Chapter Thirty-one
Sam
I drum my fingers against the arm of the chair, anxiously waiting for the next group of passengers to emerge from the escalator. Chloe’s flight got delayed, so instead of landing at seven PM, it’s now after eleven. If I wasn’t so damn excited to see her, I’d be tired, yet the thought of holding her in my arms again sends a jolt of electricity through my veins.
But there’s a little bit of dread mixed in there too.
I haven’t spoken to Stacey since she dropped the bomb on me, and part of me wants to ignore it and pretend it never happened. I’m a logical person, though, and it’s not like me at all to hope getting something out of sight will also get it out of mind. I have to tell Chloe and hope it’s not a dealbreaker for her.
I remind myself what Archer and I discussed: I didn’t do anything wrong, not really. Stacey and I hooked up way before I even saw Chloe again. Our relationship was clear-cut the whole time, and we both slept together knowing it was nothing more than a hookup. Plus, Stacey and I talked the next morning and mutually agreed we’re not fit for long-term dating, and I’m still not convinced Stacey wasn’t sleeping with anyone else at the time.
It’s my fault for calling her that night. If I could go back and undo it all, I would. Because then everything would be perfect.
I love Chloe.
And she loves me.
We spent too many years apart, too many years yearning and waiting in heartache. She’s all I need to make my life complete, and I want so fucking bad to be all she needs too.
Exhaling heavily, I close my eyes in a long blink. My heart lurches when I open them and see a small crowd of people coming down toward the baggage claim. I stand, lips curving into a smile, and spot Chloe among them. Her eyes meet mine, and she smiles broadly.
Her dark auburn hair cascades over her shoulder in messy waves and her eyes light up the whole damn place. A slight flush covers her cheeks, reminding me of how she looks after she comes, with little beads of sweat glistening on her skin. My dick stirs at the thought, and everything else goes out the window. There’s no nerves, no dread. I want to get lost in her over and over, feeling nothing but her.
I move closer, pulse picking up speed the closer she gets.
“Sam,” she breathes, sidestepping around a slow-moving couple, and comes to me. With my heart in my throat, I throw my arms around her, crushing her against me. Fuck, it feels so good to have her back in my arms. I break away just enough to put my lips to hers, kissing her with no care that we’re surrounded by hundreds of people. I run a hand through her messy hair and slip my tongue in her mouth. Sweeping my other hand down her back, I pull her closer to me.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I know I should stop, but it’s easy to get carried away when it comes to Chloe. Her carry-on bag slips from her shoulder, yanking her arm down and forcing us to stop kissing.
“Hello to you too,” she breathes, hiking her bag back up. I reach out and take it from her, surprised at how heavy it is.
“What do you have in here?” I ask, working hard to resist the urge to kiss her again, and hook the bag over my shoulder.
“Books and my laptop. I brought the whole Shadowfall series with me to flip through on the plane. I purposely set up a lot of loose ends throughout the series and needed to double-check some things before I get too far into what I’m writing.”
“Don’t you have them all in digital format?” I ask with a laugh.
“Oh, I do, but there’s something about flipping through my notes that’s just easier for me. And I like the feel of a nice, thick book in my hands.” She wiggles her eyebrows, and I’m all the more tempted to find an empty closet and fuck her senseless. “But there’s another thick thing I’d like in my hands even more.”
Goddamn, this woman is going to kill me.
“Are you Chloe Fisher?” a young woman rushes out, coming over to Chloe. She’s clutching a worn copy of Shadowfall in her hands. “Oh my God. You are, aren’t you? Oh my God! I just love you and your series and—oh, I’m so sorry. You probably don’t want to be bothered!”
Chloe beams. “I am, and it’s fine. I see you’re a fan of Marcus and Kellie.”
