When Darkness Falls

by Jennifer Youngblood

  This is where things could get sticky. Did she dare tell Glory how truly conflicted she was about Garrett?

  “It’s that bad, huh?” Glory let out a dry chuckle. “Like I said earlier, your expression says it all.”

  “I’m not sure how I feel about Garrett. I mean, he’s handsome … charming … says all of the right things.”

  “But?” she prompted.

  “But, I just don’t know. I guess I’m still trying to get over the thing with Dan. Maybe in time …” She shrugged. “I guess it’s still too soon to say.”

  “I know we’ve only just met, but I feel like we have a connection.”

  “Yes, I feel it too.”

  “I may be out of line here, but I don’t think Garrett’s the right one for you.”

  “Really?” She didn’t know if she were insulted or relieved by that comment. “Why do you say that?” she asked carefully.

  “Garrett still has a lot of growing up to do. And until he comes to terms with himself, he’ll never truly be able to love anyone else. For him, life is all fun and games. The only problem with that is that someone else is left to foot the bill and clean up his messes.”

  “Exactly!” Chloe leaned forward in her seat. Glory had hit the nail on the head.

  “You need someone responsible.”

  “Yes.”

  “Someone who has the capacity to care for you the way you care for him.”

  “Yes, I would like that very much.”

  “You need Hank.”

  Chloe’s eyes bulged, and she nearly choked on her own saliva. “Hank?”

  Glory gave her a coy smile. “Don’t tell me you’ve never considered him. He’s every bit as handsome as Garrett in a different way.”

  Her face went hot, and she was at a loss for words. Of course she’d noticed Hank. A girl would have to be blind not to notice him, but he didn’t seem the slightest bit interested in her … and she was dating his brother.

  “Hank is responsible. He would be a good match for you. You know, Hank has had his share of heartache too.”

  Later, she would wonder what Glory meant by that last part, but at the moment, all she heard was that Hank would be a good match for her. She had the urge to start laughing out loud. “I don’t know, Glory. Hank is so business-oriented and serious all of the time. I couldn’t imagine dating him.”

  “Really? Business-oriented and serious. I suppose I’ve been called worse.”

  Chloe’s blood turned solid when she heard the male voice. She about fell out of her seat when she saw Hank step around the sofa.

  Glory let out a nervous laugh. “Oh, Hank. We didn’t hear you come in.”

  He cut his eyes at Chloe. “Obviously.”

  He went over and gave Glory a peck on the cheek. Then he sat down in the chair beside her.

  Chloe’s face was on fire, and she felt like she might have an out-of-body experience. Not knowing what else to do, she just sat there, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.

  Glory gave her a mischievous smile. “I was just encouraging Chloe to expand her options a little.”

  Hank shook his head. “Yes, in my direction, I gather. Glory, you’re always up to no good.” Then he surprised Chloe by winking at her. “Don’t worry, I won’t hold it against you that you don’t want to go out with me. I have horns and have been known to bite … occasionally.”

  Her eyes flew open wide, and she let out an uneasy laugh. Then it hit her that he was teasing her. And he was enjoying it very much! Before she could voice a response, he turned his attention to Glory.

  “How are you doing? What did the doctor say?”

  “Oh, the usual. I’m going to die,” Glory countered.

  He jerked around. “What?”

  A smile played on Glory’s lips. “Eventually.” She patted him on the arm. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist.” She looked at Chloe. “Hank is always worrying himself sick over me.”

  “Well, somebody has to keep you out of trouble,” Hank said with a scowl, but Chloe could see the relief on his face now that he realized Glory was okay. Glory was much more than a client to Hank. She was like a second mother. The tenderness in his voice. The way he looked at her. It was so touching that it caused emotion to well inside of Chloe. She realized then how much she missed her own mom. She’d been so caught up in all of the drama over Dan that she’d taken her for granted. She vowed to call her as soon as she got home from work.

