Chapter 32
EVAN
Chloe lying in bed with me this morning was like a dream I never wanted to wake up from. She was nestled in my arms when I opened my eyes. I didn’t remember falling asleep in this position, but somehow, we’d ended up tangled together.
Despite how peaceful it was, I couldn’t silence the voice in my head that was trying to convince me I’d made a huge mistake in crossing the line with her when she’d be leaving town.
Thankfully, that voice had been nowhere to be found last night and hadn’t had the chance to ruin an experience I’d never forget, no matter what happened.
I tried to shove the voice away for now, reminding myself that those fears had nothing to do with today and the present moment.
All that should matter was the warm ass pressed against me.
I was rock hard from it, along with the knowledge that my cum was still inside of her, which drove me practically mad.
I might be hard all day if I couldn’t have her again.
As she continued to sleep, the gentle sound of her breathing was like music to my ears, so calming. I listened to it for several minutes before Chloe finally stirred.
She turned around to find me wide awake and looking at her. “Good morning,” she said groggily, her eyes fluttering open.
“Good morning.”
She curled into the crook of my arm. “How long have you been up?”
“A while,” I admitted.
“What have you been doing?”
“Just enjoying holding you.”
She brushed her fingers along my chest. “What time is it?”
“Past ten. I usually pick up Effie by now when she stays at her grandmother’s.”
She hopped up, flashing her bare ass. “We should go then.”
I reached out my hand. “Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Come here first.”
Chloe fell back on the bed as I pulled her close again. “You still good?”
“What do you mean?”
“After what we did last night.”
“You know I was more than good with it.”
“I know, but that was last night. We were in a fog then. I mean now. You can always see things more clearly the morning after.”
“I’m still good.” She smiled. “Although, I don’t know how I’m supposed to go back to acting cool with you when Effie’s around.”
“We’ll figure it out. That’s what I keep telling myself, at least. My mind has definitely been going a mile a minute this morning with what-if thoughts. But that pales in comparison to how damn good it feels to have you in my bed.”
“I can’t remember the last time I slept so well.” Chloe smiled. “I guess that’s what mind-blowing sex does.” She exhaled. “But it wasn’t just that. I think there’s a peace in knowing I won’t have to die without knowing what it’s like to experience that with you.”
Ditto. “It was the best I’ve ever had, Chloe. But that’s no surprise. The only shock for me was that it happened at all. I never thought it would.”
The phone rang, interrupting our talk.
“It’s Effie,” I told her, putting it on speaker. “Hey, baby.”
“Hi, Daddy.”
Chloe walked to the other side of the room and started putting her clothes on. I couldn’t help but gawk.
I cleared my throat. “How was your night at Grandma’s?”
“So much fun. When are you coming to get me?”
“Whenever you tell me to.”
“Did you and Chloe have fun without me?”
Chloe blushed as I looked over at her.
“We did.”
“What did you do?”
“Just…went to bed.”
Technically true.
“Did you have any good dreams?”
“Pretty sure Chloe and I had the same dream.”
“About what?”
I winked over at Chloe. “Halloween…”
“Is Chloe awake?”
“Yeah, she’s up. Somewhere…out there.”
Chloe bit her lip before she threw her shirt over her head.
“Can I say hi to her?”
“Sure, let me call her over.” I covered the phone. “Chloe!”
She muffled her voice with her hands. “Yeah?”
“Effie wants to say hi.”
Chloe pretended to march over to the phone. She leaned in to speak. “Hey, Effie!”
“Hi, Chloe.”
“We missed you here last night, girly.”
“I missed you, too.”
“Did you have breakfast yet?”
“I had one of Grandma’s apple muffins. But I’m still hungry.”
“I think your dad should take us out to breakfast.” Chloe wrapped her arms around my neck.
“Oh really…” I teased, lightly kissing her hand.
“Yes!” Effie shouted in agreement.
“I guess I can’t argue if you two are gonna gang up on me.”
“Can we go to Waffle House?” my daughter asked.
“I think that’s a great idea,” Chloe agreed, kissing my neck.
“Sure.” I nodded.
“Yay!” Effie cheered through the phone.
“We’ll be there to get you soon, okay?”
“Okay!”
