When Darkness Falls (12 page)

“Of course, I would be glad to.” It was good to know that her talents were being appreciated and utilized. “I’ll have to special order all of the flowers from my wholesale supplier in Alabama.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Really? Alabama, huh?”

“Yep, I have the best supplier in the nation as far as I’m concerned.”

“Okay, order away.”

“And I’ll need a workspace and floral tools.”

He laughed. “You are demanding, aren’t you?”

She stiffened for a split second, until she saw the teasing look in his eyes. A smile twitched at the corners of her lips. “Yes, but I’m worth it,” she quipped and then realized what she’d said. “I mean, it’ll be worth it,” she corrected, her eyes going wide. Geez! Could she have sounded anymore corny?

“I’m sure you are,” he said softly, causing a thrill to shoot through her. She could feel her pulse, hammering in her ears as her eyes locked with his. He really was strikingly handsome with his rugged features and suntan that emphasized his light eyes. She liked the way crinkles appeared around his eyes when he smiled. It made him seem down-to-earth and real. Her gaze went to his lips, and she fleetingly wondered how they would feel against hers. She could almost make herself believe that he was reading her thoughts and that maybe he was thinking the same thing about her. A sense of panic flooded her. She really did need to keep her imagination in check! He was her boss, for goodness sakes! This high school crush she had on him was getting out of control! It had come on so suddenly that it had blind sighted her. Was she grasping for straws because she was so desperate to move on from Dan? Was that why she was becoming so enamored with Hank all of a sudden? Before she could make a complete fool of herself, she broke the connection and looked down.

“Chloe,” she heard him say, and then the door opened and there stood Garrett. A suspicious look came over his face as he looked back and forth between the two of them. “Am I interrupting something?” It was more of an accusation than a question.

“No,” Chloe said guiltily, stumbling to her feet. “Hank and I were just going over projects.”

Amusement lit Hank’s eyes, and she could tell that he was enjoying watching her squirm. She gave him a questioning look as irritation sparked over her. Garrett noticed the exchange. His eyes narrowed. He closed the distance between them with two steps. Before she could stop him, he leaned over and gave her a kiss on the lips. She jerked away from him as the heat of humiliation burned through her veins. She’d told him never to do that at the office! She looked at Hank, whose face had gone a shade darker.

“What’re you doing?” she seethed, looking up at Garrett.

He gave her a disarming smile that made her want to slap him. “I’ve been trying to call you.”

The last thing she wanted to do was to get into an argument with Garrett in front of Hank. She ignored the comment and moved to walk past him, but he caught her arm.

“Hey, what’s going on with you?” His expression grew earnest.

“Let’s not do this here,” she said through gritted teeth. He was clutching her arm so tightly that it hurt. “Let go of my arm.”

His expression went hard.

Hank stood. “I believe she asked you to let go of her arm. Do as she said.”

The warning in Hank’s voice was unmistakable, and Chloe saw the hesitancy creep into Garrett’s eyes as he released her arm. Then he smiled again, but his eyes remained cold. He gave Hank a scathing look and held up his hands. “I see how it is … I take one trip out of town, and big brother moves in on my territory.” He looked at Chloe. “We’ll discuss this later.” There was a hint of promise in his voice that sent a shudder running down her spine as he left the room.

Hank gave her a concerned look. “Are you okay?”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

“Garrett can be a little overbearing at times.”

Overbearing?
Really? That was putting it mildly! A band-aid approach to a serious situation. He was treating her like his property! And it was starting to scare her!

“If he gives you any problems … or if you ever need to talk about anything …”

“Thanks. I’m okay,” she said tersely, hugging her arms.

He looked unconvinced, but thankfully, he dropped it. “I’ll meet you in your office at 11:30, and we’ll go to the Riddle’s home together.”

H
ank stormed
into Garrett’s office without knocking. “What was that about?”

Garrett leaned back in his chair and propped his arms behind his head. “Have a seat.”

