Page 64 of Making New Plans

Her eyes narrowed, catching my avoidance. “But you only have two weeks left here.”

My chest felt like a vacuum was sucking the air out of it. “According to the stipulation, yes.”

Chloe folded her arms tightly, one hip cocked out to the side. “You remember that conversing out loud thing we talked about? Please do it.”

I sighed and played with one of the fake fir branches that decorated the wall next to me. “I’ve thought about sticking around for a bit longer. If work will let me. Which they don’t seem to care right now. But I could always fly back and forth or do a few virtual things for them.”

“And what about selling?”

The question hit me with a dump truck full of implications. “I don’t have to sell immediately. I’m not saying I won’t,” I added quickly. “But I like the idea of making this a better place before I do so.”

When she didn’t respond and simply stared at me with suspicion and hope warring in her gaze, I decided to be honest. “I don’t have every detail worked out, Chloe. I’m new to this. I always have a plan and a contingency plan for everything. But this was one contingency plan I didn’t see coming. Yet something tells me it’s worth considering. And that’s all I’m asking for is consideration.”

After a moment, her arms dropped and her frown loosened. Her eyes darted back to my drawing of the cabin.

I nodded my head at it. “You like that one?”

“You’re very talented.” A non-answer. “But I need to think. I’ll, um, get back to you on this.”

Then she turned on her heel and fled.

I watched her go, a slight ache in my chest. Trying to shake it off, I closed the door behind her, stripped, and got in the shower.

I didn’t know what I’d hoped for, showing her my ideas. She’d been amenable to the idea of change before, but something else had happened. Something she didn’t trust me with. Yet. Damn it, I wanted her to trust me. I wanted those last few walls between us to come tumbling down. I wanted to leap over the wreckage and pull her into my arms and…

Groaning, I rested my forehead against the cold tile of the shower while the spray beat my back.

What was wrong with me? Why did I care so much? I never cared this much. Even when my bland dating life had dredged up a full-time girlfriend for six months a few years back and that girlfriend had cheated on me, I’d felt nothing but disappointment that she’d ruined my plans for us.

That was all. Disappointment. I cared more about getting even just one more kiss, one more touch, one wall closer to Chloe than I had about my ex cheating on me. And if I already cared that much for Chloe, then how the hell was I going to feel when our time was up?

23

Hunter

The rest of that day, Chloe acted as if nothing had happened in my room. She’d been in her office when I came downstairs, account books sprawled out over her desk. Then, between guests and the odd managerial issue, we pored over the accounts and discussed possible budget ideas. She’d acted nervous at first, as if she expected me to be disappointed by the numbers, but she relaxed when I didn’t comment on the leaner months.

She was much more knowledgeable about that stuff than I was anyway, but I threw in my two cents about where we could tighten things up, and she seemed to appreciate it. I could tell, though, that other thoughts were swirling through her head.

We finished up the day with the decision to get some third-party opinions and estimates on our ideas from Carter and the local bank.

Despite going over business details I would’ve considered mind-numbingly boring a few weeks ago, everything energized me. I worked more on our ideas over Saturday while I held down the fort at the lodge and Chloe went off to help set up for the Bikes, Brews, and Bonfires event in the park. I waved to her when I took Arwen for a walk that afternoon.

I was surprised that she trusted me to handle the lodge for an entire day armed with her extensive manager lists. But the employees and guests didn’t seem to think of me as an imposter but rather part of the group at Pine Grove.

Who knew that would ever be something I’d be proud of?

Speaking of weird things, the amount I missed Chloe all day scared me. I’d gotten so used to her being there, to answer questions or boss me around or just to smile at me, that the lodge felt emptier without her there to brighten it up. How could a person so quickly become a part of your life that you missed them when they were gone one day? Maybe I needed more friends.

Which, to cap off the weirdness, I was actually looking forward to the event tomorrow. To hang out with Chloe while not working. To see a few of the people I’d gotten to know, like Owen and Carter. Hell, I even wanted to get to know Chloe’s friends better because she name-dropped them constantly and I saw them from time to time. And, as an added bonus, there would be zero chance of running into her delightful parents.

Briefly, I wondered if Sal still made an appearance at town events. A part of me hoped she did.

On Sunday, after directing the last of the guests to the event, I closed up shop for Chloe and walked to the square. Chloe, of course, had already been there for hours “just in case of setup emergencies,” which, apparently, was always the case.

Not sure of everything that would be happening that night, I’d worn a pair of nice jeans, boots to keep my feet dry from the mushy grass and snow melt, and a brown flannel, partly to get under Carter’s skin, but mostly because Chloe liked the color on me. And damn Carter, but flannel did make sense for the weather.

The party reached me before I reached it. A warm glow lit up the night sky over the town, and the cool evening breeze carried the sound of many people laughing and talking as well as the scent of frying food.

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