Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Van
I stopped at the end of the driveway, unsure of whether to be thrilled or not.
I had packed up my stuff at my parents’ house when I knew they’d be gone for work.
The dark basement hadn’t seemed that much emptier once my pickup was loaded.
A dismal chapter in my life had closed, and the relief I felt mingled with remorse for Clover.
I’d only known her as pleasant. The most tolerable of Elijah’s relationships.
A good thing since I had married her.
What had I been thinking? I’d seen a way out of my own hole while watching her fall into one. I’d helped us both. Right?
I’d make sure of it. I was better than Elijah.
My new home for the next three months stared back at me. It was a small house, ten miles out of town on a few acres, sandwiched between fields of sunflowers and corn and sweeping pastures dotted with cattle. A red SUV was out front.
After the wedding ceremony, I had told Clover that I needed a few days to clear my stuff out of my parents’ house, and I needed the extra time to do it when they weren’t home. I was half afraid she’d think I ran off with someone like my brother had.
One, I’d never take someone else’s money.
I wouldn’t have been living in the basement of the home I’d grown up in if I was that kind of person.
And two…well, I could no longer say I wouldn’t marry a woman I’d just met.
I hadn’t known Clover much more than Elijah knew his new wife.
Maybe I was more like him than I thought.
I continued toward the house. A wooden fence that surrounded the main five acres was missing a few posts, but the property was otherwise in good shape.
According to her dad, Weston Duke, the house had been rented for twenty years by a couple who recently moved to Florida.
They cared for the place but weren’t able to do as much in recent years. The cold was hard for them.
The three months I was living with Clover—my wife—should go just fine.
Steeling myself, I took my foot off the brake and coasted the rest of the way. I parked outside the garage by her vehicle and frowned. The kindling of warmth in my belly was only nerves. Clover was a nice person, but she was my brother’s ex. His pregnant ex. I wasn’t attracted to her.
I pulled out my suitcase and checked my phone one more time.
Clover: I’ll leave the door open. I’m doing some cleaning.
By the front door was an oblong brown rock with indents that made it look like it could’ve come from the moon, and a mat that said Gneiss Of You To Stop By.
What the… Right. Clover was a geologist. My mom’s comment to Elijah ran through my head. “Why’d you get someone who plays in the dirt?”
Now he’d gotten someone who was probably going to play him.
I stepped inside. Cool air swarmed around me, and the smell of freshly baked cookies filled the air. My stomach growled. How long had it been since I’ve had a freshly baked cookie?
Leaving my suitcase in the entry, I walked through the bare living room with one wall painted a light lavender and the others a pleasant cream.
The holes from whatever the previous occupants had hanging on the walls were visible.
Hardwood floors, stained a dark maple, carried through the entire house.
A dining room separated the living area from the kitchen, which was empty. No furniture. None. The magnitude of my decision was only starting to sink in. Married. New life, new town, new home. Nothing in it.
I’d remedy that. I had the freedom to now, thanks to this marriage.
A plate of chocolate chip cookies sat on the edge of the island. Were these open season? Shoving one in my mouth, I grabbed another two.
A twangy country beat drifted in from somewhere deeper in the place. I followed the sound. There were only two bedrooms and one bathroom. No office? The reason I needed the next three months was to finish launching my company.
That was a problem for later, and for when I had a desk or a table.
The place was older but well-kept. In Vegas, Weston had said the basement never got finished.
I passed the bathroom, and the smell of Pine-Sol filled the air, but the light was off.
The door to what I assumed must be the largest bedroom gaped open, and I poked my head in.
A small speaker was by the door, pumping out the beat.
Clover danced in the middle of the room, her stockinged feet stomping and her hips swinging.
Her back was to me, and she stayed that way as she danced to the left and then to the right.
Was she line dancing?
She swiveled her hips, and a tightness coiled inside me, down lower than was comfortable. When she gyrated, I averted my gaze, since otherwise I might sport an erection. Wrong woman to do that with.
I knocked on the door.
She screeched and jumped. Her feet slipped on the floor, and I dove. The cookies hit the floor, and I clamped my arms around her, but I lost my balance from the flailing Clover. I twisted to keep from landing on her and hit my ass hard on the floor.
