*Questions spun through Chloe’s head. Why would Doug, someone who never had an interest in politics, be willing to go to the fundraiser? He was never confrontational. He’d put an end to an argument, but he wasn’t one to debate.
She parked near Seattle Center.
He came around the car with a crooked smile. “What are we doing here?”
“It’s a surprise,” she answered with a slight tremble to her voice. She couldn’t help the nerves. Music was his biggest passion, and she wanted to prove how much she remembered.
Nodding, he took her hand and let her lead them. She’d always wanted to go, but had been too busy with school and her parent’s constant social events. She’d even turned Doug down when he asked her to go while they were still in high school.
She looked up at Doug as they walked to the Experience Music Project museum and relaxed. He gave her a crooked grin. “Can I ask why here?”
“Always wanted to go—with you. Never worked out, but we have all day and I figured better late than never.”
“Definitely. This is one of my favorite places to draw inspiration from.”
While they waited in line, she nudged him. “You were going to explain why you thought we should go to the fundraiser.”
He chuckled. “I believe I’m playing at that event. Your father hired me, and a couple other guys I play with. Acoustic blues, mellow enough to allow conversation about money.”
Her eyes widened far enough they could have rolled out of her head. “My father hired you?”
Laughing, Doug nodded. “Yup. I do pretty well for myself. Between my upstanding business, fundraising for youth programs, and my own project to help kids, he thought our band would be fitting. My younger brother has dealt with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis his entire life. I’ve done what I can to improve awareness about the disease, and in doing so gained notice from someone in your father’s campaign. That’s how it all started.”
She laughed. “That’s too good. Mom’s the one who rules our social lives. I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t even know your name. Only that I crushed on the music geek instead of the guy she wanted me to go for.”
“You crushed on me in high school?”
“Why do you think I snuck out of grad night with you?”
His brow wrinkled. “Because that prick, Pierce, dumped you when you refused to skip out on grad night for some hoity-toity event. Plus, you trusted me not to take advantage of you.”
She looked away. “Yeah, instead I took advantage of you, then bailed like a jerk.”
Doug rolled his eyes. “Ugh, thought we agreed to start fresh.”
Turning toward him, she leaned up to kiss his lips. He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth before releasing her.
He winked. “Come on, line’s moving.”
They paid for their tickets and entered. “Anything specific you want to see?” he asked.
“Lead, I’ll follow, but I will stop if there’s something I can’t pass up.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Walking through the Hendrix exhibit, Chloe turned to Doug. “You really want to go as my date?”
He shrugged. “I’ll be there one way or another. I’d prefer to go with you, but I understand why you’d rather avoid it. Though, Xavier is part of the group. Your brother will be there as his date.”
She stopped, turning to him with wide eyes. “You know my brother?”
“Not well. We’ve met on occasion. He’s pretty cool.”
“Small world.” Then she shook her head. “Why didn’t you mention that?”
He shrugged. “It’s not like we’re best buds. We’re acquaintances. Sometimes he shows up to our shows to watch Xavier. I was trying to forget you—easier said than done. Being around Daniel is weird because I’m tempted to ask about you, which I refused to do.” He glanced away with a shrug.
“I’m sorry I hurt you.”
Doug huffed. “Stop. That’s forever ago. This is now.”
“Think I should go?”
“What you decide to do is up to you. If you want to avoid a scene, I won’t blame you if you don’t go. Daniel, though, is going as a big ‘fuck you’ to your mother.”
One corner of her mouth tipped up. “I’ll talk to Daniel. I’m not going as a guest of my parents though. I’ll go as yours, as long as you get a plus one.”
“I do. But honestly, don’t do it if you aren’t comfortable.”
“This might get the point across better than anything I would have come up with.”
He drew in a breath, doubt flashing through his eyes. “Fair warning. Remember, you left my heart fragile. You dump me for anything to do with the fundraiser, and you won’t get another chance.”
Reaching up, she framed his face with her hands. “Won’t be a problem, Doug. This seems to be the perfect way to get my message across. Plus, I’ll get to see you dressed up.” She winked.
He looked around, a playful grin on his face. “Come on. Let’s explore.”
*
After EMP, Chloe happily walked wherever Doug felt like going. Food was his first thought. “Still like pizza?”
Her face lit up. “Definitely.”
Doug tugged her towards Zeke’s Pizza and they took a seat at the window.
He looked over with a grin. “When was the last time you walked around Seattle, visiting all the nooks and crannies?”
She sighed. “Before I left for Brown. I came back for a week the one summer, but that was it.”
“A week? Thought you said you were going to be in town for a month?”
Her heart sank. “That had been the plan. Mom filled my head with some nonsense. Convinced me I could never have you. So I went back to Rhode Island where I hoped to stop thinking about you. I never did stop though.”
“Good. I never stopped thinking about you either.” He sighed. “Let’s talk about something that doesn’t bring us right back to the past. How about where you’re working. I assume you have a job lined up?”
Her eyes twinkled. “I start at Children’s Hospital in two weeks. I’m doing the residency program for Pediatric Rheumatology.”
He leaned forward, his head tipping as he studied her. “I’m truly impressed. Can I ask what prompted you to choose that specialty?”
“I remember how your family struggled with your brother in the beginning, and how much the doctors at Children’s helped him. Thought maybe I could do something like that, and the position was open, so I jumped on it.”
His heart warmed. “You really never stopped thinking about me.” Doug took her hand. “The benefit is for Children’s. Maybe your father is proud of you and your chosen profession? Your mother,” he shrugged, “she was the one who seemed to direct your social lives.”
“Maybe. He didn’t come over today. It was Mom. I slammed the door in her face. Felt really damned good. I can’t wait to tell Daniel.”
He ran his fingers over her palm with a smile. “I’m proud of you. Choosing your own path. Doing something to help kids. You’ve always been amazing, but this is beyond awesome.”
Her cheeks flushed, a pretty shade of pink. If their waitress hadn’t chosen that moment to interrupt them, he’d have kissed Chloe.
Once their pizza was ordered, Chloe asked, “How did you get involved in charities and working with youth?”
“Music.” He grinned. “There are a few kids who have been coming into the shop forever now. They didn’t have money for instruments, but wanted to learn. So I started this program to get kids involved in the community. The hours they put in earns rental time for the instruments. Keeps kids from getting in trouble. They learn to help others. And they get to embrace music.”
“And you were recognized for this?”
He nodded. “Yeah. Your dad is trying to make a positive change in Washington. He has some good ideas. I voted for him.”
Her head tipped to the side. “You really do keep up with politics.”
Doug shrugged. “I do some digging to see who best fits my ideas. I vote for that person. As a part of the community, I think it’s only fair I have a say in it.”
“I wonder what my mother will say when she realizes you’re the one on stage, and then later that you’re with me.”
A trickle of fear wound through him. “Does it matter?”
“Not in the slightest.”
Heeding his own plea to leave the past in the past, he pushed the subject from his mind. Chloe pursued him after he’d left. Then she proved she wasn’t going anywhere. She deserved some trust.