“Then why didn’t you? Why did you leave and not call?” Chloe asked her voice breaking as she fought to hold back her tears. It wasn’t fair that he was saying everything right, now that it was too late. Or was it?
“Because I was afraid,” he admitted.
“Afraid? What on earth do you have to be afraid of?” she asked, incredulous.
“Of you, of the way you make me feel. Before I met you, I'd always been happy with one night stands. It’s all I’d wanted. But then I met you, and I couldn’t seem to get enough of you.”
“Michael…” she interrupted.
“Shh. Let me finish. Chloe, I didn’t call you because I was terrified of how you made me feel, of the things you made me want. For the first time in my life, I actually wanted a steady girlfriend. I wanted you."
Chloe swallowed and looked down at her feet. She didn’t know what to say or what to think. He was telling her that he wanted her, but hadn’t mentioned love. Was it too much to ask for love in a relationship? Or should she think about the baby? For that matter, was he really telling her he wanted a relationship with her? Just because he regretted what had happened between them, didn’t mean that he was ready to take that step yet. She could be reading into the situation.
“Say something, Chloe,” he implored.
“I don’t know what to say, Michael.”
“Say that you can forgive me, that you can give me another chance,” he answered.
Chloe shook her head and stood. “I don’t know that I can give you another chance, Michael. But, if it helps, I do forgive you.”
“Chloe…”
She held up her hand. “No, please don’t say anything else. I need some time to myself.”
Michael nodded. “There’s a gate in the backyard that leads to a park if you’d like to go for a walk.”
“Thank you,” she said, heading for the back door, trying to hang on to her dignity. If she stayed another moment, she knew she would throw herself into his arms.
Michael stayed on the couch and hung his head.
Chapter Four
Chloe escaped through the back door and into the yard. Walking briskly toward the back fence, she opened the gate and stepped into the park. Breathing in the morning air, she tried to steady her nerves.
Everything Michael had said had meant more to her than she would ever let him know. If only he'd figured it out before he stopped calling her. Now it was too late, the damage had been done.
Wrapping her arms around herself, she started down the path. As she walked through the wooded park, she thought about her life over the past five months.
Within a few weeks of Michael leaving her, Chloe had found out she was pregnant. She'd been terrified, but knew that she would keep the baby. She had continued on with her life just as she always had; she got up and went to work, kept her apartment clean, and did her grocery shopping. Then she’d lost her job. She hadn’t been too worried. She had money in savings and felt sure she would have a job in no time.
But two missed payments later, the bank got the car. And her savings, which she'd devoted to rent, had dwindled fast with no job in sight. Now she had nothing.
Feeling as if she couldn’t sink any lower, she had sought out Michael, in hopes of… well, she honestly didn’t know what she had hoped for. She certainly hadn’t counted on moving in with him.
Could her life possibly get more complicated? Living with Michael wasn’t easy, but she had known it wouldn’t be. She’d only been in his house for one night and already she felt the need to escape. Being in the same room with him was hard. She’d trusted him, and he’d broken her heart. And yet she still desired him. If he’d put his arms around her, she'd have been lost, unable to say no to him.
Spotting a park bench, Chloe sat down.
She wasn’t sure what she wanted from Michael. Maybe if she figured that out, she could find some peace. What she really wanted she knew she couldn’t have – his heart and his love. Being with Michael was unlike anything she’d ever experienced. She’d felt as if she belonged with him, had felt as if he was “the one.” Then he'd proven himself to be like every other jerk she had dated. Well, maybe not as much of a jerk as Atwood had been. The man had pretty much told her he was just using her for sex. She’d dumped him the next day.
Chloe heard a rustling noise to her right and turned toward the sound, thinking it was just a squirrel or bird. Instead, she saw Michael walking toward her.
“Mind if I join you?” he asked.
Chloe shrugged. Part of her wanted to scream no and the other part wanted to say yes. She hated feeling conflicted. Most of all, she hated that she wanted him. By all rights, she should never want to see or speak to him again. Instead she found herself wanting to make love to him as she had five months ago.
“Chloe, I want to ask a favor of you.”
“What kind of favor?” she asked.
“I want you to give me another chance. I know that I can be a good father and that I can be someone you could depend on. Please let me prove that to you,” he implored.
She shook her head. “I can’t just forget what happened, Michael. We already discussed this at the house.”
“I’m not asking you to forget. I’m simply asking if we can try to move on from that point to rebuild whatever relationship we had,” he said. “I know I screwed up and I’m sorry.”
“You said you left because you wanted to stay,” she reminded him, a perplexed look on her face.
Michael rubbed the back of his neck. “I know it sounds crazy, but it’s the truth. I felt myself being drawn to you, wanting to be with you all the time. I did the first thing that came to mind, I ran. It wasn’t the best decision I’ve ever made, but I can’t change it, either.”
Chloe eyed him thoughtfully. “If I give you another chance, you have to start from square one.”
“I don’t mind starting over.”
