Page 108 of Dancing in the Rain

She nodded, her cheeks even pinker.

“Okay, let’s go.”

“Sorry about this,” Chloe said on the way there.

“Hey, no need to apologize. I guess I’m supposed to make some kind of moving speech about how you’re a woman now, huh?”

“Please don’t.”

He grinned.

She found the feminine products aisle with the confidence of a twenty-year-old, but her self-assurance diminished in the face of rows and rows of different packages. Tampons—unscented, super-absorbent…sport? Who knew. Pads—ultra-long, ultra-thin, wings, no wings, heavy flow, leak guard. He winced.

Chloe bit her lip as she studied the shelves. She picked up a package then put it back. Drew glanced around. Maybe some kindhearted female shopper would give her advice. But there was nobody else around.

“You, ah, probably want pads,” he mumbled. “If this is your first time.” He had no idea, but he suspected tampons might be tricky and there was no way in goddamn hell he could be any help with that whatsoever.

“Yes,” she agreed. “Um, can I buy two kinds?”

“Buy ten,” he said. “Whatever you need.” He fidgeted with his car keys. “Do you want to phone Peyton?”

She rolled her eyes. “I can do this.” She selected two packages and started toward the checkout at the front of the store.

“Do you need anything for pain?” he asked. “You know…cramps? We can get some Midol.” He’d heard girls talk about that. “Or I have other painkillers at home.”

She hesitated. “I don’t need anything right now, but I guess we could get something just in case.”

Chloe’s cheeks went fiery as the teenage boy rang the items through, but she maintained an air of nonchalance as Drew paid for them. She picked up the bag, her head high, and sailed out of the store.

Back home she disappeared upstairs to the bathroom there and returned moments later. “We can start the movie again,” she said regally, curling up on the other end of the couch.

He was totally distracted, though, a weird pinching sensation in his chest. Pride filled him at how she’d handled this. His little girl had her period. She was becoming a woman. He’d only just found her, and he’d missed so much.

Wow, being a dad was making him all sappy. And he didn’t even care.

—

Peyton arrived at Drew’s house Saturday morning to pick up Chloe on her way home from the airport. He eyed her hungrily as she walked in. Fuck, he’d missed her.

He’d told her about getting help with his life, with trying to figure out what to do with it. She’d been supportive of that. He found himself wanting to be the man she described…strong, loyal…fearless.

Ha. That was fucking funny. Fearless.

Yeah, he’d been a risk-taker in his life. A daredevil who skated fast, hit hard, took chances. He wasn’t afraid of much. But the one thing he was terrified of…was failure.

And with Peyton in his arms, in her bed, looking at him with that soft expression, he’d been even more terrified. What he’d said had been true…with Chloe—and Peyton—in his life, he’d started to feel like he had some purpose. Helping them get through the ordeal they’d just been through, and were still going through. Getting to know Chloe and being a dad to her. Getting to know Peyton and being…something to her.

He’d been so fucking jealous, seeing her with that guy, hugging him and laughing with him. That kind of scared him, too.

The risk was huge. The hugest risk he’d ever taken, and the more involved he got in their lives, the bigger it was. This time he was fucking terrified.

So when Chloe ran upstairs to get her things, even though he wanted to pull Peyton into his arms and give her a long, hard kiss, he kept his arms crossed, leaning against the counter casually.

“How did things go?” she asked.

“Fuck.” He rubbed his face. “Good. I guess.”

Her eyes widened. “What happened?”

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