He looked at her questioningly, but didn’t press her. She’d tell him when she was ready. With one last kiss, she released his hands and left him sitting on the cold bench, the freeze starting to penetrate his clothes. It was then that his phone began to ring.
“Hello?” he mumbled incoherently. His attention was still focused on Chloe’s back as she faded from view.
“Mr. Davis?”
His brain registered the voice of his boss. Swallowing his disappointment he drew his focus back to the present. “We’re almost done here, Mary. I’ll be headed back to Duluth in two days. You don’t have to worry.”
“I’m not worried,” her condescending voice came over the speakers, sending a thrill of dislike through his system. “Your job is done there. I need you back at the office. These peons don’t seem to know how to run an office without you.”
He blinked hard. “Wait…what?”
“You can finish up at the Duluth office,” she said, annoyance heavy on her breath. “I want you there at eight hundred hours tomorrow morning, sharp. I’ve made some adjustments to the staff around here and I need you to pick up some new tasks. We’ll talk more tomorrow.”
The click on the other end of the line did nothing to wake Jordan out of his brain fog. He stared off into the snow, the phone still pressed to his ears, swallowing down his disappointment. The play was tomorrow night. There was no way he could make it to Duluth and back in time. But if he didn’t go, Mary would be sure to fire him. He couldn’t risk it.
How was he going to break the news to Chloe?
Chapter Twelve
Before Chloe had taken two steps into her house, she could feel something was wrong. An odd noise was coming from the kitchen. A high pitched keening, almost like the drone of a far off siren. She stripped off her scarf and boots and bolted down the hallway, searching for the source. Sitting at the breakfast bar was her mother and sister. They huddled together as Brianna continued to wale and sob.
Chloe slid to a stop in her thick wool socks. She took one look at her sister’s agony and felt the floor give out beneath her. “What’s happened?”
Her mother gave her a warning look, the kind that should’ve sent her running for another part of the house. But, Chloe couldn’t pretend to be ignorant, especially when she had a good idea of what was causing Brianna so much heartbreak. She’d found out about Aaron and Ashley Lynn. That cheating, lying, pile of scum.
“I’m so sorry, Brianna.” She rushed forward, wrapping her arms around her sister’s shuddering form. If only she would’ve told her sooner or found a way to break the news to her in a better way. “He’s such a jerk. You deserve so much better.”
Brianna choked on a sob and looked up at her through tear-soaked lashes. “I loved him. We were supposed to get married.”
Chloe nodded and patted her on the shoulder, perching her rear on the edge of the next bar stool. This was what sisters were for; to cry with when things didn’t go right. She could fulfill that duty with honor. “I know, Bri. But you’re better off. He and Ashley Lynn deserve each other. They can both be miserable together.”
She grabbed a napkin and dabbed her eyes, soaking it in a few swipes across her cheeks. Blowing her nose on the corner, she turned to her sister and blinked hard. “Ashley Lynn? What does she have to do with anything?”
“Well, he was…I mean, didn’t he tell you…?” Chloe couldn’t make the words form. She felt like a fly stuck in a sticky trap, her back pinned to the wall. Maybe she’d made too many assumptions. “Isn’t that why you broke up?”
“No!” She scowled and threw the crumpled napkin. It landed a foot away from the open garbage bin. “He told me he wasn’t sure if he wanted to get married anymore. We haven’t broken up.”
Shock crossed Chloe’s face and before she knew it, her sister had spun her around in her chair and trapped her against the backrest. “Chloe Ann Walker, you spill what you know,” she growled.
“Nothing!” She swallowed and leaned back as far away from her sister as she could manage. The glint in Brianna’s eyes meant murder. “It’s nothing, I swear.”
“You’re lying!” Brianna snapped. “Tell me, or I’ll pull out your braids one by one.”
“Girls…” Their mother tried to calm the situation down, to no avail.
“You’d better say, Chloe. I know you know something and you’re not telling. What is it you won’t tell your own sister?”
“Alright, alright!” Chloe threw her hands up and grimaced. “I saw Aaron and Ashley Lynn kissing last night at the church.”
