Page 24 of After the Vows

Holy shit. She ordered enough muffins and cookies for the entire island. What is she going to do with all that food? There’s no way she can eat all of it. She has nowhere to put it.

Parker stares at her. “Are you sure? You’ll clean out my supplies.”

“Awesome. Then, you can go enjoy the festival.” Chloe smiles at her. “Can you wrap everything up for me?”

“I’ll grab a box.” Parker disappears to the kitchen.

“Do you think she bought it?” Chloe whispers to me.

“Bought what?”

“How we came in here to do this big order?”

Now I understand. She’s helping Parker. I squeeze her shoulder. “She’s thankful either way.”

Her nose wrinkles. “I don’t want her to think I pity her. Pity’s the worst.”

Parker returns before I can ask why her smile dimmed. What happened to Chloe? Why does she fear pity?

This woman intrigues me. She presents herself as this happy go lucky woman but there are layers and layers to her. I want to peel each layer away to discover the real Chloe. I don’t think many people know the real Chloe.

“Do you mind if we sit and chat in the corner while you get our order ready?” Chloe asks.

“I’ll make you some coffee.”

I follow Chloe to the table furthest away. We sit down but I wait until Parker has delivered our coffees to speak. She arrives with our coffee and an assortment of cookies.

“I need to get some cookies out of the oven. I’ll be in the back.” She winks at me.

I chuckle. “I guess we’re not being very discrete.”

“Parker’s a sweetheart. She knows I don’t enjoy having my business spread all over town.”

Chloe picks out a cookie. She moans as she eats it. My cock hardens and lengthens as I imagine her moaning while in bed with me. While I explore every inch of her alabaster skin with my hands and mouth. I bet her skin is smooth, but I need to touch her to make sure.

“Don’t make me eat all the cookies.” She motions to the plate. “I mean, I will. Don’t test me.”

I grab a cookie. “You eat cookies?”

Her mouth drops open. “What kind of question is that? Of course, I eat cookies. I’m a woman. It’s my right and privilege to eat cookies. Preferably chocolate.”

Huh. I thought with her slim figure, she starved herself. Holly certainly enjoyed starving herself. It drove me crazy. Whenever we went out to a restaurant, she’d pick at a salad while constantly asking me why I wasn’t finished yet.

Speaking of Holly. I clear my throat. “My wife is suing me for sole custody.”

Chloe gasps causing her to drop her cookie. “Are you kidding me? The woman who abandoned Natalia and didn’t prepare her for her first period wants sole custody? Over my dead body. Is she on the island? I know the police. I bet we can banish her from Smuggler’s Hideaway.”

Warmth spreads through me at her mama bear display. This is what I want for Natalia. Someone to fight for her. Not someone who uses my daughter as a pawn in her game.

“She’s not on the island.”

Chloe scowls. “She sent her lawyers? How rude.”

“Actually, she hasn’t sued me yet.”

She motions me to continue with her hand. “There’s more to the story. Explain.”

“Holly—”

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