“What are you doing here?” Chloe’s brow furrowed as she stared at the two women standing on her doorstep.
Quinn raised an eyebrow. “We’re here to pick you up for our girls’ night out. I know we’re a little early, but geez, quit looking at us like we’ve got religious pamphlets in our hands and we’re here to save you.”
“We are here to save her,” Tess piped in, then winked at Chloe. “Save you from that hideous bathrobe and a boring night spent at home.”
“True,” Quinn agreed. “And you look like you could use a little saving. Why the long face?” She and Tess walked across the fresh vacuum tracks and plopped themselves onto the sofa.
Chloe cinched the belt of her apparently hideous bathrobe and followed them in. She’d totally forgotten about girls’ night out. How was she going to get out of this? And dang it, why did everyone think she needed saving? “I don’t know if I feel up for going out tonight. I’ve had a pretty rough day.”
Agatha wandered by the sofa, and Tess pulled her into her lap and stroked her back. “Margs and girl time is the perfect antidote to fix up a rough day.”
Somehow, Chloe didn’t think a margarita would be the best remedy for what ailed her.
Quinn patted the seat next to her. “What’s up, buttercup? Come over here, and tell us all about it. You look like you lost your best friend today.”
She might as well have. Emotions swelled in her throat, and she bit down on her lip to keep from crying.
“Uh-oh.” Quinn’s teasing grin turned to dismay. “You really did have a bad day. What happened? Do you want to talk about it?”
Chloe shook her head. “Not really.” What she really wanted was to crawl under the covers and pretend this day hadn’t happened.
Quinn pushed up from the sofa. “Okay, we don’t have to talk about it, but we are going to feed you and make you laugh.”
Chloe looked down at herself. “I just got out of the shower, and I’m a mess. Really, you all should just go on without me.”
“Ha,” Tess blurted. “Have you met Quinn James? She takes her girls’ night out seriously, and she doesn’t take no for an answer.”
“That’s right,” Quinn said. “And your hair looks amazing—like you styled it that way on purpose.” She pointed to her watch. “Happy hour ends in one hour, so you have fifteen minutes to put on some clothes and a swipe of mascara. We’d offer to clean up or wash the dishes for you or something, but obviously you’re a stress cleaner, because I don’t see a speck of dirt in your whole house. Lord almighty, girl, dust bunnies must be terrified to show up around here.”
Chloe twisted the belt of her robe in her hands. “I don’t know…”
Quinn tapped her watch again. “Clock’s ticking. Better hurry up. If you take too long, Tess and I are going to start messing up the place. Surely we can find some dirt to track in here, or we might even mix up your spice cabinet. I haven’t seen it, but I’m sure it’s alphabetized. If you’re not out here ready to go in fifteen, your cumin is getting switched with your oregano, and all hell is going to break loose.”
A grin tugged at the corners of Chloe’s mouth. Maybe a night out with friends would help. If nothing other than to prove she did have friends. And to save her spice cabinet. She shivered at the thought of Quinn moving her cumin. “Fine. I’ll get dressed. Keep your hands off my oregano.”
“Fourteen minutes now. Chop. Chop.”
She heard them laugh as she raced down the hallway to get dressed.
* * *
Thirty minutes and two swipes of mascara later, the waitress set frosty salt-rimmed glasses down in front of the three women.
Something about being with these women, feeling accepted for just being herself, gave Chloe a much-needed boost of assurance, and she hadn’t even balked when Tess ordered a round of margaritas for the table.
Quinn raised her glass. “A toast. To friends and sharing good days and laughing off the bad ones.”
“Cheers.” Chloe clinked her glass against Tess and Quinn’s. “And to keeping my spice rack intact.”
They laughed and ordered tacos and munched on salty tortilla chips. Rock had offered to drive them all home later so they didn’t have to worry about how many drinks they had, and by the second round, Chloe was laughing and for a few minutes had almost forgotten what a horrible person she’d been to Colt earlier.
The other women were funny and sweet and liberally shared their problems and offered each other advice and commiseration. Tess had just told them about an annoying and condescending coworker, and Quinn had offered to send Rock down to punch him in the throat.
“Thanks for the offer, but since I am a writer, I’d rather slay him with my sharp wit and cunning wordplay.”