“I’ve read it probably a hundred times. Maybe more!” the woman says with a nervous high-pitched laugh. “And I’ve seen every episode at least twice. I totally imaged Kellie to look like you when I read it and then when you and Charles started dated it was like—oh my God—Kellie and Marcus are real! But then you guys broke up and…” She trails off, eyes going to me.
“Would you like me to sign your book?” Chloe asks, and the woman jumps up and down with excitement. We step off to the side and Chloe writes a nice little note in the book and takes a few selfies with the woman before coming back to me.
“I thought you said getting recognized only happens in Silver Ridge,” I tease, lacing my fingers through hers.
“It happens from time to time, more so now that I have a TV show based off my books and I started doing live interviews. Those things are nerve-wracking, by the way. I kind of hate doing them, to be honest.”
“I don’t think I’d like it either.” We slow at the baggage carousel, waiting for the suitcases to start coming around. “I’ve never sat and watched a whole interview through,” I admit. “Seeing you reminded me of how much I fucked up.”
Chloe squeezes my hand, looking into my eyes for a moment before speaking again. She gets me now just like how she did all those years ago. I just hope she knows how much I regret letting her slip away.
“You didn’t fuck up, Sam. You…”
“Fucked up,” I finish, pulling her close again.
“Okay, yeah. You did. And if you want to make up for it, back rubs and multiple orgasms are a good way to do it.”
“Fuck,” I mutter and bury my face in her neck. Chloe slips her arms around my waist, fingers inching up my shirt.
“I cannot wait to strip you down and put your cock in my mouth,” she whispers, and I just about lose it. Groaning, I put my lips to her neck, and she shivers, sliding her hand around to my chest. Inhaling deep, I straighten up and press a kiss against her forehead.
“How was the flight?” I ask, needing to shift my attention away from the thought of Chloe’s naked body.
“Other than being late, not too bad. I got a row to myself, which was nice. There was a group of college kids coming to Chicago for someone’s party or something and they maxed out on the amount of drinks you can order on a flight. It’s one per hour, by the way.”
“I didn’t know there was a limit.”
“I didn’t—oh, there’s my bag!” She points to the luggage carousel. I grab it for her, and we start the long walk to my car, holding tight to Chloe’s hand the whole way. It’s late and the airport isn’t as crowded as it normally is. Chloe and I are the only ones around as we enter the parking garage. The air has taken a bit of a chill to it, reminding me that fall is on its way.
My car comes into view and my heart flutters with anticipation. We’re one step closer to getting home and getting naked. My cock jumps again, and I lose my battle with keeping my hands off Chloe as soon as I get her suitcase in the trunk of the car.
The carry-on bag falls from my shoulder, and I pull Chloe in, pinning her between the car and myself. She hooks her arms around my neck, and I step in, pressing myself against her.
“I love you, Chloe,” I pant, needing her to hear it, and put my lips to hers. She slides one hand up to the back of my head, kissing me with fervor. Running my hands down her body, I slowly inch up the hem of her dress. My cock hardens from the feel of her warm, soft skin against my fingertips, and Chloe moans softly, slipping one hand down to cup my balls.
“Have you been reading my books?” she whispers, voice all breathy with want.
“No, should I have been?” I kiss her again before she can answer.
Her lips curve into a smile. “No, but I love gray sweatpants. It’s kind of a weakness.”
I flick my eyes down at the pants I have on. I changed after work, wanting to wear something comfortable. “Really?”
“Yeah, because of this.” She moves her hand up, feeling my erection through the pants. “I want you, Sam. How long does it take to get to your place from here?”
“Too long,” I say gruffly and open the rear passenger door to my BMW. Chloe gets a devilish glint in her eyes, looks around at the empty parking garage, and pulls me into the car with her. I grab the carry-on bag and toss it in and close the door behind us.
We fall together onto the seat, struggling to find room and not be too cramped, but mostly not caring about anything else other than each other. I’m on top of Chloe and she inches my pants down as I desperately pull her dress up, needing to see her. Touch her. Taste her.
