“Okay, give me fiveminutes.” Chloe headed upstairs.
“Ditto. I’ll use thebathroom downstairs.”
When she reappeared in thekitchen, pulling on a fleecy jacket, the sun had begun to filterthrough the lemon trees speckling the deck with watery grey light.Birds used to nesting in the large James Stirling trees at thebottom of the garden tuned up for their morning song.
They left the house and strolledcompanionably through the gate and over the beach road to walkalong the sand. Chloe drew a plastic bag from her jacket pocket,pulled off her shoes and dropped them in the bag. She dug her feetinto the grainy dampness, enjoying the texture of the sandsquishing in between her toes. The air had a chill about it, and itstarted to drizzle slightly, but she filled her lungs and raisedher face to the sky in celebration of the new day. The wonders ofthe ocean and its rejuvenating abilities surrounded her and liftedher spirits. Not even drizzle could dampen her mood.
Todd removed his shoes and socks,picked up the bag and dropped them inside. It swung between them asthey strolled along the water’s edge. It began to rainharder.
Chloe hummed toherself.
Chloe reached over and took thebag from Todd, and slid her hand in his. Neither broke theirstride, neither acknowledged this small step for mankind, this bigstep for Chloe. The genuine smiles on both their faces the onlyindication that anything significant had occurred.
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
If having breakfast with ahandsome knight in shining armour counted as the best way to startthe day, then ticking multiple items of your “To Do List” by lunchmust surely be counted as a close second. Only good things can besaid about having breakfast at literally the crack ofdawn.
Chloe sat at thedining room table with a pile of gardening brochures spread out infront of her, and perused the quote to landscape her garden. Shesipped a cup of herbal tea, and jotted down some notes, trying hardto concentrate on matters at hand. However she kept returning tobeing excited and a little thrilled by the turn of events over thelast twenty-four hours. When she held up her experience with Paulall those years ago, and her recent experience with Todd, she couldfinally admit they could not be compared. Paul wanted to cut heroff from friends and keeping her to himself. Todd was controlling,but he would never hurt her or stop her from seeing her friends. Heneeds to learn to tone it down, that’s all. The phone rang on the table beside her. She grinned like achild when she saw Todd’s image appear on the screen.
“Hi, I was justthinking about you. To what do I owe the pleasure of thiscall?”
“I meant to ask you ifyou’d like to spend Sunday with me on a boat out on the bay. Abusiness colleague invited me the other day. He suggested I bring aplus one. It slipped my mind last night. So would you like to be myplus one?
“Not surprising afterthe drama. Yeah, sure, why not. I heard tomorrow’s going to be abeautiful day.” Chloe’s mind had sped ahead, considering what towear.
“Great, I’ll pick youup about 8.30 am. We have to be at the Elwood marina by 9 am.” Hecouldn’t stop the surge of happiness in his voice. “I’m lookingforward to finding out what kind of sailor you are.”
“Oh, don’t you worry.I have my sea legs alright. I won’t embarrass you in front of yourfriend.”
“You could neverembarrass me. Better get back to my paperwork. See youtomorrow.”
When she hung up the phone, shedid a little seated happy dance. The phone rang again, and shesnatched it up quickly. “Did you forget something?”
“I haven’t forgottenhow you felt under me in bed. Maybe we should revisit thatscenario?” Paul spoke softly into the receiver.
“If you don’t stopbothering me, I’ll …”
“You’ll what? Get yourboyfriend to protect you? Don’t fool yourself, honey. If I wantyou, you’re mine.”
Chloe cut off thecall. She shook from nerves and anger. She longed to call Todd, butshe stopped herself in time. No, I’ll handle this.I have to be strong, stand up formyself.
She searched the phone, but thenumber had been blocked. It rang in her hand, and she dropped thephone on the table in fright. She turned it over. Todd’s faceappeared on the screen. She snatched it up.
“Hel … hello.” Shesounded nervous, even to her ears.
“What’swrong?”
“Why would you thinkanything’s wrong?” Chloe forced a smile.
“Just a feeling. Callit intuition. Now, for the second time, what’s wrong?”
“Paul called, and Ihung up on him. I thought that was him calling back.”
“What did he say? Didhe threaten you?”
“More of a warningreally. I’m not sure what he wants, or why he has decided tocontact me. I need to stand up to him. Make him see he has nocontrol over me now, that I’m not afraid of him anymore.”
“I’m comingover.”
“It’s not necessary,you’re working.”
“It’s only paperwork,I can work from yours … if that’s okay with you?” Todd waited forher approval.
“Sure it’s okay … ifyou want to. I don’t want to be a bother.”
“I would be happierknowing you are not staying at that house, now he knows where youlive. Since he does, I think a little moral support from mewouldn’t hurt. If he comes back … well … let’s say, I’ll try andpersuade him to … find other entertainment.” As an afterthought,Todd said, “Of course, you could come and stay at myapartment.”
“I think I’ll stayhere, but thanks for the offer. I can’t keep running to hide atyour apartment. I have to live my life. If he succeeds in scaringme he wins.”
“Okay. But the offeris there if you change your mind.”
“Thank you. You’vecome to my rescue on more than one occasion in the last year, and …I wanted to say … I was wrong.”
“Wrong?”
“Yes, wrong to runaway the last time, and wrong not to talk to you. To explain whathad scared me that day.”
“I have a bit of anunderstanding now. But I’m not Paul, Chloe. I would never bully orhurt you. Ever.” Todd said, emphatically. “I’ve had to be the headof the family since my parents died. I only want to make sureeveryone is looked after. Everyone is taken care
