Chloe“I was wrong.” The calmness coloring Gina’s voice scared the hell out of me. “I shouldn’t have tried to kill Miller for driving my best friend out of the city.” My eyes were glued to her form as she swung the glass of champagne and bottomed it up before her mask of indifference fell off, and she turned into a fuming beast. “I should’ve beat the shit out of you for being so fucking stupid! What is wrong with you, Chloe? Giving up the love of your life because of some trust fund bitch!…”“Hey! I had not-”“Wait! You tried to kill my brother?” a giggle interrupted my futile attempt at defense, and I folded in front of two women who joined their forces against me.“Yeah. But unlike my friend here,” she pointed a finger in my direction. “Your brother stood his ground proudly!”Sighing in defeat, I leaned in the jacuzzi and relaxed into the bubbles, but I couldn’t help the memories from running through my head. Indeed, the clash of my favorite titans was epic - Gina aimed for Gabe’s t
ChloeDecember was kind to us.As if some higher power was watching over me and ordering the rain to stay away, the first ten days of the month were the best I remembered since I came to live in LA. Skies were perfectly cloudless, and winds were unusually mild; nature conspired to give me the wedding I desired - an intimate ceremony with only the closest friends and family members gathered on the beach behind Gabe’s house.Our intention to get married as soon as possible did cause a few questioning glares and assumptions about the reason for the rush, but Gabe and I didn’t care. All we wanted was to say our vows and take one more step towards the future we wished to build for ourselves.With the set date nearing, my nervousness grew. Was it cold feet, I wondered. No. It, most definitely, was not. What’s more, I couldn’t wait to be the lawfully wedded wife of Gabriel Miller. Because there was no point in waiting. Everything that happened to us from the moment our destinies crossed path
ChloeTen months laterTaking the last stroll through the new workshop, I made sure everything was set in place for tomorrow.The big day was coming, and I was reaching my patience limits. Although I double-checked that we didn’t miss a thing and that the plan for the opening was followed to the letter, I still caught myself expecting a catastrophic flaw to jump at me from the corner and destroy everything I had worked hard for.But the arm that wrapped around my waist chased away my doubts. And the kiss that captured my lips took me to heaven.“You promised to take it easy.” Gabe scolded me as I dived deeper into his embrace.“I’m just checking for the last time. My new crew is coming in tomorrow, and I want no lags in the production.”To my surprise, Gabe chuckled and tightened his hold on me. “For someone unwilling to expand their business, you seem eager to see it live now.”And I truly was. Somehow, the push Simon made with intentional overbooking and the support I got from Gabe
Chloe “No, Simon, don’t worry. I’ve got this.” When in reality, I knew I didn’t. Simon was my employee and friend for over four years, ever since I opened my pastry shop. He was the first person who answered my job listing; 20 at the time, tall, blond, Viking type, and it wasn’t a secret I liked him from the moment I saw him. Before I discovered he had a boyfriend. But him being so easygoing and friendly made that initial awkwardness vanish quickly, and we grew to be more than friends; he became a brother I never had. Usually, Simon was in charge of the delivery, but today his boyfriend was having knee surgery, and I understood he had to be there. “But…” he said, and I interrupted him. “No but! Go! That’s an order!” I commanded with a smile, knowing he wouldn’t misunderstand. “And wish Dave to get well soon!” I yelled after Simon, who was already on his way out. Watching him disappear from my sight, I sighed loudly. “Are you OK, Chloe?” I heard Abby ask from the storage room. “
ChloeThere, in the middle of the room, on the soft purple carpet, surrounded by clouds of puffy white tulle, sat a bride-to-be.I couldn’t take my eyes off her; they were glued to the apparition on the floor, and no matter how much I knew I should turn around and return the same way I came, I couldn’t. Some pull from the bottom of my gut was not letting me. Instead, it was screaming at me to go in and see what was wrong.I quickly scanned her and concluded that the girl was crying inconsolably. Her pretty face had traces of smeared makeup, and the once-perfect bun was half destroyed. Even all messed up, she was the most beautiful bride I have ever seen. She could’ve easily been mistaken for a princess from a fairytale.“Hey,” I whispered. “Are you OK?”My voice seemed to snap her out of her trance, and she raised her head to meet my gaze. Oh, God! How could so much pain exist in such magnificent blue eyes?She didn’t answer my question, but the subtle flinch of her eyebrow told me sh
ChloeRemembering how shocked I was earlier today when I opened the room door where Molly was crying desperately, my hand hesitated on the handle this time. What if something happened? What if…?What was I doing? Hesitating about entering my home? Snorting lightly, I pressed the handle and went in. Luckily, no surprises were waiting for me.I found Molly in the living room, watching the news and munching on a bag of chips in front of the TV. Her head snapped in my direction when she heard me come in, and she smiled like crazy, making me worried about her mental health.“Look! They’re all talking about me!” She motioned for me to sit next to her. “They’re calling me a runaway bride! Like in that old movie. Can you imagine how pissed off my parents must be now?” She switched off the TV and turned to me. “Sorry about the chips. I got hungry.”“Don’t worry about it,” I brushed it off. “How are you?”“Oh, better than I have been in a long time. Thank you,” Molly’s voice was so thick with e