“I’ll stand.”

“Suit yourself.” Garrett picked up his exercise ball and began squeezing it.

Hank placed his fingertips on the desk and leaned in, eyeing Garrett. “You had no right to treat Chloe that way.”

“Oh, don’t get your trousers in a wad. Chloe knows I didn’t mean anything by that. It was a lover’s quarrel, that’s all.”

The anger that surged through Hank caught him off guard. “First of all, your romantic escapades have no business trickling into the work place. And second, Chloe is not like your other women!”

A hard smile twisted over Garrett. “My other women, huh? What’s wrong, big brother? Not jealous, are you?”

Hank wanted to knock that smug expression off Garrett’s face. He pointed. “Watch it. I won’t let you hurt Chloe like you did Yvette.”

“My relationship with Chloe is nothing like what happened with Yvette.”

Hank lifted an eyebrow. Garrett switched girlfriends like most people switched brands of soaps. Most of the time, Hank never even bothered to learn their names. “Chloe is a valuable part of my team, and I won’t let you mess with her head.”

He threw down the ball. “Is that all she is to you, a valuable part of your team?” His voice grew taunting. “Because it looked like it was something more. Just remember that I claimed her first. She belongs to me!” He pointed to his chest, his face growing flush.

“Chloe is a person—not a slab of meat. She can make her own choices.”

Garrett’s eyes glittered in a challenge. “I guess we’ll have to see which one of us she chooses, won’t we?” They glared at each other until Garrett leaned forward. “By the way, I hate it when you get all sanctimonious on me. You’ve changed since you went and got all churchy. We used to go to clubs and have a good time. You were the first to pick up women back then.” He gave him a look of disgust. “What happened to you? You’re a pathetic shell of the man you used to be!”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” Hank roared and then immediately regretted the outburst. Garrett could get his temper riled faster than anyone. He raked a hand through his hair, trying to get control over his emotions.

A benign smile spread over Garrett’s face as his voice grew silky smooth. “I just miss you, man. I miss the guy I could relate to. We used to have so much fun together. When you changed, you took my best friend away.” His voice caught. “I’ll never forgive you for that.”

The hurt in Garrett’s voice stabbed through Hank as a sense of guilt came over him. Regardless of how much they fought they were still brothers first and foremost. Nothing could change that. He just wished there was a way to get through to him. Garrett was still living in the past, and it was time for him to grow up. “Life is not all fun and games, Bro. There’s a price that goes along with it.” From the time they were kids, Hank felt a responsibility to take care of his younger brother, and even though they were adults, Garrett was still like a child in many ways. It was like he thought he was immune to the ugliness that came from his high-rolling lifestyle. But Hank knew better. The devil always collected his dues.

“I’m not like you, I can handle the pressure.”

Hank sat down. He let out an incredulous laugh. “Is that what you think this is about. The pressure?” He rubbed a hand across his forehead. “Running an honest business is a heck of a lot more pressure than anything I ever did before.”

“You keep telling yourself that.”

Then Garrett’s earlier comment registered. Hank cocked his head. “You said that you weren’t like me. That you could handle the pressure.” He gave Garrett a penetrating look as a cold feeling settled in his gut. “What did you mean by that? Please tell me that you’re not involved in anything.” It was his worst fear! The one that kept him awake at night! He’d almost confronted Garrett several times but decided against it. There was no sense in adding more tension to their already strained relationship. And a part of him didn’t want to know what Garrett was doing. Plausible deniability was what kept him sane! He wanted to believe that Garrett really was putting together real estate deals all of those times when he was away.

“Of course I’m not involved in any crap! I may like the gambling and women, but I’m not stupid!”

Hank locked eyes with him. “Swear it! Swear that you’re not getting in with Sam or any of his group. We both know how that will end.”

“I swear it to you,” Garrett said, not flinching.

