Samantha sensed somethingterrible had occurred in Todd’s world as soon as she arrived at theoffice. Her usual cheerful “Good morning” had gone unnoticed. Toddhunched over his laptop, his shoulders slumped, a pile of paperworkby his keyboard. The dark circles under his eyes gave him a gauntappearance. He hadn’t arrived at the office before nine o’clocksince Chloe had been staying with him. She wanted to enquire aboutChloe, but decided against it. She logged onto her computer andtried to ignore the haunted look in his eyes.
She waited patiently all morning,hoping he would open up to her, but to no avail. She tried adifferent approach. “Would you like some lunch, Todd?”
“No thanks. I have alot to do. Not hungry.”
“A coffeeperhaps?”
“Nothanks.”
“Would you like…”
“Stop mothering me,Samantha. I’m not hungry, I’m not thirsty. I am busy.”
“Fine. I’ll pop alongand get my lunch then …”
“You do that.Bye.”
Todd couldn’t wait tohave the office to himself. Samantha had been hovering over him,watching his every move all morning. The last thing he wanted to dowas to open up to her. Hell, he didn’t even know how to put it intowords. One minute he was in a loving relationship with Chloe, thenext minute he was driving home alone. She told him she was upsetwith him for yelling. It hadn’t registered at the time. He’d onlybeen concerned about her. Didn’t she know that he was only thinkingof her? Why would she want to go back to that, that building site,instead of staying in his beautiful apartment? Can’t she see that I love her and want the best forher?
Hell, she needed taking care of,that was a fact. She could hurt herself again, have anotheraccident. Strong willed, opinionated and impetuous couldn’t beginto describe her. But, he acknowledged, she was also loving andfunny and tender, not to mention smart and beautiful.
He printed off a copy of theletter he had been drafting on his laptop, noticed glaring errors,and tore it into tiny pieces in frustration. He hadn’t saved it. Anhour’s work wasted. He would have to start again. Funny, hethought, so typical, just like my life. I’m wasting my time,chasing someone who doesn’t want my love. I will have to startagain.
He stopped, halfwaybetween the printer and the desk, as a light bulb blinked on abovehis head. Of course. She needs to bewooed. She needsto know I love her. She needs to feel loved and valued. I have toprove to her we belong together. We need to start again.
Todd grabbed his iPhone off thedesk just as Samantha returned.
“I will be out for awhile.” Todd pocketed his car keys.
“I thought you saidyou were busy … Oh … okay” Samantha leant back against her desk ashe made a beeline for the door … “I’ll hold down thefort.”
Todd rushed out of the officewithout a backward glance.
Chloe spent her morning makingcoffee and sandwiches for the workmen. She called suppliers toplace orders for appliances and bought light fittings on line.Anything she could do to keep busy. Thinking about Todd had herheart aching. So the best thing to do was not to think about Toddat all. She pushed herself harder than she should have, cleaningout the spare bedroom and study, and prepping it for the paintersPatrick had arranged. When they arrived, she thankfully took a cupof coffee upstairs to rest for a few minutes.
She opened her eyes. Patrickstood by her bedside, gently rubbing her arm to rouse her from herslumber. The sunlit room had morphed into late afternoongloom.
“Oh dear. How longhave I been asleep?”
“Well, the workmen areleaving, so it’s about five o’clock now. They said they hadn’t seenyou in a while. I guess you’ve been up here for a few hours. Areyou okay?”
“Yes, I’m finethanks.”
“You don’t look fine.You looked sad this morning when I dropped by to check on the crew.Do you want to talk about it?”
“Nope.”
“I’m here if youchange your mind. Is Todd coming to pick you up?”
That did it. Hot tears sprunginto her eyes and she quickly turned away. Not soon enough though,as Patrick reached out and caught her by the arm and turned hertowards him.
“Chloe.” He lookedinto her eyes. “What’s wrong? Did something happen between you andTodd?”
“I think it’s over,Patrick. I can’t do it. He is so controlling and I have lived on myown terms for so long. I couldn’t breathe. I feltsmothered.”
“It can’t be that bad,surely? You’ll be able to work this out and things will be fine inno time.”
“No, Patrick. Heyelled at me on the phone yesterday, when I was here after youleft. He ordered meto stay where I was. He didn’t even notice I was so excited to beback working on the house again. I wanted to surprise him. To showhim I was feeling better and getting on with the renovations. Hewasn’t happy at all. Not. At. All. Not for me, or for the fact thatmy house needs to be finished. He was only concerned by the fact Ihadn’t left him a note, and he didn’t know where I was. He thinks Iam being stupid finishing this project. I’m sorry, you seem to haveopened the floodgates.” Chloe buried her face in herhands.
Patrick sat on the edge of thebed and put his arm around her.
She leant on his shoulder,grateful he stayed and listened and didn’t run in the oppositedirection when she started to cry. “I miss him. But last night Isaw Todd as he was the first day I met him. An egotisticalopinionated man who thinks women should be home, barefoot andpregnant. Waiting with the pipe and slippers for the man of thehouse to come home.”
“He’s not that bad,Chloe. He’s all talk, but I am sure he was just worried about you.I know Todd is
