Page 17 of Finding Home (Willow Valley #1)

SEVENTEEN

EVERETT

I n the morning, I find a note on the kitchen counter, and Chloe is nowhere to be seen. She must have snuck out before I even got up. I read her note about the chicken noodle soup her mom sent her home with and immediately dish some into a container to take with me to work today.

I immediately notice Lila’s disappointment when she makes it downstairs and sees that Chloe isn’t here. We eat breakfast and both get ready for our days.

While I’m buckling Lila in the car, she asks, “Why wasn’t Miss M here this morning?”

“She had plans. You’ll see her at school.”

“What plans?”

“I’m not sure. She just said she had plans.”

“Did you hurt her feelings, Daddy?”

That stops in me my tracks, and I look up and meet my daughter’s eyes. “Why would you think I hurt her feelings?”

“You grunt a lot. You only talk to me and Grandma.” She shrugs. “Maybe she thought you don’t like her.”

My daughter, ever the observer, hits me right in the fucking heart.

I know Chloe didn’t leave because I hurt her feelings, more likely because of a sense of either awkwardness or embarrassment after last night, but the thought that my daughter thinks I may have hurt Chloe’s feelings doesn’t sit right with me.

And not just that Lila thinks I could, but the actual possibility of hurting Chloe’s feelings hits me in a way I never imagined.

I’d rather cause myself pain than do that to her, and I can’t put a finger on why she makes me feel that way.

“I’ll make sure to be nicer, but I didn’t hurt her feelings.”

Lila watches me, tilting her head slightly before nodding and saying, “Okay, Daddy. I believe you.”

I kiss her cheek and get in the car.

When I drop Lila off at school, she runs straight to Chloe and hugs her legs. The smile that spreads over Chloe’s face warms my chest. She spots me, and I slowly make my way to her as she greets more of her students.

“Morning,” she says, a blush climbing up her cheeks.

“Morning.”

Silence fills the space between us, and she tries to look anywhere but at me.

“Lila missed you this morning.”

Her face twists, and she looks at me. “I’m sorry.”

“She’ll be fine. She thought I hurt your feelings and scared you off.”

Her mouth quirks, and she bites her lip. “Not this time.”

Those words, like she believes it’s a possibility, tell me I need to reevaluate how I am with Chloe, because while she may only be helping me out with Lila, something in my gut tells me I can’t lose her. I can’t scare her off.

I itch to pull her into my chest and kiss the top of her head and tell her I’ll never hurt her, but I can’t promise that. I’m no one to be able to pull her in close to me and enjoy the feeling of her warmth and her pressed against my body.

“Thanks for the soup,” I say instead, and she nods.

“Of course. Mom insisted. ”

“Grandma will pick Lila up today and take her overnight, so you’ll have the house to yourself.”

“Okay. Have a good shift.”

“Thanks.”

I continue standing there, taking in the features of her face as she watches her kids slowly make their way into the classroom.

“I should…” She points over her shoulder, and I nod and take a step backwards.

“Of course.”

I make my way back to my truck and over to the station, grabbing my bag and sticking the soup in the fridge, placing a sticky note with my name on top of the container.

The guys slowly make their way into the main meeting room for start of shift, and the second I see Thomspon, my blood seems to start boiling.

The reminder of Chloe mentioning him coming over to her family’s house enough to enjoy her mother’s cooking.

Did they date, is that why he’s spent time over there?

Is that why they were so friendly when she brought the cookies? Are they still a fling?

I grip the edge of the podium I’m standing at and take a deep breath.

I know I shouldn’t act with no information, but I want to give him all the shit jobs no one wants just because I can.

Just the thought that he may have had his hands on her, that he may have seen her naked, makes me want to torture him.

I cross my arms over my chest and widen my stance as the rest of the guys come in.

I need to find a way to have Chloe again.

I’m tired of trying to keep her at arm’s length.

I need to get rid of this jealous feeling.

I don’t fucking get jealous, but just seeing fucking Ryder Thompson grinning right now has me wanting to punch him in the face.

I make it all the way to lunch without any more thoughts of hitting him. As I’m pulling my reheated soup out of the microwave, he walks into the kitchen and says, “Oh, that smells like Mama Maxwell’s chicken noodle soup.”

I turn and glare at him, but he doesn’t seem to notice as he busies himself with making a sandwich.

I grab my soup and stomp out of the kitchen like a petulant child.

I half burn my tongue as I shovel the first bite into my mouth, and damn, it’s fucking good.

It tastes like being home during a snow day wrapped in a blanket while watching some cartoon while you’re a kid.

I finish every last drop, drinking the broth and leaving nothing behind.

As I finish, I spot Chloe outside with the kids, and without thought, make my way out to join her. She looks shocked when I step onto the field, but she offers me a soft smile.

“Everything okay?” she asks, and I waste no time asking, “Have you dated or slept with Thomspon?”

She stares at me, mouth opening and closing, eyes wide, before she breaks into a full fit of laughter. Bent over at the waist, hands on her knees as she works to catch her breath from laughing so hard.

When she stands, she points at her chest and says, “Me and Ryder, date? Have sex?” and she’s bent over laughing again.

I fall into my defensive stance of my arms over my chest as I stare at her.

She gathers herself and wipes at her eyes. “No. Ryder and I don’t have that type of relationship. Strictly platonic. Not my type.”

I raise a brow. “Not your type?”

She shakes her head and bites her lip before saying, “I tend to lean towards the quiet broody type. But thanks for the good laugh, it was much needed.”

She turns and leaves me just standing in the middle of the field watching after her. She looks over her shoulder at me with a wicked gleam in her eyes, and the first thought that comes to me is, damn, she’s gorgeous.