GabrielThe mirror I was in front of me perfectly reflected how I felt - it showed the man with a deep frown on his forehead, eyebrows furrowed like he was lost in thought. In doubt, more precisely. A doubt whether he was doing the right thing.Right or entirely wrong, it was too late, and that realization made the white shirt I was wearing tighten around me like a cage, but it wasn’t the shirt’s fault - my skin was a size too small for me, but unfortunately, I could not shed it and grow a new one like snakes could.I knew what I was getting into, and I had no problems with it until now, but this man that held my gaze in the mirror made me question my decision. Marriage. A point from which there was no return. An act of will that shall change my life forever.Spending the rest of my life with Molly seemed like an appealing idea. She was beautiful, well-educated, and from a respected family, and we had a spark. She would make a fine wife and a good mother, and I could imagine us growin
Chloe A hot shower after a long day never felt so good as tonight. I always enjoyed the feeling that warm water brought as all the sweat, stress, and the previous day’s events were washed down the drain. It worked like magic on me; droplets relaxed my muscles, and steam relaxed my mind. But this time, I needed more. So, after I rinsed my hair and scrubbed my body, I put on my favorite floppy nightie and poured myself a glass of Chardonnay. It was mid-July, nights were as warm as they could get, and I enjoyed them on my balcony. Taking the wine with me, I stepped out onto the terrace. Looking up, my eyes met with the full moon. I smiled at it cheekily while sitting in the comfortable rocking chair. The city’s buzzing was muted; only the sound of moving cars down the avenue could be heard intermittently, a loud laugh or yell here and there. But soon, it all would be quiet, like someone turned off a switch. Silvery moonlight bathed my balcony with the rest of the city, dispersing magi
ChloeTen months laterTaking the last stroll through the new workshop, I made sure everything was set in place for tomorrow.The big day was coming, and I was reaching my patience limits. Although I double-checked that we didn’t miss a thing and that the plan for the opening was followed to the letter, I still caught myself expecting a catastrophic flaw to jump at me from the corner and destroy everything I had worked hard for.But the arm that wrapped around my waist chased away my doubts. And the kiss that captured my lips took me to heaven.“You promised to take it easy.” Gabe scolded me as I dived deeper into his embrace.“I’m just checking for the last time. My new crew is coming in tomorrow, and I want no lags in the production.”To my surprise, Gabe chuckled and tightened his hold on me. “For someone unwilling to expand their business, you seem eager to see it live now.”And I truly was. Somehow, the push Simon made with intentional overbooking and the support I got from Gabe
ChloeDecember was kind to us.As if some higher power was watching over me and ordering the rain to stay away, the first ten days of the month were the best I remembered since I came to live in LA. Skies were perfectly cloudless, and winds were unusually mild; nature conspired to give me the wedding I desired - an intimate ceremony with only the closest friends and family members gathered on the beach behind Gabe’s house.Our intention to get married as soon as possible did cause a few questioning glares and assumptions about the reason for the rush, but Gabe and I didn’t care. All we wanted was to say our vows and take one more step towards the future we wished to build for ourselves.With the set date nearing, my nervousness grew. Was it cold feet, I wondered. No. It, most definitely, was not. What’s more, I couldn’t wait to be the lawfully wedded wife of Gabriel Miller. Because there was no point in waiting. Everything that happened to us from the moment our destinies crossed path
Chloe“I was wrong.” The calmness coloring Gina’s voice scared the hell out of me. “I shouldn’t have tried to kill Miller for driving my best friend out of the city.” My eyes were glued to her form as she swung the glass of champagne and bottomed it up before her mask of indifference fell off, and she turned into a fuming beast. “I should’ve beat the shit out of you for being so fucking stupid! What is wrong with you, Chloe? Giving up the love of your life because of some trust fund bitch!…”“Hey! I had not-”“Wait! You tried to kill my brother?” a giggle interrupted my futile attempt at defense, and I folded in front of two women who joined their forces against me.“Yeah. But unlike my friend here,” she pointed a finger in my direction. “Your brother stood his ground proudly!”Sighing in defeat, I leaned in the jacuzzi and relaxed into the bubbles, but I couldn’t help the memories from running through my head. Indeed, the clash of my favorite titans was epic - Gina aimed for Gabe’s t
ChloeI wasn’t sure what I expected to find when we arrived at my apartment, but whatever it was - it wasn’t there.There was no chaos, no debris left at the foundation of my building, no paparazzi lurking in the neighborhood. Everything was… normal.After we landed at LAX, Gabe drove us to my place. Conveniently, his suitcase was in the trunk, and he wasted no time unloading it, taking me up on my old offer to move in. I helped him unpack and hang his suits and shirts on the racks, and as we worked together, side by side, I wondered if we would always be like this because I didn’t want it to stop.Even when we shared the sink while brushing our teeth or showering while getting ready for bed, our moves were synced to perfection as we had practiced them for decades and not a mere few months. But I wanted it no other way. If this time we spent together was any indicator of how our lives would be, I couldn’t wait for the rest of it to come.~ ~ ~“Oh, boss! We didn’t expect you so soon.”