“Okay,” Hank finally said. “That’s good enough for me.” Even as he spoke the words, he hoped, for both of their sakes, that Garrett was telling the truth because the knot in his stomach told him otherwise. He’d spent his life trying to protect his little brother from the bullies of the world. The problem was—he didn’t know how to save Garrett from himself.

G
arrett was sitting
in his car in the parking lot when Chloe and Hank emerged from the building. His jaw tightened when he saw Hank touch her arm, and then she laughed at something he said. They walked toward Hank’s SUV. It was all he could do to keep from jumping out of his car and pummeling Hank when he saw him stride over and open Chloe’s door for her. Chloe looked up at Hank in appreciation, and he caught something else too—a look that passed between them. It was the same look he’d seen when he stepped into Hank’s office and saw the two of them.

A sinking feeling came over him as he watched them drive away. He was losing her! He stared unseeingly ahead as a hot anger surged through him. How could Hank do this to him? Surely he could see how much he cared for Chloe! Had it not been for him, Chloe would’ve never started working at Marsh Interiors. He’d talked Hank into giving her a second chance! He thought back to when he and Hank were in high school. They both liked the same girl, Tabitha Stevens—the head cheerleader. In the end, Garrett had backed down and let Hank have her. He clenched his fist. It was Hank’s turn to back down! Chloe was not like all of the other girls he’d dated. Independent and smart, Chloe was the kind of girl a guy could settle down with. The kind he could make a commitment to. Well … at least she was the kind of girl he would try to make a commitment to. A part of him wondered if he could truly ever be faithful to just one woman, but he was certainly willing to give it a shot with Chloe! He needed something big! Something that would stake his claim on her and turn her away from Hank. Then it hit him! He knew exactly what he could do to win her back. A smile spread across his face. No girl could resist what he was about to do—not even Chloe.

His phone buzzed. A cold sweat came over him as he read the text.

Rather than responding, he started the engine and drove out of the parking lot. He forced his mind away from Chloe and methodically began going through the upcoming job. If everything went according to plan, he would be able to take care of the problem at hand. First, he would deal with Chloe before she became too attached to Hank, and then he would head out of town and take care of business. His phone buzzed again. Dread churched his gut as he glanced at the text.

W
hen Chloe returned home
that afternoon, the mystery of her yellow shirt was solved—Darbie was wearing it. She was sprawled out on the couch, drinking root beer and munching on tortilla chips. “Hey,” she said, not taking her eyes off the TV.

Chloe put down her purse and design bag. “Hey, how was your day?” She sat down on the loveseat.

“Okay, I guess. I have loads of homework, which I’m not too happy about. But what can you say? That’s life.” She shoved a handful of chips into her mouth.

“Yeah, I can tell you’re into your homework.” She made a point of looking at the chips and drink.

Darbie made a face. “Geez! I’m taking a break, okay?”

Chloe chuckled, holding up a hand. “Hey, I’m not judging you.” She pointed. “Nice shirt, by the way. I was looking for that this morning.”

“Oh ...” Darbie let out an uneasy laugh. “Oops. Sorry. I hope you don’t mind that I borrowed it.” She looked contritely at Chloe.

Yes, she did mind!
While she and Darbie were getting along better, there were still things that annoyed the heck out of Chloe. And borrowing her things without asking was one of them. She tried to think of a diplomatic way to phrase her frustration. “I don’t mind you borrowing it, but I wish you would’ve asked.”

“Fine, I’ll try to do remember to do that next time,” she mumbled before turning her attention back to the TV.

Not sure what else to say, she sat there for a minute and then stood. “I’m going to my room to rest for a bit before I start making dinner.”

“Okay,” Darbie said absently. “See ya.”