Quinn tapped the side of her head. “Smart.” She tipped her glass toward Chloe. “All right, it’s your turn. You’ve had food and almost two drinks. It’s time to tell us what’s eating you. I have a feeling it has something to do with my handsome brother-in-law.” She turned to Tess. “Well, one of my handsome brothers-in-law.”
Tess nodded. “After last Sunday at Vivi’s, it’s obvious the two of you spent some quality time together. Did you all have an argument or something?”
“More than an argument. I chased him away, and I’m sure he’s gone for good.” Chloe let out a sigh. Maybe it would help to talk about it. She’d never really had girlfriends before, yet she felt she could trust these women. Like they really cared about her.
Interesting how I can accept they like me but have such a hard time understanding that Colt does.
The thought of Colt had her throat burning again, and she knocked back the rest of her drink, then told them about her flustercluck of a day. She told them about her coworkers making fun of her and about her insecurities with Colt and how she couldn’t comprehend what he saw in her. They listened and commiserated and made her laugh but never judged her or made her feel less about herself.
She shared a little about growing up chubby and her struggles with control and her routines. And she told them how her need for routine and organization had got the best of her and how she’d lost her skittles with Colt earlier that day and how he’d walked out. She didn’t go into details about the symbolism of her father’s things. She liked these women and wasn’t ready for them to think she was a total looney ball.
“I’ve seen the way Colt looks at you and heard how he talks about you. Like ‘constantly’ doesn’t begin to describe it,” Quinn told her. “And he has for months. I know the guy really likes you. Just because you got in a fight doesn’t mean he’s gone for good.”
“I agree. On all accounts. We’ve all seen how smitten he is with you. And I don’t think the James men give up on something they want that easily.” Tess set her hand on Chloe’s. “Honey, you’re not giving yourself enough credit. And you’re holding on to way too many old issues. You don’t have to be that insecure little girl anymore. You are a beautiful woman who went to college, who earned a degree, who has a successful career and takes care of and educates this town’s children.”
Chloe shook her head. “I’m not insecure about my value as a teacher. I know I’m good with kids. I’m also a darn good knitter and can bake an excellent quiche. But none of those things make me good girlfriend material. They just make me a proficient spinster.”
“Stop it. You’ve got to quit putting yourself down. Tess is right. You’re gorgeous, and everyone who meets you loves you. And so what if you’re a little curvy? Men love curves. You need to own them. You’ve got a great hourglass figure.”
“Yeah, except I’ve got a little too much sand.” She laughed. These women were good for her soul. She was feeling a little better and wasn’t sure if it was the camaraderie or the buzz from that second margarita.
“Seriously, Chloe. You need to believe that you’re worthy of catching a guy like Colt. Heck, any guy for that matter.” Quinn gazed around the bar. “I think we should do a poll of all the men in here, just to prove you are every bit as gorgeous as we say you are.”
“Don’t you dare,” she ordered.
“Oh, I do dare.” Quinn stood up on her chair and lifted her fingers to her mouth to let out a whistle. Apparently the margaritas were making her fairly feisty as well.
Chloe grabbed her arm and pulled her back into her chair.
Quinn plopped down in her seat but narrowed her eyes at Chloe. “This is for your own good. I want you to believe in yourself. But, I will let go of the bar poll idea on one condition. You have to pick one person in this bar and ask them to dance.”
“Okay.” She turned to Tess and smiled. “Tess, will you dance with me?”
Quinn waved her hands like a referee calling “no goal.” “No way. It has to be a man. You have to pick someone in this bar, and he has to be under sixty years old. No fair asking old Doc Saunders to dance.” She nodded toward the eightysomething-year-old man sitting at the end of the bar enjoying his weekly Taco Tuesday night out with his bride of sixty years.
Rats. He was going to be her next idea. Chloe scanned the rest of the people in the bar, hoping for another out that would still satisfy Quinn’s conditions. An evil grin pulled at her lips as she spied a familiar muscled physique playing darts.
“Fine. If I can get one man in this bar to agree to dance with me, then you’ll leave me alone?”
Quinn nodded. “But he has to be under eighty, remember? And older than eighteen,” she tossed in, although there weren’t any kids in the place at the moment. “And you have to stay out there for the whole song.”
“No way. You said one condition. All I have to do is get him to agree and to go out on the dance floor. You didn’t say how long we had to stay.”
“She has a point,” Tess agreed, then pulled a ten-dollar bill from her pocket and plunked it on the table. “Go for it, Chloe. My money’s on you.”
