Page 31 of Pining for You

Which reminded me, I really needed to shower before Chloe arrived. I’d fucked it up with Chloe. For the last ten days, I’d spent all my spare time with Ellie or with her brother Josh, an accountant who ran numbers for me. I’d seen the hurt in Chloe’s eyes when I kept putting off her requests to come over, or for me to come home with her after work. But John had been adamant that I not mention anything about him wanting to retire, or me trying to buy him out. Plus, I’d needed to focus on saving the business. Saving not only Chloe’s job but Chip’s, and Finn’s, and Blair’s and all the other guys too.

The water was running cold before I turned off the shower. I toweled myself dry as if the towel were sandpaper and my skin roughened wood. Even from the bathroom, I froze in place when my phone chirped from where I’d left it on my dresser.

Please let it be a text message, not a reply from the bank already.

Surely the loan officer would take longer to make his decision. I walked to the dresser, not caring about the puddles I left in my wake, picked up my phone and saw the little red symbol over the email app icon. I opened the app, and saw it was indeed an email from the loan officer. Another click and the email expanded, and I didn’t even need to read past the first sentence.

Fuck. They hadn’t approved my loan. I lowered my phone and swore loud and long. As tempting as it was, I barely managed to stop myself from tossing my phone into the wall.

I’d failed. Not just my own ambitions, but everyone at PRP.

Blowing out a breath, I reread the email. There were a few paragraphs of explanation that I’d have to get Ellie or Josh to explain, but there was no misunderstanding the “thank you for your interest, but at this time we don’t think your business plan is strong enough” sentence in that first paragraph.

Now what did I do? If I couldn’t buy John out, he’d sell to that damned firm who would take our equipment and lay off everyone.

I’d finished drying off and was now dressed in a dress shirt and pair of slacks Chloe had given a thumbs up to before I picked up my phone and read the email yet again. I was rereading it, and still not understanding some of the terms, for the third time when the doorbell rang. Moments later the door opened followed by Chloe’s sexy, “Hey, hot stuff, you decent up there?”

“Be right down.” I put down my phone with controlled fury, or maybe it was just major disappointment, I hadn’t figured it out yet. I headed to the stairs to meet her downstairs, only to hear her footsteps halfway up. Shoot, I needed to get myself under control. I didn’t want Chloe to see my disappointment or my despair. Except she was already opening the door at the top of the stairs, so I forced myself to smile, figuring it probably looked like I was about to be sick.

Then I stopped short as she walked into the room and dropped her purse on the kitchen table.

“Wow.” The word slipped from my lips in a heavy exhale—her hair was up in some soft do, her make-up accentuated her cheekbones and eyes. As promised, she wore that yellow sundress I’d teased her about the last time I’d stayed over at her place. I let my eyes trail down the skirt, to her calves and ankles, and down to her bare feet stuck into a pair of sandals, her toenails painted in a black and red swirl pattern that reminded me of some of the art up on the island reserve.

“Wow,” I repeated.

She glanced down at herself in confusion. “What’s wrong? Is it too casual? You said it’s a garden party, right? Should I go home and change?”

“No, your outfit’s fine.” I cupped her cheeks between my palms. “I’m used to seeing you in overalls. Seeing you all dolled up like this? I’m not sure I’m going to let you out of this apartment without ripping that dress off you and having my way with you.”

One elegantly sculpted eyebrow arched up. “My overalls didn’t stop you from stripping me naked last time you came over to my place.”

My body heated at the memories of her, totally and gloriously naked, as she arched over me and took me into her body. I breathed, “Clothed or naked, you’re gorgeous.”

“You’re only saying that so I’ll come back up here with you tonight.”

I laced my fingers with hers and headed downstairs. “Wasn’t that already in the plans?”

Her husky laugh filled the stairwell, and my shoulders loosened.

“Hey,” she said softly when we reached the courtyard. “Are you okay?”

Shit, guess I hadn’t hidden my emotions as well as I’d thought. “I got an email I need to digest for a bit, but yeah, I’m fine.”

Chloe stepped in front of me to stop me from heading around the house to where the party had already started. “Fine, huh? Is that the acronym version of FINE?”

“Huh?”

“You know, fucked up, insecure, neurotic and emotional?” The laughter that had been in her eyes dulled. “You’re not okay. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” I was not going to get into this now. I needed to stay upbeat when meeting Ellie’s friends. “Seriously. I’m fine. Leave it be, okay?”

She stepped back, only a half step, but something in her expression told me this was far from over. “Fine.”

Her lips pressed together, she dropped my hand, turned around, and marched toward the back yard. Her tone and the way she wouldn’t look at me again told me her fine didn’t follow her acronym.

Fuck. I scrubbed my hands over my face, took a deep breath, squared my shoulders and followed her.

The tension between us eased over the evening, to my relief. I introduced Chloe to the people I knew, and Malcolm and Ellie took care of introducing her to those I didn’t. I was on my second craft beer that turned out not to be too bad, devoured far too many pastries, and stood chatting with Chloe’s cousin Nick, Malcolm, and Ellie’s brother Josh, barely following the conversation about… what were we talking about? Oh right, baseball and Nick’s friend Dante Wood who played with one of the Texas teams everyone expected to take the pennant this year, maybe go all the way to the World Series. Then someone mentioned the Maple Leafs’ chances in the upcoming seasons, and I zoned out.

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