Chapter 8
8
H ow could Chloe ever find it in herself to trust another guy? After two years of being with him, she’d had to find out the hard way who he truly was.
That’s what kept playing through her mind on repeat as she sat on the back patio, her legs pulled up to her chest, her focus on the lake.
Had she been too stupid to see the signs? She closed her eyes and rested her head back on the chair. What difference did it make now? What she needed to do was go for a run around the lake, clear her head and try to put things in perspective. She had too much anger and energy to just sit around and wallow.
Her parents had left hours ago, but to be honest they hadn’t up much of a fight about Chloe staying. It’s not like they could force her to go. She was eighteen, after all, and Dominic and Clara had said it was fine if she stayed.
She stood and headed to her room, changed into some running attire, headed into the kitchen for a water bottle, then set off to get rid of the feelings inside of her. She knew a nice long run was exactly what she needed. At least she hoped. She needed to let everything fall away so that her mind was open and free again.
And so she took off, running harder and faster than she ever had, and finally letting the tears fall that she’d held in the whole day.
The sun was setting by the time Chloe made it back to the cottage. Covered in sweat, she was exhausted, but also felt pretty good. She’d had a good cry, gotten rid of all that sadness and anger, and just let herself focus on the things that mattered.
When she stopped by the back door, she could hear Clara shouting and cursing from an open window. Maybe she should do another lap around the pond, but she found herself listening.
“It’s always about you, Dom. When are you going to start thinking about me?” Her aunt’s voice was high and filled with anger.
“I don’t know what you want me to say, Clara.” Dominic’s voice was low, calm, and steady. “You’re acting like a child, a self-centered child. This isn’t my fault, yet you’re trying to place the blame on me.”
“Self-centered? Seriously?” Chloe heard cupboards slam shut. “This is why our relationship is shit, Dom. This is why I’ve gone elsewhere for what I need.”
Gone elsewhere. Was that why they divorced? Had Clara cheated on Dominic?
Man, Chloe should really go for another lap.
“Our relationship is shit, and has been for years, because you went off and fucked someone else instead of just agreeing to the divorce.” There was a moment of silence, and Chloe could imagine what her aunt’s face looked like right now. “But nope, you wanted to keep up appearances, but look how well that has gone.”
Chloe covered her mouth with her hand as she heard her aunt and uncle's private conversation. She felt like a voyeur, but still she couldn’t move.
“Would you have even told me about the affair if I hadn’t caught you in the act?” Dominic’s voice was pitched low, but still calm. “You know you wouldn’t have.”
Clara scoffed. “Oh please. Our marriage has been over for years.”
“You’re absolutely right. Which is why I served you with divorce papers, but because you want to seem like your life is perfect, you refused to sign them.”
“I signed your damn papers.”
Dominic laughed humorlessly. “Yeah, after I got my lawyer involved.”
“If you're so miserable why did you stay?”
“Because this house is just as much mine as yours. I worked my ass off with renovations, with making it a home I could live in. I wasn’t, and still am not, ready to just give that away, Clara.”
“You’re right. I can’t keep holding on to something that isn’t there.”
“I wish I'd never wasted all these years with you. Look at what it's gotten me!” Clara screeched. More slamming of drawers and cupboards followed her aunt’s harsh words. “There is no way I’m staying here.”
“You’re just going to leave Chloe, after the shit she went through?”
“Chloe is a big girl. She’s doing fine. Besides, you’re here and can look after her.” Her aunt’s voice was deceptively low. “I don’t even want to be here, not with you, not when the very sight of you makes my stomach turn. And you wonder why I cheated?”
“No, I don’t wonder,” Dominic said. “I’m sure the guy you wrangled is loaded. That’s what you’re after these days, right? Bottomless pockets and someone who lets you get away with whatever?”
Chloe was about to leave, to take that second run, but she was frozen in place as she heard her aunt spit out a string of insults to Dominic. A second later the sound of a car starting and peeling out of the driveway had Chloe swallowing roughly in unease.
As the sound of the car grew distant, Chloe turned to go back toward the lake. The sound of the back door opening had her glancing over her shoulder. Dominic stood there with his hands in his pockets, his focus on the lake. His expression was like stone. He held things in, concealed them behind a mask of cool and collected composure. He’d always been like that.
He didn’t realize she was standing there, but she swore he had to have heard how fast and hard her heart was thundering. And then he turned, and their gazes clashed, held. Neither of them spoke for several moments. Chloe started to feel the tension in the air. Awkwardness didn’t even begin to describe the situation.
Should she pretend she didn’t hear anything? Surely by the weirdness happening right now, he had to know she’d heard it all.
“You heard.” He didn’t phrase it like a question.
Chloe moved over to where he stood and nodded. “Yeah. I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean to.”
He sat down, and she took the seat beside him.
“Should I just go?” How could she stay here after all this? Surely he wanted to be alone.
“No, I don’t want you to leave.” He turned and smiled at her. “And you have nothing to be sorry about. I’m just sorry you had to be here when the shit finally hit the fan. I know this has to be awkward for you.”
It was none of Chloe’s business, but she loved his honesty and wanted him to feel like he could tell her anything. So against her better judgment, she asked, “If things were this bad why did you go along with keeping up appearances?” His heavy exhale made her instantly regret what she’d said. “I’m sorry. It’s none of my business."
“No, it’s all right.” He didn’t speak for a long moment, and she could see he was mulling over all of this. “I honestly don’t know why I let her control the situation. The marriage has been over for years, and the ink on the divorce papers long since dried.” He looked at Chloe then. “I think I didn’t want anyone else to get hurt. I didn’t want things ruined because I knew you guys were coming up, and I wanted it good and memorable.” He shook his head and looked back at the lake. “But all of that got fucked up anyway, so…”
“I’m sorry everything went down like this.”
“Yeah. Me too, Chloe.” He sounded tired, but not in the physical way. He breathed out wearily, leaned back in the chair, and ran a hand over his jaw. “It is what it is, but I’m glad it’s all out in the open now. It’s a weight off my shoulders.”
They stayed silent a while longer, but it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence. Chloe didn’t know what to say, but knew that right now saying nothing was probably better than trying to force it.
When the sun had finally set, she made her way inside and washed up. Chloe wished there was something she could do to make things different, wished she could wipe away the broken disappointment, the soul-crushing … pain.
Would things ever be the same?
She had a feeling they wouldn’t.