Nick sat rigid at my side, barely breathing. I pressed my thigh against his, and when he turned, my heart broke at thehollowed-out look in his eyes. What he’d learned in just one day would be a lot for anyone to digest. Maybe too much.
When Nick still didn’t respond, Chloe released his hand and sat back. “I’m sorry. That was tactless of me, and likely far too soon.”
And still Nick remained quiet.
Chloe gathered herself, her gaze flicking nervously between Nick and me. “Going back to your earlier question about contacting you, the Parkinson’s just hurried me along, nothing more. I’m not looking for money or help. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I’ve been doing it most of my life.”
Nick huffed. “Yeah, me too.”
The barb struck home and Chloe flinched. “I suppose I had that coming. But since we’re being honest, there is one thing I’d like to ask you.”
Nick appeared to brace himself and my heart sank, expecting the worst.
Goddammit, Chloe.
“But it’s a hope, not a want,” she quickly clarified. “To be honest, I only thought about it recently, after I knew you were coming down.”
When Nick remained silent, I pressed, “You better spit it out, Chloe.”
She took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “I’d like you to have my medical power of attorney. Financial too, if that sits all right with you, being an accountant and all.”
Nick’s face paled, and when my hand found his thigh, he gripped it tightly. This was big. Huge. What the hell was Chloe thinking?
Noting Nick’s reaction, Chloe sighed. “If you say no, I’ll understand. Of course I will. We barely know each other anymore. I just want you to consider it, that’s all. TheParkinson’s will eventually affect my brain, I know that. I’m going to have to trust someone to do what I can’t.”
The small lounge fell silent and I wanted to wrap my arms around Nick whose stunned expression told me he was still reeling from her request.
Chloe saw it too. “I’ve made a mess of this, haven’t I? But the thing is, I’m not getting any younger, and I need to make some decisions while I still can. Austin isn’t wrong when he says my memory isn’t what it used to be. I’m not as bad as he makes out, but I have my days.”
Nick had begun to shake his head. “I don’t get it.” He squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them again. “Why not Austin? He’s already doing things for you. I don’t even live here. Austin told us a neighbour had called him one day to say he’d seen you?—”
“Wandering up the road in my dressing gown?” Chloe’s lips pressed into a thin line and she grunted in disgust. “I was looking for my damn car because it wasn’t in the carport. I bought a new Toyota after Brendon died. His old Holden was way too big.”
“And you went looking in your dressing gown?” Nick’s scepticism showed on his face.
Chloe waved him off. “Don’t you start. I was having my breakfast when I noticed it wasn’t there. I was only going around the block. If I’d been fifty, no one would have blinked an eye.”
I wasn’t so sure of that.
She carried on. “I didn’t know Austin had asked my nosy-pants neighbour to watch out for me, the jackass. I was perfectly fine. I was just checking some kids hadn’t taken it for a joyride and left it down the road.”
“And had they?”
She fired a glare my way. “No. When Austin arrived, he told me he’d moved my car into his three-car garage where it wasbetter protected from the weather. He said my doctor told him I shouldn’t be driving anymore. He said we’d discussed it the day before but that I’d clearly forgotten.” She looked anything but happy about the accusation.
“But that’s not the only time you’ve wandered, according to Austin.” I left the comment hanging.
Chloe’s gaze slid from mine. “So, he told you, did he?” Her back straightened. “Well, so what? I admit my memory lets me down sometimes, but that doesn’t mean I’m in la-la land like Austin seems to think.”
I raised both hands. “I wasn’t suggesting that you were.” When Chloe’s jaw set, I could tell I wasn’t going to get much more from her on the subject, so I changed tack. “Is this why you don’t want Austin having power of attorney?”
She didn’t respond immediately—an answer in itself. Her gaze flicked between us like she was choosing her words carefully, and those Spidey senses that had been tingling since the first time I’d met Austin sparked into life once again.
“Austin means well, but he’s bossy,” she finally replied. “He’s always had a bit of a chip on his shoulder and he has no patience. When his marriage broke up shortly after Brendon and I got together, he moved in with us for a while.” Chloe paused, her gaze slipping to her folded hands in her lap, like she was debating how much to say.
Nick pressed, “I take it things didn’t go well?”
Chloe looked up. “You might say that. It was a disaster. Austin has a forceful personality and he and Brendon clashed. Sometimes it was over me. We got along okay while Austin was still married, but I don’t think he liked the fact Brendon prioritised our relationship above what Austin thought he needed or deserved, and he wasn’t always pleasant to deal with.”
