Hard Drive Boxed Set

by Tricia Andersen

  Max glared at her. “I need Chloe. This conversation is done. Stay away from me.” He stormed past her out of the office. His determined stride didn’t stop as he descended the steps and crossed the mats. She wouldn’t follow him into the men’s locker room. Would she?

  Max froze as he heard the sound of a fist striking flesh. Slowly, he turned around, his eyes growing wide in shock. Phoebe was flat on her back on the mat, her platinum blonde hair matted to her face and her hand clamped around her nose. A thin trail of blood seeped from between her fingers.

  Above her hovered Chloe, her fists held tight to her hips. Rage coursed from her as she leaned over Phoebe. “That’s for trying to steal my fiancé!” Chloe snarled, ice in her voice.

  “I think you broke my nose!” Phoebe shouted back.

  “Good! You deserve it!”

  Max glanced at Mark and Dan, who, with the rest of the gym, had gathered around the melee. The emotional reaction from all three men was slow but in chorus. They each lifted their hands over their mouths to hide their laughter.

  Chloe looked up at each of them, the anger etched in her face melting into mortification at what she had done. Tears welled in her eyes. It probably didn’t help that the three men closest to her were chuckling at her assault on Phoebe. She turned pale as the police flocked into the gym from Jack’s call. Jack talked animatedly with the first officer as he led him to the crowd around Chloe and Phoebe.

  “That’s the woman I have a restraining order against,” Jack informed the man as he pointed at Phoebe still planted on the mat dabbing at her bloody nose. “She’s not to come near this building or my trainer.” He thumbed toward Max.

  Phoebe pointed an accusing finger at Chloe. “She hit me! I want her arrested for assault!”

  Max took a step toward Chloe. Jack smiled at Phoebe. “From what I saw, Phoebe, you shoved Chloe. Didn’t you?”

  Phoebe’s eyes darted around wildly. “Maybe. I don’t know. I don’t remember.”

  The officer snaked his fingers around Phoebe’s bicep and hauled her to her feet. “Come on, miss. I think we need to go have a talk down at the station.” He led her through the crowd toward the door and the waiting police cars.

  Max wrapped his arms tight around Chloe, drawing her to him. She buried herself against him as she hid her face in his chest. “I can’t believe I hit her. What was I thinking?” she muttered.

  He chuckled. “Chloe, right now, I don’t think I’ve ever been prouder of you.”

  She shot him an irritated glare before turning at Jack’s approaching footsteps. He too, was laughing. “Nice right hook, Chloe. Maybe I’m putting the wrong Thomas in the octagon.”

  She shook her head, clearly flustered, as she pulled from Max’s arms. Then she stalked off across the gym to the women waiting to start class. Max watched her, still amused, before he wandered off in the opposite direction to start his training.

  The day went quicker than Max expected. As each moment passed, his mood soured. All he could think of was Jack’s offer. He had always dreamed of owning a gym. It was all he had wanted, until he met Chloe. Now, all he wanted was her. Would she want to start their marriage getting into such a huge investment? He exhaled slowly as he tugged on his shoe.

  “Come on, slowpoke.” Chloe winked at him. “I’m starving.”

  Max forced a smile on his face as he stood and took her hand. Together, they shut off the lights and locked the door. Hand in hand, they walked to the car.

  He drove down the highway without a purpose. How could he even ask her this question? He was brought from his thoughts by her voice. “Umm, Max. Home is the other way. Where are we going?”

  “I don’t feel like cooking tonight.”

  “Oh.” Chloe folded her hands and set them on her lap. Max watched her for a second then turned his attention back to the road.

  He pulled into the parking lot of the diner they had gone to for guys’ night out and shut off the engine. Stepping out of the Mustang, he crossed to the other side to offer his hand to his fiancée. Once they were inside, the waitress showed them to a booth. Max stared out the window as he searched for the words to tell her.

  “Max, what’s wrong?” Chloe’s voice was full of concern.

  He had to smile. He should have known she’d pick up on it before he could say anything. “Jack talked to me today about Hard Drive. He’s leaving for Tampa.”