My fingers sweep over her clit, and I can feel how wet and warm she is already. My cock is so hard it hurts, and I need to bury it inside of her. Now.
Chloe pulls my pants and my boxers down to my thighs, and I sit back, bringing her into my lap so she’s straddling me. In a less than graceful move, I get her underwear off and bunch her dress up around her waist. She’s on her knees, pussy hovering just inches from my cock. Pale yellow light from the dimly lit parking garage filters through my tinted windows, lighting Chloe’s face up just enough for me to admire how fucking beautiful she is.
My hands fasten around her waist, and I kiss her as I bring her down onto me, cock pushing into her tight, hot entrance.
“Ohhh,” she moans, sinking down. Her eyes fall shut and her lips part. She looks so fucking hot and being inside of her feels so good, I could come right now. I slide my hands up to the curve of her waist and rock her hips forward. Slowly, she drags her hands up my chest, hooking them around my neck, and starts to pump up and down.
I sweep my hand across her stomach and circle my thumb against her clit. Her breathing quickens as she gets closer to coming. I’m already right there, fighting it off, not wanting to come until she does. Her head falls forward, resting against mine, and I feel her entire body tighten just seconds before she comes, pussy spasming around my cock. I can’t resist her any longer and grip her waist, pushing her against me as I come as well.
“Oh, fuck,” Chloe pants, arching her back and speeding up her movements. She circles her hips and a second orgasm rolls over her, making her whole body shudder. She lets out a final deep sigh and falls against me. I run my hands up her back, holding her tight in my embrace.
“How…how do we get up without making a mess?” She lifts her head off my shoulder and looks at me shyly.
“Hang on,” I say, keeping one hand on her back as I lean over and feel for her underwear on the ground. She takes it and holds it against herself as she moves off me. The blanket I keep in my backseat for naps at work is on the floor, under her carry-on bag, and it takes a bit of maneuvering to free it. I pull up my pants and we settle in the seat together, covered up with the blanket.
“They say absence makes the heart grow fonder,” she starts, taking my hand and putting it up against her heart. “And it also makes homecoming sex really amazing.”
“It does.” I kiss the back of her head. “Though I don’t need to not see you in order to have a-fucking-mazing sex. I’ll make you come every single fucking day.”
She looks at me, cheeks still a little flushed. “I’d like that and having a bed or at least a couch,” she adds with a slight laugh.
“I haven’t had sex in a car since…shit, my freshman year of college.”
“I’ve never had sex in a car.”
“Never?”
Chloe shakes her head, pushing her dark red hair back over her shoulder. “I also didn’t lose my virginity when I was fifteen, you whore.”
“How did you know that?” I ask, mind flashing back to my first time. I’d been dating Amanda Stillwell for a few months when we decided we didn’t want to be virgins anymore. Our first time was nothing to brag about, and I think I came in under three minutes. I never kept secrets from Chloe, but she was only thirteen at the time and our age difference had started to bother me. I wanted her then, and I remember her starting to look more and more mature each day, making it harder for me to resist her. That’s when I started telling myself she was more like a sister to me. It was a futile attempt to safeguard her, to put her one zone further than the friend zone.
Obviously, it didn’t work.
“I knew a lot about you back then. I was low-key stalking your every move since I was hopelessly in love with you,” Chloe says so seriously I can’t tell if she’s joking or not. “I hid a digital voice recorder in your room and bribed Mason to bring it to me every morning before school by letting him see my boobs.”
I laugh. “Sadly, that would have worked.” I hold her tighter against me. “But you didn’t show him your boobs, did you?”
“No,” she chuckles. “You’re the only Harris to have seen them. Well, I think Rory’s seen them. I know we’ve changed in front of each other before. You’re the only Harris who’s touched them, that’s for sure.”
“As long as it stays that way.”
She tips her head up, biting her lip. I’ve come to notice she does it as a nervous habit, not because she’s trying to look seductive. “I hope you’re the only one from now on who gets to touch them.”
