So Right With You (8 page)

“So it’s already come to that,” Harper teased.

“It’s only polite. I don’t want him to worry.”

“Sure, honey, we understand.” Ree shook her head.

Chloe took out her cell phone and pressed his home listing. Garrett answered on the fourth ring.

“Garrett.”

“Hey, what’s up?” He sounded out of breath. “I was in the shower.”

A picture of Garrett in only a towel came to mind. She turned away from her friends before they could see her reaction.

“I wanted you to know I’m going to be late. I didn’t want you to worry. Don’t bother waiting up.”

“Okay, have fun. Be careful.”

“Bye.”

She pushed the “end call” button.

“Aw, isn’t that sweet?” Harper said.

Ree just sighed.

*~*

They had each decided to get the dollar-sized tattoo on their right ankles. While the women got their tattoos, they opened a second bottle of champagne to toast their friendship. Chloe’s stomach was tied in knots at the idea of the pain that would be involved in getting a tattoo. She kept sipping the champagne while she eyed the needle. She was consuming more alcohol than usual in order to settle her nerves. A warm buzz filled her.

Harper had gone first, followed by Ree.

Ree sat in the chair while Andrea, who sported a series of artistic tattoos on her various body parts, transferred Harper’s design onto her ankle. The tight smile on Ree’s face was the only indication of her discomfort.

Andrea finished the design, cleaned the area, and placed a bandage on it.

“All done,” Andrea said.

Ree climbed off the chair. “Wonderful. It looks great.” Ree smiled.

Chloe took Ree’s place.

“You ready?” Andrea asked.

She eyed the long, sealed needle Andrea held. “I guess.” She slammed her eyes shut.

Ree squeezed her hand to reassure her.

She tried to relax. It really did hurt. She was glad the design was simple. The first prick had her clutching the armrest. She didn’t think she could take much more.

“It would help if you relaxed,” Andrea said.

“I’m trying.” Chloe was white-knuckled as Andrea placed the tattoo gun against her leg again.

“Try to think of something else.”

She closed her eyes. Her mind flashed to an image of Garrett. She imagined him in only a towel. The towel started to slip. Her eyes flew open. She definitely shouldn’t be having these thoughts.

“Hey. You have to hold still,” Andrea admonished, holding the instrument away and releasing her foot from the pedal.

“Okay,” she said, shaken.

“From her expression, something tells me she was thinking about something naughty. She has an air of guilt surrounding her,” Harper noted.

“I hope not.” Ree sighed.

Chloe’s skin heated as color rose into her cheeks. For the rest of the tattooing, she kept her eyes wide open.

Andrea finished the last stroke not a moment too soon. “You’ll want to keep the area clean. Don’t use harsh soaps or a washcloth. Your hand should be sufficient. Apply antibiotic cream to the area while it heals. Keep it covered. You don’t want any bacteria to get into the area,” Andrea warned.

Andrea walked the women to the door and said good-bye, locking up behind them.

The women climbed back into the waiting limo. It was nearly midnight.

“I can’t believe we did that.” Chloe said.

“Neither can I,” Ree agreed.

“Thanks, guys. It meant a lot to me that you did,” Harper said.

“We’ll take you back first since you have an early day,” Ree said to Chloe.

“Besides, let’s be honest. We’re both curious about Garrett’s place,” Harper leaned back in the seat and smiled.

“I have his GPS to help us find it.” Opening her purse, she pulled it out and handed it to Uncle Bobby.

On the way back, the girls finished the second bottle of champagne. Chloe began to sing “Fly Me to the Moon” off-key along with Uncle Bobby’s CD of classic Frank Sinatra songs.

“Is she all right?” Uncle Bobby asked, eying her warily in the mirror.

Suddenly feeling hot, Chloe yanked off her sweater and threw it, smacking him with it as she did.

“Hey. You had better watch her.”

“Okay, okay,” Harper said.