  “What’s going to happen to the gym?” she demanded. There was panic laced in her voice.

  Max took a deep breath. “He wants to sell the gym to me. To us. It’s such a huge step, especially with us just getting married and starting our lives together.”

  Chloe didn’t answer. Her brown eyes were wide in disbelief. Finally, she spoke. “You told him yes, didn’t you?”

  “No. You want to own Hard Drive?”

  “Don’t you? Owning a gym has been your dream.”

  “You’re my dream, Chloe.”

  “Max. You know I love you. And you’re my dream come true too. But seriously, ever since I’ve known you, you’ve worked toward this one goal. And this is Hard Drive. This is our gym. We can’t let someone else take it from us.”

  He smiled. “You’re serious about doing this?”

  “Yes.”

  He laughed as he leaned across the booth to kiss her. “Then, yes. I’ll call Jack and tell him we’ll take it.”

  “Great!” Chloe fell silent. “I wonder if that’s why he wanted to teach me the books so badly before he went to Vegas. He knew then that he was leaving.”

  Max took her hand in his. “He must have known a lot more than that if he was teaching you the books and offering the gym to me.”

  She winked at him. “That Jack is a pretty smart guy.”

  “Not smart enough to realize what a psycho Phoebe was.”

  Chloe hid her face in her hands. “I still can’t believe I hit her. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

  “You were protecting me.”

  She peeked at him from between her fingers. “You don’t need my protection.”

  “Actually, I do. Just as much as you need mine.”

  She beamed at him. He smiled at her in return as he felt his heart swell with pride. He loved that smile. He loved that woman. He would do anything for her. He was hers forever.

  »»•««

  Chloe perched on the edge of the sofa in the bridal room. She sighed as she glanced around. She could barely sit in her dress. She had wanted simple. Her short sleeves hugged her arms. There was no bling to the bodice of her gown. But the skirt flowed everywhere, and the underskirt flared it out around her.

  She stared at her fingers in her lap. She hated being alone in this room. Liz was waiting excitedly outside to walk her down the aisle. Tami and Jenny were off retrieving Tyson from the guys. She closed her eyes. She just prayed they didn’t come back with bad news, like the groom wasn’t there.

  Her head snapped up as the women opened the door, each holding onto one of Tyson’s hands. They were dressed in simple, sage green gowns to stand up for her as her bridesmaids. The little boy scampered across the room and plopped on the couch next to her. He laid his little head on her arm. “Aunt Chloe,” he cooed.

  “Tyson, be careful with Aunt Chloe,” Tami warned. “You don’t need to muck up her pretty, white dress right before her wedding.”

  The little boy looked up at Chloe excitedly. For the first time, she noticed he had the same beautiful blue eyes as his uncle. “Guess what costume I’m wearing to your party, Aunt Chloe?”

  “I don’t know, Tyson. Who are you going to be?”

  Before the little boy could speak, Tami interrupted him. “Now, sweetie. We talked. We want to surprise Aunt Chloe and Uncle Max. Don’t we? If you tell them your costume, they’ll be able to guess everyone’s.”

  Tyson let go a little huff of exasperation. Jenny grinned at Chloe. “It looks to me like Aunt Chloe is a little anxious.”

  “It is my wedding day. I never thought I’d ha
ve one. I’m just worried I still won’t.”

  Both women started giggling. “Chloe, we’ve seen your groom. He’s here. He’s not a flight risk. If he was, we’d be hunting down our little brother and dragging him back here. If anything, he’s worried about you. He kept mentioning your anti-anxiety meds.”

  Chloe glanced in her purse. On top of all the other contents were two prescription bottles instead of one. “I started taking them yesterday at the gym. I wanted to make sure they were working.”

  “Good. I think Max was worried you would episode and that would postpone the wedding.”

  Liz popped her head in the room. “Chloe, are you ready? It’s time.”

  Chloe rose slowly, taking Tyson’s hand in hers. She followed her mother and the two women to the church. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest. This was it. She was about to be married. She looked down at Tyson, who beamed back at her. Her breath caught in her throat. She had to have a baby with Max, no matter what it took. With any luck, her child would look strikingly like their cousin.