C
hloe glanced
at the clock on the microwave—6:31. Her guests were coming at 7:30. She’d have to hurry to get everything done in time. Since her arrival in Salt Lake, she and Darbie had eaten dinner almost every night with either Lila and Pete or Susan. Chloe was beginning to feel guilty and decided to reciprocate, so she invited them over for dinner. Darbie insisted on helping, but it was obvious that she’d never cooked a day in her life. Chloe decided to make them a southern meal. One of her favorites—fish! She gave Darbie one job—the simple task of frying catfish while she finished making the slaw, hushpuppies, and the lemon meringue pie. Undoubtedly that one job was too much because Darbie put the fish in the skillet, turned it down on low, and went into the living room to watch TV. Thankfully, Chloe noticed it before the fish was ruined and turned the temperature back to high. There were times when she felt like she was forging a bond with Darbie and then other times—like today—when she got on her nerves!

As she worked to finish the meal, Chloe’s thoughts drifted back to earlier in the day when she went with Hank to look at the Riddle project. Hank had been genuinely interested in her ideas, as was Lily Riddle. Afterwards, when they were driving back to the office, Hank began asking about her. She told him about growing up in Beaufort, South Carolina and how she’d been thrilled when she was accepted into the design program at AIA. After a while, the conversation started to feel like a repeat of the one she’d had with Glory, and she wondered how much Glory had told Hank about her. She got the feeling that he was trying to find out about Dan even though he never would come right out and ask. She kept steering the conversation away from that topic, and she could tell Hank was getting flustered. For some perverse reason, this pleased her. There was definitely a spark between them. She’d felt it several times when his hand “accidentally” brushed against hers at the Riddle’s home. And he was easy to talk to. Furthermore, he was genuinely interested in what she had to say. Her attraction to him was not only physical but intellectual as well. He was a wealth of knowledge where design and architecture were concerned, and it was refreshing to discuss a topic she loved. She smiled, remembering what he said when he dropped her off at her car.

He gave her a speculative look, his voice casual. “So, Glory tells me the two of you struck some sort of a deal.”

Her heart began to pound, and she could feel the blood rushing to her face. “Glory! Just wait until I see her again.”

Hank laughed at her horrified expression. “Oh, she’s harmless. She means well. The mother hen comes out in her sometimes. She’d like nothing more than to get me married off to some
nice girl
, as she calls it.”

“Yeah, I can tell. She put quite the sale’s pitch on me where you’re concerned.”

Amusement lit his eyes, making them look more blue than green. “Really? Remind me to thank her later,” he uttered in a low tone that sent a tantalizing shiver circling down her spine.

Time seemed to slow when he leaned in, closing the distance between them. She was shocked at the wave of desire that rolled over her as she looked at his lips. The instant before his lips touched hers, an image of Dan flashed before her eyes, and she jerked back.

He gave her a quizzical look. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No, you didn’t,” she said quickly, feeling like an imbecile. She’d kissed Garrett a few times, but this was different. This felt permanent, like a commitment. “It’s not you, it’s me,” she said hoarsely, looking away to hide the moisture in her eyes. Was she so damaged that she would never be able to have another relationship?

Hank touched her arm. When he spoke, his voice was surprisingly kind. “Hey, look at me.”

She turned to face him as a single tear rolled down her cheek. Tenderly, he wiped it way. Then he brushed a strand of hair from her face. “It’s about Dan, isn’t it?”

She nodded, not surprised in the slightest that Glory had told him everything. “I want to get past it, I really do. But I just can’t seem to will myself to do it.” She blew out a breath of frustration. “And it’s not just the Dan thing.”

He tensed. “What else?”

“You’re my boss.” There, she’d said it. She’d been thinking it ever since Glory had planted the silly notion in her head that she and Hank would be good together. “I don’t think we should get involved. It could confuse things. I really need this job.”

His eyes locked with hers, and she felt herself getting lost in the depth of them.
You have to fight against this
, her mind screamed.
The last thing you need is another complication!
You have enough to deal with as it is!
She knew she should heed the warnings, but all she could think about was that his eyelashes were thicker than any man’s had a right to be, and his features were so chiseled they might’ve been carved from stone. He really was handsome in a Captain America—save the world way. All thoughts of Dan or anyone else fled, and all she could think about was Hank. In that moment, she had the distinct impression that it was too late. Whether or not she admitted it, she was becoming emotionally attached. It had snuck up on her before she realized.