Chloe slipped off her shoes next. She was about to pitch them at him. She didn’t like him. He was bossy. But Ree and Harper interceded, each grabbing an arm and dropping the slippers safely to the floor of the car. Chloe smiled crookedly and squinted. “You two are the best friends a girl could have.” Her words were slurred. “I’m so lucky.” She fell over in the seat, landing hard against the door.

“Oh, boy. She’s toasted,” Ree said.

“She’s not going to get sick, is she? You had better make sure she doesn’t throw up in here. If she does, I’m not cleaning that up,” Uncle Bobby complained.

“You think it’s a good idea to leave her with Garrett?” Ree asked.

“You’d better. I’m not transporting her any farther,” Uncle Bobby said.

Ree and Harper looked at each other and winced.

“I think it will be okay. He’s not going to try anything. He may be a charmer but he’s not a snake. It will be better if she sleeps it off, anyway. We’re almost there. Besides, you don’t want to listen to her wreck another song by good old Frank,” Harper said.

They arrived at the property, but the gate was closed.

“Chloe, how do you open the gate?” Ree asked

“The gate,” Chloe repeated.

“Yes, the gate. How do you open it?”

“Ah, Garrett uses a remote.”

“Where’s the remote?”

“Remote?”

“Yes, remote.”

She tried to make sense of what was being asked of her. She was having trouble focusing. “Remote.” She smiled. “Oh yeah. Garrett said to keep it in my purse so I always have it.”

Ree reached for her handbag, found the remote, and pushed the button.

Uncle Bobby drove through the gates. The porch light was on as a welcoming beacon.

*~*

Garrett couldn’t explain why he’d felt the need to wait up for Chloe. It was nearly one o’clock. They had an early day ahead with the move. She had called around ten and told him not to wait up for her. He’d thought about calling her cell phone, but she was a big girl and she could take care of herself. He once again flipped through the TV channels with the remote. He should have gone to bed hours ago, but he couldn’t, not until he knew she was safely home. Hearing the sound of a car in the drive, Garrett went to check.

The limo came to a stop. At the sound of the motor being shut off, Chloe scooped her shoes off the floor. Both Ree and Harper got out. Chloe crawled out, definitely less steadily, swinging her shoes.

“Hey, Garrett.” She gave him a broad, lopsided grin. Her eyes kept shifting. She was obviously having a hard time focusing.

“Is she all right?” he asked.

“It seems she may be slightly drunk. In her defense, we’ve never seen like this,” Ree said.

“And we hope we never do again,” Harper added.

While they were talking, Chloe stumbled into the house.

“Between the beers and the champagne, it was a little too much for her. She probably drank a little more than she should have when we decided to get tattoos,” Harper said.

“Tattoos?” His eyes widened.

“Yes, we all got them. They symbolize our friendship and solidarity,” Harper said.

“Chloe really doesn’t do well with any kind of pain. It may be why she drank a little too much,” Ree explained.

He was surprised Chloe had agreed. It seemed out of character for her, but he also knew these women were her dearest friends and anything that they would do she would do, including getting a tattoo.

Uncle Bobby rolled down the window. “You girls coming or what?”

“Sorry, we’d better go. See to it that she gets to bed so she can sleep it off.”

Great.
“Goodnight, ladies.”

When he entered the house, he wondered where Chloe had disappeared to. He hoped she’d had the sense to go to bed. Somehow, he doubted it.

Garrett looked for signs of where Chloe could be. It didn’t take him long to find the clues. Following a trail of discarded clothing, he located her on the sofa in the dark family room. It seemed she must have gotten hot and had removed her clothes on her way. He suspected the filmy lace object draped over the lampshade was her bra. She was reclining now with her eyes shut, wearing the same black boy-cut underwear he had admired in the store and nothing more. Damn!

There was no way he was going to be able to get her clothes back on her. With a heavy sigh, he reached for the hem of his T-shirt and removed it.

He bent down and looked at her for a moment. He tried not to look below her neck.
Shit. That wasn’t happening.
She had the prettiest beige-colored plump breasts he’d ever seen with pale pink nipples.
How in the hell was he going to get his shirt on her?
He had no idea.