It felt so good to get that off her shoulders that Chloe almost missed the shock that registered on her sister’s face, draining it of color. She looked to her mother for help, to defend her youngest daughter, but misery bloomed in her stomach the look of disappointment in her mother’s gaze.
“Why didn’t you say something last night, my dear?” their mother asked, searching her face for answers.
“I didn’t…I couldn’t…” The words came out like whispers.
“You should’ve told me the instant you found out.” Brianna pointed at her, new tears forming in her eyes. “You’re my sister. How could you keep that from me?”
“I was on my way to tell you.” Chloe slipped from the stool, holding her hands up in surrender. “I swear. I just couldn’t figure out how to say it.”
“It’s not that hard.” Brianna choked on another sob and pressed her hand to her mouth. “Bri - your fiance’s cheating on you with his sleazy ex-girlfriend. There. Easy.” She flew from the room and up the stairs, stomping down the hallway and finally into her old room, the door slamming behind her.
Chloe couldn’t believe what had just happened. This was just what she’d feared. Instead of being mad at the actual bad guy in the story here, her family was attacking her for dropping the bad news. It wasn’t her fault she’d stumbled onto it after rehearsal last night. She would’ve rather been anywhere else in the world. It wasn’t her fault.
“Mom, tell her I’m not the bad guy,” she pleaded, turning toward her. “Tell her it isn’t my fault.”
“Your sister needs some time,” her mother replied softly. She glanced at the ceiling in the direction of Brianna’s room. “She just had her heart broken and she feels like you betrayed her by not telling her sooner. Let her work through her feelings.”
Betrayed her? If anything, Chloe had helped. She would’ve clung to that loser longer than necessary if not for her. She opened her mouth to argue with her mother, but was interrupted by the ring of the doorbell. Hoping it was that dirtbag Aaron so she could tell him off, she marched toward the door and yanked it open with an angry grunt.
Blinking in the brilliant white snow stood Jordan, his hands stuffed in his pockets. He wore the same thick gray turtle-necked sweater and faded jeans she’d seen on him less than an hour ago at the parade. Right away, she spotted the guilty look on his face as he squinted at her and tried to smile, revealing his perfectly white teeth.
The rage she’d felt toward Aaron only seconds ago didn’t seem to fade with Jordan’s sudden appearance. It simmered below the surface, drawing a snarl from her lips. Her brain was telling her to cool it; Jordan didn’t deserve her wrath. Not all of mankind was so horrible. But her heart was still reeling from her sister’s heartbreak.
“Bad timing?” he asked, giving her a helpless smile. Despite herself, she also felt the instant need to run into his strong arms and let him block out the world. The strong curve of his biceps and the broad width of his chest invited such embraces. He could make everything better.
“It’s fine.” She tried to block out her romantic impulses and stepped out onto the porch. It wasn’t fair to her sister to be thinking about such things right now.
“Good. Hey listen…” He backed up until he nearly fell off the top step. Catching his balance, he chuckled nervously. “Oops. Anyway, I just got a call from my boss.”
She crossed her arms and stared flatly at him. Why was he telli
ng her this? His boss called every minute of every day.
“She wants me back in Duluth tomorrow morning,” he said with a grimace. Rubbing a hand over his bald head, his dark gaze moved up to her face. “She said I’m done here and she needs me to tackle a new project right away tomorrow morning. I’m not sure what to do.”
Chloe felt like her heart had been hit with a tiny ice pick. It caused a spiderweb of cracks to spread, shattering her heart into a million little pieces. First Aaron and now Jordan. He was leaving her. She’d never see him again and her play would be dead without him. It was all over.
Biting her bottom lip, she blinked away the tears of frustration that formed in the corners of her eyes. Looking up at the clear blue sky, she avoided eye contact and twisted her lips into a frown. “Just go, then. It’s fine.”
He blinked twice, as if unsure what she’d just said. “Wait, what about the play? What about us?”
“There is no us, Jordan.” She got the courage to look him straight in the eye. A storm was building inside her head, bursting to get out. “There never was. You were only going to stick around for a couple weeks. This was never meant to last.”
