Page 59 of Making New Plans

I nodded at Chloe. “It’s in the most capable hands. Your daughter’s. The lodge would be in ruins by now if not for her.”

Chloe’s smile lit up the room better than any crystal chandelier. “Well, I do have help, you know. And you’re not such a terrible trainee either.”

I grinned. “High praise from the master.”

A throat cleared loudly, and I reluctantly dragged my attention back to Miranda.

“Chloe, please come help me with dessert,” she commanded.

My eyebrows lifted. What did she need help for? A maid had been doing everything. And Miranda didn’t look like the kind of woman to risk her expensive purple dress near a kitchen. But after a moment’s hesitation, Chloe followed her. Which left me with the snoring mayor and the melting almost-mayor.

I ate the rest of my steak in silence, wishing I could’ve gone with Chloe. If I’d pissed off her mother enough for her to take it out on Chloe, I would’ve taken the hit in a heartbeat.

21

Chloe

I followed my mom into the kitchen, feeling like I was walking to the gallows. I’d barely said a word throughout dinner, yet I was already exhausted.

After she snapped at the maid to leave, she turned on me. “What on earth do you think you’re doing?”

Crossing my arms over my chest and leaning against one of the marble countertops, I tried to remain calm. “Having dinner with my parents, a surprise blind date, and a friend.”

“A friend?” She stepped too close to me. Her expensive perfume clogged my nose. “You were acting more than just friendly with that man, Chloe. Why did you miss dinner Sunday night? Where were you Tuesday night?”

“I’m a grown woman, Mom. I don’t have to tell you what I’m doing every second of the day.”

“You cannot date that man, Chloe. It’s a terrible mistake, and the whole town will agree with me. We’ve all heard enough about your shortcomings over the years. Two failed relationships, and you want to add a third?”

Despite trying to armor my heart against her, that blow still crashed into me. “Did it ever occur to you that the demises of those relationships weren’t completely my fault?”

She ignored my question, of course, in favor of another attack. “He’s not even staying here. He’ll sell the lodge that you so desperately cling to, and then where will you be? Dumped and unemployed.”

I struggled to keep my face blank, but I wasn’t as good at it as Hunter. I hated how she did this. She managed to find every single one of my insecurities and my doubts and throw them in my face.

With a long-suffering sigh, she patted my arm as if I’d agreed with her points. “That’s why I invited Samuel over. He’s such a nice young man from a good, wholesome family. He cares so much about his town, and I’m sure you two have a lot in common.”

And then I’d be just like you, I finished her thought in my head. But I didn’t want to be anything like her. Trapped in a loveless marriage that was one-sided about pretty much everything. Children that had either fled or had to be coerced into dinner. And every human interaction was seen as a way to gain something for herself. She was sad and bitter. But even reminding myself of that didn’t soothe the sting of her words.

“Look, Mom, there’s no way I’m going to let you set me up with yet another guy you think would be perfect for me. The last two were awful, and—”

“You just didn’t try hard enough,” my mom interrupted.

“Oh, I tried plenty.” Sarcasm made my words taste like acid. “I just didn’t have it in me to become you.”

It was like I’d pulled the pin from a grenade and tossed it. Silence buried us six feet under as I watched the changing emotions in my mother’s dark eyes. Shock hardened into something ugly and bone deep.

“At least I run this town, Chloe Miranda Higgins. You will never come close to what I have achieved without making the sacrifices I have made. Think about that the next time you take a look at where your supposedly great life is going.”

As I recoiled inwardly, hating that we shared more than one name and feeling like I might vomit or scream from the rest of her words, she straightened her dress and fluffed her hair.

“Now, you will go in there and tell everyone you don’t feel well. You’re excused from the rest of dinner.”

Numbly, I walked back into the dining room, ignored Hunter’s questioning look, and told my dad and Samuel that I didn’t feel well. My dad harrumphed, and Samuel nodded, wishing me well while checking his watch.

Vaguely, I heard Hunter say something as I exited the dining room. Once I made it down the hallway to my purse and sweater, his warm hand slipped around my elbow.

“Chloe, are you okay? What happened? It’s my fault. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have antagonized her like that.”

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