“Come on, Chloe. Let’s get you dressed.” He slipped the shirt over her head. When Chloe’s head poked through the other side, she started to fall forward. Garrett caught her, and his hand accidentally grazed the side of her breast as he did.

“You’re so good to me. Thanks.”

He didn’t feel very good right now. His horny male hormones were having a debate with his consciousness over the merits of being good or bad.
This was Chloe. Yup, this was Chloe, beautiful Chloe. She was his friend and his secretary. She was also drunk. But she looked so hot. He needed to do the right thing and put her to bed. Yeah, get her to bed all right. Stop. He had to get this damn T-shirt on her. Then maybe he could think clearly.
Shifting his hands so they grasped her shoulders, he held her in place.

“Lift your arms so I can get them in the holes.” He maneuvered her arms through the armholes. “Okay.”

He was used to getting women
out
of their clothes. This was a new experience for him. He pulled the shirt down into place. Much better. Now he could focus. He picked her up. This time, he didn’t bother to cradle her. He simply threw her over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry. He wanted to get this over with as quickly as he could.

“Ah, where are we going, cowboy? I am not sure I like this position,” she slurred.

“Hold still.” He patted her bottom. He proceeded out of the room and up the stairs. This was becoming a nightly ritual.

He didn’t expect when he had asked Red to stay with him that things would be this difficult. Of course, he should have known better. Chloe had a way of getting to him like nobody else ever had, not even his ex-fiancée.

When he reached the bedroom, he set her on the bed.

“Am I pretty?”

“Yes, Chloe.”

“Could you kiss me now?”

Chloe presented a desirable sex kitten image as she wore his shirt, her hair tousled. She also looked vulnerable. There was something in her expression that told him she needed to be reassured. He would only kiss her on the cheek.

He bent to do so. She turned and the kiss missed its mark, landing on her lips.

He pulled away. “We really shouldn’t be doing this. Come on, sweetheart. This really isn’t a good idea.”

She reached for him, opening her mouth and running her tongue across his lips. He swallowed. She did it again. His willpower slipped a little. He opened his mouth to speak and she slipped her tongue into his mouth and touched his. His willpower left him faster than the racecars at the Indy 500. He was sure there were skid marks. He allowed his tongue to slip inside her mouth. He sucked on her tongue. She returned the gesture. The temperature in the room seemed to be rising and he had a hard-on. He pulled her in closer to deepen the kiss.

Chloe’s kisses could be patented. He forgot his good intentions. As he kissed her back, his hand landed on the curve of her breast. Who knew she hid all this under her conservative dresses? She arched up and moaned. Garrett did it again. She pushed her breast into his palm. He started to pull her shirt up when he realized what he was doing.

“Ah, hell.” It was hard not to give in to temptation, but it wouldn’t be right. She was at a vulnerable point both emotionally and physically. He couldn’t do it.

This time, he was firmer. “Red, we can’t do this. Going to bed with you would be a mistake. It would change things. I’m not willing to do that. Besides, you’ve had too much to drink. You’re not yourself. I don’t want this to be something you’ll regret.”

Chloe looked at him through half-shuttered lids. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

“Okay.” He picked her up and carried her to the bathroom. He lifted the seat just in time. She vomited everything she had consumed that night and possibly that week. He waited while she used a cool washcloth to wipe her face and brushed her teeth. Then he assisted her back to bed and tucked her in.

“Sorry.” Chloe turned over and fell asleep, or maybe passed out. It was hard to tell.

He reached a hand down to move a strand of hair off her face. “Goodnight, Red.” He turned out the light and left the room, closing the door behind him.

It was a good thing he’d stopped things when he had. Otherwise, his ego would have been in serious jeopardy with her hurling on him, and then passing out.

Garrett knocked on her door. “Chloe, we need to get a move on. We don’t have much time. It’s going to take at least fifty minutes and we want to get there before the movers.”

