13. Chloe
Chapter thirteen
Chloe
I ’m anxious to see Parker again as I make my way to the rental property one bright, sunny morning. It’s been two days since that awkward dinner with him and Lauren, and I haven’t talked to him since. He hasn’t texted or called, which has me worried. Lauren told me he stopped over the previous night to talk things over after he went to see their mom. She didn’t give me details about what exactly happened with Bethany to make Parker so upset at the prospect of her return, and I didn’t pry. I figure that if Parker wants me to know, he’ll tell me himself. Still, I can’t deny that I’m curious.
What could Bethany have possibly done to make Parker seemingly hate her so much?
As I approach the property, I notice Parker’s pickup truck parked outside. Heart banging against my chest, I take a deep breath and get out of my car. I’m actually nervous to see him. He was so upset the other night, and I didn’t know what to do to help, or if I should even try to help in the first place. I’m not his girlfriend, after all, so I’m not sure what I can or should do to offer comfort or support.
I walk up to the entrance to the building and walk inside. I can hear the sounds of construction happening upstairs. Parker and his crew have started renovating the outdated units, so I make my way up to the floor they’re working on.
As I step onto the third floor, the smell of fresh paint and dust fills my nostrils. The area is already starting to take shape; walls have been knocked down, new drywall is up, and several ladders are scattered around the space.
“Parker?” I call out tentatively as I make my way down the hall while peering into the open doorways.
A few seconds later, Parker emerges from one just ahead of me. His T-shirt is covered in dust and sweat. He rips his safety glasses off and wipes his brow before greeting me.
“Chloe, hey.” His voice lacks its usual warmth, which makes me frown slightly in response. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”
“I thought I’d come by and see how things are going.” I try to infuse more confidence into my voice than I feel. “Is now a good time?”
He glances back toward the work going on in the apartment behind him before shrugging.
“Sure.” With that, he beckons me to follow him into what will soon be a modern living room.
It’s strange being with him in this quiet, half-finished space. He’s not his usual easy-going self. I can tell by the stern set of his jaw and the dark circles under his eyes. He looks as though he has the weight of the world pressing down on his shoulders. We don’t speak for several moments, but soon, the silence becomes too much for me to bare.
I say, “Lauren told me you had a long talk with her about Bethany...”
Parker sighs deeply and looks away. When he speaks, his voice is low and his words clipped. “Yeah, we did.”
“I don’t know what happened between you guys,” I confess. “But if you want to talk about it...”
I trail off as Parker chuckles darkly under his breath.
“That’s just it, Chloe," he says bitterly, looking at me with tired eyes. “I’m tired of talking about it.”
“But—”
“No,” he interrupts. “It’s not your problem, Chloe. Let it go.”
“I just want to help.”
“I said, let it go!” he snaps, shocking me with his harsh, ice-cold tone. He’s never spoken to me like that before. In fact, now that I think about it, I don’t remember a time when he’s talked to anyone like that before, at least not in my presence.
Taken aback by his outburst, I stumble a step backward.
“Parker, I’m sorry. I just…”
“It’s none of your business,” he snarls.
Feeling the sting of his words, I swallow back the lump forming in my throat. I wasn’t expecting this kind of response, and I don’t know how to react to it. The tension between us is palpable, and I feel like I’m drowning in it.
“I…” I start to say, but my words come out as a whisper.
“You should probably go, Chloe.” His voice is harsh, but his gaze is not on me anymore; it’s unfocused, lost somewhere between the worn-out floorboards and the freshly painted ceiling. “I don’t want you to get in the way here.”
I blink back at him. My mouth opens and closes, but no sound comes out. He continues to glare at our surroundings instead of looking at me directly, and I can tell he’s not going to give me the option to try and reason with him. Nodding slowly, I turn around and begin to walk away, feeling his eyes on my back.
The air feels heavy as lead as I retreat down the corridor. The echo of my footsteps in the empty halls is deafening. I manage to reach my car before the dam breaks and the tears start streaming down my face. Right now, I feel like an intruder who barged into a realm she wasn’t supposed to enter. I crossed an invisible line, and all I want to do is go back and pretend it never happened. I didn’t mean any harm or to be nosy. I just wanted him to know that I’m here if he ever wants to talk.
I feel my heart swelling painfully in my chest. My jaw clenches as a sob escapes me, echoing in the quiet of the parking lot. After several long moments where I can’t seem to catch my breath, I finally manage to calm down enough that I can safely drive home. Still, I sit there, gripping the steering wheel until my knuckles turn white, staring blankly at the outdated building. The sight of it makes my stomach churn, and I’m suddenly so desperate to leave that it feels like a physical pain.
With a jerk, I put the car in gear and peel out of the parking lot, ignoring the startled look from one of Parker’s crew members as I speed away. My driving is reckless and far too fast, but right now, I don’t care about anything other than putting as much distance between me and that building as I can.
I reach home feeling numb and hollowed out from crying. Inside the house, everything looks eerily normal, like a stark contrast to the chaos inside me. I make it to the couch, where I drop down heavily and bury my face in my hands, overcome by an exhaustion that seems bone-deep. A knot of unease tugs at the edges of my heart as I realize that it might take more than a simple apology to mend things between Parker and me…and I’m not sure who it should come from. I’m confused, hurt, and tired, so I curl up on the couch and cry myself to sleep.