  The church was packed. She couldn’t see the front. She looked franticly at Liz. Her mother smiled encouragingly at her before wrapping her arm around Chloe’s. As the music swelled, they slowly started down the aisle.

  Her whole body trembled as they neared the end. There he was. Max stood waiting for her, his blue eyes twinkling, wearing a smile that lit up her heart. She sighed at how incredible he looked in a tux. Beside him stood Mark, Dan, and Rico all dressed to impress as his groomsmen. “Hi,” Max whispered.

  “Hi,” she squeaked.

  Chloe couldn’t remember the ceremony. All she could remember was the feel of her arm wrapped tight around Max’s. She steeled her courage to say her vows clear and loud. She didn’t want anyone to doubt how much she loved him. She committed every word he said to memory as he recited his vows to her.

  Once they exchanged wedding rings, the minister presented them. Chloe could barely breathe. Soon would be their first kiss as husband and wife. She quaked as she waited. As the music began, Max smiled at her, took her hand in his, and led her to the back of the church. Chloe frowned. What happened to the kiss?

  Once their guests were excused to get ready for the reception, the wedding party re-assembled for pictures. There were dozens of poses. Not one of them involved a kiss. Chloe’s heart sunk in her chest. Why won’t he kiss me?

  As they finished, Max pulled her aside. “I want to make one stop before the reception.”

  “Ok.” She watched the church slip away as she sighed.

  They were the only ones in the vehicle. Their attendants had disappeared. It was just her, Max, and the limo driver. She glanced out the window to find a car following them. Oh, and the photographer.

  Her frown melted away as they pulled through the gate of the state park. The car weaved its way down the drive to the parking lot closest to the bridge. Max helped her from the limo. Their fingers intertwined, they walked the path to the wooden structure. They ascended the steps then leaned against the rail.

  “Now, this is perfect,” Max breathed.

  “How is it perfect?” Chloe questioned. “It’s the end of October. It’s chilly.”

  “Our bridge. I’ve been waiting to kiss you until we got here. I wanted to share our first kiss as husband and wife in the place where we shared our first real kiss.”

  Chloe’s couldn’t breathe. “Max. Wow.”

  “Wow, what?”

  “You’ve been my protector. You’ve been my hero. You are undeniably sexy. And now, you are so romantic.”

  “Chloe, you’re the one who makes me this way. I want to protect you with my life. I want to be your hero. And I want to sweep you off your feet. Now, about that kiss…”

  He tilted her chin up and engulfed her lips with his. She moaned as she opened her mouth. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he pulled her against him. Somewhere in the distance, she could hear the sound of a camera shutter.

  The reception hall was a far cry from the simple fall decorations that had adorned the church during the wedding. It was an all-out Halloween party. There were ghosts and ghouls, witches and clowns. A few of the older guests had remained in their wedding garments. But almost everyone wore a costume. The deejay announced their arrival to a rise of deafening cheers. Chloe curled against Max as the well wishes began.

  They wandered around their guests until they reached the wedding party’s table. Mark sat back in his chair, dressed in a different suit.

  “The tux didn’t work?” Max interrogated.

  “This is my costume,” Mark informed him.

  “Really? And you are?”

  Mark popped a couple buttons from his dress shirt. Underneath, he wore a Batman T-shirt. “I’m Batman,” he said in his best raspy Dark Knight.

  “Hardly.” Dan strolled up in full Ironman costume.

  “Like you’re Tony Stark.”

  “Of course. Like Tony, I’m intelligent, irresistible, and I build awesome things.”

  “The robot girlfriend is back?”

  Dan glanced at Chloe. “Chloe, it’s your wedding. Please, can I hit him?”

  Chloe laughed. “No, you can’t.”

  Dan pouted. Mark chuckled. Chloe looked at Mark. “And Mark, you have to be nice tonight.”

  “Say what?”

  “You heard me.”

  Mark joined Dan in pouting as everyone else laughed at the punishment. Chloe glanced around. Rico stood next to Max dressed as Nick Fury. Jenny wandered over, dressed as Wonder Woman. Tami was beside her, dressed as Supergirl. Even Al had joined the group, borrowing Liz’s wheelchair to play Professor Xavier from the X-Men.

