Chapter 11 #2
“ Chloé .” Ethan looked down at the phone in Zayne’s hand as though she could see him through it.
“Yes.”
“We’re coming. We’re going to spend the day and evening over there with you. However long you need. But you’re not spending it alone.”
“Okay,” she said, her voice soft but much steadier now.
“Is Justin on shift with you tonight?”
Oh shit, Zayne hadn’t even thought of that.
“No, um, he’s got tests to grade and— Oh God, I need to call Justin.”
“You can do that when we get there.” Ethan’s tone was strong and steady, the exact kind of rock you needed in a moment like this. “We’re walking out the door and will be there in less than ten minutes. Right now, just stay where you are—where is that?”
“My…my dad’s office.”
“All right, stay there. We love you.”
Ethan gave a clipped nod as he yanked open the front door and stepped outside. As he gestured for the valet to bring their car, Zayne brought the phone up to his ear.
“I’m going to stay on the phone with you until we get to the restaurant, okay?”
“Okay.”
Zayne gripped the phone a little tighter as Ethan opened the door to the SUV for him to climb in. “We’re coming, Red.”
* * *
ETHAN WASN’T SURE how she did it, but Chloé somehow managed to not only run JULIEN like the well-oiled machine it usually was, she also cooked, commanded, and soldiered on through what had to be one of the most stressful nights of her life.
When they’d arrived at the restaurant hours earlier, they’d found her just as she’d described, sitting in her dad’s office, with her legs curled up against her chest and her arms wrapped around her knees.
Her eyes had been red from crying, her face pale from the news, but by the time they reached her, she’d stopped with the tears and was merely staring at her phone as though willing it to ring.
He understood that kind of desire to know the bad news even if you were aware it would break you, because sometimes not knowing was a million times worse.
But there was no way she’d been going to find out anything that quickly.
Oshkosh was almost three hours away, and her fathers would’ve still been on the road.
So, they’d gotten her up and asked her what she needed, and it turned out their being there was pretty much it. Next, she’d called up Justin and told him what she knew, and he’d been in his car five minutes later.
Now, as they closed down for the night, Ethan sat with Zayne in one of the booths of the lounge area and watched as the staff went about clearing up the place.
She’d done it. It was amazing what the mind could accomplish even under great stress, and tonight Chloé had shown exactly what she was made of.
The last of the customers had left around ten minutes ago, and it appeared that this Saturday night crowd had gone home satisfied, all thanks to the grit and determination of one incredible lady.
“Hey guys.” Justin came up to where they were seated with two glasses of scotch and slid them on the table. “Scotch works for you two, right?”
“Always.” Ethan reached for his wallet, but Justin shook his head.
“Don’t even think about giving me your money tonight, not when the two of you have been sitting at this restaurant for over eight hours keeping an eye on my sister.”
Zayne reached for one of the glasses and brought it to his lips. “Wouldn’t be anywhere else, not tonight.”
“I get that. But still, it’s appreciated.”
“We love her,” Ethan said, simple as that.
“I see that. She should be winding down in the kitchens now if you want to head back. I’m sure she’d prefer to see your faces over mine right now.”
They slid out of the booth and got to their feet, and Ethan picked up the scotch and downed it in one quick swig. The strong, fiery liquid was exactly what he needed after sitting there all night worrying about the woman out in the back kitchen.
He placed the glass on Justin’s tray and nodded. “You two are lucky to have each other. Especially in moments like this.”
“Agreed. I always feel lucky to have Chloé in my life. I have since the moment she charged into it. The hard times are always easier to deal with when you have people you love around you. Go,” Justin said, and gestured toward the back hallway.
“I’m going to close up out here. Then I’ll come back and see her before you take her home. ”
Ethan nodded and walked with Zayne out to the kitchens. They were empty now, the prep stations cleaned, the appliances off and the floors swept, and the dishwasher whirring away was the only sound in the room as Chloé stood with her back to them and her hands braced on one of the counters.
This was not good.
She was using the bench to prop herself up as though her legs might give out from under her at any second. As they got closer, Ethan saw one hand gripping the counter and the other clutched tight around her phone.
“Red?” Zayne’s voice was tentative, his senses telling him the exact same thing Ethan’s were, as Chloé raised her head and looked over her shoulder.
Her eyes were red-rimmed once more, her skin ghostly and ashen. But instead of shock, deep-set lines of grief marred her features now—Ethan would recognize them anywhere.
“He died.” She blinked, a lone tear escaping to roll down her cheek. “Pop just passed away.”