“Until last night,” Chloe said, walking into the kitchen and glaring at me again. “Scare me or wake me again and I’ll have your balls, Scott.”
That would’ve frightened me but I really wanted her to have my balls.
I held my hands up, playing along. “Noted, sweetheart. No more surprise visits or wake ups.”
“Ugh, you so don’t mean that.” She sat on a chair and rested her head on her arms. I wanted to sit down next to her and pull her into my arms while her mum cooked. I wanted to be able to hold her, just to fucking hold her.
So I wouldn’t make a tit of myself, drop to my knees and proclaim my undying love for her, I went back to making coffee.
“Tell me about your date, love,” Bethany said.
If I got details I was pouring the kettle out over my head.
“It was good. He made a picnic, we ate at the park and then had a long walk. He’s taking me out next weekend.”
“That’s great.”
I wanted to make a puking sound but refrained.
“Yeah. It was a little awkward at first, we’ve never spent any time together outside of work, but he’s really nice.”
“Nice but awkward. Winner!” I said before I could stop myself. Chloe stuck her finger up. “Sorry, I’m sure he’s your prince charming.”
“I’m not looking to marry the guy, Logan. We’re just getting to know each other. There might not even be anything that comes out of it.”
There fucking better not be!
“There’s no pressure, Chloe, just go with the flow and see what happens. You never know, you may well end up marrying him,” Bethany said, wiggling her eyebrows.
I thought she’d end up marrying Jace and that hurt enough but some random guy… As much as I wanted her to be happy I didn’t want to watch her walk down the aisle and take the hand of someone else. The thought of sitting there while she recited vows to another man made me want to hurl.
I poured boiling water in three mugs, trying to push away the image of her in a white dress dancing her first dance with a guy that wasn’t me. Marriage wasn’t something I thought much about but I’d marry her right now, no hesitation.
Shit, I had problems.
“Bill’s at work?” I asked.
“Yeah, he’ll be home in an hour, he just had to sort something out for Monday.”
“Mum, what are the chances you and Dad’ll get me a new car for my birthday?” Chloe asked.
I turned around, really wanting to see this.
“Hmm…” Bethany said, pretending to think. I couldn’t help a big, fat grin. This wasn’t going to go in Chloe’s favour.
“Come on, Mum. Please?”
“There’s nothing wrong with your car.”
“It broke last month.”
“For the first and only time in the three years you’ve had it.”
She pouted and I almost offered to buy her a fucking car.
“Please? I’m a poor student and can’t afford one.”
Bethany rolled her eyes, turning around to continue cooking a shit load of bacon. “Chloe, when your car breaks we’ll replace it, that was the deal.”
“Okay, fine, but you’ll have to get me a birthday present and a car. I was saving you money here!”
Women logic.
“Nice try, love. Dad wants to get you something special, we’re both so proud of how well you’ve been doing this year, but don’t hold your breath for a car.”
“This year’s been a lot easier. It’s nice to think about Jace and not feel total despair. Still not too sure about what happens after uni but I’m working on it.”
“After uni you get a job and a house,” I said, handing Bethany her coffee before taking mine and Chlo’s to the table and sitting down. “Like the rest of us.”
“You didn’t go to uni,” she replied. She looked smug and pouted her lips in that sexy, unknowing way. It got me every time.
“Alright, smartarse. I mean you do everything you wanted to do, just…”
She chewed her lip and then released it to say, “Do it without Jace.”
“Yeah. You have to do it without him.” We all had to do everything without him. It fucking sucked.
Chapter Ten
Logan
“It’s been an hour. Actually, it’s been an hour and twelve minutes, Chloe—” She waved her hand at me like a mad woman. “Alright, alright, you slave driver. I’m up. See!” Standing up, she narrowed those pretty amber eyes for the millionth time today. “You’re being an arse today… and yesterday, actually. What’s up, Logan?”
“Nothing’s up. I wanted to hang out, should there be something wrong for me to want that?”
Her frown slowly slipped from her forehead and her features softened. “When we spend the night together like that, yeah, usually there’s something wrong. I hope there’s not, you know I don’t want you to be unhappy, but from experience there’s something else going on. Is it Jace’s birthday coming up?”