When Angels Fall (Fallen Angels) (42 page)

“Oh, yeah, Mark knows how to grovel, all right.” Kevin laughed.

“That’s enough from you. So, how are you going to fix this? What ideas do you have?” Mark asked him.

“Why do you think I came to you for advice? I got nothing!” Nick exclaimed as he threw his hands out.

“So, is she mad at you or did you break up?” Claire asked, trying to get a feel to help Mark.

“I’m not sure. She told me to leave her alone. I asked if she was breaking up with me and—”

“You said something stupid, and did she throw it back in your face? Nick, we talked about this the other night. Why, oh why, didn’t you listen to me?” Mark looked up at the ceiling.

“Because he’s an idiot,” Kevin said and laughed, then quickly covered his head from being hit.

“So, how do I fix it?” Nick asked Mark after he punched Kevin.

“You know that guitar you have upstairs? Go write her a song,” Mark suggested as he put his arm around Claire.

“Oh, that’s good. You would have been forgiven so much more easily if you’d done that.” Claire laughed and leaned on his shoulder.

“Yeah, I don’t play and don’t have the talent Nick does. You’re lucky you got what you got. Given the way she came in, I would leave her alone tonight. You both need to cool off. Go write her a song, get her alone tomorrow, and really keep away from Taylor, and maybe if you’re lucky, she’ll take you back,” Mark suggested as he pointed his finger at him.

“Yeah, and if she doesn’t, can I take her to New Year’s Eve?” Kevin asked and Mark hit him.

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The next morning, Chloe woke to find a peach colored rose lying next to her hand. She picked it up and smelled its sweet aroma. Closing her eyes, she ran the silky petals along her cheek. She heard him clear his throat and sat up.

“Before you throw me out, let me just say what I have to say,” he almost begged, coming over to the bed and sitting down. “I’m not a songwriter and I pretty much suck when it comes to singing, unless I have a group of kids to sing along and I can fake it. But last night, I couldn’t get you off my mind. I was up until about two this morning, writing this for you.” He then picked up his guitar and started to play.

Chloe sat and listened to the heartfelt words he used, and how he tried to rhyme some of them, but it didn’t seem to work. The tune was pretty and some of the things he said were sweet. She couldn’t help but laugh a little as his voice cracked every now and then. She was just touched that he’d written a song for her.

When he finished, he put down his guitar and took her hand. “If you still want to go home, I will go and make the arrangements to get you there. I really hope you would want to stay. I want to work this out. I really do promise that today will be all about you and me. I made a lot of plans for just us, no one else, and I want to try and make it up to you. I love you, Chloe. I don’t want it to be over because we’re just getting started. You were right about so many things and—”

She pulled him to her and kissed him, feeling his arms around her waist.
 
Pulling away a little, she looked into his soft brown eyes. “I was going to tell you when I woke up that I didn’t want us to be over. I love you, Nicholas. And so far, things seem to be working against us the past few days.”

“So, am I forgiven?” He smiled at her.

“Yes, you big Jerk, you are. Now come here and kiss me again.” She laughed and pulled him close to her again.

He pulled away, jumped next to her on the bed, and took her into his arms.

Chapter Eleven

Nick hadn’t seen Chloe all day and it was killing him. The girls had left before they’d gotten up to go to the spa, and when they got back, Nick had been playing video games with Max. Now he sat in the living room with Mark and Kevin, waiting for the girls to come down, so they could leave for the party.

Their parents were getting ready to head over but wanted pictures before they left.

“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, what in God’s name are they doing? They have their hair and makeup done already, what more could they have to do?” Claire’s father complained yet again while looking at his watch.

“Love, they’re girls, they always find stuff to do or fix. Don’t you remember when we were young?” Her mother reminded him as she adjusted his tie.

“Actually, it’s a conspiracy. See, they’re already ready. They’re just sitting around up there, making us wait,” Kevin informed Mark and Nick.

“See, Max, if you learn this early on in life, you won’t be surprised when it happens over and over again,” Mark explained to their little brother who was getting very impatient.

“Girls are dumb,” Collin stated as he fidgeted with his tie.

“And Jeffery Smith said they have cooties. Is that true?” Max asked his brothers.

Both Nick and Kevin laughed. “Buddy, right now, the girls that are your age do. But as you get older, the cooties will go away,” Mark tried to say with a straight face.

“Nick, does Chloe have cooties?” Max asked him.

“Ahh, no, she doesn’t,” Nick snickered.

“Kevin has them. Taylor gave them to him. How else do you explain him taking her to this party?” Collin said very matter-of-factly.

“I thought you weren’t taking her?” Mark and looked at him, puzzled.

“I’m not. She said she has a date. I just thought it was Nick because of the way she had her hooks in him when we first got here,” Kevin replied.

“I’m not taking her, you know that. Stop bringing up what happened. We’ve had a great week and I don’t want anything to ruin tonight,” Nick shot at him.

