35. Justin
thirty-five
“How’s that?” Two days later, I’m holding the tiny camera inside the hollow of a tree in the parking lot. From that angle, we’re catching the restaurant back door and the parking lot.
“Great,” Chloe says, focusing on the image on my phone. “Can’t believe how clear the image is.”
“Can you see the license plate?” Chloe parked where I saw Samuel’s car that night. Close to the door. The back facing the camera. Perfect.
“Super clear,” she confirms. “Will it work at night?”
“It does. Plus, lights come on when there’s movement. That’ll help.” I drill a small hole in the inside of the tree trunk and attach the camera. “Let’s just hope squirrels don’t shit on it.”
“Oh man.”
“Just kidding. They won’t.” They might, though, but this is the best hiding spot I found for the camera, so I’m going to chance it.
Right as we’re wrapping up, Chris rounds the parking lot, surprising us both. “I thought I saw lights at your place. What you guys doing outside so early?”
“Nothing,” Chloe answers quickly. “Just hanging.”
Chris’s eyes dart from her to me, and he lifts a paper bag. “Perfect timing. I brought croissants.”
I wipe my hands on my jeans. “Where’s Alex?”
“She’s on a Zoom call with Europe.”
I tilt my chin to my apartment. “Coffee?”
He eyes Chloe. “Oh wow. A legit invitation? Sure. Don’t mean to interrupt… whatever it is you’re doing.”
I wrap my arm around Clover. “Come here.” Nibbling her ear as we climb the outside stairs leading to my apartment, I whisper, “it’s alright.” We’d decided not to tell anyone—and I mean no one—about our suspicions and the fact we’re installing a camera to catch Samuel in the act. We don’t want to compromise an easy solution to Chloe’s problems just because someone let something slip, however innocently.
“How d’you like your coffee?” Chloe asks Chris, and god—god—I fucking love that she’s so comfortable with my best friend, but even more, I love that she acts like this is her place.
I want it to be hers.
Ours.
Any other time, I would have pulled Chris into my pub. Not upstairs to my apartment. Upstairs feels like home, now that Chloe is here.
A quick smile runs over Chris as he answers, “Black. Thanks.”
Chloe starts the espresso machine and takes the croissants Chris is handing her.
“Samuel is stealing from Chloe. I’m going to nail him,” I inform Chris.
Chloe freezes, the bag of croissants hovering over the plate she just pulled out of the cupboard.
“It’s okay, babe. He won’t say a thing.”
She blinks a couple of times and gets us cups. “We should sit on the rooftop. It’s gorgeous out there. Why don’t you guys bring some chairs out while I get us coffee.”
The rooftop is really just that. A flat roof. You can stand on it. Because of that, the previous owner installed sliding doors to access it straight from the apartment and a kickass wrought-iron banister all around it.
I never did anything with it.
Chris winks at me. “Happy for you, man,” he says while we bring chairs outside and Chloe is still fussing over the espresso machine.
I don’t answer.
He chuckles.
“What?”
“Nothin’. Fun to see you get a little whipped up.”
“I’m not…” Yeah maybe I am. And fuck it—I like it.
“Don’t ruin it with some stupid shit like I did.”
“What’d you mean?”
“Don’t make assumptions. Talk to her. Women need to talk shit out.”
I raise my eyebrows, uncertain what he means.
“Verbalize.”
Still unclear. I think I’m doing a pretty good job at expressing what I want with Chloe. Right?
“Look at the view from here.” Chloe exclaims once she joins us, pointing to the mist over the lake, the mountains a dreamy gray in the back, the rising sun tinting the air pink. She lets out a big sigh. “We should make something of this outdoor space.”
And fuck. The way she says it nearly undoes me. It makes me feel weak and strong at the same time.
Chris downs his espresso. “I’d take that silence as a yes,” he tells Chloe.
She giggles softly, eyes me, and takes a bite of her croissant. Then she moans.
I shift in my seat.
Shit.