The muscles in his jaw strained as he stared quietly at her. Something like hurt seemed to pass over his face, but in a flash, it was gone.
Chloe crossed her arms over her chest and breathed slowly to keep in the tears. “Don’t worry about our deal. You’ll still get that interview. I don’t break my promises.”
There was no mistaking the pointed meaning of her statement. Jordan cocked his head to one side, his lips parting slightly. “I don’t want to back out on our deal. And I don’t want to leave you.”
“It’s fine,” she muttered. “I resolve you of your debt.” Turning to wipe the tear that had fallen down her cheek, she stepped back into the house. She couldn’t take another minute of this. Goodbyes were her least favorite things in the world. “Have a safe trip home.”
The door swung shut, the Christmas wreath that hung from it swinging dangerously. Jordan stared at it for nearly a whole minute before he turned to leave. Chloe watched him go through the living room curtains, her arms wrapped around a throw pillow for comfort.
Chapter Thirteen
Jordan dropped the last of his files into the box and stood back from the empty desk. He couldn’t help looking over at Chloe’s empty spot, just a few feet from his. They’d never work together again. He was going to miss watching her throughout the day; enjoying the way her nose crinkled as she concentrated and the pout of her mouth when she was working through some exceptionally difficult accounting.
There was no doubt that she was one of a kind. He’d never find someone like her outside of New Hope. The thought made him want to dump his belongings back into his desk and stay - another month, week, or heck, he’d even take a day. Funny, when he’d been so dead set against coming here in the first place.
“Where are you going?”
Jordan whipped around, nearly throwing the box at the owner of the voice. His heart felt like it was going to fall right out of his chest. He gasped for breath, willing the adrenaline spike to go away. “You about gave me a heart attack, Laurie. What’d you do that for?”
“Sorry.” The redhead gave him a small amused smile and dropped her purse on her desk. “I didn’t think anyone would be in here on a Saturday. I left my sunglasses in my desk. Didn’t think we were going to get such a beautiful day.” Her gaze drifted to the box in his hands. “Are you moving out?”
He nodded. “Boss wants me back at eight a.m. sharp.”
“Does Chloe know?” She tilted her head slightly to the right. “Have you told her?”
Sighing, Jordan dropped into the nearest chair. “I went to talk to her about it this morning. She about had a cow and slammed the door in my face. Didn’t even give me a chance to talk. It’s not like I want to leave or skip out on the play. It’s not my call.”
Laurie’s eyebrows came together as she frowned and leaned her right hip on her desk. She gazed at him with sympathy, a knowing sorrow filling her eyes. “She was probably upset about her sister and took your news doubly hard. I’m so sorry. We all love Chloe for being such a spitfire, but sometimes she can rush to judgment.”
Jordan looked up from his hands. “Sister? What happened to Brianna?”
“She and Aaron broke up. I guess Chloe caught him making out with Ashley Lynn. Awful thing.”
A grim frown slid on his face. “At least I know why she reacted so harshly. Poor Brianna.”
“And poor Chloe,” Laurie added with a meaningful glance. “She was so sure they were the perfect couple - destined to be together forever. I’m sure it rocked her world a little bit.”
“Yeah,” he muttered, more to himself than to her. “I guess it did.”
“She really is a wonderful person. I don’t think you’ll ever find someone so passionate as Chloe. She wears her heart on her sleeve.”
He pressed his lips together and nodded solemnly.
“Well, don’t let me interrupt you.” Laurie plucked a pair of sunglasses from her top desk drawer. “I’m sure you’ve got to get on the road. It was lovely meeting you, Jordan Davis. I’m sure we won’t forget you.”
And just like that, she was gone, leaving him to finish packing the last few remnants of his life in New Hope.
It didn’t take Jordan long to pick up his motel room. As much as he hated to admit it, he was going to miss the dying singing elf and the Santa bedspread and the reindeer hand towels. With his suitcase in hand, he walked toward the front office and found Ed sitting out on his favorite bench, smoking a Marlboro light.
