Chapter 15
Luke’sup and moving by the time Chloe finishes her shower. He shoots her a smile and a sweet “good morning” before trading places to take his own shower. It’s all very normal, and yet, Chloe’s heart picks up. It’s harder to be near him, she thinks, now that she can’t ignore the fact that she’s in love with him.
The shower turns on noisily, and Chloe hurries to pack up the last of her things. They’d only been here a night, so there isn’t much, and she’s done in just a few minutes. She sits on the bed, her suitcase next to her.
She stands up, then sits back down. Luke’s muffled voice drifts through the walls. She can’t quite make out the words as he sings, but the melody is soothing and sweet. She catches herself smiling as she listens, and then frowns.
She grabs her suitcase and drags it out the door.
‘I’m gonna go hang out with Elena,’ she calls through the bathroom door. She doesn’t wait for his response before shutting the door and hurrying down the hall.
She’s not avoiding Luke. Absolutely not! It’s just, well, it just so happens that going to spend time with Elena before she goes home means she doesn’t have to face Luke quite yet. It’s pure coincidence, honestly.
When Chloe gets there, Elena’s alone in the hotel room, and Maverick is nowhere to be seen. Her bags are already packed and ready to go by the door, and Chloe abandons her own right next to them.
The room is a carbon copy of the one Chloe and Luke had. And just like Chloe and Luke’s room, it only has one bed. For a brief moment, Chloe wonders what their sleeping arrangement was.
Elena flops back down on the bed, using the fluffy pillows to prop her up. ‘You’re up early,’ she comments lightly.
‘I just couldn’t sleep anymore,’ Chloe admits, picking at her nails. Elena raises her eyebrows. She pats the space next to her, and Chloe gratefully lies down beside her. She lies on her side, elbow bent to prop up her head. Elena taps Chloe’s forehead softly.
‘What’s going on in that head of yours?’ she asks.
‘Nothing,’ Chloe says quickly. ‘I just wanted to see you before you go.’
It’s not a lie. Elena’s one of her very best friends, and it’s going to be hard to be without her for any amount of time. Elena’s gaze softens for a moment and she pokes Chloe in the cheek.
‘I’m gonna miss you, too,’ she says to Chloe’s unspoken words. ‘But there’s something else going on. Spill.’ She sets her phone on the bed; a sure sign that she’s serious.
Damn, Chloe really should have gone to Devin. Elena’s way too perceptive.
Chloe twists onto her stomach, cuddling into Elena and burying her face in the pillow. ‘It’s nothing,’ she mumbles, but it’s inaudible. Elena shoves her, not hard but enough, and forces Chloe to look at her.
‘What is it?’ she asks again. Chloe doesn’t respond. ‘Chlo, I have to leave for my flight soon. I don’t have much time.’
Chloe bites her lip. ‘It’s nothing,’ she says finally. She shakes her head ‘It was just a long night. And I’m gonna miss you.’
Tears prick her eyes, and she wipes them away quickly.
‘Crybaby,’ Elena mutters with a shake of her head. Chloe kicks her in the shin.
‘Hey, I’m pregnant! You can’t make fun of me for crying.’
‘I can when you would be crying even if you weren’t pregnant,’ Elena retorts, mercifully allowing the subject to drop. ‘You cry all the time.’
‘That’s not fair.’
They dissolve into a round of childish bickering, and for a moment it feels like a lifetime ago. The two of them in a dingy college dorm room rather than a five-star hotel, but their friendship just as strong.
The time comes far too soon for Elena to leave for the airport. Her flight to Nashville is earlier than theirs to LA, so Chloe helps her drag her things down to the lobby. Someone on the band’s team—Regina’s assistant Todd, probably—has a cab already down and waiting for her.
Devin’s already downstairs by the time they wheel Elena’s stuff out of the elevator. She jumps up from the chair, whining as she pulls Elena into a large, dramatic hug.
‘I’m gonna miss you!’ she cries, making a show of squeezing Elena tight and shaking the both of them back and forth. Elena laughs, pushing until Devin releases her. They speak in hushed tones for a moment, and then hug again for real.
Chloe drops her gaze to her phone, opening a game app in an attempt to give her friends a bit of privacy. But, out of the corner of her eye, she does notice Devin fishing out a twenty from her purse and passing it to Elena.
That fucking bet.
Elena tucks the money in her pocket and pulls Chloe into a hug of her own. Chloe’s annoyance over the bet washes away as she clings to her friend. This goodbye is feeling far too final for what it’s supposed to be.
‘We’ll see you soon,’ she tells Elena as they pull apart. This time, Elena doesn’t comment on Chloe’s tears because she’s got some of her own. ‘A month, tops. I promise.’
Elena doesn’t look like she believes her, but she just says, ‘Love you guys,’ and then she climbs into her cab and is gone.
And once again, everything is changing.