He was flying back to LA in a week. He hadn’t let himself think about it much, not even when Chloe had brought it up. Because every time he did, he got this terrible ache inside as he imagined hundredsof miles separating them. He hadn’t meant for this to happen. Hadn’t meant to fall head over heels for Chloe—or for anyone for that matter. The fondness he’d felt for certain women in his life had been easy and comfortable.
This love left him feeling dizzy and heady and somehow completely out of control. Daunting. He wasn’t sure he liked feeling this way. Which was weird, right? People loved falling in love. That’s why so many writers penned songs and stories about it. But the realization that he’d lost his heart to Chloe left him shaken.
“Looks like you two are getting pretty serious.”
Daisy had approached while he’d been staring at Chloe like a lovesick teenager.
“She’s something else.” An understatement. She’d been through a lot—her whole family had—and yet she’d managed to grow into a strong, capable woman. A loving woman. It only made him respect her more.
Daisy’s eyes twinkled. “She must be special to have turned your head. When do you return to LA?”
“Day after we wrap. You?”
“Same, but I’m flying to New York—that’s where David lives. We have some final wedding plans to go over, then we’ll fly to Malibu for the big day.”
“That’s right. It’s just a couple weeks away, isn’t it?”
“Two weeks from tomorrow. I can hardly wait. David said you RSVP’d, so I guess we’ll see you there. I hope Chloe can make it.”
He hadn’t even thought to mention the wedding to her. “I’ll check on that. But it’s hard for her to get away because of the restaurant.”
Later, after they wrapped for the night, he thought about those words on the short drive home to do the phone interview withPeople.Itmightbe hard for Chloe to get away from the restaurant. He wouldn’t mind coming back here—it would be worth seeingher. But if he was the only one making room in his schedule, that wouldn’t give them as much opportunity to be together.
And the thought of how much he would miss her between visits made him ache inside. Made him wonder if he could do this. If hewantedto do this. For some reason the image of his mom, wasting away for want of his father, stole into his mind like an audacious intruder. The thought made him squirm in his seat until he shoved it far away.
***
Saturday night Docksiders was hopping. A local country band blared cover songs for the lively gathering. Even at ten o’clock the savory smell of grilled steaks and seafood gumbo wafted in the air. A light breeze blew off the bay, fluttering the umbrellas on the deck.
It was the last day of August and the summer crowd had already begun to thin. Soon fall would usher in cooler evenings, and the beaches would grow quieter. The downtown shops would move their wares off the sidewalks and shorten their hours.
Perhaps Chloe could take a few weeks off during the winter and fly to LA, depending on Liam’s schedule. She had trouble even envisioning his life there. Envisioning herself there. All she knew for certain was that in six days he was leaving, and she didn’t know when she would see him again.
“Sweetheart, could you help Stella with her order, please?” Mom called as she passed with a tray of desserts.
“Sure thing, Mom.”
The new server hadn’t adapted to their on-screen ordering system. Chloe headed over and helped her get the order in. Then she stopped by a table that had just received their meals. “How does everything look, folks? Is your steak cooked to order?”
The middle-aged woman frowned at her rib eye. “Would you mind putting mine back on for a few minutes?”
“Of course not. I’ll get this right back to you.” Chloe carried the plate to the kitchen, where Sean put it back on the grill.
Before she could make it far, the hostess called her to the stand, where a couple waited for a table. “There’s a call for you on line two, MissChloe.”
It was too noisy for a phone conversation. “Thank you. I’ll take it in the office.”
Once she arrived at her office, she picked up the phone and hit the button.
“Docksiders, this is Chloe.”
“Hey, Chloe, sorry to bother you at work.”
Meghan’s delivery was rushed—and she never called the restaurant’s landline. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, but I’m afraid I have some upsetting news for you.”
“That doesn’t sound good. Let me get the door.” Chloe closed it, ushering in relative silence even as she braced for bad news. “Okay, what’s going on? Are you all right?”