  The three of them chatted for another twenty minutes, and Chloe found herself laughing at the stories that Glory told about Hank. “You see, I had made these apple pies for the church social …”

  Hank groaned. “Not the pie story.”

  Glory hit his hand. “Now you just hush. I’m telling this story. I had left the pies on the table when Hank snuck into the kitchen …”

  Glory continued on. Hank shook his head and caught Chloe’s eye. Time seemed to slow as he gave her a crooked smile. I’m sorry you have to listen to all of this, he seemed to be saying. Her pulse bumped up a notch as a tingle ran through her. Glory was right. He was just as handsome as Garrett in a real, more down-to-earth sort of way. Had his dark hair been longer, it would’ve been wavy. His eyes, which she thought were gray at first, were actually an even cross between blue and green. His strong jaw was his most prominent feature, indicative of his take-charge personality. He was taller than Garrett and more rugged looking where Garrett was more debonair. With his chiseled features, Hank reminded her of a G. I. Joe doll, whereas Garrett was more of a Ken doll. She’d heard it said that life is merely a series of moments. Maybe it was because Glory had brought it to her attention. Or maybe it was the way she felt when his eyes had caught hers. But in that moment, everything changed. She would never think of Hank Singleton the same way again. As she sat there, watching him interact with Glory, his eyes kept meeting hers, and she wondered if things had changed for him too. It had happened the same way with Dan. She could pinpoint the exact moment when she knew that they would be together. The next thoughts that ran through her mind hit her with enough force to nearly take her breath away. Maybe Glory was right! Maybe she was dating the wrong brother!

  11

  Chapter 11

  Hank left Glory’s house before Chloe, who still had to take pictures of the project. Hank never said why he’d stopped by and Glory never asked, making Chloe think that he visited her on a regular basis.

  It took all of five minutes for Hank to get out the door before Glory started gloating. “I told you that Hank would be a good match for you,” she said, a smug smile on her aged face.

  The collar of Chloe’s shirt felt tight as she began pulling at it. “Now, Glory, no need to beat a dead horse,” she said lightly.

  She wagged a finger. “You can deny it all you want, but I could see it on your face. I’m good at detecting the matters of the human heart.”

  Her face fell. “Really? Am I that obvious?”

  “Only to me, dear.” A twinkle lit her eyes. “He likes you too, you know.”

  She scoffed. “He barely even knows I’m alive. To him, I’m just one of his employees.”

  “A very attractive employee with a darling accent.” She crossed her arms over her chest and gave Chloe a devilish smile. “He talks about you.”

  She seriously doubted that!

  “He told me what a talented designer you are. And coming from Hank who never compliments anyone—that’s saying a lot.”

  She was unprepared for the warmth that shot through her. He’d noticed her work. Glory couldn’t imagine how much those words meant to her. “You know, I probably shouldn’t be thinking about anyone right now, not when everything is still so fresh with Dan.” It boggled her mind that she was even considering going out with Hank. Where had this come from? She had enough on her plate, trying to keep Garrett at arm’s length while dealing with the seeing the dead fiancé thing. Was she one of those people that went around looking for trouble?

  “One of my favorite quotes is from
Helen Keller.”

  “Oh?” Chloe wondered where this was going.

  “It goes something like this: ‘When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.’”

  Now, she knew where this was going. She fought the urge to roll her eyes. Glory meant well, but she had no idea what she was going through.

  Glory looked her in the eye. “You can’t keep living in the past. Even if Dan had lived, you wouldn’t be with him right now because of what he did. It’s time to move on.”

  The words were spoken kindly, but they hurt all the same. Tears welled in Chloe’s eyes, and she began blinking rapidly to stay them. It wouldn’t do for her to break down on a job. She reached in her purse for her phone. “I’m going to go and grab a quick shot of the study.” She needed to get away from Glory before she totally lost it.

  Glory nodded in understanding. There was a look of sympathy in her eyes.

