When Darkness Falls (14 page)

“
Q
uit pacing
! You’re making me nervous!”

Chloe stopped and looked at Darbie who was sitting Indian Style on the couch with her laptop in her lap. “Oh, sorry,” she mumbled, “I didn’t realize I was.” She rubbed her hands back and forth and then sat down in the love seat.

“Hot date with Garrett?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

Darbie’s eyes flickered over Chloe. “Well, you certainly got all dolled up. Are those the Guess boots that Garrett bought you?”

“Yes, it’s the first time it’s been cold enough to wear them.”

“I know. I’m excited about fall. The leaves in the canyon are starting to turn. I’m trying to talk Steve into taking me into Big Cottonwood next weekend.”

Steve was Darbie’s on and off boyfriend. Darbie would tell her that they’d broken up, and then a couple of days later, she’d be out on another date with him. It was funny that Darbie mentioned the canyon because that’s where they were going. The trees were one thing that Chloe missed about the South. She was looking forward to going into the canyon to see some foliage because it was virtually nonexistent in the valley. Although, as nervous as she was, she probably wouldn’t pay much attention to the trees. Her heart felt like a flopping fish on dry land, and her hands were annoyingly sweaty. She rubbed them on her jeans for the umpteenth time and blew out a breath.

Darbie’s head shot up as she frowned. “Hey, I thought you said that Garrett went to Boston for a few days to attend a conference.”

Chloe’s eyes went wide.
Busted!
She began nodding slowly. “Yeah, he did.”

Darbie immediately closed her laptop and turned her full attention to Chloe. Interest lit her perceptive eyes. “So, this date is not with Garrett?”

Chloe wrinkled her nose. “Not exactly.”

When she didn’t offer more information, Darbie motioned for her to continue. “Don’t leave me hanging here.”

She hated to say the words out loud, knowing how they would sound. “I’m going out with Hank.”

Darbie’s jaw dropped. “Hank, your boss?”

Chloe started squirming in her seat. “Yeah.”

“The same Hank that’s Garrett’s brother. That Hank?” Darbie asked incredulously.

“Yes, that Hank.” She hated that Darbie was making such a big deal about it! It wasn’t her fault that Garrett wouldn’t listen to reason. She’d tried to break up with him! And she liked Hank—really liked him! Yes, she felt guilty that he was her boss and Garrett’s brother. She’d never intended to fall for him. She supposed she could thank Glory for that!

Darbie laughed. “Wow! Aren’t you the little heartbreaker? Two brothers.” She chuckled. “I don’t know if I should be admiring you … or pitying you.”

“Definitely pitying me. I pity me.” The words left a sour taste in her mouth. How in the heck had she gotten into such a mess?

“So, does Garrett know you’re going out with his brother?”

“No.”

Darbie scratched her head. “Okay. I’m not trying to butt into your business, but it sounds like you’re playing with fire here.”

She fought the urge to laugh in Darbie’s face! Darbie was always butting into her business. Even though the rational part of her argued that she didn’t owe Darbie an explanation, the words tumbled out all the same. “I’ve tried over and over to tell Garrett that it’s over, but he won’t listen. He’s so bullheaded about it!”

“No, he just keeps buying you expensive earrings … stuff like that.”

“I never asked him to buy me all of those things,” Chloe snapped. Angry tears welled in her eyes. “He treats me like I’m his property rather than a person. He won’t leave me alone. I’m starting to get worried.”

Darbie placed her laptop on the sofa and leaned forward, a look of concern on her face. “Exactly what is he doing? Is he making you feel threatened?”

She spread her hands as she attempted to gather her thoughts so that they would make sense. “No, not in a stalker sort of a way. He’s very controlling, which I don’t like. And he has this dark edge to him I’m never quite sure what to think about him. He says all of the right things, but it’s all surface. I don’t feel like I know the real Garrett, and he really doesn’t want to get to know me. It’s like I’m some prize to be won.”

“Well, you need to tell him flat out that it’s over!”

Chloe fought the urge to scream. “I’ve tried that! He refuses to take
no
for an answer.”

“Is that why you’re going out with his brother—so he’ll get the answer loud and clear?”

“No, that’s not why I’m going out with Hank. I’m going out with Hank because I care about him!”
And because for the first time since Dan died, I feel like I have a second chance at life!
She didn’t say that part out loud. It was too personal. There was something else too—ever since she’d been preoccupied with Hank, she’d not had a single dream about Dan. She was holding her breath, hoping with all of her heart, that the trauma was finally behind her.

