23. Chloe #2
“I know, you’re right. But it feels different this time.
It doesn’t feel like I can’t do anything without him.
As if when he’s absent, I’m lost. It feels like I can do anything because he trusts me.
And I don’t know if I’ve felt that with anyone before.
Dane, Liam, and the guys, between them, even Christian—they all wanted to keep me contained.
I never felt free with them. At the party, Dane wanted to talk, and at first, I didn’t think Tyler would let me leave with him. But he did.”
“And that’s a good thing?”
“Yes! Because he trusted me to come back to him. When he let me go, it wasn’t because he didn’t care. It was because he trusted me, and that moment meant more to me than the two kisses we shared.”
Annika takes a deep breath in, then blows it out. “Dang, you’re down bad too. Wait a minute, two kisses?”
“You are so unserious.” I swat her with a pillow.
She giggles. “Come on, let’s finish packing so you can reunite with the love of your life.”
My least favorite part of this job is that the location technically isn’t in Auburn Hills.
It is about a twenty-minute drive north to a slightly larger town filled with big-box stores and strip malls.
It’s not all that bad; the thrift stores here are plentiful.
But it lacks the charm that Auburn Hills is dripping with.
Except since a week ago, when I drive over the hill that separates the two towns and am greeted by the expanse of lush trees, houses with smoke-plumed chimneys, and the warm glow of downtown, I veer off towards the hills and up the ranch.
The commute has added an extra five minutes, but the anticipation never ceases as I roll up to Tyler’s ranch.
Working at a bookstore might sound like a dream to some people.
Don’t get me wrong—it has its perks, like two free books monthly and a 40 percent employee discount.
However, even before we moved from San Diego to Auburn Hills, I felt the need for something more.
It’s a foreign feeling to me. I usually don’t want to stray from what is comfortable and easy.
But seeing Annika make such a leap toward a career she loves inspired me to think differently.
So when I transferred to the store here, I pushed the limits. I was in a manager position after all.
That’s when I started the book clubs at the store.
We have four genres: classics, romance, general fiction, and youth reads for the kiddos.
I, surprisingly, run the classics book club because I decided to keep things fair and have the three other book sellers and me draw from a jar.
I’ve been expanding to books I never thought I’d read, and it’s been giving me a greater appreciation for the genre.
Besides, I still have my romance book club of three with Reid and his mom, Pam, who have both also joined my classics club at the store.
The book clubs have brought in a lot more traffic, and we started doing book reviews on our social media pages.
I’ve booked best-selling authors to use our store for signings and book events.
Our store is one of the best-performing locations in the state, right behind another location up in Portland.
I decided not to sit back and let my life pass by.
I didn’t just want things to feel like an endless cycle.
So, in every aspect of my life, I am deciding to do more.
And that means seeing where things lead with Tyler too.
Before I clock out, I do a walk-through of the store, saying goodbye to all the booksellers on staff, answering any lingering questions, and then pass off the baton to the next manager on shift.
I recently onboarded a gal named Sam who moved from Portland.
She is bright-eyed and eager to be here, which is great for me because it means I can actually have a weekend off—or a weekend to do other things.
Since Sam started at the bookstore and got the hang of the ropes, I’ve been using the newfound time on my hands to do something I’ve always wanted to do: volunteer at the shelter where I adopted Dandy.
I don’t think I’ve felt fulfilled in my life since starting volunteer work.
I even took over their social media pages and revamped their website.
I get to play with dogs and cats all day.
I even spend some time sketching the animals in my down time.
I love the days I volunteer but they leave me tired.
Some days I go from work to the animal shelter.
But it’s all worth it as I pass the hill, once again after a long day, and am greeted by the green ranch on the hill with the handsome farmer and the quaint white cottage in the back, welcoming me home.
I turn towards the road leading up to the houses in the hills along with Tyler’s ranch.
It’s a long winding road and just as the road levels out, a driveway juts out with a sign that reads “Hasting’s Ranch”.
I roll past the main house, and all the lights are off, so I don’t think Tyler’s home yet, so I continue along the gravel drive to the white cottage toward the back of the property, parking in front.
“Dandy Snail! I’m home!” I call as I swing the front door open.
My fluffy white cat bounds towards me and hurls herself at my feet.
I scoop her up and nuzzle her to my face.
Today was a long day at the shelter but I feel more fulfilled helping there than at my bookstore job.
Especially since implementing some social media and marketing tips.
Seems like my degree is paying off after all.
A window in the distance glows signaling Tyler’s arrival.
In the week or so since living here, we’ve found to have different schedules, like ships passing in the night.
But a few days, when we both are home nearly the same time after our work days, we’ve worked up a little routine.
I scoop up my sketchbook of animal doodles, drape Dandy around my shoulders and head to the back sliding door of the main house.
“Hey, Chlo,” Tyler calls from the kitchen without looking up from his cooking.
“What’s cooking good looking?” I saddle up to the stool at the kitchen island.
Tyler turns to me chuckling and I give him a wink.
I realize he’s wearing the Superman shirt from Halloween.
Heat immediately crawls up my neck as I can feel his phantom hands on me from that night.
The way he claimed my mouth with his, pushing me into him.
I felt exactly how I was making him feel through our clothes.
I can feel the fabric of the shirt in my hands again as I clutched them, urging him closer.
His hard erection pressed against my center with a few layers of fabric between us.
Our tongues tangled and hands roaming each other frantically.
He clears his throat and I quickly blink back the memory, storing it to reminisce later when I’m in the privacy of my own bedroom.
Ever since the trip, it’s like a dance we’re in. Constantly spinning around each other. Not touching again, not veering back to that moment on the dance floor. Yet, the air between us is heavier. As if it’s filled with all the unspoken words and feelings, cluttering the space.
“How was the shelter?” He does me the courtesy of not addressing where my brain space went off to.
I smile, taking a sip of water from the glass he slides to me, “It was terrific! About halfway through the day, I went to the office and the waiting room was filled with people. It’s the first time since I started volunteering that I have seen people waiting.”
“Wow, that’s awesome, what do you think the reason is?”
“Josie says it’s all because of me. She called me a Marketing Maven.” I say, blushing. I shrug and continue, “I took over the social media accounts and have been posting more. Just simple stuff really.”
“You’re boosting her business and helping animals find their homes, you should be proud.
I know I’m proud of you,” Tyler says nonchalantly.
I feel like Cupid shot me with another one of his dang arrows.
I must have a dozen or so now. He turns back to the stove and I take the opportunity to admire his back.
Strong and even through the t-shirt fabric, I can make out the muscles in his back moving as he stirs and sautés.
I could crawl across this island on all fours and nuzzle my face between his shoulder blades. Whatever he’s making smells incredible.
“Are you making breakfast?”
“For dinner, yeah. I don’t know, I had the craving today,” he says without turning back to me. I slide off the stool and make my way next to him. I see his mom’s cookbook is open next to the stove, set to the page for “Marry Me Bacon.”
“You trying to make a grand gesture or something?” I jokingly point to the page. Tyler looks over and he blushes. This man, blushing! I don’t think I’ve seen him so bashful before.
“Is it working?,” he huffs out thinking I didn’t hear him, “It’s a really good bacon recipe.” He shrugs.
“Mhm, sure it is.” A smile splits from my mouth as I lean back on the counter and cross my arms. “Oh, uh, remind me to show you my sketches from today,” I say, dancing around the subject we are avoiding yet again.