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“I didn’t miss anything and I’m here, I’m here,” he calls, coming back with the coffee pot, which he leans over with to pour into the two mugs on the tray.
I reach for the bottle of water and uncap it as my mom gets her cup of tea.
“We met at one of my clubs through Chloe’s friend Alannah in a roundabout way,” Derek says. “And then I admit I bought a little company in order to get closer to Chloe. What can I say? I was smitten. She was managing their marketing campaigns, so I bought it and got to get to know her better.”
My face is flaming. I’m trying (and failing) to keep my cool.
Derek keeps talking as my heartrate gallops at a too-fast speed. “And I knew she was unhappy just by looking at her, let alone listening to her. Circumstances have taken a toll on her and… I’m sure as her parents you know… she’s a capable, caring person but she has so much empathy for others that sometimes it stops her from seeking out things that make her happy. She’s so busy worrying about everyone else.”
My parents both nod but with blank faces. Faces I’m accustomed to because no, they don’t really know this about me.
“Put a sock in it,” I mutter, shooting him a warning look, then add, “honey…”
He throws his head back and laughs, then wraps his arm round me and kisses my cheek with affection, saying, “She cracks me up.”
My parents both smile.
“So, now it’s my job to make sure Chloe’s happy,” Derek declares, leaning forward to add sugar to his coffee. “And that’s what I’m going to do. I want you both to rest assured that your beautiful, vibrant, loving daughter is in good hands. She’s so good at everything she does, I just know she’s also going to be an incredible wife. And mother, when that time comes. Which I’m trying to talk her into happening as soon as possible. I was very ready to be her husband and I’m thinking I’m also ready to be a father.”
My parents both look thrown. Of course they are. They met him ten minutes ago.
“I’m sure you’re both looking forward to grandkids, aren’t you?” Derek asks.
Mom looks shellshocked.
Dad shrugs, “Well, sure. Right Pam?”
Mom doesn’t look so sure. “I mean… I hadn’t really thought that far ahead. I hadn’t thought of Chloe as ready for that step yet. She’s never mentioned plans for a family.”
“She’s very career-minded, yes, but she has this endless well of love and nurturing inside her,” Derek adds. “As you know…”
My parents nod some more.
Oh for fuck’s sake. It’s taking everything inside me to not scream at the top of my lungs right now.
“So, you’re based in Columbus, then?” Dad asks, sipping his coffee.
Derek shakes his head. “Most of my family is. I grew up with that being home base, but once I started building my business, I’d spent most of my time in Cleveland. I have three nightclubs there, three in Columbus, and two in Cincinnati. But Chloe likes having access to Columbus and her friends there, so we just bought a place in Dublin, Ohio, actually. I surprised her with it and then dropped the engagement ring on her finger while she was asleep. That was how I sold her on marrying me today. The place is great. Perfect place to raise a family.”
Derek smiles and shrugs.
Mom looks at me with astonishment on her face. “That’s very … romantic.”
“Never been one for grand gestures before, but they say that when you know, you know. I just had to make this one fall for me.” Derek sips his coffee.
I glug down a long drink of my water but drink it too fast and wind up choking.
Derek pats my back as I recover.
Finally able to breathe regularly again, I say, “I’m sorry you found out through that gossip thing, Mom.”
Mom nods direly. “I just got a text with a screenshot of what was posted.”
“Ugh,” comes from me.
Derek pipes up. “We suspect Hallman’s ex fiancée runs that blog. And… of course she doesn’t know the whole story, so is taking it upon herself to try to smear Chloe’s good name because she thinks Chloe left him high and dry because of his disability. But the fact of the matter is that it was mostly the other way around. We found out that Adam met that ex the night of the accident. He never told Chloe about it. He was also hiding money. Telling other lies. Just… very selfish. If not for losing use of his legs I’m sure they wouldn’t have lasted as long as they did.”
God, Derek. Stop.
