Page 50 of Finding Chloe

“Consider this, are you ready to ruin the best thing that has ever happened to you because you can’t get over the fact that other men love her just as much as you do?”

He made a good point. Chloe was amazing. She deserved absolute, adoring love from all of us.

“You had your first taste of what it’s like to all be together, and you didn’t hate it. Let’s be honest… it scared you.” Declan held up his hand when I opened my mouth to interject. “I’m not judging. It scared you, and that’s okay. You can ask any of the other guys who aren’t from Cosland, it scared them all too.”

Now he had my attention.

“No one around here is brought up being taught the same as us. We learned to trust this from birth. You all need to open yourself up and learn to trust. Watching the woman you love find pleasure in another man—or men—probably tears your heart out, but if you embrace it, you’ll see that it’s not such a bad thing. Everyone gives something different to the relationship. I promise that you, Kyle, and Hunter are all unique. Why would Chloe want three of the same? You all fulfill her in different ways.”

It was true. Poor innocent, well not so innocent, Kyle was most certainly different than me. I saw it firsthand when I held Chloe for him. Opened her up so he could fuck her. I’d willingly helped him. And in that moment, I wasn’t scared. I wasn’t ashamed, or jealous, or angry. Chloe was all I thought about.

“Let that sink in some. You ready to go? I want to get home to my bride-to-be.” Declan took the last sip of his beer and pushed the bottle to the edge for Oliver to snatch up.

I made my way to his truck and hopped in the passenger side. I’d have someone help me get my truck in the morning. We both knew I wasn’t driving it home.

“You throw up in my truck, and I’m docking your pay,” Dec joked. I didn’t think I’d get sick in his car. I made a bunch of poor decisions tonight, but I wasn’t that drunk.

Declan’s advice was on repeat in my head all the way home. When I landed face first in my bed, I was too tired to think. Almost on instinct, I reached for Chloe, and my heart clenched when she wasn’t there. She was probably with Hunter and Kyle. The hurt in her eyes when I’d walked out flashed in my mind. I’d have to think of all the ways I could make it up to her. If she’d let me.

Before I knew it,I was blinking away the fog after sleeping too few hours. I dragged my hungover ass out of bed and made my way through the barn and outside for a breath of fresh air. The bright light made my eyes and head scream.

“Wake up on the wrong side of the hayloft this morning?”

I flipped Andrew off before catching the bottle of water he threw at me.

“Declan said to tell you to come find him when you came down.”

I groaned. “Thanks. We’re going into town to grab my truck. You need anything while we’re there?”

“Don’t think so. Unless you want to bring us some of Kelly’s pastries.”

My stomach rolled at the thought of food. “Maybe next time.”

Kelly’s pastries? Why was that nagging in my brain?

Oh. Fuck.

I looked at my phone and saw the time.Shit. “Have you seen Chloe?”

Drew shook his head. “No.”

I took off toward the dining hall, where I knew I’d find Jessie. “Have you seen Chloe this morning?” I asked her, nearly flinging myself over the kitchen island.

“She went to town. Wedding things, I think.” Jessie went back to work, and I ran my ass outside. I’d promised Chloe I’d go with her this morning to help her out.

“Let’s go. I have things to do today,” Declan called from the driveway of the big house.

I started to jog but slowed my pace as the thumping in my head picked up. Declan was quiet the whole way into town, for which I was grateful. He gave me the space to think about everything that had happened yesterday. I’d shared Chloe, and I wasn’t jealous over it. But I still didn’t know if I could accept it for more than a one-off.

I shot Chloe a text while Declan was driving us to town.

Matt: I’m so sorry I missed going to the bakery with you this morning. I overslept.

I saw the three dots at the bottom of the screen pop up, then go away. My chest tightened. When they appeared again, it was followed by a response.

Chloe: It’s okay. I understand. I’ll try to stop by the barn later this afternoon.

It felt like I could breathe a little now. I still had no clue what I was going to say to her when I saw her.

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