Chloe finished getting dressed as I threw my own clothes on. But right before we were about to leave, her phone rang. She answered, and I kept looking over at her troubled expression as she paced in the kitchen. It made me wonder if it was her ex-boyfriend who’d called.
After she hung up, I walked over to her. “What’s wrong?”
“That was my mom’s assisted living facility.”
My stomach sank. “Everything okay?”
She shook her head. “They said she hasn’t been eating or drinking the past couple of days. I’m overdue for a visit. I think I should go see her right now instead of getting breakfast with you guys.”
“I’ll come with you,” I insisted.
“No. You should take Effie for breakfast. You promised her.”
“Breakfast can be lunch. I’ll have Lydia keep her a little longer. Effie will want to wait for you anyway.”
“She’s going to be so disappointed.”
“I’ll tell her we’ll go get fried chicken instead. Believe me, she’ll love that even more.”
“Okay.” Chloe sighed. “Thank you.”
“Honestly, I’ve been wanting to visit your mom with you, but I didn’t want to overstep and invite myself if you didn’t want me there.”
On the way to the care facility, I called Lydia to make sure it was okay that she kept Effie a little longer. Once she agreed, I explained the situation to my daughter, who was as good about it as I’d expected.
When we arrived at Judy’s room, she was all alone, staring at the television.
Chloe went to her bedside. “Hi, Mom.”
I followed behind her and spoke softly. “Hi, Judy.”
Judy continued to stare straight ahead as if we hadn’t entered the room.
It was hard to see her like this when she’d once been so full of life.
She used to offer me advice and care for me, yet she seemed so vulnerable now.
I could only imagine how Chloe felt if seeing Judy this one time had hit me so hard.
It was a different kind of cruelty than I’d experienced with my mother, albeit just as difficult.
I was more determined than ever to be here for Chloe in any way she needed me.
“What are you watching?” Chloe asked her. “Is this House Hunters International?”
Judy looked at her blankly, then returned her attention to the television.
Chloe gestured over to where I had taken a seat in the corner of the room.
“You remember Evan Ricci, Mom.” Chloe pointed to me.
Judy turned to me but didn’t say anything. If she didn’t remember her own daughter, it was highly unlikely she remembered me. Once again, Judy returned her attention to the television.
Chloe looked over the tray of food next to her mother. “Looks like she’s still not eating.”
The meat on the plate looked dry, the mashed potatoes cold, and the vegetables rubbery.
“Not sure I’d want to eat that, either,” I said.
“Fair point.”
For the next several minutes, I watched as Chloe pretended to be interested in what her mother was watching just so she could somehow relate to her.
It was heartbreaking that Judy could no longer fully understand what an amazing daughter she had.
This situation wasn’t fair, and the longer I was here, the more pissed I became that Chloe was handling everything all by herself, with no real involvement from her father or sister.
The room went quiet for a bit. Then, out of the blue, Judy spoke.
“I want to go home,” she said.
I turned to Chloe. “Did you hear that?”
Chloe nodded. “I did.”
Stunned, I looked over at Judy. “She said she wanted to go home, right?”
“Yeah.” Chloe placed her hand on her mother’s arm. “Mom, do you remember the home on River Street?”
“I want to go home,” Judy repeated. “Now!”
Chloe’s eyes began to water.
My chest tightened. Holy shit.
Chloe stood and walked out of the room. Maybe she didn’t want her mother to see how upset she was. I followed her into the hallway.
Chloe wiped her eyes. “I don’t know what to make of that. I wonder if Mom has fleeting memories of the house. It’s hard to know what she’s thinking.”
I rubbed circles on her back. “I know…”
Chloe sniffled. “I’d give anything to be able to take her back to our old house.
I wonder if being there would somehow trigger a memory, or even just a feeling of comfort.
Or maybe she wasn’t referring to her actual home.
Maybe she just wants out of this place. I wouldn’t want to be here, either.
Would you? But not only do I not have access to the old house anymore, I don’t have any house to take her back to. ”
Now was the time to tell her. “Yes, you do.”
“I can’t take her to your house with Effie. Are you crazy?”
“I don’t mean that.”
She shook her head. “I’m not following you.”
I inhaled and then let it all out. “There’s something I haven’t told you.”
“What?”
“The house that I’m renovating, the one Effie and I will move into?” I paused. “It’s your old house. I bought it from the people your father sold it to.”