“I hope I am too,” I tell her and feel my heart lurch in my chest. I would marry Chloe in a heartbeat if that’s what she wanted. She’s the only one for me, and we should have been together years ago. I want her, but when she finds out I might have a kid on the way…will she still want me?
Chapter Thirty-twoChloe“Are you hungry?” Sam fishes the keys to his apartment from his pocket.“Starving,” I say as he unlocks the door and pushes it open wide, motioning for me to step in first.“Good, because I might have made dinner. Well, not dinner, but something to eat.”Smiling, I turn and am struck all over again by just how handsome Sam is. Thick brown hair, striking blue eyes, a sharp stubble-covered jaw, and full lips. He’s exactly the type of man I’d write about…or maybe the men I write about look the way they do because of Sam.He’s so much more than his good looks, though. He’s smart and kind and—most importantly—he’s mine.“You cooked for me?”“Cooked is relative.” He chuckles and wheels my suitcase into the foyer, and then closes and locks the door behind us. The apartment is dark, and light from the city below illuminates the corner windows. “So if it’s terrible, don’t hold it against me.”“As much as my dad likes to joke that I’m all prissy, I promise I’m not a pic
Chapter Thirty-threeSamI fasten my fingers around Chloe’s and steal one more glimpse at her as we walk down the busy sidewalk. She takes my breath away every damn time I look at her. My heart jumps in my chest, and when I blink, I get a flash of her naked in my bed, making me want to rush through dinner just so we can get back to my place and fuck again. It’s more than just feeling good. It’s about forgetting everything else and focusing solely on Chloe.As it should be.As I want it to be.“How late are we?” Chloe asks as we step through the door to the restaurant.I look at my watch. “Twelve minutes.”“That’s not too bad.”“I’m never late,” I tell her. “I like to get places a little early, though burying my cock inside of you is as good a reason as ever to run late for anything.”“Sam!” she whisper-yells. “Someone might hear you.”“I don’t care.”Her cheeks redden as she smiles, eyes glinting with the same lust I’m feeling.“Is this dress too much?” She looks down at her breasts,
Chapter Thirty-fourChloe“Tell me what?” I ask, arms around Sam’s waist. The air is cool and he’s nice and warm up against me. I’m a little tipsy, and I’m having a fabulous time tonight.“That I love you,” he rushes out.I laugh. “You told me already.”“I wanted to tell you again.” He pulls me to him, but not before I see the what the fuck look on Archer’s face. “Dinner was nice.”“Yeah. It was. That red wine was really good.” I take Sam’s hand, ignoring the scratchy feeling in my throat. I do not have time for a cold right now.“I’ll find out what it was and will pick up a bottle for you.” Sam puts his arms around me and kisses my forehead. We’re stopped at a street corner, and I rest my head against Sam’s chest, looking out at the city.“Did you come here while writing the series?” Quinn asks, stopping next to Archer. “Kellie and Marcus come to Chicago a lot.”“They do, and I’ve been here for book signings a few times and got to sightsee a bit.”“Ohh, I remember you were here a few
Chapter Thirty-fiveSamChloe: You’re never going to believe thisMy heart actually skips a beat, thinking she found out about the baby. I have to tell her when I get home. There’s no getting around it this time.Me: What am I never going to believe?Chloe: I told my dad we’re coming back to Silver Ridge and he and Wendy are out of town again. He really wants to have dinner with us and lecture you about taking care of his daughter.Me: I’d expect nothing less from him.Chloe: He’ll go easy on you, don’t worry ;-) I already told him we’re both able to travel back and forth to see each other so we can make things work.And now I’m back to feeling like a fuck-up. Because I can’t travel, and it’s more than just that. I’ll be co-parenting with someone I don’t love, and when Chloe does come to see me, there’s a good chance Stacey will be around—for the first few months at least.No matter how much I love Chloe, how much I want her and only her, I know this is going to change the course of o
