Page 53 of Into The Rabbit Hole

“Oh, come on, man. Give me a damn break,” Wescomplained.

When she saw the hint of a smile in Wade’s eyes, Chloe relaxed a little and brightened when she saw him reach out his hand to shakeWes’.

“Wes,” Wade said. That was the first time he’d called him that. It was always Wesley, and he made a point of enunciating every syllable in his name to emphasize his annoyance. “Thank you. For all that you’ve done. You didn’t have to help me, but I stand here now because ofyou.”

Wes narrowed his eyes and looked down at Wade’s hand, thinking for a few seconds before he shook it. “You’re welcome. This isn’t a five-minute, friendly head start before you kick my ass, isit?”

Wade looked embarrassed by that. It was a high school joke that Chloe rememberedwell.

“No, there never should have been any five-minute head starts. I was a stupid jock with no aim in life. You were far cooler than me. I’m sorry. None of that should have happened.” Wade gave him an apologeticsmile.

“It’s alright.” Wes returned the smile. “Youokay?”

Wade nodded and looked over at her. There was something different about the way he looked at her. Something different in his eyes that she couldn’t quite describe. Something good, something that reminded her of how he looked when they first got together. It was a look of desire, but with something more, something more thanlove.

They all talked for a while and then Taylor and Wes left, leaving them to themselves. They went outside and sat next to each other by the poolside, enjoying what was left of theday.

“I haven’t thanked you, yet, for sending my family,” he said, kissing the top of her head. She straightened up and looked athim.

“You don’t haveto.”

He twisted around so that he was facing her. “I do. You’re amazing, Chloe. I really needed someone there because it was toomuch.”

Although she was glad she’d helped in some small way, she was sorry he had to go through itall.

“Whathappened?”

He looked down, sighed, then returned his gaze to her. “Merissa’s mom wasthere.”

She gasped. “Really? Did she say anything to you?” Chloe really hoped that nothing more unpleasanthappened.

“She did. I was worried she’d tell me to leave, but she didn’t. We talked for a little bit about what happened, and apparently she never thought I wasguilty.”

She released the breath she’d been holding on to, relieved and happy to hear that. “That’sgood.”

“Talking helped. I was glad that she didn’t think I was capable of hurting Merissa, but what was even more difficult for me was they buried Merissa with ourbaby.”

She gasped, surprised by that. That must have been more difficult than sheanticipated.

“He had a name and everything, her surname,” headded.

She could see the hurt on his face. The strength of it gripped herheart.

“I’m so sorry, Wade. I really am, and I wish that there was something more that I could do to help you.” She felt so helpless anduseless.

“There isn’t, baby.” He took hold of her hand and covered it with both of his. “No one can help. It’s just one of those things in life that will either destroy me and break me down, or make me stronger for having lived through it. I’ll always blame myself for what happened to them. That will never leave me, neither will their memories. I almost did allow it all to destroy me, but then I realized that I didn’t want it to. What I wanted was a chance withyou.”

“A chance.” She smiled. “Wade, you haveme.”

“You have me, too, and that means I have to give you a hundred percent. Not just a part of me. I won’t get over what’s happened, but I will try to be the man youdeserve.”

“Wade. You don’t have to doanything.”

“I do, and I’d like to start by asking you to go away with me on a short break.” Hesmiled.

She straightened up. “Away?Really?”

He nodded and the sparkle in his dreamy eyes made her cheeks warm. “Just us, baby, you and me. For aweek?”