Just Home for the Holidays - Deborah Cooke Page 0,47
swinging, and a twinkle dawned in her eyes. “I really do.” She spoke as if that surprised her and Hunter couldn’t keep from grinning at her.
“Go figure.”
“Go figure,” she echoed softly, her gaze searching. “I don’t like that we parted badly.”
He swallowed. “Me neither.”
“And I’m guessing that you won’t be coming to Haley and Damon’s anytime today.”
“Work and Jacinda,” he reminded her.
“Then the Beekman.”
“Right.” The silence stretched between them, both comfortable and a little edgy. He could feel her expectations, and had to say something before she did. “So, how’s Josh?” he asked.
“Oh, I don’t know. What difference does it make?”
“I thought maybe the date had been chosen.”
Chloe scoffed and he was relieved. “Not a chance.” She sobered. “You know, when I came home, I halfway thought it might work out that way. There was a lot of pressure, from him and my mom, to make that happen.”
“You thought you might cave?”
“I thought they might be right. Sometimes you don’t know what’s good for you. Sometimes you don’t see the truth, even when it’s right in front of you.”
“I do not have that problem.”
She laughed. “Of course not.” She rolled her eyes and Hunter found himself smiling as she continued. “But it wasn’t crazy. We grew up together. We come from similar backgrounds and have similar expectations for life. We were taught that getting married and having babies was the way to go.” She paused for a second, studying the carpet before she turned suddenly to meet Hunter’s gaze. “And he was the first. That’s not nothing.”
“It’s also too much information,” Hunter said, keeping his tone light.
She looked at him, curiosity in her eyes. “You didn’t think you were first?”
“No, but I don’t need the list.” He watched her for a moment. “So, why aren’t you on board? Just because he’s bossy?”
“Because he doesn’t listen. Being with Josh would be abdicating on everything I think or want or am curious about. It would make me into his wife, his partner, a female placeholder and baby machine. I’d have to give up everything I am. He doesn’t see that. He only sees what he wants to see in me, but for me, it feels like a huge sacrifice.”
“It should.”
She turned to study him. “Thanks for that. I thought you might call.”
“I almost did, a bunch of times, even though it was busy.”
“Work?”
“That, too. You were right about the Rockettes. I loved it.”
Her smile was brilliant. “Really? You went?”
“I got a seat way up at the back of the house.”
She gestured to his stuff, evidently having noticed the bag of brightly wrapped parcels. “And you went shopping.”
“I did. Back to Bryant Park and the scene of the crime.”
She was smiling at him, so pleased that his heart was thumping.
But Hunter had to tell her the rest. “Did you see the shipping board?”
Chloe laughed. “Not right away but Meesha called and told me about it. Looks like we’re famous.”
“You don’t mind.”
She surveyed the room. “It’s weird. It makes me feel self-conscious in one way, but in another, I’m going with the flow.”
They grinned at each other.
“My mom likes you.”
“Is that a warning flag on the field?”
“Not really. She was pushing for Josh because she thought I needed stability in my life. I guess I was really freaked when we lost the apartment the first time.”
“The first time?”
“She’s moving out, again, and so she was worried about my reaction.” Chloe braced her cheek on her knees and looked at Hunter. “She thinks you’ve helped me move past that.”
“Damn. Super powers I didn’t even know about.”
She laughed lightly. “Can we be friends, Hunter? With or without benefits?”
“As long as you don’t have romantic ideas after tomorrow.”
“Don’t you believe in love?”
“Sure, but I don’t think people really fall in love. I think they’re attracted to someone and they want to make that last forever. They kid themselves that the feeling will go on and on, but that’s just fiction. It doesn’t, and it’s better to acknowledge that truth.”
“And stay alone. A serial monogamist.”
“If that works for you.”
“Sounds lonely.”
“I don’t think so,” he replied, but he heard the doubt in his own voice.
Chloe turned to look out the window, bracing her elbows on her knees. “I have a different idea. I think people fall in love all the time and that you’re right: they want it to last forever, but it might just be for a short interval. Some people make it last, though, like Tyler and Shannyn, or Theo and Lyssa.”
“Cassie and Reid?”
“Damon and Haley. Kyle