She waved the money away. She wasn’t about to take it, not with knowing she had an unfair advantage and was already planning to sneak one by Quinn. Crossing the bar, she approached the man playing darts. “Hey, Huge.” Oh crud. She cough-laughed into her hand, trying to act like she had something stuck in her throat.
The gym teacher didn’t seem to notice as his eyes lit with recognition. “Hi there, Chloe. I don’t usually see you out on Taco Tuesday.”
“It’s my first time. But the tacos were great.” She glanced back to where Quinn and Tessa were watching her from the bar.
“Do it,” Quinn mouthed.
“Hey, listen,” she said, turning back to Hugh. “I know it’s kind of silly, but my friends dared me to ask you to dance. Would you be a pal and indulge me? Just for like half a song?”
His lips curved into a wolfish grin. “Your friends dared you, huh?”
Uh-oh. Maybe this wasn’t such a great idea. “No, really. This is just to prove a point.”
“Yeah, sure, whatever you say, Chloe. I’ll bite.” He waggled his eyebrows.
Ugh. It wasn’t too late to back out. Although what could Quinn do? She wouldn’t really ask every man in the whole restaurant if he thought she was pretty or not. She glanced back at Quinn. Shiznuggets. Yeah, she would. She wouldn’t put anything past that woman.
Hugh grabbed Chloe’s hand and pulled her toward the dance floor, spinning her into his arms just as a fast country song came on the jukebox.
Thank goodness for small favors. Not that she was any good at dancing to any kind of music, but at least she didn’t have to endure an entire slow song of being trapped in Hugh’s embrace. That would have been about three and half minutes longer than she could handle.
She figured she could put up with this for about sixty seconds as Hugh spun her under his arm and wheeled her around the dance floor. He was actually a pretty good dancer. Come to think of it, she remembered now that he had spent a week or two last spring teaching the fifth graders some basic dancing skills during their gym class.
His hand rested on her hip and guided her movements using slight pressure to lead her left or right. She let out a laugh as he spun her again and landed her in the cradle of his right arm. The song was ending, and he gave her a last spin that finished in a dip.
He followed her down with his head, and she tensed as she feared he was going to try to kiss her, but instead he leaned close to her ear and whispered, “Tell your friends thanks for the dance.”
He kept his arm around her as he pulled her back up and brought her face-to-face with Colt.
She shrugged out of Hugh’s arm. “Colt, hi. I didn’t know you’d be here.”
He leveled a cool stare at her, his lips drawn tightly together. “Obviously,” he said through gritted teeth, then turned his back and strode toward the door.
“Wait, Colt.” She ran after him and caught him just as he started to open the door. “I’m glad you’re here.”
He jerked back and hit her with another steely glare. “Why are you glad? Were you hoping I’d catch you dancing with Huge? What is this, just another calculated move in whatever game you’re playing?”
His words hit her like a slap to the face. “Game? I’m not playing any game. And I was only dancing with Hugh because Quinn dared me to.”
“Sure. That sounds like a reasonable excuse.”
“It’s not an excuse. I wasn’t even planning to come out tonight. I only did because Quinn and Tess made me.”
“Gosh, it sounds like you aren’t able to stand up to anyone tonight. Although you were doing a pretty great job earlier this afternoon with me.”
“That’s what I’m trying to talk to you about. I wanted to apologize. I was completely out of line. And I’m sorry.”
He stared at her a moment longer, then let out his breath and relaxed the tension in his shoulders. “I’m sorry too. I never would have done that if I’d thought it would make you upset. I swear I was only trying to help.”
“I know you were. I just had a really bad day, and I was taking it out on you.”
“I’m well aware of that fact. But why didn’t you call me or send me a text if you wanted to talk?” Apparently, he wasn’t totally ready to let it go. “And why would Quinn dare you to dance with someone? She knows how I feel about you.”
Chloe swallowed. He was being honest, or had at least just declared that he had feelings for her. Maybe she should be honest with him. “She was trying to prove a point to me.”
He narrowed his eyes. “What kind of point?”
She stared at the floor, unable to meet his eyes. “A stupid one. I told her how my coworkers were laughing at me today, and she was trying to convince me it didn’t matter, I guess.”
“This again?” He huffed. “I told you those women don’t matter.”
Before she had a chance to reply, the door of the restaurant opened, and two women walked in, one a gorgeous blond whose face lit up when she saw Colt.