  By the time she returned to the den, Chloe was more in control of her emotions—the professional designer once more. “Okay, I have everything I need. Give me until the end of the week to put a plan together. Could we meet again this Friday? Does 2:00 work for you?”

  “That works for me. I’m looking forward to seeing your plan.”

  “I have some ideas that I think you’ll love.” She paused. “But I still don’t know what we’re going to do about that chair. Move it to a different room, maybe?”

  Glory made a face. “It is hideous, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah, I hate to say it, but it is. I’m really not sure what Garrett was thinking.” She shook her head.

  A speculative light came into Glory’s eyes. “I tell you what—I’ll make you a deal.”

  “A deal?” Where was this going? Because of the last deal she’d made with Darbie, she was now attending church every Sunday. What was it with these Westerners and their deals? “What kind of deal?” she asked cautiously.

  “You go on one date with Hank sometime in the next couple of weeks, and I’ll let you get rid of the chair.”

  Chloe’s eyes took on a wild look. “But I’m dating Hank’s brother!”

  Glory squared her jaw. “Do you want to get rid of the chair or not?”

  “But Hank hasn’t even asked me out!”

  She held up a hand. “Is it a deal?”

  Her mind raced through the possibilities. She could always ask Hank to go somewhere on the guise of looking at a project. That could count as a date. “Okay, it’s a deal,” she said. A sense of déjà vu fluttered over Chloe as Glory extended her hand, just as Darbie had. They shook on it.

  As Chloe was going to the car, her phone started buzzing. She looked down. It was Garrett. “Of course you would call as I’m leaving the appointment,” she muttered. Rather than answering, she shoved the phone into her purse and kept walking.

  * * *

  Chloe let out a groan of frustration. She’d looked through her entire closet and couldn’t find her yellow blouse! She wanted to wear it with a pair of white pants. Where was that stupid thing? She had brought it with her to Salt Lake, hadn’t she? Yes, she remembered putting it into the suitcase. It had to be here … somewhere. Ten minutes later, she’d searched her entire room. She glanced at the clock. If she didn’t hurry and get ready, she’d be late for work. Finally, she settled on a red knit shirt and black pants—not her first choice for a sweltering August day, but it would have to do. At least it didn’t feel as hot here as it did back home.

  She’d overslept this morning because she didn’t get an ounce of sleep the night before. The all-too-familiar dreams of Dan tormented her, but this time, Garrett was added to the mix. She was running down an alley, trying to get away from the pursuer that was closing in. A sick fear constricted her throat, propelling her to keep running as fast as she possibly could. Her lungs felt like they would explode as her legs grew heavy. Then, she stole a glance over her shoulder and realized that it was Garrett who was after her. She’d awoken, clutching the sheets. After that, she’d lain awake for over an hour, trying to get back to sleep. She didn’t dare get up and look out the window for fear she might see Dan outside by the swing. Finally, she’d dozed off around 3:00 a.m. When her alarm went off at 6:00, she’d hit the snooze button and slept another forty minutes. Oh, well, it wasn’t as if she had to clock in. So what if she were running a few minutes late? She could always make up for it by staying later.

  She glanced at her phone as she headed out the door. Garrett had called her seven times since yesterday and had sent her three texts. She’d not responded to any of them. After the weird experience with Hank at Glory’s house the day before, she wasn’t ready to talk to Garrett. That’s probably why she’d had the nightmare about him. She still didn’t understand why she’d felt that strong connection to Hank. A tingle went through her as she thought about what it would be like to see him at the office today. Would anything be different between them? Maybe she was imagining things. After all, just because Glory thought they would make a good couple didn’t necessarily mean that Hank felt the same way. She frowned. Was she grasping at straws here? Hank was her boss, and he’d given her zero indications that he was interested in her. Well, except for yesterday. But what if she’d read too much into the situation? And how was she supposed to act around Garrett? It was obvious that he wasn’t just going to willingly fade out of her life.

  “Good morning.” She nodded as she walked by Yvette’s desk.