Claire was the first one down, wearing a long emerald-green silk dress that showed off her curves. Her hair was swept up in a loose bun with a few strands hanging from it. “Sorry, we had a wardrobe malfunction. Taylor’s strap broke, so she had to change,” she explained and kissed Mark’s cheek.

Taylor came down next, in a little black silk dress that fell off her shoulders. Her hair was curly and fell down her back. “I hate this dress. Maybe I should try the blue one again.” She tried to go back up the steps.

“Taylor, you look beautiful. This dress is fine,” her mother reassured her.

Chloe was right behind her, holding her shoes in her hands as she came down.

“Oh, Chloe! That dress looks so good on you. I knew it would.” Gina looked over the black crushed-velvet dress she wore.

It was long with a slit along her leg that went up to about the thigh and the short sleeves barely covered her shoulders. She wore her charm bracelet and a rhinestone necklace. Her hair was pulled to the side with a little loose curls at the end.

The minute Nick saw her, it took his breath away.

 
She smiled shyly at him.

“Wow, you look so pretty,” was all he could say.

“Yeah, you clean up pretty nice, too. I’m liking that suit.” She looked his dark-gray suit and dark-purple tie over.

“Can you two stop ogling each other long enough to take some pictures and get to the party before 2008 starts?” Kevin demanded as he followed the parents into the living room.

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The ballroom was amazing. There were balloons tied up in the ceiling for midnight, food and drink were flowing, and the music loud. Chloe had never seen anything like this before.

They found their table and everyone sat down.

There were four empty seats and Kevin looked at the place cards. “The ass brothers!” he said, throwing it back down.

“I’m not sitting next to them,” Nick protested.

“You have to, because if one of the girls sits next to them, they will try to pick them up,” Mark explained as he pulled out a chair for Claire.

“We can handle them. Here, I’ll sit here.” Claire sat down and switched place cards.

“Put me next to Rendell. He’s my date tonight,” Taylor commented and sat next to her sister with Rendell’s place card next to her.

Nick pulled out Chloe’s chair and took the seat next to the other empty seat.

“Are they really that bad?” she asked, thinking that the guys were overreacting.

“Worse, trust us.” Kevin looked around for them.

The night progressed like this until their Uncle Robb came over and asked to talk to Chloe. He led her out to the hallway where Gina was waiting. “Chloe, do you know Thomas Gardner?” he asked, a little unsure of how to handle this situation.

“Yes, he’s my father,” Chloe replied, confused by what was going on.

“Are you sure it’s him?” Gina asked Robb as she put her arm around Chloe.

“Yes, I’m sure. Charles is talking to them now. And I was there when he said that,” Robb explained to her.

“I’m going to get Nick and fill him in. Chloe, Sweetie, go with Robb. He will explain everything.” Gina hugged her and then left to find Nick.

“Has something happened?” Chloe was fearful that she was now an orphan.

“No, honey, nothing like that. Your father and stepmother are here. Charles is interviewing Shelly about doing some remodeling here. We invited them for the weekend and I met them a little while ago. They’re staying here this weekend and Gina is afraid they will want you to join them. I have my doubts. When I talked about family, they told me they had a baby on the way but nothing about you. That’s why I asked you if you knew him. I’m going to pull myself out of the interview process and let Charles handle it from here. You really don’t want to know my opinion of them,” he said to her.

She knew only too well.

Entering the room, Chloe heard Shelly gasp.

“What are you doing here?” She was nervous as she looked over at Chloe’s father.

“Chloe is my guest at my house. She’s dating my nephew, Nicholas. I’m a little confused. You said you were expecting your first child. You failed to mention your daughter,” Robb said as he pulled out a chair for Chloe to sit down in, then he himself joined them.

“Chloe is my daughter, not Shelly’s,” Mr. Gardner answered, seemingly annoyed that she was even there.

“Well, I have to tell you, she’s a lovely girl. Very polite and well mannered. I’ve seen her sketches, too. You have a very talented girl here,” Robb said and smiled at Chloe.

“Yes, she’s a good kid. Well, since we know you’re here, maybe you should come and stay here with us,” Shelly suggested her expression seemed pinched and angry as she glared at Chloe.

“Um, I guess so.” Chloe didn’t really want to leave Nick or his family, but if they insisted, she had no choice.

“If it is okay, she’s settled in at the house and is in good hands. You’re leaving tomorrow. I think they’re staying a few more days. If you don’t mind, I would find it a personal favor to me if you let her stay put,” Robb explained as he laced his hands in front of him. He seemed to be studying them and their nervousness.

Shelly stared Chloe down. She formed an angelic smile on her face as if she were pleased with his request. “If that’s okay with you, I guess that would be fine, wouldn’t it, darling?”

“I imagine so. Chloe, we would like to speak to you before you go back out to the party,” her father said with sternness to his voice. It was as if his icy glare could freeze her to the spot.