“Colton James,” she cried before launching herself into his arms. “I didn’t know you’d be here tonight.”
“Hey, Ash. I didn’t know I would be either, but Dale had his regular guy call in sick and needed someone to cover the bar for the next few hours.” He gave her a quick hug then tried to peel himself away, but she was clinging to him like a spider monkey.
She gave Chloe a contemptuous glance. “Sorry. Are we blocking your way? We’re old friends and haven’t seen each other in a long time.”
That’s awesome. Any self-confidence she might have gained from talking to Quinn and Tess flowed out of Chloe like water flushed down a toilet. This beautiful woman assumed she was trying to leave the restaurant instead of even considering she was standing there having a conversation with Colt.
“I was actually talking to Colt,” she said, trying to sound bold, but coming off flat.
The other woman brought her hand to her mouth in a coy gesture. “Oops. My bad.”
“Chloe, this is Ashley. She’s an old friend.”
Ashley playfully slugged him in the gut, still not letting him go, her arm tucked possessively around his waist. “Old friend? Seriously? I’m his old girlfriend. And you know they say you never get over your first love.”
“You sure did,” he muttered, not quite under his breath.
Ashley laughed a little too loudly. “Oh, Colt, still hilarious.”
“What are you doing in town?”
“I’m back for good this time. Mom needs me to help run the shop, and I’m tired of the scene in LA, so I agreed to come home.” She looked up at him and tenderly touched the side of his cheek. “It’s really so great to see you. I should get over to my table, but I’ll come keep you company at the bar in a bit. We can catch up.”
His expression softened just a little as he gazed down at her. “Sure. I’ll see you later.”
She gave him one last squeeze, and Chloe’s heart twisted as she realized how well the two of them fit together. They had a shared history that would always belong to them. Colt had told her about Ashley, how serious they’d been and how he’d pushed her away after the accident. And how she’d broken his heart when she’d left him.
But now she was back. For good, she’d said. And obviously still interested in Colt.
And from the affectionate look he’d just given her, it didn’t appear he was completely over her either.
Who was she kidding? This whole idea that she could have a future with Colt James was an exercise in futility. Seeing him standing there with Ashley brought it home to her in stark, clear color that he was completely out of her league, and he deserved someone as beautiful as he was. Someone like Ashley, not like her.
The door swung open again, and Rock stepped into the restaurant, accompanied by a burst of cold wind as icy as the feeling in Chloe’s heart.
“Hey, guys,” he said, seemingly oblivious to the tension between them. “I’m here to provide taxi service to the party girls.”
Quinn and Tess, who had been casually waiting at the table to give her and Colt space to talk, came walking up. Quinn leaned in and snuggled against Rock’s side. “Thanks for picking us up, babe.”
“Of course. I’ve been considering a job as an Uber driver when I retire from hockey, and this gives me some good practice.”
“Sure you have.”
“Hey, I just got married, and having a family costs a lot of money. Especially my new wife. She’s always racking up charges on my account like Taco Tuesday night with the girls.”
“Another crack like that, and I’ll be racking up more than your charges,” Quinn teased.
He grinned down at her, obviously enjoying her sassy talk. “I’m just kidding. Put your meals and drinks for the night on my tab.”
“Oh, I already did.”
He chuckled. “Nice. Are you all ready to go? Rock’s Uber Service is leaving the station. But just so you know, I’m charging you all extra if anyone barfs in my car.”
“We’ve each had two drinks. I don’t think you have to worry,” Tess told him. She handed Chloe her purse and lowered her voice. “Are you ready to go, or do you want us to wait a little bit so you all can finish your conversation?”
Chloe shook her head. “No, I’m ready to go. I don’t think there is anything left to say.” She turned to the door, avoiding Colt’s eye, knowing if she looked at him, her steely resolve would melt faster than a Popsicle in the hot sun.
* * *
Thirty minutes later, Chloe had changed into her pajamas and performed her nightly rituals with a vengeance. Her cheeks stung from scrubbing them so hard.
She wandered through the house, checking the locks and peering through the front windows, both hoping and dreading she would see Colt’s pickup parked on the street. But so far, the street was empty. She’d turned away and taken two steps down the hall when she heard the familiar rumble of a truck engine. Her heart leapt to her throat as she hurried back to the window and peered through the curtain.
But it wasn’t Colt’s truck at the curb. And it wasn’t his tall, lean body walking toward her door.