safe on your own.”
“Rubbish,” Chloe dismissed the notion. “You make it sound far worse than it is.”
“Because itisworse.” Austin’s voice rose. “You can’t see it because half the time you’re not thinking clearly. We can’t keep coming over every day to check on you.”
“Then don’t,” Chloe huffed angrily. “If I need help, I can pay for it. I already have Patrick helping me with the gardens. I have money, you know.”
“You haveDad’smoney,” Austin pointed out.
My hackles began to rise, not liking Austin’s tone or the insinuation.
But Austin wasn’t done. “Paying Patrick to do the garden is a waste of Dad’s money. I’m sure he’d rather you sold the place and moved in with us.”
“Don’t start that again.” Chloe sounded close enough to be on the other side of the door. “And Brendon wouldn’t want that. He wanted me to be independent.”
Austin huffed dismissively. “Only if you could manage. Otherwise, Dad wanted me to look after you, and I can’t stand by and watch you fritter his life savings away simply because you’re too stubborn and confused to see sense.”
“I am not confused.” The door handle jiggled as Chloe answered.
My heart leaped into my throat and my double knock stopped the heated conversation in its tracks. It was either that or have Austin open the door and find me standing there eavesdropping.
The door swung wide and a red-faced Austin glared out at me. Confusion briefly crossed his face, quickly replaced by irritation. “What do you want?”