A thoughtful look came over Darbie’s face. “Wow, you do really like him. Is he as handsome as Garrett?”

“Well, he’s not as pretty as Garrett, if that’s what you’re asking. But he’s handsome—very handsome in a manly way.”

Darbie lifted her arm, forming her bicep into a muscle. “A manly man, huh? I’ve got to see this.”

Chloe smirked. “I mean he’s ruggedly handsome. And if you ask me, that’s much better than being a pretty boy.”

The doorbell rang. Chloe jumped up. “He’s here,” she said unnecessarily.

Darbie laughed. “Calm down. No hyperventilating.” She gave her a sly look. “You know, you could play a little hard to get.”

“Oh, shut up,” Chloe countered as a ghost of a smile stole over her lips.

Before Chloe could answer the door, Darbie stood.

Chloe smoothed down her hair and adjusted her shirt. “I’ll get it.”

“Oh, no you won’t. I’ve gotta see this guy for myself.” She flung open the door. “Hi.”

Hank cleared his throat. “Hi, is Chloe here?”

Darbie stepped back and motioned. “Yes, she is,” she said in a voice that was way too cheerful and an octave too loud for the given situation. Then she looked down and saw that he was holding a bouquet of tangerine-colored calla lilies. “Are those for me?” She put a hand to her chest, batting her eyelashes. “You shouldn’t have.”

A trace of amusement touched Hank’s features as he stepped inside. “Don’t worry, I didn’t.” He flashed a disarming smile. “Not this time anyway.”

Darbie looked surprised and then laughed. “Good one.” She held up a finger.

Chloe chuckled inwardly. It had taken all of two seconds for Hank to have Darbie eating out of the palm of his hand. She was quickly learning that Garrett didn’t hold the monopoly on the family charm after all.

When Hank spotted Chloe, he gave her that crooked smile she was coming to love as he stepped up to her. “Hey.”

“Hey.”

He held out the flowers. “These are for you.”

She took them and brought them to her nose. “Thank you!”

He winked at Darbie. “Maybe you could put them out somewhere where your roommate can appreciate them too.”

“The name’s Darbie.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Darbie.”

Darbie looked him up and down. “Likewise.” Then she took the flowers out of Chloe’s hands. “I’ll put these in water for you.” A devilish light danced in her eyes. “And I’ll be sure to put them someplace where Chloe and I can both enjoy them.”

Hank laughed. “Sounds good.”

Chloe assumed that Darbie would leave at that point, but she just kept standing there, gawking at Hank like he was some sort of specimen on display.

“So, where are you two headed?” Darbie said.

Chloe shot Darbie a warning look that said,
Stop making an idiot of yourself. Just get out of here and leave us alone.
Of course, Darbie ignored it. Chloe wanted to strangle her! She gave Hank an apologetic look but then realized that he wasn’t the least bit put out by Darbie’s nosiness. On the contrary, he seemed amused by her antics.

“I’m taking Chloe to one of my favorite spots in American Fork Canyon.”

“I love the canyon this time of the year!” Darbie gushed, envy coating her voice.

Chloe knew she had to do something immediately before Darbie invited herself to come along. She took Hank’s arm. “Well, we’d better get going. Don’t wait up.”

“I never do.” Darbie turned her attention to Hank. “It was nice meeting you.”

“Nice meeting you too.”

Darbie looked at Chloe. “Very manly. Much better than the pretty boy. You chose wisely.”

Heat scorched Chloe’s face. Of all of the low-down, ridiculous things to say! It was like Darbie got her jollies out of tormenting her! Hank gave her a questioning look, to which she only shook her head.

Darbie chuckled and breezed past them. “You two have fun,” she said sweetly. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“
S
o
, what do you think?”

“I think it’s one of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen,” Chloe said breathlessly as her gaze took in the expanse of the majestic scene below. They’d driven up high in the canyon and walked a short distance to an overlook where they could get a bird’s eye view of Tibble Fork Reservoir below. From this vantage point, it looked like a sparkling oval of cut glass that was one of the most vivid blues she’d ever seen. The aspen trees were ablaze with a crisp yellow that popped against the rich green of the giant evergreens that were dotted uniformly across the landscape like a company of rigid soldiers, standing at attention. A jagged mountain range stood in the distance, decorated with silvery-white threads of snow. Never had she imagined that the canyon would look like this. There was something so profound about the larger-than-life scene that it caused a sense of awe to come over her. “It’s perfect,” she whispered, feeling as though a heavenly artist had created a pristine painting that was untouched by the ugliness that marred the rest of the world.

