What the hell?
“Look at me.” I didn’t mean for my words to sound angry, but at this point there wasn’t really a way to contain them. “Nothing about that night holds a candle to our time together. I can assure you that had I not been drunker than I should have been, I never would have touched her.” Her head was facing me, but her eyes were closed.
“Do you know that the first time I saw you, I couldn’t take my eyes off you?” Chloe’s lower lip trembled, but I kept going. “We were all at the lake and you and the girls were down on the dock. Laying out side by side, while we all sat on the tailgate of Mike’s and Rhett’s trucks. Your legs were propped up in the air, shifting from side to side. Gorgeous, that’s all I could think about.” Opening her eyes, she looked down at my chest. “I wasn’t ready for a relationship and you.” One deep breath in…I tried not to fall apart. I had never in my life been so into a girl that her pain managed to be my own. It was like I could feel what she was feeling. “You were guarded by the guys, and I knew if I hurt you, it would trigger a war. A girl like you deserves so much more than a guy that’s only half in.”
“You don’t have to explain.”
“Yeah, I do.” I should have said all of these things long before now. “I wish I could go back and cut out all the in between, because I missed out, Chloe. I missed out on getting to know you sooner and falling for you sooner.” This managed to gain her attention, and her eyes locked on mine. “I’m falling for you, hell, I’ve already fallen, and I hate knowing that my past has caught up with me and is causing you pain. This is my problem, my mistake, and I will fix it. She isn’t going to ruin your future, and I refused to let her ruin us.”
I stared at her, hoping to see just a small fraction of relief. My heart ached, my chest feeling tighter with each passing second. Then just when I was about to lose hope, she lay her head on my shoulder and pressed a kiss along my jaw.
A rush of comfort soared through me, and I wrapped my arms around her a little tighter. I had to make this right, I had to.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chloe
“Put that one right over there.” Aunt Kori pointed to the one empty space that was left on the huge buffet table. So much food, such variety was laid out before us, and most people would think a feast of this magnitude was a bit of an overkill. But those people weren’t feeding an army such as ours. Men, big burly men with stomachs that were nothing less than bottomless pits. Every family get together, every single event we gathered for, was huge.
Thanksgiving, it was just like any other dinner we’d shared, only this one had a few more pies.
“Smells good in here.” Uncle Reed stepped up behind his wife and wrapped her in his arms. When she giggled then sighed, I had to look away. Something about all the older members of our families, they loved hard. Age didn’t slow them down; they were fierce, loyal, and had no problem showing anyone in their wake how much they adored their women. It carried on into the next generation as I looked to the other room to find both Rhett and Mike loving on their women. It was like a huge love fest, with the exception of Grace and Colt, each staring at the television, ignoring the sweetness all around them. Grace was unhappy actually, and again guilt hit me, knowing I’d added to her torture. I owed her, big time. I just had to figure out a way to do so.
The front door opened, and in walked my parents. Hand in hand, looking like two teenagers in love. It was adorable, really, and I hoped when I was their age I had a man who found me as irresistible as my father did my mother. They were still so cute, well, without the whole heavy breathing in the phone part. All that they could keep to themselves.
I felt a little sad that Landon wasn’t here, but he had his own family traditions. His mother, father, and grandparents all gathered across town. It would be wrong for him to miss that, just like it would be wrong for me to miss my own. Granted, I think that my family would behead me if I wasn’t here. Okay, so that’s a little harsh, but they took this family stuff seriously. You had better be on your death bed if you didn’t show up.
I’d yet to tell anyone about my leave at work. I didn’t want to trigger the firing squad. The women would be full of questions, and the men, they would be out for blood. The drama was too much, so for now, I chose to keep it all to myself. Plus Monday I’d go in and meet with them once more. This time I was going in prepared.
“Let’s eat,” Gran hollered, and we all knew not to drag our feet. One by one we shuffled in and took our places. Conversation, laughter, it all swarmed around me as I took in each and every one of them.
Prayer was shared, and dishes were passed around as each of us filled our plates. I felt the absence of Landon, though I was still so unsettled about where we would be this time next year I had hopes. Letting go of the idea of what had taken place between him
