Page 19 of Untouchable

She tightened her hands on the steering wheel and breathed out slowly. Why she’d decided to head up to the cabin was still a mystery to her. It might even be one of the worst decisions of her life, but despite that, she couldn’t stop herself from making the journey. She was going to the one place she’d told herself she wouldn’t go ever again.

But here she was, breaking that promise to herself.

She supposed the only saving grace was that Dominic wouldn’t be there. Or maybe that was one massive letdown.

In the past eight years a lot had changed. Her parents had decided to practice medicine in California. It wasn’t too much of a shock to Chloe, given the fact she knew they wanted to expand their profession and look into plastics. It wasn’t like shewasn’t used to being put on the back-burner, though. Hell, the majority of her life had been only about her grades and future professional status to them. If she looked good, they looked good.

Her parents had moved a year ago, but they rarely spoke, mainly just on holidays or birthdays, and even those conversations were stilted and awkward. They were much too busy with their own lives to care about hers anymore. A blessing, she supposed. Or maybe they were sick of everything, too, and moving was the only option they saw fit to rectify the shitty life they’d wrought?

The one person that was always in the forefront of her mind, though, was Uncle Dominic. When everyone had found out Clara and Dominic had divorced, surprise was the dominant emotion. Chloe knew that she, along with everyone else, had thought Clara and Dominic would last forever. There was no talk about Clara cheating on him, and Chloe knew that if she hadn’t overhead her aunt and uncle’s conversation, she would have never known either. The blame was squarely placed on Dominic and his “inadequacy to be a good husband.”

Chloe hadn’t spoken to her uncle in the past eight years. All of her information came from what she’d heard from others, eavesdropping, or inadvertently walking in on a private conversation. She wasn’t even sure why they cared anymore. After the divorce, it was as if they had never known him. And he hadn’t even been the one who’d betrayed Clara. He’d been the one who’d gotten the shitty end of the deal.

She’d heard through the grapevine he’d reenlisted in the navy and had gone overseas. And that scared the shit out of her. With the wars waging all over the world, she feared hearing the news that Dominic was gone for good.

She knew he beat himself up about what they’d done, and she wished she could take his pain away. If he didn’t feel guilty,why else would he have run away and became an active SEAL again? She thought of him every day—but to actually speak to him again, to see him again, after what had been said and done? That was all too much.

As the hours passed and her tires ate up the pavement, Chloe couldn’t help but think about where her life had taken her. Her fondest memories were the ones at the cottage she was now heading to, and how sad was that? A childhood where you were happiest at a place that wasn’t even your home, with a person who wasn’t even blood related.

Once she started her internship, she wouldn’t have time for anything else. During this break, before she started her residency, she needed to see the lake again, needed to see the little things that made up the memories she thought about the most.

When she’d asked about whether the cabin was empty, her aunt hadn’t even questioned her. It was hard speaking to Clara because of everything that had gone down. But that was life. She’d moved on—Clara as well—and now Chloe was focused on making sure she was happy.

Because that’s what mattered, and it had taken her a long time to realize that.

15

The sun was starting to set when she finally reached the cottage, and the last rays of the sun illuminated the wraparound porch and pristine landscaping.

Chloe pulled the car to a stop in front of the porch and shut the engine off. When she got out, she stretched, her gaze landing right on the lake. She couldn’t help but smile at the warmth she felt. Everything looked the same. As far as she was aware, no one had been at the cabin in years, yet everything looked well taken care of, right down to the mowed grass.

Leave it to Clara to keep up appearances.

She grabbed her bags out of the back of the car, and then headed up the porch. The same rock that sat by the front door sat by her feet, and she lifted it. Chloe grinned when she saw the spare key.

After unlocking the door, she stepped inside and immediately smelled lemon. She turned the lights on and walked through each room, feeling her brows knit. The décor was completely different, sparse with a masculine touch.

Despite the change of scenery inside, Chloe instantly felt like she was home. It was strange being here all over again, after being away for so long.

She took the stairs slowly, looking at where the family pictures had once hung, but now white walls greeted her. When she reached the top, she headed toward the room she’d stayed in while here with her parents. The room looked exactly the same, right down to the bed and comforter. Memories assaulted her, and she swallowed, feeling emotions rise up as she remembered everything in vivid clarity.

The cottage was very clean for no one having lived in it for years, but then again, she didn’t doubt a cleaning service had been hired to do the upkeep on it. Her aunt was a stickler for neat and tidy.

And like a masochist, Chloe set her things on that same bed. It looked like she’d be staying in this room while here. After organizing her belongings, she went into the kitchen and started putting away the food she’d brought. When she opened the fridge, she felt her brows knit as she saw milk and eggs, yogurt and an array of other perishable items.

Why in the hell was food in the fridge? Was Clara renting the property out? That was the only logical and rational thing Chloe could think of.

But she shook her head and pushed it away, setting her groceries in the fridge and closing it.

For the next hour, she busied herself by making some dinner, then made a plate and headed out to the porch. It was just like old times, and the feeling of never leaving crossed her mind. After she finished dinner, she leaned back in the chair and stared at the stars. She started to count them aloud, just like before. The time seemed to blur as she counted those little, bright orbs of light, wishing she could be that far away, looking down at someone else.

“You used to do that when you were a kid.”

She gasped and stood up so fast her plate fell off her lap and broke on the paved patio. Chloe turned around. She stared wide-eyed at the man who stood in the back doorway, leaning against the frame, his arms crossed, the light from behind him making shadows conceal the front part of his body lightly.

Dominic. He was here.

16

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