Page 38 of Pining for You

“You don’t need all of it. Write down what you absolutely must have versus what would be handy to have. Chain saws, axes, saws, ropes, carabiners, wood chippers, wood splitters. If you need it, write it down. Then let me take that list and see what we can find used. Or maybe we can get enough to buy John out by not going through this bank. There are alternatives, Brad.”

“We?”

“What?” She glanced up, looking over her glasses.

“You said ‘we’ like we’re a team.” I tried to stop the hope welling inside at her use of the term. Tried to remind myself it may have just been a generic word. Not a sign that she saw us as an us. That she wasn’t using the business plan as a way to create distance. “Are we? A team?”

13

CHLOE

Had I said we, not you?

I must have.

“Because the way you’ve been avoiding me the past few days, I wasn’t sure where we stood. You ghosted me, Chloe.”

“It’s not an excuse, but you turned down multiple requests to come over in the past couple weeks, and you refused my invitations to come to my place, with no explanation. I accepted it. I didn’t accuse you of ghosting me.”

Though I’d wondered more than a few times. But I also knew I was a mess while Brad seemed so…solid. Of course John would have asked him not to mention that he was planning on selling the business. Quite a few of the crew would start putting in their resumes everywhere at the first whisper of a possible change of management. They’d tell other people, and soon John’s business would suffer even if he decided not to sell. Even if he sold it to Brad.

“That’s fair. But instead of asking me outright about what you overheard, you ran.”

“I know. I’m really sorry.”

He held up one hand. “You didn’t trust me, even though I’ve never given you a reason not to trust me. If we’re going to be a couple, you need to talk to me when you have an issue. To ask me questions. I promise I will always answer you truthfully. You said you liked me. That’s great. But I want there to be more between us. More than just casual dates, sneaking around behind John’s back. What do you see for us? Am I wasting my time by thinking we have a future?”

For the last several years, I’d been lonely. Feeling like I had no one to talk to, to binge watch shows with, to chill with. I’d found that with Brad. I loved making love with him, but even better was waking up beside him. We didn’t feel like just friends even if it did come with wonderful benefits. In less than two months, he had become a best friend.

Brad was nothing like Tony. Brad went out of his way to do favors for friends and strangers because he knew it was the right thing to do. He cared about people, would never cheat them the way Tony had. Of all the work he’d done for Marilyn and so many others, he’d always turned down any offers of payment. Tony would have not only taken what they offered but demanded more. Tony was my past and I needed to get over him. I needed to trust that good men like Brad existed.

I reached across the table and placed my hand on his. “You’re right. I should have asked you about it that night. I understand why you couldn’t tell me about John selling the business, and that’s all on me. I can’t promise I’m not going to screw up again. But I want more from this—” I circled my free hand between us. “Than to be friends.”

Time to come clean the whole way. I took a deep breath and addressed the other elephant in the room. “Plus there was the whole age gap thing.”

“What age gap thing?”

“I’m nine years older than you.”

“So?”

“So?” I repeated in incredulity.

“No one would bat an eye at the nine year age difference if you were the guy and I was a woman.”

He was right, but?—

“But you’re worried that I’m going to roll over one day and see you have a few grey hairs or a few extra wrinkles and think, what? You’re too old?”

I nodded.

“Chloe, I’ve already got grey hair in my beard.”

“No, you don’t.”

“That’s because I been plucking them out.”

I couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled up, but my amusement immediately died. “What about kids?”

---