“Oh my God!” she cried.
I braced myself for a berating, but I didn’t let her go. She was pregnant, and I had almost caused a big accident.
She scrambled off me, and I reluctantly let go. She stayed on her knees next to me, looking me over. “Are you okay? Oh God, I landed right on you! I’m sorry I didn’t hear you! Is it early? Late? I should’ve been paying atten—”
I pressed my finger to her mouth. I needed a moment to assess for damage, and she’d keep blaming herself.
Now I was caught between wanting to stroke the outline of her bow lips or yanking my hand away like I touched a hot plate.
I lingered for a moment too long. Her hazel eyes were wide when I removed my finger.
Why the hell had I put it there in the first place?
“I’m fine. It’s not your fault. But I need a minute.” My tailbone had taken a hell of a slam, but the worst pain was already receding. Mostly, I was content to sit my ass on the floor for a while since she was right here with me.
I’d been alone too long.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
I cocked a brow. “Why? I scared you.”
“I should’ve expected you and turned the music down.”
“I should’ve walked slower so I entered when the song was done,” I said wryly.
She narrowed her eyes. “I should’ve done the hip-dip spin to the right on beat, and I would’ve seen you.”
“It’s clear who’s at fault. The singer should’ve sung the song slower.”
She laughed, and a terrible yearning formed in my chest. No. This was not for me. But I could be friends with Clover, and friends laughed together. That thought eased the throbbing in my butt even more.
When Elijah first brought her home, I couldn’t believe he’d picked someone with a brain.
Usually, his girlfriends had to lack some intelligence to put up with his pompous nature.
But Clover was kind while having stars in her eyes around him.
He was always good at fooling people. And I was always good at being fooled by him.
I got off the floor, wincing at the cracking in the knee I hurt in high school. Damn thing didn’t like getting bent at extreme angles without some warning.
“You did get hurt!” She stood and wrung her hands.
“No, it’s just an old snowboarding injury.”
Her bow mouth formed an O. “Is that where you collided with Elijah?”
“Is that what he said?” I muttered, hobbling down the hall to the kitchen. I needed more cookies at the mention of my brother.
A wave of lemon-fresh scent followed me. “What happened? Didn’t Elijah tell me the truth? Oh God, he lied again, didn’t he? Is this what it’s going to be like from now on? I’m going to find out about all the things he was dishonest about?”
She must chatter when she was nervous. My finger that had been on her lips tingled. Her mouth was way too inviting.
My brain must’ve gotten rattled in the fall.
“I have no doubt he thinks it’s the truth.” I reached the cookies and took two. I held the plate out to her.
She put her hand to her stomach. “I was craving them, but when they were done, I got nauseous. It usually passes by late afternoon.”
“Morning sickness?”
She nodded, and I kept my gaze planted firmly on her face.
Better than those curvy legs or the way her shirt pooled around her hips, showing off an hourglass figure.
It was bad enough that I was closing my eyes and seeing her in that ethereal dress during the wedding.
It had clovers on it, and it was perfect for her.
She wasn’t mine.
All we had in common was this house and that we’d both been let down by Elijah.
She’d asked for the real story behind my knee.
I was okay blasting any rose-colored glasses she was still wearing when it came to him.
“Elijah wanted to use my snowboard, and I said no. On the next run, he rammed right into me. Didn’t even know he had enough skill to do that. ” I shoved a cookie into my mouth.
Her pretty lips turned down. “He said you got too close to him and clipped him because you were new at it.”
I barked out a laugh, and a few crumbs escaped. Damn. I’d been in that basement too long, and I’d known it.
Wiping my mouth, I swallowed. “He was the noob. It’s why I wouldn’t lend him my snowboard and made him rent one. He refused to go on what he considered a lesser slope than me. But I think he crashed into me on purpose.”
“Why?”
Surprised she didn’t just brush me off, I stuffed another cookie into my mouth.
My parents always took Elijah’s side. I was the “oops” kid and a hard baby on top of it.
He was planned and had slept a lot. I was supposed to hand everything over for his taking as the cost of being the oldest and fussiest.