Chloe cracked her eyes open a sliver. The onslaught of light burned her eyes. The sensation of being on a boat overcame her and her stomach began to roll. In an instant, the sensation turned to queasiness. She launched herself from the bed and ran for the bathroom. She only hoped she would make it before whatever alien creature had crawled inside her erupted. It was the mixture of champagne and beer that had done it. Afterward, she clutched her newfound friend, the porcelain god, for comfort. She heaved a sigh of relief.

Hearing the sound of her becoming sick, Garrett opened the door and entered the bathroom.

The demons from hell were not done with her yet. Her stomach pitched again, and she found herself paying further homage to their place of worship.

He hunched down to her level and held her hair out of the way while she hurled. “I was afraid of this. Still feeling queasy?”

When she finished, he stood and went over to the sink. He grabbed the glass there, turned on the faucet, and filled the glass. “If you want, I can take care of the move for you while you rest. All you have to do is tell me what you want.” He handed her the glass.

She took a sip to rinse and spit it into the toilet. “No, this is something I have to do.”

“Okay, then. I suggest we get going. Why don’t you take a quick shower and get dressed?”

After Garrett left the room, she stood and faced the mirror. Staring back at her were bloodshot eyes surrounded by a pasty-white face. Her hair looked like an electric current had gone through it. She realized something else. She was wearing a man’s shirt, Garrett’s shirt, to be exact.

Oh, God! What had she done?

Her mind flashed to last night. She had been, well, drunk. Her mind flashed through memories of skin against skin, kisses, and nothing more. She had to know.

“Garrett,” she yelled. The sound of her own voice shot straight to her head and she held her ears to keep the sound at bay.

Thankfully, he wasn’t far away and heard her. He was finishing getting ready. He came in carrying his boots. He wore a pair of faded jeans and a black fitted tee.

“Did anything happen last night?”

He knew what she wanted to know. “No, darlin’, I believe you passed out, and I came to my senses.”

“Oh, God! Did I really flash you my breasts?”

“Yes, and I’m afraid I plan to take the memory with me to my grave. Now, before you start overthinking this, keep in mind that nothing happened.”

“How can you say that?”

“Okay, something did happen, but it will never happen again. Now, please, Chloe, take your shower and get dressed.”

“How can I ever look at you again? I feel so embarrassed. I can’t believe I threw myself at you.”

“Look, how long have we known each other?”

“That’s beside the point.”

“No, it
is
the point. You are one of the most honorable and responsible women I know. Consider this a slip. It’s been an exceptional week for you. Besides, I wasn’t exactly a passive participant. We just need to put it behind us.”

“You think we can? I can’t believe you consider this a slip. How can you be so nonchalant about the whole thing?”

“I care about you. I consider you a good friend. What’s happened to you is crap. I wouldn’t be much of a friend if I didn’t put this behind me. Now, please get ready.”

Chloe looked at him with uncertainty. She wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or hurt. It might be better if she stayed with Harper or Ree.

“I know that look. Please stop.” He walked toward her and gently held her chin in his hand. “We’ll get through this, and we’ll get you on your feet again.” He gave her a broad smile. “Besides, you still owe me a home-cooked meal.”

Perhaps, he was right. He seemed totally unaffected by what happened. The only problem was that she still remembered the kiss. How was she supposed to forget it? They had only been living together a couple of days. How was this supposed to work if there were already complications? Well, she could always give it a chance and move out if things became awkward.

“All right. I’ll try. You seem to be looking forward to that home-cooked meal.”

“Of course. I still remember the homemade fried chicken you brought to the last company picnic.

Her eyes widened in surprise. “How did you get some of that? That was for me and… Trevor.”

“I have my ways.”

She smiled. “Okay. I’ll be sure to make some more.”

“That would be fantastic. Now that we’re good again, I’ll leave you to get ready.”

*~*

They reached the condo just as the movers were parking. Chloe still sat with her seat reclined, her sunglasses on, and her eyes closed. During the ride, she had sipped from the water bottle Garrett had given her. He said it would help hydrate her.
Great.
Now she had to pee. The car came to a standstill and the motor shut off as Garrett put the car in park. She could feel his eyes on her, his presence strong.