She chewed on her lip, a nervous habit, and then nodded. “Okay, you can have another chance. But the first time you screw up again, it’s over.”
“I won’t screw up this time,” he promised.
Chloe rubbed her stomach. “Could we possibly start over by getting some breakfast?”
Michael laughed and held his hand out to her. “Breakfast sounds good.”
***
Once they were seated at the Waffle House, Michael tried to think of ways to help Chloe with her other problem – getting a job. Kiera was already helping out at the garage so they didn’t need anyone to assist with office work. Marin worked with Cole at Sabin Bio-Med. So what did that leave for Chloe?
Michael picked up his menu, but immediately put it back down when his phone rang.
“Hello,” he answered, recognizing Matt Spencer’s cell phone number on the display.
“Michael, I need help,” Matt replied.
“What’s up? Everything okay with Cassie and the kids?” Michael asked, immediately concerned. Matt never asked for help.
“No, it’s nothing like that. Cass and the kids are great. I actually need help with the house rentals,” he answered.
“What about them?” Michael asked.
“I guess I have my fingers in too many pies these days. I have six rental homes and about a dozen more for lease or sale.” Matt blew out a breath. “I don’t have time to keep up with it all. I’m opening a small office on Apple Wood Drive and need someone to man the desk.”
Michael perked up. “What are the days and hours?”
“Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from ten o’clock to two o’clock. Cassie wants to help on Fridays and Saturdays. I’m going to close the office on Sundays and Mondays,” Matt responded. “Do you know of anyone that might want the job? It pays ten dollars an hour.”
Michael rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. “I may know of someone as at least a temporary fix. Give me an hour and I’ll call you back.”
“Sounds good. Thanks, Michael!” Matt said before hanging up.
Michael put his phone back in
his pocket. Chloe was perusing the menu, but he knew she was curious about his phone call.
“That was a friend of mine. It seems he’s opening a real estate or property management office. I’m honestly not sure which or what the difference really is, but the point is that he needs someone four hours a day three days a week,” Michael said.
Chloe perked up. “Really?”
“It only pays ten dollars an hour and won’t have benefits, but it would give you a way to start saving money,” he answered.
Chloe bit her lip.
Michael could tell she was interested, but was holding back. “What’s wrong, Chloe? If you aren’t interested, that’s fine. I’ll just tell Matt that my lead didn’t work out.”
“It isn’t that I’m not interested. It’s just… I need insurance, especially with the baby on the way,” Chloe answered.
Michael finally saw his opening, a way to convince Chloe to marry him. “You know, I have health insurance through work. Gabriel and I picked up a health plan right after he and Kiera got married. If you married me, you’d be covered, too.”
Chloe choked on her water. “Excuse me? Did you just ask me to marry you?”
“Yeah, I guess I did,” Michael replied, aware that the proposal was a bit lacking, but hoping she would take him up on the offer.
“What happened to taking it slow? To starting over?” she asked, panicked. Marriage to Michael… she wasn’t sure she could handle it, wasn’t sure it was what she wanted.
“I still want to do all of that, but… Well, I just thought it might solve your insurance problem and allow you to take the job. Working part-time probably isn’t such a bad idea while you’re pregnant,” he replied.
“I don’t know if anyone has ever received a marriage proposal for health insurance before,” she commented.
Michael had the grace to blush. “I told you before that I had feelings for you and was drawn to you. It wasn’t just because of the insurance.”
Chloe tilted her head and observed him. He looked like he meant what he said, but could she trust him? What would happen if he decided he didn’t want a wife and baby? What if he wanted his old life back? More importantly, could she live without love? Could she make a marriage work just based off lust and an unplanned pregnancy?
“I’ll think about it,” she finally responded.
“You will?” he asked hope filling his voice and showing clearly on his face.
Chloe gave him a small smile. “Yeah, I’ll think about it. I’m not making any promises though!”
“I wouldn’t expect you to,” he replied with a smile of his own.
Chapter Five
Later that afternoon, Michael’s house was under siege. His two sisters-in-law and Cassie showed up with Cole and Matt in tow. Gabriel probably would have joined them if he hadn’t been working. It seemed that everyone was curious about the woman living in Michael’s house.
Cassie had brought a few more maternity outfits and Kiera and Marin had brought food. The women immediately headed for the kitchen, herding Chloe along with them.
Michael looked at Cole and Matt, “Why exactly did all of you decide to converge on the house at once?”
“We just wanted to welcome the newest member of the pack,” Cole said.
“Shh! Are you out of your mind?” Michael asked in a harsh whisper.
“You didn’t tell her?” Cole asked in surprise.
“Of course not! What am I supposed to say? How am I supposed to tell her that the baby she carries could very well turn furry when it gets older?” Michael demanded.
Cole shrugged. “She’s your mate. She’ll accept you.”
Michael shook his head. “I’m not so sure about that. She’s pissed at me, and I have to toe the line right now or I’ll lose her for sure. At this rate, she may never marry me.”
“But she moved in,” Cole stated.
“She didn’t really have a choice. She lost her apartment so I offered her a place to stay."
