Chapter 19
Two days later,Chloe’s leg bounces up and down as she sits on her bed, second-guessing every decision she’s made today. Is this dress too casual? Too short? It’s been really warm lately, but maybe she should opt for pants and a nice shirt instead. Should she wear her hair up or down?
Text Thread: Devin Little
3:12 PM
Chloe
devvv!!! i need help
which outfit is better?
meeting luke’s parents today btw
Chloe stares at her text thread with Devin, silently willing Devin to open it and respond. A frown forms on her face as one minute becomes two and there’s no response. After seven minutes pass with no response—unusual for Devin, but not concerning—Chloe gives in and calls Elena on FaceTime.
Elena picks up on the second ring, her mouth full as she eats her dinner. ‘What’s up?’
‘Elenaaaaa!’ Chloe whines, holding her phone up so Elena can see her pout. ‘I’m meeting Luke’s parents in like, two hours and I need your help!’
Elena chokes on her food, coughing roughly. ‘You haven’t met his parents yet?’ she demands, her voice hoarse.
‘No, and I don’t know what to wear. And should I bring a present or something? Like a thanks for having me over gift? That’s a thing, right?’ Chloe asks. She feels frazzled, her blood buzzing and her mind moving a mile a minute.
‘I doubt you need to bring a gift,’ Elena says with a shake of her head. She spears a piece of chicken with her fork and then points to Chloe with it. ‘You’re overthinking, Chlo. You know this.’
‘I do,’ Chloe admits. ‘But I can’t help it. This is a big deal.’
‘I’m surprised this didn’t happen sooner. You’re the mother of their first grandchild; surely they would want to meet you and get to know you?’
Chloe hesitates, then admits softly, ‘ Luke doesn’t have a great relationship with them. He really didn’t want us to even go, but I kind of pushed it. I think you’re right; I should at least meet them. If Luke’s going to be in the baby’s life, then so will his parents.’
‘Have you asked why he didn’t want you to meet them?’
Chloe does her best to explain how Luke avoids the topic of his parents, and would really only tell her that they’re not very nice or supportive people. ‘Honestly, that makes me more nervous. I just really want to make a good impression, and now I’m second-guessing every decision I’ve made. If I send you my outfit options, will you tell me what’s best?’
‘Sounds like more of a Devin question to me.’
Chloe scoffs. ‘I tried her first, but she just ignored me. I swear, for someone who’s in the same city as me, she really hasn’t been around much.’ Chloe hadn’t noticed at first, too caught up in Luke and being alone in this big house with him, but really, she’s only met up with Devin once since arriving. And scrolling back through their texts, Devin’s been responding less and less.
Elena frowns and sets down her fork. ‘That’s…weird.’
Chloe shrugs. ‘I’m sure she’s just being Devin, you know? Probably having too much fun to bother with her phone and we’ll hear about it all later.’ Elena doesn’t look quite convinced.
‘She hasn’t responded to me much, but honestly I’ve been so busy trying to catch back up with grad school…’ she mutters, her eyebrows knitting together. She picks her phone up, and the picture freezes as she swipes out of their FaceTime call. Chloe can hear the faint tapping sound effect from her end. Then, the picture returns. ‘I just asked if everything is okay. Hopefully she’ll respond this time.’
‘Hopefully,’ Chloe echoes. ‘If she does, tell her to text me, too.’
Elena nods. ‘So, are you going to send me those outfits?’
Chloe nods. She sends her the pictures she took of her outfits, and the two of them go back and forth until they land on a nice pair of jeans and a pink flowy blouse.
‘Are you sure jeans aren’t too casual?’ Chloe frets.
‘Stop chewing on your lip, you’re going to make yourself bleed,’ Elena chides. ‘And the jeans are fine, you’re not going to a five star restaurant. You’re gonna look great and make a wonderful first impression, okay? They’re gonna love you.’
Chloe releases her lip and gives Elena an unconvincing smile. ‘Thanks,’ she says, not really believing her. Her smile drops just as fast when she glances up at the time and realizes how long she’s been fussing for. ‘Shit, I need to get dressed!’
She scrambles to her feet, almost dropping the phone in the process. ‘Sorry! I gotta go. Thank you?—’
‘Don’t worry about it. Go,’ Elena waves her off. ‘Text me later and let me know how it goes. I’ll call Devin and see what’s going on with her, okay?’
‘Okay, love you!’ Chloe blows her a kiss and hangs up, frantically getting dressed in the outfit they picked. Just as she’s pulling her shoes on, Luke knocks on the door.
‘Come in!’
Chloe can’t help the doubletake she does when he opens the door. Clearly freshly showered, Luke’s curls are shiny and bounce as he moves. He’s dressed in a dark blue button-up that looks stunning with his skin tone, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Chloe can’t help but admire his toned forearms, his half-sleeve standing out against the blue of his shirt. His pants are dark and surprisingly well-fitted, just enough to make her want to admire his ass.
He looks sexy, which is just so not fair. It’s a real effort on Chloe’s part to keep her eyes from roaming his body over and over. His gaze is hungry as he takes her in and it makes her think, wish really, that he’s thinking the same about her.
Luke clears his throat, fiddling with one of his rolled sleeves. ‘We should get going if we don’t want to be late,’ he says, a beat too late. Chloe nods, taking a deep breath to steady herself. She grabs her purse and slings it over her shoulder.
As he always does, Luke holds the car door open for her. And as she always does, Chloe pretends it doesn’t send butterflies fluttering in her stomach.
‘There’s still time to back out,’ Luke says, sounding more serious than Chloe would like. ‘I can make up an excuse for us not to show up, easy.’
Chloe rolls her eyes. ‘We’re not backing out,’ she says. ‘I’m fine.’
‘Maybe I’m not,’ he mumbles under his breath, but starts the car anyway.
Chloe watches out the window as the neighborhood rushes past, her hand resting on her baby bump. It’s defined enough now, though the shirt she and Elena selected hides it pretty well. Still, it’s comforting to brush her thumb back and forth over the curve.
Without another word, Luke reaches over and grabs her hand, holding it tight as he his thumb over the back of her hand. Neither of them comment on it, both just singing along softly to the radio as they drive.