She set the water bottle down and cracked her eyes open. The brightness burned her eyes but she forced herself to keep them open. She wanted to get this over with. She reached for the door and froze in mid-action. Trevor and Ashley were standing holding hands in a united front on the front stoop.

Her stomach pitched. A cold darkness engulfed her. She couldn’t believe how natural they looked together. How had this happened so fast? It had taken Chloe several months before she and Trevor had even slept together. It had been four more years before they had talked marriage. Trevor and Ashley had already jumped all those steps, and they’d done it without any consideration for her. She was a small obstacle for them to deal with before they moved on with their future.

Chloe noticed the yellow roses planted in their courtyard. She had had her heart set on pink camellias. She loved their shape and their scent. Trevor had wanted the roses. They were easier, required less care, and his mother had them. She had given in and the roses were planted. She thought back to the numerous concessions she had made over the past four years in an effort to make Trevor happy. She realized he hadn’t made nearly as many, and he always resented it when he did.

She knew Garrett continued to watch her, but she couldn’t move. She blinked back the tears stinging her eyes. She took a cleansing breath to clear her head of all the depressing thoughts pressing down on her. She grabbed for the handle.

Garrett reached for her hand to stop her. “We don’t have to do this today if you’re not ready. I can cancel the movers. We can reschedule.”

“It’s all right. I need to get this over with. I’ll be fine. It took me by surprise. I didn’t know how I’d feel seeing them together again as a couple.” She reached for the door again.

“Stay there. I’ll get it for you.”

He exited the vehicle, came around to her side, and assisted her out. A cool breeze made her pull her hoodie tighter. Noticing, he pulled her in closer to his side to shield her.

He whispered in her ear, “Honey, don’t let them fool you. Life in paradise isn’t as ideal as they would lead you to believe.”

Chloe looked at Trevor and Ashley again. They smiled, but now she could see their smiles were forced. She sensed the tension resonating between the two of them. Trevor’s jaw was tight. Ashley’s eyes looked misty, and there was a poutiness about her mouth. If she didn’t know better, she’d say the two lovebirds had recently had a fight.

It should have made her happy. After all, they had detonated her world in order to be together. But with time to think, she had realized she had been about to marry Trevor for all the wrong reasons. Her heart became heavy.

Garrett took her hand so they could walk up together. His presence gave her comfort. “Remember, I’m here for you.”

They began to climb the stairs to the front landing. With each step they took, the tension built. The men seemed to be squaring off, marking their territory. They were like two roosters at a cockfight. Chloe prayed they wouldn’t end up fighting. She probably should have left Garrett at home, not that he would have stayed there.

“Why’s he here?” Trevor slurred.

“Hey, don’t worry about it,” Garrett said.

“I see you wasted no time. Trying to make me feel guilty when you’re shacking up with him,” Trevor said.

“Shut up, Wycoff.” A muscle jerked in Garrett’s cheek.

“Make me.” Trevor bobbed forward, invading Garrett’s space, itching for a fight.

“You’re not worth it,” Garrett said, his voice dripping with disdain. He edged past Trevor to follow Chloe inside. The movers, who had been watching the exchange from the bottom step and probably wondering if they had gotten themselves involved in a domestic dispute, followed with their necessary equipment.

Chloe entered the condo. She scanned the place, including the dining table. She had told Garrett the truth. There wasn’t much she really wanted. The place was hollow, no longer a home to her. She supposed she should take Garrett up on making arrangements with his lawyer.

“I guess we should start in the bedroom.” She indicated a door and followed the movers in. He stayed in the main room with the other two, standing guard, a neutral expression on his face. She proceeded to the walk-in closet.

“If you could bring the wardrobe box in here, I’ll show you which clothes belong to me.” She stopped. Her body stiffened and her eyes stung with tears. Ashley’s clothes hung inside the closet. Hers had been pushed aside to make room. Her stomach soured.
That was fast.
She shifted her eyes away from Ashley’s things, disillusionment settling in her bones.

She spotted a mirrored dresser, a family heirloom, and began emptying the drawers of clothes onto the bed with satisfaction. Some of them belonged to Ashley. “I’ll be taking this piece with me.”