Brushing my fingers off, I thought about what to say. “He’s the prized child. What was mine was his.” And now his fiancée was my wife. My stomach clenched around the cookie. Was that the motivation behind my bright idea? “He doesn’t like being told no.”
Her brows popped up. “Oh. Wow. I mean, I knew he was arrogant—and he seemed harsh when it came to you. But I thought…” She lifted her shoulders.
“I thought we were kindred spirits.” Her eyes misted over, and she hastily swiped at her cheeks.
“Ugh. These hormones. I am not missing a guy who tossed me and the baby away so easily.”
Did I blame my hormones for not liking how she was crying over Elijah? I wasn’t surprised he could ditch her and a kid. I’d known him my whole life, and it was on trend. Clover was the one person in the world who’d believe me now, and for that alone, I’d help her.
“Maybe it’s time for that cookie.” She grabbed three. “Since I can’t crack a cold one for a while.”
“I can get root beer.”
“I’ve got a six-pack of it. I usually drink kombucha, but I can’t handle that right now either.” She wandered farther into the kitchen. “What do you want for dinner? I was going to pick up more groceries, but I didn’t know what you liked.”
A vise crimped around my ribs. Buying groceries for each other? Too cozy. I was here to get to the next level in my career. “I can cook for myself. I can buy my own stuff too.”
“Yeah. Of course.” She smothered the hurt in her eyes, and guilt wrenched in my chest. She let out a nervous laugh. “I’m still used to having to cook for two.” She skated her gaze away.
Ah, hell. “He made you cook every night?”
“Well, my hours weren’t as long as his.”
“He worked nine to five.”
She recoiled. “He worked twelve-hour days.”
Double hell. I wasn’t going to continue to be the one breaking bad news to her. “Okay.”
She pressed both hands to her gut like she was going to hurl any second. Color leached from her face. “Was he lying about that too?”
I inhaled slowly. More bad news to pass on. “He bragged about having banker’s hours, and I joked it was because he was a banker.”
“He was an investment banker.”
“He was a loan officer, Clover,” I said softly.
Tears sprang into her eyes, and her face crumbled. “I’m such an idiot.” Her shoulders shook with heavy sobs, and she pivoted on a stockinged foot only to stop at the entrance to the empty dining room. “And there’s nowhere to have a good cry!”
She stomped outside.
Ah, hell. I made her cry, and I didn’t care it was by proxy.
Did I follow her? Did she want my comfort? I was tired of cleaning up after Elijah, but when it came to Clover, it seemed I had more in the tank.
I trailed her to the porch. She was sitting on the first step, her arms crossed on top of her knees and her head buried in them.
Dropping to sit next to her, I didn’t say anything, just scanned the property that was much nicer than my parents’ place.
Her sobs quieted after a few minutes. She lifted her head and sniffled. “I guess I’ll ask for the full STD panel at the first prenatal checkup.”
“When is that?”
“I made it for next week to establish care.” She pressed her palms against her eyes.
If we were talking doctor’s appointments, we should talk about other logistics. “About the furniture…”
She giggled in bursts. “That money in our account was going to buy us brand-new stuff.” More punchy laughter.
“I’ve been trying to stay positive, Van.
Things are better this way. I found out early that he was a lying liar.
But it’s hard to be positive when I’m going to be sleeping in my car tonight.
” The next laugh was a choked sob. “I guess I can call Poppy. Want me to ask one of my siblings for a bed for the night for you?”
Tingles ran up and down my arms, urging me to wrap them around her and tuck her in close.
She was so defeated, and I wanted to reassure her.
I had to keep my distance and concentrate on recruiting investors for my company.
But the furniture issue was mine as well, and when she was distraught about where to sleep, she’d thought about me too.
I could do something about that without crossing any personal boundaries.
“Come on.” I had researched the town I was moving to, and that had included the businesses in Coal Haven. “There’s a place in town where we can order some furniture.”
She hiccupped. “I can afford inflatables. That’s it.”
I made some quick calculations. I had prepared for a place of my own eventually. That time was now. “I’ve got it. Want to ride with me?”