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I watched her as she spoke, wondering why I was drawn to this woman in a way I hadn’t been to other women in the past.
This time around, it feels different,I thought before I pushed that out of my mind.
When I’d accidentally seen her New Year’s resolutions on her notepad earlier, I’d been stunned to know that she was in debt. I’d witnessed my father going through it, and I knew how the thought of money had plagued his every waking hour. Chloe showed me that life could be difficult and you could still smile your way through it. That you could be in situations that tried to break you, but it didn’t make you broken. It just made you more beautiful.
“What?” she asked when he said something inaudible. “Oh shoot, was Ronan’s music event today? I completely forgot?—”
Her expression weakened, and then she shook her head. “I’m sorry. I know you promised him you’d be there, but I still can’t be back by nine, Henry.”
That seemed to explain a lot to Henry because the questions stopped, and Chloe laughed, looking self-conscious.
Her face glowed at the words, and she nodded. A shy smile took over her face as she considered it.
“Yes,” she said, seemingly in response to his question. “Now, let me go, and I promise we’ll attend his show next Thursday. And listen, please don’t make plans for the weekend of April 18. I’ll be out all day that Saturday. Yes, that’s three weeks from now.”
My mind wandered a bit as I reflected on a message I’d received from Helen. She would land in New York tomorrow, and Lucas was ecstatic about it. It had made me jealous, just like how I was a little jealous of the time and attention Chloe gave her brother, even when I was around.
Chloe finished her call and hung up before turning to me. “Looks like we can’t have a repeat date next Thursday.” She grinned, leaning into me.
I put my arm around her and drew her closer while she snuggled in. “Well, there are two other Thursdays in this month, so we’ll be fine.”
45
CHLOE
Ilooked out the window at the lights as we rode through the city. People walked on footpaths in a mad rush, and I realized this was the third time I was headed somewhere with Sean where I was not racing to make it to the subway.
“Where are we going?” I asked, looking out the window before I turned to Sean.
“I’m taking you to my favorite steak place,” he said.
I wondered which one it could be.
The past week, he’d taken quite a few business lunches at Peter Luger Steak House, and I found myself a trifle sad that I was getting the same treatment as his business partners.
I squished that feeling down.
To Sean, everything in life was a business deal, including our little sex-only arrangement. It was what I’d originally wanted, too, so why was I feeling disappointed?
Did I feel anything for him now?
I shouldn’t. I didn’t …
But if I were being truly honest with myself, perhaps I was. I was starting to care about him. And maybe, on that day of thefire, I saw a glimmer of hope that this was something beyond casual.
Silly, foolish me.
I couldn’t change Sean. Great, amazing sex didn’t mean he had feelings for me.
I looked up when I felt his eyes on me, and for a second, I was stumped. He was giving me a heated but knowing look. It was a look that showed he understood so much more than he let on.
“Didn’t I tell you that you don’t have to worry when you’re with me?” he asked as the car came to a stop.
I flushed.Thank goodness he can’t read my mind, I thought as he reached for my hand and led me out.
Were we here already?
I looked around in the dark night and realized we were at the tarmac.