  Out of nowhere burst Tyson between the group of adults. He was dressed in a little Superman costume. He stood proud and tall.

  “I love your Superman costume,” Chloe told him as she kneeled to get down to his level.

  Tyson wrapped his little arms around her neck to give her an appreciative hug. “Thank you, Aunt Chloe.”

  “Superheroes,” Max commented. “You all got together and planned this?”

  “You two are our heroes,” Rico answered. “We wanted to do something to honor that.”

  “We’re your heroes?”

  “Little brother,” Jenny began. “The two of you have already gone through more than most couples will in their entire relationship. And instead of tearing you apart, it brought you closer together. We can only hope to find love like you two have.”

  Chloe stood and wrapped her arms around Max’s waist. “You’re my hero, Max. I mean who drives around the Twin Cities for two days to search for someone other than a hero?”

  Max chuckled as he held her close. “And you’re mine, Chloe. Who knocks a psycho chick flat but a hero?”

  “Do we really have to bring that up again? Not my finest hour.”

  Everyone roared in laughter as Chloe felt her cheeks flush red. She was saved from embarrassment when hers and Max’s mothers shepherded them to their seats for supper.

  The reception went for hours. Chloe couldn’t remember a night when she’d had so much fun. All of her friends and family, both hers and those she’d inherited from her husband, kept the night going with music, laughter, and celebration.

  The couple said their goodbyes long before the party was over. They had to drive back to Minneapolis that night, and their day started early in the morning. Once they stepped foot into their house, Chloe nudged her husband toward the shower. She had something to prepare for. She needed time alone.

  Chloe wrapped the bathrobe tighter around her. She stared at the pink bag now sitting on her dresser. There was only one item remaining inside. Taking a deep breath, she released it slowly as her eyes wandered to the shopping bag beside it. It was one of those fancy ones from the mall, black with gold script. One word stuck out at her. Lingerie.

  She glanced down at her left ring finger. Her diamond now nestled contently against the gold band beneath it. Her wedding ring. It was her wedding night.
She wanted this more than anything. Even though she had never been so scared in her life. Thank goodness those anti-anxiety drugs are working like a charm. Or I’d be throwing up all over the place.

  “Chloe, are you coming? The pizza’s here, and I’m about to pop a movie in,” Max called from downstairs.

  “I’m coming!” Chloe shouted back. She sighed. Her incredible husband had planned the perfect wedding night for her. Canadian bacon and pineapple pizza and at least a dozen movies. Most grooms looked forward to a night of non-stop sex with their brides. Hers looked forward to falling asleep in front of the television with her. And he was excited about the whole thing.

  She knew his nerves were shot. Tomorrow night was his first MMA fight since he had been injured in college. Couple that with his wedding day and she was surprised he hadn’t gone crazy by now. She knew he planned to go running in the morning until his legs fell off in hopes to quell his nerves. They both doubted it would work.

  “Chloe, are you all right? I’m coming up there.”

  “No, don’t, Max. I’ll be right there.”

  “Well, hurry. The pizza’s getting cold.”

  Chloe steeled her courage and stood, slipping off her bathrobe. She pulled the black, spaghetti strap nightie out of the black bag and slipped in over her naked skin. Then, she grabbed the box of condoms out of the pink bag, opened her bedroom door, and slowly descended the steps.

  “It’s about time,” Max grumbled as he turned to face her. “I was afraid you started another epi—” Chloe smiled shyly at the dumbfounded look on his face. His voice returned as a groan. “Chloe, baby. You are beautiful.”

  She took the final few steps then padded across the living room in her bare feet. She pressed the box of condoms into his hand. “You won’t need those. I asked my doctor for the pill a couple months ago.”

  “Chloe, you’re really all right with this?” Max’s voice was barely over a whisper.

  “With you, yes.”

  She watched as Max threw the box of condoms onto the chair beside the couch. Then, he cradled her face in his hands as he claimed her with a deep, possessive kiss. She smiled against his warm lips. With her hero at her side, she would always be safe. And she would never be alone.