She’s a grown woman who doesn’t need someone to start conversations for her,Ethan shot back, but hedidwant to talk to Chloe some more.
Their relationship was at a kind of weird point where it felt like the most natural thing in the world, but also incredibly awkward at the same time. He was sure that it would improve once he’d shown her his pegasus. And told her that they were mates.
Oh, yeah. That’ll be a breeze.
He mentally flailed about for something to say.
“What do you think of the car?” he asked, before kicking himself. Chloe wasn’t some client he was trying to impress! But he was quickly coming to realize that he really wasn’t good at genuine small talk.
Chloe raised one eyebrow, looking around herself. “Nice,” she said noncommittally. “Pretty much exactly what I would’ve expected.”
He supposed that that made sense. The carhadbeen chosen to fit in with his carefully crafted image, after all – a black BMW, expensive but tasteful.
He normally didn’t think too much about the car, given that it was more of a status symbol than anything else… but he’d been somewhat grateful for it last night, since at least he’d been comfortable on the drive up here while his pegasus had made snitty comments about simple-minded ghosts in one ear, and Curtis had freaked out about how fast his no-horse wagon could go in the other ear.
“It’s comfy,” Chloe went on, as if reading his mind. “I could get used to it.” She blinked suddenly, before stammering, “Not that I’m planning on living in your car or anything! I mean…”
Ethan laughed, glad that the tension was broken at least somewhat. “It’s okay, I get it,” he said. And he did.
He really had spent his life taking nice things for granted, not particularly caring what other people thought of him unless their good opinion would help him get ahead.
Seeing the way that Chloe leaned back happily into her seat, closing her eyes and sighing contentedly for a moment as she sank back, was really bringing home to him how much the things that hadn’t mattered to him would make all the difference in the world to someone like Chloe, who spent her days working hardat an important job, and who just wanted to be able to relax and be happy at the end of a long day.
Perhaps a little self re-evaluation is in order,he thought. Things that had once seemed to be of the utmost importance now seemed meaningless. Chloe’s happiness was worth infinitely more than the opinion of some jackass in a suit.
The forest grew more dense and the asphalt road turned into immaculately maintained dirt, and Ethan slowed down.
“Oh, wow,” Chloe murmured as she craned her neck, trying to see to the tops of the majestic trees that towered overhead. “I’m so glad I decided to move out here. I can’t believe that all of this will be right on my doorstep!”
Itwaspretty impressive, Ethan had to grudgingly admit, even though it wasn’t his usual thing. There was a small part of him – the pegasus part, mostly, but not entirely – that truly loved the monthly trips to his cousin’s ranch, the feeling of flying in the fresh country air, thefreedomthat it all entailed. Coming back down to earth and shifting into his human form always felt a bit like willingly allowing himself to be shackled to the earth and to his job, giving up the joy of flight and an untroubled mind for a desk and fake smiles and stressful meetings.
Chloe continued to stare out the window, marveling at the scenery.
“If you like this,” Ethan said, “then I think you’ll like what’s coming up in a minute as well.”
Chloe turned to face him, blinking her big, beautiful hazel eyes. “What’s that?”
He smiled, genuinely happy to see her excitement. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”
Chloe pulled a face that he could only really describe as a pout, and he laughed out loud. Even though he was still concerned about how Chloe would react to his shifting – not to mention the fact that they were mates – he had to admit thathe was having a good time. A great time, in fact. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this happy.
He pulled the car into the designated space, and the two of them hopped out, walking around the bend.
Chloe’s stunned intake of breath marked the moment when the B&B came into view.
Itwaspretty impressive, he had to admit, with its giant porch, gargantuan turrets that pierced the sky, and charming porthole windows. The lovingly tended gardens spread out in a dazzling array of color, the star attraction a truly stunning red maple with luminous scarlet leaves. Around all of this loomed the ancient forest, awash with vivid fall colors and brilliantly deep greens.
Ethan felt like he was seeing it with new eyes now that he was here with Chloe. When he’d arrived he’d categorized the B&B’s features dispassionately, but now it felt like it was coming alive before him, the colors more vibrant, the history and its loving restoration more evident.
He had stayed in more luxury hotels than he could count, but they were generally pretty stark, devoid of any actual personality or warmth. This place, combined with the stunning gardens and surrounding forest, made something in his heart sing that he’d never known before.
“It’s gorgeous,” whispered Chloe.
When he’d first arrived, Ethan had beenwaytoo preoccupied with the issue of Curtis to take much notice. But now, he had to admit – Chloe was right.
“Yeah,” he said. “I guess I was lucky they had rooms free.” It had been an extremely last-minute booking, of course, done in a hurry on his way to Girdwood Springs – the fact that there had been anywhere at all available was a small wonder, but gettingthisplace was nothing short of a miracle.
“Is it just as gorgeous inside?” Chloe was still staring in wide-eyed wonder as they walked up to the front porch and the massive oaken door.