Chapter Thirty-sixChloeI wrap the blanket tighter around myself and pick up my phone. Sam should be home soon. I’d planned to put on lingerie but I’m so cold I’m shaking and my entire body aches. So instead, I’m camped out on the couch in PJs and one of Sam’s sweatshirts, scrolling through social media.Charles updates his Instagram stories as I’m scrolling, and the ten-second video of him sitting at some sort of pub with a friend has me scrambling to get him on the phone.“Hey,” he answers on the third ring. “You okay? You never call.”“Why does everyone say that?” I grumble, though I know it’s true. “I’m fine, and you know why I’m calling.”“Uh,” he starts, and the sounds of the pub filter through the phone. “You’re pregnant?”“Hah, no, or not that I’m aware of. I saw your story and—I’m not on speaker, am I?”“No.”“Good because I know who you’re out with, and oh my god, are you keeping secrets from me?”Charles laughs. “Hardly, and it was unexpected.” He’s being vague on purpose
Chapter Thirty-sevenSamWell, fuck. I don’t want to kill Chloe’s streak of inspiration and make her not be able to finish her book. Especially if this kid turns out not to be mine. Maybe I should wait until I get the results of the paternity test back before I drop a bomb on Chloe. No need to burden her prematurely, right?Shit.I’m putting it off again. I can’t tell her tonight, not when she’s sick. Shoving my keys in my pocket, I look back at Chloe, asleep on the couch. As a doctor in a trauma center, I see the worst of the worst. Chloe is going to be okay, yet my chest feels tight thinking of her alone in my apartment while I’m at work tomorrow. I want to take care of her. I want to bring her soup and make sure her fever isn’t going up.I want to comfort her and love her, like I always have.I haven’t allowed myself to think about the baby being mine in detail, but I need to. Because there’s a chance my life will turn upside down in just a few short months, and Stacey and I will n
Chapter Thirty-eightSam“This is nice,” Chloe says sleepily. We’re both naked in bed together, with the two windows right next to us open just a few inches. We arrived at her dad’s lake house not long ago, and promptly went upstairs, tangling together as fast as we could. Chloe woke up feeling much better this morning, though she should still take it easy for the next day or two to make sure she stays feeling better. “It sounds just like the sleep sounds app I use when I can’t sleep, but better because it’s real,” she mumbles. The sounds of the night filter into the room, lulling us both into a dreamlike phase.“It’s crazy how loud the crickets are.”“Sometimes, when they’re quiet, you can hear the lake. It’s still most of the time,” she says, words spacing apart.“Yeah,” I say with a yawn, running my fingers up and down Chloe’s back. Her head is nestled against my chest, and I have one arm around her, holding her against me as I rub her back with my free hand.“I wish we could stay
Chapter Thirty-nineChloe“Hi, Lauren,” I say, offering a polite smile, not that I owe her one.“Wow, I’m so surprised to see you,” Lauren goes on. She’s looking at Sam, working hard to ignore the fact that I was just wrapped in his arms. “What are you doing back here?”“Chloe and I came to visit my family,” Sam says and rests his hand on the curve of my waist. He didn’t seem to have the slightest idea who Lauren was when we ran into her several weeks ago, back when I was trying my best to prove to myself and the world that Sam Harris was nothing more than an asshole…a walking heartbreak…nothing more than a bad idea.“Oh, uh, how sweet.” Lauren’s eyes dart to me for half a second. “I’m surprised to see you back here…with her.”“Chloe’s my girlfriend,” Sam says. “I don’t know why that’s surprising.”Lauren opens her mouth only to snap it shut. “Well, good for you two.” She forces a fake smile and looks at Sam, doing her best to avoid me. “Tell your brother—the vet—I said hi then. That