“I promise you. Whatever happens between us will have absolutely no bearing on your job.”

She searched his face to see if she could trust him. “Really?”

“Really,” he said earnestly. “I give you my word.”

She relaxed. From what she could tell, Hank seemed to be a man of his word. She had no doubt that he meant what he said, but it was easy to say it now—when things were good between them.

He switched gears. “Getting back to Dan.”

She went still.

“I’ve been where you are. I know exactly what you’re going through.”

“You do?” It went through her mind for a split second that he was talking about seeing Dan’s ghost, but then she remembered that she’d not told Glory about that …
thank goodness
!

“Yeah.” He leaned back in his seat, his eyes taking on a distant look. “I once loved someone so much that I would’ve gone to the ends of the earth and back had she asked me to.”

He had his hand on the steering wheel, gripping it for all it was worth. “What happened?” she prompted, wanting to keep him talking. She had to find out what made Hank Singleton tick.

He gave her a sad smile. “She betrayed me. I went away for a while, and she didn’t wait for me. She found someone else—dumped me hard when I needed her most.”

A thousand questions tumbled through Chloe’s mind, and she suddenly remembered Glory saying that Hank had been through a rough time. She hoped he would share more, but he didn’t. Silence settled between them. This time, she touched his arm. “I’m sorry.”

He nodded. “Thanks. It happens. I’m not the only one,” he said, keeping his voice light, but she could tell from the look on his face that the betrayal still stung. His eyes locked with hers. “Obviously.”

A smile broke across her lips. “Obviously.” The mood lifted as they chuckled.

“I’d better get going,” she said, reaching for the door handle. Being in such close proximity to him was making her heady. A few more minutes alone with him, and she’d be throwing caution to the wind and kissing him. That would not be a good thing. Not good at all! He caught her hand. Her pulse increased when he began rubbing his thumb back and forth over the top of it.

“About that date …”

She raised an eyebrow. “What date?” she asked innocently. Her heart was pounding so furiously that she felt like it was trying to claw its way out of her chest.

He flashed an angelic smile that was so stunning it left her breathless for a second. She realized then that Hank could be just as charming as Garrett when he wanted to be. “One date is all that I ask.”

“One date, huh? You seem mighty sure of yourself,” she teased.

“One date will be enough.” The words were spoken with such certainty that she believed him, and it scared her! She couldn’t go through another heartache again!

“I don’t know,” she began, shaking her head.

He trailed a finger along the curve of her jaw. “One date,” he murmured, capturing her eyes with his. The temptation to kiss him was so strong that she could hardly stand it.

“Okay, one date,” she heard herself say as she quickly opened the door and got of the car before she made a complete fool of herself.

Darbie broke into her thoughts, bringing her back to the present. “You seem mighty chipper this evening, over there smiling to yourself.”

Chloe shook her head. “Was I smiling? I didn’t realize …” She looked at Darbie who was arranging napkins on plates. “I was just thinking about all of the projects I have going at work.”

“Sure you were.”

“I was,” Chloe responded, her eyes going wide.

“Whatever.” The doorbell rang a minute later, and Darbie went to answer it.

Panic gripped Chloe. “They’re early!” She still had to finish the mac & cheese and green beans! While she appreciated punctuality, arriving forty-five minutes before a dinner appointment was not good etiquette.

When Darbie returned to the kitchen, there was a sly expression on her face.

“What?” Chloe said.

“The object of your thoughts is at the front door.”

She made a face. “The object of my thoughts? What’re you talking about?”

“I know you were thinking about him earlier, and now he’s here.”

For a split second, she wondered if it were Hank at the front door. Then reality set in. Darbie didn’t even know who Hank was. “Garrett’s here,” she said flatly.