Ashley entered the room. “What are you doing? You can’t do that.”

“Sure she can.” Garrett responded from the door.

“Ashley, leave it alone,” Trevor snapped.

Ashley jerked at his sharp tone.

The testosterone was running high in the room. She’d better get this over with fast. She quickly packed the rest of her things and pointed out a few more pieces of furniture she had owned prior to meeting Trevor.

“I guess that’s it. We need to discuss how we’re going to do this.”

“I was thinking we could make monthly payments to you for your share of the condo.”

“Really, Trevor? Somehow, that doesn’t work for me. I really don’t see myself being tied to you for the next thirty years.”

“I don’t have a hundred fifty thousand sitting around.”

“I guess you can always ask your parents for it. I’m sure they will be grateful someone of my status will no longer be their future daughter-in-law. Or you can sell it. Your choice.”

“I don’t know why you talk that way about my parents. They’ve been nothing but kind to you.” Trevor glared at her.

“Good luck, Ashley. You’ll learn no one is good enough for them. I’ll have my lawyer get in touch with you.”

“Baby, what about the ring?” Ashley whined.

Chloe bit her lip.

“Come on. Don’t tell me you didn’t bring it. You knew I wanted it back,” Trevor snarled.

“That’s going to be a bit of a problem,” Chloe hedged.

“What do you mean, a problem?” Trevor asked.

“I kind of don’t have it anymore.”

“Chloe, what have you done? You didn’t hock it or anything?”

“Not exactly.” She scrunched up her face, preparing for the upcoming explosion.

“Good. Then get it.”

She folded her arms defensively. “I can’t.”

Garrett moved forward, putting himself between Trevor and her. “Look, she flushed it, okay?”

“
What?”
Trevor yelled.

“She flushed it. You know, down the toilet.” He shrugged his shoulders.

“You stupid bitch.” Trevor started to move toward Chloe, but Garrett blocked the move.

“Watch it.” The expression on Garrett’s face stopped Trevor in his tracks.

“Baby, what are we going to do now? You promised it to me,” Ashley complained.

“Shut up, Ashley,” Trevor said. “I can’t believe you flushed it. You owe me.”

Before Chloe could answer, Garrett said, “That’s rich. What about you, Trevor? If anyone owes anyone anything, I think it’s you and you’d better pay up. I hope you’re happy with the choice you’ve made.” Garrett looked at Ashley as if she was lacking.

“You’re going to let him talk about me like that? Do something,” Ashley whined.

“Sure he is. He’s a weak-kneed jackass. What did you expect? But don’t worry, honey, he’s all yours.” Garrett turned and Trevor charged, taking a swing at him. Garrett saw the movement from the corner of his eye and blocked it with a sweep of his forearm. A crack sounded as Trevor’s bone snapped. Trevor crumpled to the ground, holding his arm. The fight was over faster than it had begun.

“You broke my arm,” Trevor sniveled.

“Sure I did. You tried to hit me.”

Ashley launched herself at Garrett. She clawed at his face with her manicured fingernails. He grabbed both of her hands, but that left her feet free. She kicked him in the groin. Chloe knew Garrett would never defend himself. It wasn’t in his nature to strike a woman, not even one trying to do him serious harm.

Ashley was sparing him no mercy. Chloe had to do something.

“Ashley,” Chloe said.

“What?” Ashley swung her head toward Chloe, who now stood directly behind her.

“He may not be able to hit you, but I have no such problem.” She pulled back her fist and swung as hard as she could, connecting with Ashley’s face. Ashley was knocked out cold. Her body crumpled to the floor. Chloe cradled her hand. Damn, it hurt like hell. She was afraid she had broken it.

“Honey, remind me never to make you mad. Let me get some ice for your hand,” Garrett said, grinning.

“What about her?” she asked.

“She can get her own.”

Back at the car, Chloe asked, “Did you have to break his arm?”

They had arranged for a taxi to take both Trevor and Ashley to the emergency room since Ashley, with her eye swollen shut, was in no condition to drive him.