Hank reached for her hand and linked his fingers through hers. “It’s one of my favorite places,” he said, also keeping his voice soft. It was like there was such a sense of peace about the scene that he didn’t want to ruin it by speaking too loudly.

“I can see why.” She suddenly forgot about the scenery and became more aware of Hank and how he was standing so close and holding her hand. It felt comfortable being here with him—comfortable and exhilarating at the same time.

He pointed. “The mountain in the distance is Mount Timpanogos or
Timp
as most people call it. It’s the second highest mountain in the Wasatch Range.”

“What’s the highest?”

“Technically, Mount Nebo is the highest but not nearly as prominent as Mount Temp. Do you know how Mount Nebo got its name?”

Before she could answer, he continued.

“From the biblical Mount Nebo, overlooking Israel. It’s thought to be the place of Moses’s death …”

His voice took on the tone of a teacher as he continued the history lesson. A smile curved her lips as she watched how engrossed he was in the conversation. He went on for another five or so minutes and then gave her a contrite smile. “I’m boring you stiff, aren’t I?”

She laughed. “Not exactly, but you did start to lose me at the part where you were listing the peaks and their exact elevations.”

He grimaced. “Sorry.”

The look of embarrassment that came over his face was endearing, and she felt like she’d caught a glimpse of how he looked might’ve looked when he was a teenager and less sure of himself.

He let go of her hand and rubbed his neck. “Yeah, that’s the geek in me coming out, I’m afraid.”

“You’re just so darn smart, you can’t help yourself.”

A look of surprise flittered over his face, and then he chuckled. “I guess I deserved that.”

“I think it’s cute.”

He turned and looked at her. “Do you now?” A playful smile touched the corners of his lips.

Her breath caught as she looked up into his eyes, trying to decide if they were more blue or green. She never thought she could feel this way again, and yet here she was with this gorgeous guy that was captivating her thoughts and driving her to distraction. He stepped up close to her and brushed a lock of hair away from her face. “I got so caught up in one beauty that I’m neglecting the real beauty that’s standing before me.”

A dart of warmth shot through her as he leaned in. Delicious anticipation danced down her spine as she closed her eyes, but nothing happened. When she opened her eyes a second later, he was staring down at her, a conflicted expression on his face.

“What’s wrong?” she implored.

He shook his head and looked away. She caught hold of his arm, confused by the sudden turn of events.

“I can’t do this,” he said, raking his hands through his hair. “I thought I could, but I can’t.”

She went cold. “You can’t do what?” The words came out flat and dead.

“I can’t kiss the same girl who’s been kissing my brother.”

He might as well have carved out her heart and rolled it down the canyon. A burning humiliation covered her, and she felt like a tramp. For a split second, she went dizzy and felt like she was detached from the situation, watching it from a distance. Then anger took hold, snuffing out all the rest. “You initiated this date!” Tears formed in her eyes. “You brought me here! Shared things with me! Made me care about you.” She hated how desperate those last words sounded. She hated herself for letting her guard down and thinking she could love again. And what she really hated most at that moment was Hank Singleton!

“I’m sorry, Chloe. I never meant to lead you on.”

She let out an incredulous laugh. “Really? What in the heck did you think you were doing?”

“I don’t know. I thought I could deal with the Garrett thing, but just before we kissed, an image of him flashed through my mind, and I felt sick to my stomach. He’s my brother, after all, and he cares about you. I can’t double cross him that way. Garrett is my responsibility.”

Her fingers were itching to wrap themselves around his treacherous neck and squeeze until his head popped off! She balled her hands into fists. “Garrett!” she spat. “It’s always about Garrett!” Her voice was near yelling, but she didn’t care. Her blood was pumping so furiously that her head felt like it would split in two. “For your information, I don’t give a hoot about your selfish brother! I’m sick and tired of him trying to force me to date him! Garrett is a moron! And if you don’t have enough sense to realize that it’s you I care about then you’re a bigger moron than he is! And furthermore—” A wave of dizziness assaulted her as stars began exploding around her. She stumbled back. Hank caught her arm to steady her. Panic rose thick in her throat. “What’s happening to me?” She pressed the tips of her fingers into the bridge of her nose. “I feel like I’m going to pass out.”