“Yep. In the flesh.” Darbie flashed a coy smile. “Better not keep him waiting. Talk about eye candy. Wow!”

Chloe wiped her hands on a dishtowel and turned off the green beans. Apprehension trickled down her spine as she walked into the living room where Garrett was sitting on the couch. He stood when he saw her as an easy smile spread over his face. “Hey.”

“Hey, what’re you doing here?”

His smile fell a notch. “I just came by to see you … since you’ve obviously been too busy to return my texts or calls.”

There was the slightest hint of reproach in his voice. It immediately set her on edge. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, thinking about the unfinished dinner that was waiting in the kitchen and the guests that would arrive in a half hour. “Garrett, it’s really not a good time right now.”

His expression fell. “Why not?”

“Darbie and I are making dinner for our neighbors, and they’re due to arrive soon.”

“This won’t take long. I’ve got a plane to catch this evening anyway, but I wanted to stop by before I headed out of town.”

“Where are you going this time?”

He hesitated. “Boston.”

She nodded.

He took her hand. “Come outside with me for a few minutes.”

“I really don’t have time.” This couldn’t continue. She was going to have to end this, but how? Talking to him was like talking to a fence post! He never listened to anything she had to say but rather talked at her all of the time. It was all about Garrett.

“I won’t take
no
for an answer.” He led her outside to his car and opened the passenger door. “Have a seat.”

“I told you, I don’t have time. I have guests arriving in the next few minutes, and I have to finish dinner.” The last thing she wanted was to get in his car. Knowing him, he’d drive off with her.

His jaw clenched. “Relax. This will only take a few minutes, I promise.”

“Fine.” She blew out a breath and got into the car. The only reason she did so was because he had a plane to catch soon, so he was on a time crunch. He went around to the driver’s side and got in. She sat there with her hand on the door handle in case she needed to make a hasty exit.

He angled himself so that he was looking directly at her. When he saw her hand on the door handle, he let out a dry chuckle. “Well, this is a first. Most girls would jump at the chance to sit in a car with me, and you’re acting like you can’t wait to get away.”

Wow! He really was narcissistic! “I’m not most girls,” she said coldly.

He laughed. “I know. That’s why I find you so … fascinating.”

The way he spoke the word
fascinating
crawled under her skin, making her feel more annoyed than ever. “Garrett, we really need to talk. I can’t keep pretending—”

He put a finger to her lips. All the while, the irritation was building to the point where she felt like she would explode.

“Just let me get this out, okay?”

She nodded, biting back the angry retort that was on the tip of her tongue.

“I know things have been tense between us lately. I’ve been traveling a lot, and you’ve been distracted with work.”

Was he that out-of-touch with reality? She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Her voice rose. “Distracted at work? I would hardly call work a distraction. Work is a necessary part of life, and I’m getting tired of you leaving me in the lurch all of the time! You promised that you would be there for the appointment with Glory! But as usual, you left me high and dry! It’s getting really old, Garrett! And furthermore, I’m not your property!”

“Look, I didn’t come here to argue with you.”

“Then why did you come here? I told you it’s not a good time, but you didn’t listen. You never listen! That’s the problem.”

“Chloe, stop!”

The unyielding edge to his voice shocked her into silence. When she attempted to withdraw her hands from his, he held onto them, not letting her go. A sense of panic pelted over her, and she felt that same sinking feeling she’d experienced earlier in the day when he grabbed her arm in Hank’s office. His expression grew soft as he looked into her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

She shook her head and looked away.

“Chloe …” his voice was pleading “ … I’ve never felt like this about anyone before. You rock my world.”

Rock his world?
What were they? Fifteen? How had she allowed herself to get into such a sticky situation?

“I know I’ve made a lot of mistakes, but I promise I’ll fix them.”

“Garrett—”

“Don’t say anything,” he cut in, letting go of her hands. He reached in his pocket and retrieved a small, black box. “Here.”