Chloe“Little bit to the left!” I yelled from the ground as I navigated Gabriel’s hand on the roof while he tried to clean the clog in the rain gutter. “More… more…! There!”If anyone ever told me that the most handsome man I’ve known would be balancing on the short ladder, trying to reach a pile of leaves and branches while I shouted instructions, I would’ve never believed it! What’s more, I would’ve laughed.But here we were.For three days after he put the diamond on my hand, we were doing chores around the cottage, fixing whatever needed to be fixed, and we talked. A lot.No matter how many times Gabe denied my accusation of being the biggest romantic in the world, his words and actions never disappointed me but only proved I was right.That was why I had such a hard time reconciling Gabriel I loved, with the one that wanted to marry Molly. Even imagining him being ready to settle for anything less than what we had was… not a pleasant thing to think about.Then again, weren’t we a
Chloe“Grrrh… just a few more minutes!” I snuggled deeper into Gabe’s chest, relishing the scent of his skin.A tempting groan sent shivers down my spine, arousing my still-sensitive body; the night behind us was scorching hot despite the smell of snow in the air.“We need to get something to eat.”At the mere mention of food, my stomach started complaining loudly, invoking a wholehearted laugh from Gabe.“See? I have to feed you.”“There’s no delivery here.” I couldn’t help but tease him about his inability to prepare a simple meal. “But there is some food in the fridge; I‘ll fix us something.”I tried to get up, but Gabriel’s arms tightened around me, pulling me impossibly closer, and I could do nothing but comply - I didn’t get enough of him to compensate for the time I was without him.Now that things between us were clear, the silence was comfortable again. Lulled by the slightly fastened heartbeats that resonated inside his chest, I let my thoughts float freely.But no matter ho
ChloeI didn’t remember falling asleep; being in the arms of the man I loved with all my heart did wonders for my sleeping habits. Without recalling how I ended up on the soft makeshift bed in front of the fireplace, I woke up rested and energized - with a million questions and a few apologies waiting.Panic hit me when I failed to feel his heat - could it all have been a dream? Was it just a symptom of my addiction to him? A part of coming down from the high and clearing him out of my system? But my fear was short-lived as the refreshing coffee aroma filled the room and reached my nostrils, chasing away my doubts.Gabriel was here. He found me. He came for me… he loved me.“You’re awake! Good.” He urged me to make space for him, and I shifted, leaning against the old couch.A moment later, Gabriel was nested beside me, offering me one of the mugs I accepted gladly.A few sips of steaming black liquid to clear my thoughts were all I allowed myself before I spoke.“I’m sorry, Gabe.” I
Chloe“I know you can hear me, Chloe!” Gabriel roared as I stood in place, petrified, unable to move. “I won’t repeat myself!”I was never scared of him, not even when he confronted me that first morning he woke up in my home. And I had to admit that wasn’t the most pleasant sight.But now? Now it was a different story altogether.The door separating us was no obstacle to the waves of rage that rolled off him and struck me, shaking the ground I was standing on. I shivered in fear and anticipation at the same time as I reached for the knob; there was no doubt in my mind that the thin wood would end up scattered around in splinters if I didn’t comply with his demand.‘Man up, Chloe! It’s not some psycho killer there, but Gabriel! The man you love!’ so I pulled the handle.My eyes landed on the fuming figure, partially concealed by darkness, adding more weight to the anvil pressing my heart.Waiting for no invitation, Gabe stormed inside and shut the door behind him, locking them swiftly
ChloeTo say that I regretted not coming to the lake more often would be an understatement of the year! Or at least hiring an agency to clean the cottage occasionally. Because this? This was a total disaster!If anyone told me before I arrived that so much dust could exist in one place, I would’ve laughed loudly! But the dust did not laugh back at me.Not wasting any time, I pulled the heavy curtains to the side, revealing windows and letting light in. Rain was still drizzling, but the Sun chased away the clouds, silently promising a change of weather.As I assessed my surroundings and planned what to do first, coldness seeped through my clothes and raised my skin in goosebumps. I shivered and remembered the basement; some dry firewood should be stored there.A few moments later, I was walking down the stairs of the place that scared the shit out of me when I was a kid. Today? Well, I would lie if I said I was indifferent to the creatures that could be hiding in the shadows. But someo