EpilogueChloe“Relax,” I tell Sam, trying not to laugh.“I thought they said riding a horse was like riding a bike. Once you learn how to do it, it just comes back to you.”Now I do laugh. I circle Spartan around, clicking my tongue at Drake, an eighteen-year-old horse we recently adopted so Sam can go trail riding with me. Drake is the perfect “husband horse” and has much more whoa than go, and right now is doing everything he can to pull the reins from Sam’s hands so he can graze.“Pull him up,” I tell Sam. “And ask him forward. He’s testing you.”“Come on, buddy,” Sam urges and asks the horse to walk forward. Spartan, who’s ready to race along the dirty trail, speed-walks up ahead, acting as good motivation for Drake to follow us. It’s a rare sixty-five-degree day in early March, and we’re taking advantage of the nice weather while we can.I leave for a month-long tour in Europe in just a few days, and instead of just doing book signings, Charles and are attending panels to talk a
Chapter Forty-nineSamFour months later…I stomp snow off my shoes and enter my apartment building, chilled right down to the bone just from the short walk from my car to the building. It’s been a long day, and work and the snow and cold makes me even more eager to get inside my warm apartment.“Good evening, Dr. Harris,” one of the attendants says.“Good evening. Staying warm?” I pull my gloves off and stuff them in my pocket.“I’m trying,” he replies with a chuckle, pushing the door closed behind me, wanting to seal off the cold air as fast as possible. I quickly grab my mail and then head up, squeezing in the elevator with a few other people.I’m the last to get off and hurry down the hall to my apartment, unlocking the door with haste.“Hey, babe,” I say and step inside, shutting the door behind me. “What are you doing in the dark?”Chloe turns away from the living room window, mug of steaming coffee in her hand. She’s illuminated by the light coming in behind her, so beautiful i
Chapter Forty-eightChloeTurning away from the coffee pot that I was plugging in, I look to see who’s at the door. I don’t remember having any deliveries scheduled for today, but I have a bad habit of buying stuff off of Instagram ads and then forgetting about it. Only delivery drivers and a select few friends know the code to my gate, though that doesn’t mean someone couldn’t have hopped the fence.“Can I help you?” Charles asks right as it hits me that someone could have seen Charles come over and is trying to get a candid photo of him. Which now makes me feel bad for asking him to answer the door, but dammit, I need coffee. I fell asleep early—before I could drink more wine—but I can tell a headache is coming on fast.Eric got up nearly an hour ago and has been out jogging since. Charles and I dragged out butts out of our rooms not all that long ago, both grumbling about being too old to drink like we used to.Unable to see who’s at the door, I sidestep, and Sam’s clear blue eyes
Chapter Forty-sevenSamLooking around the airport, I take a drink of my coffee, waiting for the caffeine rush to kick in. I need it. It’s going to be a long night. There were no direct overnight flights to LA from Chicago tonight, so I’m landing in Texas, changing planes, and will get to LA early in the morning. It’s the fastest way I can get to Chloe, and I cannot fucking wait to pull her into my arms and tell her the good news.I feel a little bad that I didn’t call Chloe when I was leaving the hospital, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep this from her, and I know how much she’ll enjoy the surprise. I was able to get the next two days off and then work an overnight shift on the third. As long as I’m able to sleep on the plane, I’ll be fine.I take another drink of coffee and lean back in the uncomfortable chair, fighting off the urge to fall asleep. I’ll close my eyes as soon as I’m on the plane, but I don’t want to take the risk of missing my flight if I fall asleep now.My pho
Chapter Forty-sixChloeI turn on my electric fireplace and grab two wine glasses, joining Charles on the couch. We’re back at my place, and I feel a little better after talking over lunch.“Red or white?” Charles asks, motioning to the wine bottles on the coffee table.“You pick. As long as it gets me tipsy to numb the pain, I’m good.” I grab a blanket and spread it over both our laps. The plan is to drink wine, order junk food later, and just hang out. Charles leaves soon to go overseas to work on a movie, and who knows where I’ll be.“The red then.” He gives me a look and opens the bottle of Merlot, pouring us both a generous amount. “I thought you were feeling better?”“I was.” I take a sip of wine and lean back. “I’m trying to shake the feeling that things aren’t meant to be and I’m struggling.”“Just because something isn’t perfect doesn’t mean it’s not meant to be,” he counters.“I know.” I nod and take another drink of wine, this time setting my glass down so I’m not tempted t