  “Good morning.” Yvette made a point of looking at the clock on the wall and then back at Chloe. “Hank asked if you’d come in. I told him that you weren’t here yet. That you must be running late.” She flashed a snarky smile.

  Ever since Yvette realized that she and Garrett were dating, she’d had it in for Chloe. Normally, Chloe ignored her snide comments, but today, they rubbed her wrong. “Well, aren’t you just the little helper. That was mighty kind of you to keep such close tabs on me,” she fired back, mimicking Yvette’s cheerful tone. She reached in her bag and pulled out a file folder. “And since you’re so helpful, why don’t you be a dear and make three copies of each of the sketches for the Weslyn’s kitchen? You can put them on my desk when you’re done. Oh, and I need you to call King Hickory and find out where we are on the sectional order for the Lamberts.”

  Resentment flashed in Yvette’s eyes. “Will there be anything else?”

  “That’ll be all … for now. I’ll let you know when I need something else.” She flashed a toothy smile. “Thanks.”

  While Yvette was still trying to untangle her tongue, Chloe chuckled inwardly and walked past her. Technically, it was Yvette’s job to act as a floating assistant to the architects and designers, but Chloe had never required her to do anything. Well, that was about to change! At first, she’d felt beholden to Yvette because she loaned her the tennis shoes on that disastrous day of the interview. And, she felt sorry for Yvette because Garrett had obviously jilted her, but her pettiness was starting to get old. If Yvette wanted to keep dishing out crap then Chloe was prepared to dish it right back. Years of dealing with Julian, Dan’s horrible sister, had sharpened Chloe’s wit considerably, and she was tired of putting up with the nonsense. No, Yvette did not want to tangle with this southern girl!

  A few minutes later, Yvette was all but forgotten as Chloe stood in front of Hank’s door. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she knocked.

  “Come in,” he called.

  He looked up from his desk and gave her a brief smile. “Have a seat.”

  She sat down and crossed her legs.

  He leaned back in the chair. “How are things going? Are you starting to feel comfortable with everything?”

  “Yes.” Where was this going? Hank was back to being his normal business-like self, making her feel foolish for thinking they’d had a connection. Disappointment settled over her as she clasped her hands together tightly in her lap. “I am starting to get a feel for how things g
o.”

  “Good. Kate tells me that the two of you are making progress on the Weslyn job.”

  Her mouth started moving at warp speed in order to keep up with her mind, which was ticking through the checklist. “Yes, the contractors are almost finished building the cabinets, and we have the granite guys scheduled to come in next week. Once they’re done, we can have the backsplash installed. All of the appliances are ordered. We’re narrowing down the paint colors. I’m in the process of picking out fabrics for window treatments, and we’ve scheduled for the guys to give us an estimate on plantation shutters.”

  He chuckled and held up a hand. “Yes, I read all of that in your weekly report that you sent over on Friday.”

  “Oh.” Red blotches started splashing up her neck.

  He gave her a lopsided smile like he’d done at Glory’s house the day before. “Relax. I’m not trying to give you the third degree. I just want to catch up.”

  “Okay.” She forced a smile. “I thought I was relaxed.” She was mildly insulted that he assumed she was nervous around him. Of course, she was nervous, but that was beside the point.

  He motioned at her hands. “I can see that.”

  She hadn’t realized that she’d been wringing them. How embarrassing!

  Amusement lit his expression as he looked at her face that was now the color of her shirt.

  This got her ire up, and she momentarily forgot that he was her boss as the words slipped out. “Was there a point to this conversation, or did you just call me in here to watch me squirm?”

  His eyes went wide.

  Oops! She’d done it now! Just as she was trying to formulate an apology, he started laughing.

  “I guess I deserved that,” he said dryly. Then he looked at her, and she felt that same connection with him that she’d felt the day before. Her pulse bumped up a notch, and she felt hot all over like her knit shirt was sticking to her like saran wrap, but this time, it had nothing to do with embarrassment. “I want to thank you for taking such good care of Glory.”