As I rose from the bed, my mind turned over and over with thoughts about what she could possibly think of me. It was never something that had plagued me before, but after last night and my very one-sided treatment of her . . . I wondered if she saw me for what I really was—the villain in our twisted story.
Jason had agreed to come with me today to pick up a new piece of machinery I was buying for the marina. And considering I’d slept till noon, I sent him a text letting him know I’d be late, which he’d probably already figured out. Then again, nothing about me was reliable these days. Unless you counted Wednesdays. I was always prompt and punctual then. Fuck yeah, I was.
By the time I’d showered, dressed, and eaten, it was after one o’clock. I pulled my truck to a stop in front of Jason and Chloe’s place, but I didn’t dare get out. I didn’t know what I’d say to Chloe after last night.
Moments later, Jason came out, stuffing his cell phone and wallet into the pockets of his jeans.
“Ready to roll?” I asked when he climbed inside.
“Sure thing,” he replied, putting his sunglasses on.
They were practically a staple in your wardrobe if you lived in South Florida. I had several pairs rattling around in the glove compartment of my truck at any given time.
“What’s new with Chloe?” I asked as we drove.
He shot me a curious glare. “Wouldn’t you know? She said you guys met up at Hank’s last night.”
“Oh. Right.” I kept my gaze on the road. “I just meant her overall mood. How’s she doing today?”
The pregnant pause that followed was awkward as hell. Okay then.
“She’s fine, I guess,” he finally said.
That was the end of my prying questions.
When Jason and I arrived at the warehouse, we had to wait for a few minutes while Big Tony finished up with another customer, so I decided to pull out my phone and text Chloe myself. The conversation in my truck with Jason had me on edge.
Shaw: If last night was too much for you . . . I’m sorry.
I got no response to my text, and I wondered if maybe this time I’d crossed the line. Perhaps silence was her way of telling me she was done.
I reread my text. It wasn’t a full-on apology. I was saying if last night was too much for her, then I was sorry. Not that I’d acted like a complete selfish prick and was truly sorry for it.
Hell, I’d forced her down onto her knees and stuffed my cock down her throat until she gagged. I should have been begging her to forgive me, telling her I’d gone too far. It was a fine line and one I was tiptoeing the edge of.
“There’s something I need to say,” Jason said once we were in the cab of the truck with the pulley system placed in the back, and my wallet five hundred bucks lighter.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Your interest in Chloe . . .”
I bit the inside of my cheek to avoid cursing. “What interest? We’re friends, Jay—you know that.”
“People in this town talk. And I hear things from time to time.” Then he turned and looked over at me as I drove. I kept my hands steady at ten and two and my eyes on the stretch of road in front of us. “What are you doing with my sister?”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“I heard something went down between you two last night at Hank’s.”
“Nothing went down.” The lie slipped easily off my tongue. “I’d never hurt Chloe.” Another lie. I wanted it to be true, but I knew it wasn’t.
“I know you wouldn’t,” he said and his tone softened. “But she looks at you like you walk on water, and if I find out that you’ve been fucking around with her, I’ll have something to fucking say about it.”
“Absolutely. You’re her older brother. That’d be well within your rights.”
“Damn straight it would.”
We drove the remainder of the way in silence, and when I dropped him off, Jason muttered a cool, “See ya.” Then he disappeared inside.
I was left with an uneasy feeling in my gut, and still no response from Chloe. Rather than go home, I decided to pay a visit to Abe. Unsurprisingly, he was sitting on the back porch, doing another crossword puzzle.
“Nothing better to do than come bug an old man?” he asked when I sat down, not even bothering to look up at me.
I chuckled. “Something like that.”
We sat in silence for a few moments as I thought about what to say next. There was something about his style—the way he never pried, but always quietly listened and offered insightful advice that made me want to open up to him more than I did anyone else.
“I think Chloe’s pissed at me.”
“Did you give her a reason to be?” he asked.
“Maybe.” Fuck. I took a deep breath. “Probably.”
“That’s a yes.”
I nodded and let out a heavy sigh.
“She’s special to you,” he said.
Of course she was. Abe knew she and I grew up together.
“You’re a young man, Shaw. You aren’t expected to hold a memorial for your late wife for the rest of your life. It’s okay to move on.”
That surprised me, coming from Abe. Sarah was his whole world, and I knew he’d never even considered looking for another companion, despite how lonely he was.
“When you’re ready,” he added.
“Yeah . . . someday,” I said.
I just wondered if someday was going to come sooner than I was ready for.