Page 91 of Fall With Me
Chloe said to put people on games, but which two does she want going until the rest of my family arrives? Introducing Chloe and my parents wasn’t on my to-do list tonight, but their meeting is inevitable. “Let’s find Chloe and ask.” Once everyone gets here, I can divide and conquer on my own.
Dad claps a hand on my shoulder. “I’m looking forward to meeting this special woman.”
“She’s just my boss’s sister.” Lies. She’s more than that, but until I have the opportunity to talk to Chloe, it’s all she is tonight.
Dad chuckles. “Keep telling yourself that, son.”
I ignore his comment. “Come on.” We head inside the barn, finding Chloe in the back of the room, setting out plates by the pizzas The Pie delivered. “Hey, Chloe.”
She turns, facing me and my parents. Pink spreads on her cheeks and I can tell her smile is a mix of surprise and dread. “Hi.”
I gesture to Mom and Dad. “These are my parents, Dane and Carrie. Where would you like them to start out tonight?”
Chloe puts her hand out for a shake.
Mom smiles kindly, ignoring Chloe’s outstretched hand, and pulls her in for a bear hug. “I’m a hugger. It’s a pleasure to meet you, honey.”
Yeah, I should have warned her my family is really big into hugging hello and goodbye.
Mom lets go, and Dad pulls Chloe in for an embrace of his own.
Chloe’s eyes are wide with surprise. But millisecond by millisecond, I see Chloe’s body relax into Dad’s embrace. With how crazy we’ve been today, I’m sure this is exactly what Chloe needs. If only I could be the one to offer her comfort. But I don’t dare cross that line with her until we’ve hashed out a few things.
Dad pulls back, patting her shoulders. “We’ve heard a lot of good things about you.”
Chloe’s gaze flashes to mine. I shrug. I’m not sure why she’s shocked by this. Finn sang her praises the night he told everyone she slept over. And I agree. Chloe is fun, challenging, competitive, stubborn, a fighter, and sweet. Her heart is bigger than the harvest moon.
“Oh. Um. Thank you,” Chloe says, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ve heard amazing things about you as well. Dawson and Finn are lucky to have you in their lives.”
Mom turns to me. “She’s a keeper, Dawson.”
“Uh-hmm.” I clear my throat, telling Mom to knock it off. “Chloe, where would you like them?”
“Carrie, if you’ll be in charge of the caramel apple station, and Dane, if you’ll handle the book nook, we’ll be good until the rest of your family arrives. Then we’ll get the games going.”
“I’ll show you where they are,” I say, putting a hand on each of their backs, gently pushing them away from Chloe before they say anything else embarrassing.
“All right,” Mom says, swatting my hand off of her. She looks over her shoulder. “We’ll see you later, sweetie.”
I roll my eyes. Not if I can help it. Chloe doesn’t need everyone in my family fawning over her tonight. Not when we have a festival to host, and when we haven’t spoken about the day Finn got hurt.
I’m not sure how I’ll keep my sisters away from Chloe, but I have to. For everyone’s sake and my sanity.
I take Dad to the reading corner, instructing him to let each child take a book with them. At the caramel apple station, I show Mom where the extra ingredients are under the tables and hand her an apron.
My foot gets caught on the basket of apples. A smile tugs at my lips as I think back on that day. The perfect weather, Chloe’s smile, the first contest she wagered. Chloe was worried about Finn climbing the tree, but I was fine with it because I was there. Climbing trees is just as dangerous asjumping off a swing. If I’d been at the park the day Finn got hurt, would I have stopped him from jumping? Or would I have let him do it because I was there?
Is it that I don’t trust Chloe, or that I’m too caught up in only trusting myself?
It’s me.
And I have to find a way to fix it before I lose the woman I’m falling for.
The moment Greg from Creative Solutions walks in the door, my stomach ties itself in knots and my smile turns fake. Sounding as chipper as a news anchor, I say, “Greg, glad you made it.”
He holds his hand out for a shake. “Thank you, Dawson. My family and I are excited.”
I shake Greg’s hand, looking at the people standing by him. A woman about his same age, wearing a long skirt and plaid shirt, extends her hand toward me.
