like it. “…stayed at the Oakside Inn.”
“The one on Stillmore?” Ree asked, frowning.
“The same,” Chloe said.
“That place is beyond awful.” Harper scowled.
“That settles it. You can stay with me. I’ll make up the couch for you,” Ree offered.
“Or you can stay with me. I’ll move my studio stuff into the living room. We can set up the futon for you,” Harper countered.
“Actually, I’ve already made other arrangements.”
“What kind of arrangements?” Ree raised a questioning brow.
“Garrett.” She cringed, expecting them to react.
“Garrett?” Ree and Harper asked in unison.
“Yeah. Anyway, Garrett’s been really great since this happened, and…” Chloe paused. “I’m, uh, kind of staying with him,” she finished quickly.
“What do you mean, you’re staying with him?” Ree asked.
“You’re not sleeping with him, are you?” Harper asked.
“Of course not!” Chloe denied, blushing. She’d slept with him, just not in the sense Harper meant.
“I don’t know.” Harper shot her a look, playing devil’s advocate. “Maybe you should. He’s totally hot, and it would get the whole ugly breakup out of your system. He could be your rebound guy. He’s perfect. He also never stays in a relationship long, so you wouldn’t have to worry about any messy attachments. I say go for it. He’s definitely an upgrade from Dimwit.”
“What would possess you to tell her that?” Ree gave Harper a look of disbelief, then spun back to Chloe. “Please don’t listen to her. The whole thing reeks of stupidity. Don’t do it. It doesn’t work.”
“How do you know? You’re still hung up on your ex. As far as I know, there has been no rebound guy for you. Maybe if you did, you could finally get over Jackson,” Harper argued.
“Enough, Harper,” Ree said with a look that said Harper had just pushed things too far.
Chloe could see the hurt in Ree’s eyes and wanted to change the subject. “Okay, that’s enough talk about rebound guys. Garrett is not going to be mine.”
Both women became silent and stared behind her.
She cringed and squeezed her eyes tightly shut. “He’s standing behind me. Isn’t he?” She turned to look.
Sure enough, there he was, bigger than life and grinning. She was mortified.
“It’s all right, sweetheart. I have no intention of being anyone’s rebound guy, not even to make you feel better.” He looked directly at Chloe and winked. “Anyway, it never works. You still feel like crap.”
“Told you,” Ree chimed in.
“Hi, ladies.” He glanced around the room, taking in each woman. His eyes once again rested on Chloe. “What are you three up to? It sounds dangerous. I take it Chloe spilled the beans on our current living arrangement. And to think, we swore to a vow of silence.” He gave a quick wink. “I trust that you ladies will keep that information to yourselves. I do have my reputation to consider.” He smiled widely at them all. “Well, if you’ll excuse me, I have some work to do.” With that, he entered his own office.
All three women stared after him. Shaking their heads, both Ree and Harper looked knowingly at Chloe.
“Honey, you’re playing with fire with that one. That man is surely inflammatory. He just kind of sucks all the air out of the room. Doesn’t he?” Ree said.
“Without a doubt,” Harper added.
“I know,” Chloe admitted, as she chewed her bottom lip.
“I do hope you know what you’re doing. My couch is still available if you want it,” Ree offered.
“So is my futon.”
“Thanks, but it will be okay,” Chloe said. She tried to sound more assured than she felt. She had her own doubts about the current living situation, but she didn’t like the alternatives, either. She didn’t want to impose on her friends. At least with Garrett, they had an agreement. She supposed if it ever did get to be too much, she could always change her mind and stay with one of them. She’d only do that as a
“The one on Stillmore?” Ree asked, frowning.
“The same,” Chloe said.
“That place is beyond awful.” Harper scowled.
“That settles it. You can stay with me. I’ll make up the couch for you,” Ree offered.
“Or you can stay with me. I’ll move my studio stuff into the living room. We can set up the futon for you,” Harper countered.
“Actually, I’ve already made other arrangements.”
“What kind of arrangements?” Ree raised a questioning brow.
“Garrett.” She cringed, expecting them to react.
“Garrett?” Ree and Harper asked in unison.
“Yeah. Anyway, Garrett’s been really great since this happened, and…” Chloe paused. “I’m, uh, kind of staying with him,” she finished quickly.
“What do you mean, you’re staying with him?” Ree asked.
“You’re not sleeping with him, are you?” Harper asked.
“Of course not!” Chloe denied, blushing. She’d slept with him, just not in the sense Harper meant.
“I don’t know.” Harper shot her a look, playing devil’s advocate. “Maybe you should. He’s totally hot, and it would get the whole ugly breakup out of your system. He could be your rebound guy. He’s perfect. He also never stays in a relationship long, so you wouldn’t have to worry about any messy attachments. I say go for it. He’s definitely an upgrade from Dimwit.”
“What would possess you to tell her that?” Ree gave Harper a look of disbelief, then spun back to Chloe. “Please don’t listen to her. The whole thing reeks of stupidity. Don’t do it. It doesn’t work.”
“How do you know? You’re still hung up on your ex. As far as I know, there has been no rebound guy for you. Maybe if you did, you could finally get over Jackson,” Harper argued.
“Enough, Harper,” Ree said with a look that said Harper had just pushed things too far.
Chloe could see the hurt in Ree’s eyes and wanted to change the subject. “Okay, that’s enough talk about rebound guys. Garrett is not going to be mine.”
Both women became silent and stared behind her.
She cringed and squeezed her eyes tightly shut. “He’s standing behind me. Isn’t he?” She turned to look.
Sure enough, there he was, bigger than life and grinning. She was mortified.
“It’s all right, sweetheart. I have no intention of being anyone’s rebound guy, not even to make you feel better.” He looked directly at Chloe and winked. “Anyway, it never works. You still feel like crap.”
“Told you,” Ree chimed in.
“Hi, ladies.” He glanced around the room, taking in each woman. His eyes once again rested on Chloe. “What are you three up to? It sounds dangerous. I take it Chloe spilled the beans on our current living arrangement. And to think, we swore to a vow of silence.” He gave a quick wink. “I trust that you ladies will keep that information to yourselves. I do have my reputation to consider.” He smiled widely at them all. “Well, if you’ll excuse me, I have some work to do.” With that, he entered his own office.
All three women stared after him. Shaking their heads, both Ree and Harper looked knowingly at Chloe.
“Honey, you’re playing with fire with that one. That man is surely inflammatory. He just kind of sucks all the air out of the room. Doesn’t he?” Ree said.
“Without a doubt,” Harper added.
“I know,” Chloe admitted, as she chewed her bottom lip.
“I do hope you know what you’re doing. My couch is still available if you want it,” Ree offered.
“So is my futon.”
“Thanks, but it will be okay,” Chloe said. She tried to sound more assured than she felt. She had her own doubts about the current living situation, but she didn’t like the alternatives, either. She didn’t want to impose on her friends. At least with Garrett, they had an agreement. She supposed if it ever did get to be too much, she could always change her mind and stay with one of them. She’d only do that as a
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