Chris’s shoulders shake with silent laughter. “Alex is probably done with her call,” he says as a goodbye.
After he lets himself out, I pull Chloe on my lap, inhaling her sweet scent. “There’s a bunch of outdoor furniture stored somewhere at the farm. Why don’t you take a look next time and take what you like for here?”
“Wh-why? It was just something I said. Didn’t mean anything.”
My hand goes up her thigh. “Would mean a lot to me.”
She’s quick to put her cup on the floor and turns to straddle me, her eyes searching mine, an unspoken question between us.
“I’d like you to.” I want her to put her mark on my space, just like I inked a clover above my heart. I want her all around me.
Her soft mouth closes on mine, her tongue taking possession of what’s hers.
Picking her up with ease, I carry her to the bedroom.
She’s wiping herself down after our shower, when her phone rings. She wraps herself in a towel and grabs it from the kitchen counter. “Hi, Aunt Dawn.”
I duck into the bedroom to get dressed. When I come back out, she’s worrying her bottom lip. “Sure, I’ll ask around. I can do that. Bye.”
She looks defeated.
“What’s going on?”
“My aunt is in a hurry to sell. She says it’s been over a month, which it has, and she’s contacted some brokers. I tried to tell her that we’d be in a better position with a healthier PL, but… anyway, long story short, she’s asking if I could get some estimates for a rehab of the place.”
“She wants to put money in the place before selling? That makes no sense.”
Chloe shakes her head. “She saw the place during the fair, and like everyone else, she’s not impressed. She’s got it in her head that if we have an estimate for renovations, with sexy renderings, it might entice a buyer. Give them a better sense of what’s feasible. And I’ve told her the lease is up for renewal… but it’s like she doesn’t get it. There’s nothing to sell, really. Not yet at least.”
I close the space between us and wrap my arms around her middle. “She should trust you to bring it back in the black. I’m sorry she’s—”
“She doesn’t understand how it works. It doesn’t really matter in the end. It’s an awesome location, there’s no reason for it not to succeed. I’ll just do what she asks. And at some point I’ll talk to the landlord about a new lease, I guess,” she adds with a smile. “But that’s not in my hands, and if she doesn’t understand that, then so be it.”
I kiss the tip of her nose. “I think he’d be open to that discussion.” The question on the tip of my tongue is, And then what? Will Chloe leave Emerald Creek? Go back to a corporate job?
I can’t even think about that. “For an estimate on renovations, you could ask Thalia and Lucas. I heard they’re in between projects at the resort.” Thalia and Lucas are newcomers in town, and they run an architectural design and construction company.
“That’s a great idea. I’ll ask Autumn to put us in touch.” As she moves to the bedroom to get dressed, she mumbles, “I really wanted to be the one to make that restaurant awesome.”
And that kills me more than not knowing where she’ll be next. I hate for her to not be recognized for her work.
Later that day, once Chloe is at the restaurant and I’m at the bar, I catch Haley during a quiet time. “You still thinking about the brewery?”“Brewery?”
“Or winery. Was it a winery? I thought you wanted to brew blueberries.”
“Oh. You’ve been paying attention.”
“Sorry, I’ve had other things on my mind.”
“Oh yeah. I know. What do you want to know about The Fermentory?”
“Fermentory? That’s what you’re calling it?” It’s a pretty cool name, but I’m not going to tell her that. “Are you sure about that?”
She puts a fist on her hip. “That other thing you have on your mind?”
What is she talking about now?
“That was her idea,” Haley says. “And it’s an awesome idea.”
I pretend like I don’t understand.
“Ha. Now he shuts up. What about The Fermentory?” Haley asks.
I was going to tell her that it was right up Chloe’s alley. That she used to work in developing breweries. That maybe Haley wanted to partner with her.
Anything to keep her here. But that might be a little too transparent. And it looks like Chloe and her might already be talking about it, if Chloe suggested a name.
Why didn’t she tell me?
“Nothin’.”