Page 75 of Spark
Esme sat very carefully in the chair, where Gary promptly shocked the crap out of Chloe—and Tyler, by the look on his face—by coming out to give Esme a tentative sniff.
“He doesn’t seem so bad to me,” she said, a warm smile breaking over her face as Gary jumped up into her lap and promptly started to purr like a monster truck.
Okay, wow.Chloe laughed and shook her head.“Looks like Gary has exceptional taste.”
A corner of Tyler’s mouth lifted along with his brow.“There you go, eviscerating my ego again, Ferguson.”
She smiled back, sweeter than the cookies they’d just made.“I’m here for you, Gates.”
Esme rolled her eyes, but her smile killed any hope of selling her irritation.“Excuse me.Gary and I want to watchBake Off,if you don’t mind.It’s Cake Week.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Tyler said, laughing.He helped Chloe make fast work of the dishes while Esme crooned at Gary and got settled in the chair.They watched TV with cookies and warm milk, squeezing in both Cake Week and Bread Week before Chloe caught the time and grabbed the remote.
“I’ve got to get you back to Lou and Carleen’s before we both turn into pumpkins,” she said, pushing herself off the couch.“I’m opening at Sweetie Pies, and you’ve got school tomorrow.”
Esme shrugged but then gave up a slow nod.“Yeah.We’re starting a new math unit, so I guess it’s not a total L.”
She petted Gary a few more times, then got up so he could retreat back under the chair.She said goodnight to Tyler, fist bumping him lightly and grabbing a big bag of cookies to take with her.Chloe texted Carleen to tell her they were on the way, leaving Tyler to hold down the fort and be thoroughly cold-shouldered by Gary with a promise to be right back.She and Esme made their way to her car in silence that wasn’t uncomfortable, but Esme broke it most of the way into the fifteen-minute trip with a whopper.
“So, you and Tyler are a thing, right?”
Chloe coughed out a surprised laugh.“What makes you ask?”
“You don’t need to spill, or anything.I totally get it if you don’t want to tell me personal stuff.It’s just that he looks at you like he really likes you, and you’re just…I don’t know.Like, a team, I guess?It just feels like you belong together.”
Chloe’s heart went for a full gallop at both Esme’s honesty and her observation.“First of all, you don’t have to shy away from asking me things.If they’re too personal, I’ll let you know.Secondly, Tyler and I are together romantically, and we are kind of a team, so yes.I guess that means we’re a thing.”
“That’s cool.”Esme looked out the window.“I didn’t mean to crash tonight, but it was fun.Hanging out with you guys.”
“You didn’t crash,” Chloe said, hoping Esme knew she meant it.“I’m not just here to help you through the trial, Esme.I’m part of your team, too.Tyler and I both are.”
Pulling up in front of Lou and Carleen’s house, she put the car inparkand turned to look at Esme, startled to see tears glittering in her eyes.
“Sorry.”Esme blinked rapidly, her lashes fluttering black in the warm streetlight.“Most of my foster parents and group home directors have been okay, but no one's ever wanted me.I’ve never had”—her voice caught, and so did Chloe’s heart—“a team.Not like you and Tyler.”
“Well, you do now.”
“I’m scared,” Esme whispered, and Chloe took a deep breath, holding completely steady.
“You’re incredibly brave,and I won't leave yourside,no matterhow scary it gets.We’re going to get through this together, okay?That’s what teams do.”
“Do you promise?”
“I do,” Chloe vowed.
And then, she held Esme, as solid as a rock, while the girl broke down and cried.
24
Tyler stood in the engine bay at Station Seventeen and did his best not to lose either his lunch or his nerve.Ever since his call to Jesus with Addison last week at the Dempsey’s family dinner—probably since he’d first kissed Chloe (again), if he was being honest—he’d known he needed to come clean with Ryan.The guy was his best friend.His family, his ride-or-die.He’d chosen Tyler, above everyone else in the world, to be the best man at his wedding.
And he deserved to know the truth.Even if it got Tyler’s ass good and kicked.
“Hey,” Tyler said, his boots echoing on the concrete floor as he walked over to the equipment room, where Ryan was checking the SCBA tanks.“You got a second?”
“Don’t tell me you want help with your best man speech.Because I hate to tell you, you’re running out of time to put that together.The wedding’s in four days.”
Tyler arched a brow, physically unable to give Ryan at least a tiny fraction of shit.“Nah, I’ve got the speech all ready to go.I’m just going to get up there and wonder out loud why Addison would marry a cocky hose-dragger like you.”
