Taking a chance, he looked over at her and caught her gaze. Now he had to say something. “How’s Chloe handling everything?”
“Not well. She wants me to go with her to talk to Mrs. Adams.”
“Makes sense. You’re friends and she needs moral support.”
“Of course, she does. I just hate that I can’t give her good news. Who wants to find out they weren’t wanted?”
Guy paused, missing the next push for Rachel. Was there a double meaning behind her words? Was she insinuating he hadn’t wanted her?
The problem was he had wanted her. Too much in fact. So much that he’d lost control. He swallowed, feeling the pulse beating frantically in his neck.
“Can we switch now, Papa?” Rachel asked.
“Sure, Rachel.” Michelle said.
They swapped places and the orange scent of her perfume wrapped around him like a caress. He pushed Rebekah, trying to control his thoughts, trying to be nonchalant when everything in him screamed in protest.
But why should he care if Michelle thought he didn’t want her? That was years ago. They had been barely adults, more kids than not.
But your actions weren’t that of a kid, but of a man in love.
He rubbed his eyes trying to dislodge the images rolling in his brain. The embrace they shared after she found out her parents had died. The kisses he bestowed upon her for comfort, which quickly engulfed them with the heat of passion.
“So, how are you settling down in Freedom Lake?”
Guy turned to look at Michelle. “Come again?”
She gave him a bemused grin. “Are you settling down from the move? I know how hard it is to adjust.”
Of course she would. Her Boston accent had been noticeable among the Hoosiers when she first moved to Freedom Lake. But over the years, it had softened and she could almost be mistaken for a native now.
He looked at her, taking in her sundress. No. She could never be mistaken for being a simple Indiana girl. She screamed class and high maintenance. For once, he didn’t see it as a bad thing. “Yeah, it was easy to switch back to the Freedom Lake’s lifestyle.”
Guy glanced at Bekah, as she looked up with her eyes closed, enjoying the sun. “The girls really love it here.”
Michelle smiled and he watched as she interacted with his daughter. She made a comment to Rachel and her giggles reached his ears. It was almost like they were a family.
What would Charlene think?
Would he ever stop feeling conflicted when it came to women? Guy had never thought about finding love again. It had never crossed his mind because he had loved Charlene with everything he had. Her death had utterly devastated him. But right now, in Freedom Lake, his thoughts couldn’t stop focusing on his first love.
He froze. What am I supposed to do about it now?
Chapter Nineteen
Michelle pulled up to Chloe’s apartment. She always pictured the house surrounded with woodland creatures. Chloe was just that angelic. She reminded her of a Black version of Snow White or some other Disney princess who was admired by animals.
She started to press her horn, but stopped in time when Chloe appeared. Her friend wore a yellow sundress with a white sweater. The girl even had a matching flower in her hair. Somehow, Chloe made the look seem causal and serene. Michelle wished she had that kind of peace.
Thankfully, the more she talked to God, the more it seemed to be within her reach.
The car door opened. “Hey, girl.”
Chloe smiled. “Hey, Chelle. Thanks for coming with me today. I’m super nervous.”
“Of course.”
Michelle pulled away from the house and headed to Mrs. Adams’s. Would Holly be there? She wanted to ask questions about Guy without being obvious. Maybe she’d have the opportunity since Mrs. Adams had invited them to dinner. Chloe had surprised her by accepting. She thought it would be awkward, but Chloe thought it would make the necessary conversation easier.
Her mind drifted to Tanya. Something about her brought out Michelle’s protective instinct. If only she could shield Tanya from the derogatory slurs and hate mail she had received from the victim’s family. People never thought of their actions could be just as illegal as the defendant. Fortunately for them, Tanya refused to press charges.
Now that Michelle was on the other side of the coin, or court more aptly put, it seemed overly harsh. Her client hadn’t hit the victim on purpose. Even though Tanya had been drunk, it had no bearing on the victim darting out into the street on a dark night. Kodiak City had more lights than Freedom Lake, but none to speak of on the street of the incident. Anyone could have been in the same position: sober or not.
“Michelle, I wanted to ask you a question.”
Chloe’s voice broke her reverie. She quickly glanced at Chloe before turning her eyes back to the road. “Sure, what’s up?”
“Do you think I should go see Mr. Davenport?”
How am I supposed to answer that, Lord? She inhaled, then exhaled. Nothing. “I don’t know, Chloe. Wasn’t that the whole point of your request? Didn’t you want to meet your father?”
“I did. I do. But knowing how I came about...makes it awkward. Plus, he has children. Will I be disrupting their lives? Will they not want me around?” Chloe turned to gaze out the window.
Michelle hated the hurt her friend was going through. Yet, how could she make it better? Then again...
“Would you like it if Jo and I came along? We could be your moral support?”
Chloe turned and met her gaze, her eyes lit up with relief. “You would do that?”
“Sure. I’m here now, right? I can always block off some time from work and we can do a road trip.”
“Thank you so much, Chelle. I’ll ask Jo if she can tag along