That stumped Cole for a minute. “So she’s just staying here? She didn’t really move in?”
“Right. At least for now… I convinced her to give me another chance, so I’m hoping I can make it permanent,” Michael answered. “And I asked her to marry me.”
“What did she say?” Cole seemed surprised his twin had asked the question so early.
“That she’d think about it. I don’t think I’ve ever screwed up this bad before,” Michael admitted.
Matt gave him a pointed look, and he remembered the time he’d been under the influence of a spell and had attacked Cassie.
“Okay, so other than the incident at Whispering Lake I haven’t ever screwed up this badly,” Michael amended. He knew that Matt and his brothers would never let him live that moment down.
***
In the kitchen, Marin, Cassie, and Kiera had backed Chloe into a corner. The women were relentless.
“So why didn’t you tell Michael about the baby?” Marin asked.
“He didn’t seem interested,” Chloe replied stiffly.
“You didn’t think he’d want to know he was going to be a father?” Kiera asked.
“He only seemed interested in sleeping with me. When he left without calling, I thought that pretty much summed up his feelings.”
“And since he’d behaved so callously toward you, you thought he wouldn’t want your child, either?” Cassie prompted gently.
Chloe shook her head. “I didn’t think he wanted anything to do with me. If he didn’t want me, why would he want a baby? I’d been warned he was a one-- night-stand type of guy.”
“And a leopard can’t change his spots?” Kiera asked.
Chloe shrugged. “He says he wants to.”
“And you don’t believe him?” Marin pressed.
“I don’t know what to believe. Part of me wants to believe him, but if he truly felt anything for me he would’ve called.”
The women backed off a little and looked at one another. They had to wonder if she wasn’t a little bit right. Why hadn’t Michael called Chloe? Why had he just walked away like he had countless other times?
“You’re wondering the same thing, aren’t you?” Chloe asked. “You know he never stays with one woman.”
“A man can change,” Kiera pointed out.
“Yes, he can.” Chloe looked at each of them. “But did he change because he found out I’m pregnant? Or did he change because he has feelings for me?”
Marin chewed on her lip and looked at the other women. “Can’t we find out?”
“How are we supposed to do that?” Chloe wondered.
“I’m sure we can figure something out. Until then, what are you going to do?” Marin asked.
Chloe shrugged. “I’m not sure. He’s asked me for another chance. I told him he could have it, but that he’d have to start over. He seemed excited, but I still don’t know if it will last.”
“Only time will tell. Do you have feelings for him?” Cassie asked.
Chloe blushed. “Does it really matter? If he doesn’t feel the same, I won’t stay with him. When it comes down to it, I’ll do whatever is best for the baby.”
“You don’t think having his or her father around will be what’s best?” Marin asked.
“I think watching a mother suffer in a loveless marriage wouldn’t be the best thing. I’d still make sure the child got to see Michael as often as possible, but I won’t stay if he doesn’t love me.”
Kiera looked at the women standing around the small kitchen and came to a decision.
“I think what you need most right now is a support system,” Kiera said.
“A support system?” Chloe asked.
“We have a large family, both blood related and extended like Cassie and Matt. When I get back to the house, I’m going to start making arrangements for everyone to come over this Saturday night. I think it will be good for you to meet them.”
Chloe smiled. “That would be nice. I don’t really have any friends around he
re. I had some co-workers, but we never really did anything outside of work.”
“Are you not from around here?” Cassie asked.
Chloe shook her head. “I’m originally from California, but I moved here a while back. I just never really clicked with anyone I guess.”
“Several of our friends in the area are from California. Maybe you’ll make new friends this Saturday,” Kiera said with a smile.
Chapter Six
“Kiera, have you lost your mind?”
“Just hear me out, Gabriel.”
He crossed his arms and stared at her.
“Michael cares for Chloe that much is obvious. But does he love her? You said yourself that she’s part of our pack. If she isn’t Michael’s mate, then she has to belong to someone.”
“Go on.”
“The party Saturday night would give her a chance to meet everyone. It would also give you a chance to see how she interacts with the other single males. If she connects with one in particular, then it’s possible she isn’t meant for Michael.”
“You do realize that it would be rather awkward for my brother to have fathered a child with another werewolf’s mate, don’t you?”
Kiera sighed. “I know, but there’s nothing we can do about that. Besides, Chloe is lonely.”
“Doesn’t she have friends and family around here?”
“She said she never made any friends. I’m guessing she’s alone. If she had anyone to turn to, don’t you think she’d have gone to someone for help other than Michael? She felt like he abandoned her. She knows about his past record with women, yet she went to him for help anyway.”
“You’re right. If she’d had any other options, she wouldn’t have come here that day.”
“So you’re okay with the party?”
“Do I have a choice?”
Kiera smiled. “Not really.”
“I didn’t think so.”
“I’ll call Collin and Connor to get the ball rolling. They can help spread the word. Between the three of us, we should be able to reach everyone in the pack by the end of tomorrow.”
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