Chapter Forty-fiveSamI grab my phone from my locker and check for missed calls or texts. Chloe called me while I was in surgery, and I immediately call her back. The service in the locker room is shitty, and the call drops before her phone even rings. Quickly changing, I stuff my phone in my pocket, grab my keys and wallet, and head out to get something to eat.I’m on-call and need to stay nearby, but don’t have to stay on the hospital campus. I could go home, though I’ve gotten stuck in traffic, made it into the lobby of my apartment building and then got called back. Sitting through hours of surgery with nothing but granola bars in my stomach isn’t fun, so I pull out my phone to order food as I walk to the car.It rings only seconds after I step into the parking garage. It’s Stacey.“Hello?” I answer.“Hey,” she replies. “Are you busy?”“Not at the moment. I’m on-call and was going to get something to eat.”“Oh, good. I was just saying how hungry I was and I’m near your hospital.
Chapter Forty-fourChloeI drop my bags in the kitchen and walk through my large, empty house, going upstairs to my bedroom. I’m always a little freaked out to come home to an empty house after I’ve been away from a while. I have a top-of-the-line security system, so logically, I know no one could be in the house without setting off the alarm. I can go through the activity log from the last few days too and make sure no doors or windows have been opened, giving myself peace of mind.Though right now, I could use the distraction. I had a lot of time to think on the plane, and I came to the conclusion that while this sucks, I’m being dramatic. Single parents date with no issues. But starting a long-distance relationship while taking care of a newborn is a lot, and I can’t expect Sam, who already works long hours at a highly stressful job, to be able to fly to California for a quick weekend to romp around the set of a TV show with me.And there’s no way he can come visit me in Europe.I
Chapter Forty-threeSam“What?” Chloe asks, and the smile on her face fades away.“My ex says she’s pregnant.” I swallow the vomit rising in my throat. Time slows, and I watch Chloe, heart racing as I wait for her to reply.She pulls her hands from mine. “That is…that is definitely not what I thought you were going to—what?” She shakes her head.“Stacey…my, uh, ex, told me she’s pregnant and I’m the father.” Chloe, clearly stunned, steps back a few paces, dangerously close to the shallow shoreline. She brings a hand to her face and rubs her temples. Seconds tick by, and they feel like years. Say something, Chloe. Please. Anything.Finally, she opens her mouth only to close it again. “Your ex-girlfriend?”“Yeah,” I say, and a weight comes off my shoulders, though judging by the look on Chloe’s face, a heavy weight just landed on hers. “I know it’s a shock. It was for me too.”Chloe closes her eyes, rubbing her forehead. “What?” she repeats. “I…I thought…I thought you were…you’re
Chapter Forty-twoChloe “I have good and bad news.” I set my phone on the patio table and sit back down, pulling the blanket tighter around my shoulders. “Yeah?” Sam settles back into his chair, looking a little uneasy. He keeps flicking his gaze to Mason, who’s giving him a weird, unreadable look back. They’re having some sort of unspoken conversation, something only the two of them can understand. I used to wish I had a sibling solely based on how close all the Harris kids were. They fought like cats and dogs at times, but at the end of the day, they were a family and loved each other. I’ve always considered myself lucky to be part of it, even though I wanted to be part of it in a different way—the way I am now. “My agent was able to negotiate a much better contract with the network. She thinks I’ll like this one a lot more.” “And the bad news?” Mason asks. “The head honchos at the network want to meet with me Tuesday morning, so I’ll have to get