“Have a seat. Rest a moment,” he grunted. Plucking the cigarette from his mouth, he patted the open space next to him. “You young people are always rushing off, never taking a moment to enjoy the day.”
Jordan dropped his stuff and willingly grabbed the seat. Ed had become a sort of grandfatherly presence over the past couple weeks. Despite the fact that he smoked like a chimney and could talk your ear off, he was a good man with his heart in the right place. Jordan would miss the slightly sweet scent of his cigarettes drifting on the wind.
“I sense girl troubles,” Ed said with a slight chuckle. He glanced over at Jordan with a confident nod of his head. “Yep, I recognize that look in your eyes. It’s the same one we all get. A sort of dull trauma that shocks the system. Yes, I know that look all too well.”
He couldn’t help but smile. The man knew his stuff. “Yeah, I guess. My boss wants me back early and I have to skip out on Chloe’s big play. She hates me.”
Ed took a long drag and blew it out between his puckered lips. “Now son, I doubt she hates you. Probably the opposite. She’s just hurt and confused. You should talk to her.”
“She pretty much gave me my marching orders,” Jordan said with a shake of his head. “Plus, she just found out her sister’s fiance was cheating on her. I think the best thing to do is give them all some space.”
“Hmmm.” Ed pressed his lips together and hummed as he considered. “Women are complicated creatures, Jordan. They often want the opposite of what they say. My Edna would say she didn’t need an anniversary present. But you can bet, supper that night would be more than a little burnt if I didn’t show up at the very least with flowers. Turns out, what they want and need are completely different things.”
Jordan leaned back and sighed in annoyance. “Why isn’t there some kind of rule book for these things?”
“Because, as soon as you write it down, the rules change.” He gave a gruff laugh that turned into a chesty cough. Drawing on his cigarette again, he turned his gray eyes to the young man. “But let me tell you this - every day it took to learn those rules was worth it. My Edna was worth every single moment. She still is - even if our moments are dwindling.”
Jordan looked up sharply. He’d assumed Edna was waiting in the office, handling the paperwork. But, all this time living at the motel and he had yet to meet her. “Dwindling? What does
that mean?”
“It’s what the doc said. She won’t make it to the spring. Been fighting Alzheimer’s for five years now.” His eyes moistened as the smoke curled around his head. “The last time she recognized me was last Christmas Eve, when she spent a few days at home. Those Christmas decorations in your room have been up for an entire year. Now, all my Edna does is stare at the walls. I couldn’t bare to take the decorations down. She’ll be going home soon and that’s all I’ll have left of her.”
He watched as several cars drove by - a yellow Dodge pickup, a blue van, and a tan Subaru hatchback. All those people, going about their daily lives, never realizing the agony they were passing. In the weeks he’d been living here, consumed by his tiny life, he’d never thought to even question Edna’s absence. He hated himself. How could he be so clueless?
“Now don’t you go feeling sorry for me.” Ed was watching him, the cigarette burning low on his fingers. He dropped it on the ground and snuffed it with the toe of his worn out Redskins boot. “We’ve lived our lives. Had a heck of a time doing it. You need to do the same. If this girl, Chloe, drives you crazy in the best of ways, don’t give her up.”
A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. Chloe certainly did know how to drive him crazy. She was the sassiest woman he’d ever met - the only person he wanted bossing him around. He had memorized her every curve and the feeling of her body pressed to his. Every minute they’d spent together had be spent in conversations that flowed unlike any he’d had before. And he couldn’t get enough of her. Every ounce of his being was telling him he’d never find another woman like her.
He couldn’t give up on them, yet.
Ed turned a piercing look toward him. In his eyes was a strength Jordan hadn’t seen before now. “Don’t give up on love, son. If it’s within your reach, grab onto it and don’t let go. Don’t squander it. Life’s too short to focus on worldly things. Don’t let love slip between your fingers.”
Without another word, Jordan jumped to his feet and grabbed his bags. Tossing them back into his vacant motel room, he nodded his head at Ed and ran toward his car. He had to think of something.
Caroling in the Snow: A New Hope Sweet Christmas Romance - Book 2 Page 8
