Once she was alone, she called for an Uber and headed uptown. At least it was just Xander she’d be dealing with and not Linc. She’d just gotten her oldest brother to ease up on Beck, and when he found out about the end of their friendship/relationship/whatever the hell it had been, he’d lose the restraint he’d promised. Chloe wished she didn’t have to leave, but she had too much pride to stay.
She’d held herself together all last night and this morning. She was okay while her bags were loaded into the trunk of the car and as she climbed into the back seat. But as soon as she shut the door behind her, the tears began to fall.
* * *
Chloe met Xander at his apartment. Without asking questions, he told her to make herself comfortable and helped her drag her bags into the spare bedroom. It had closet space, and she didn’t want to take over her brother’s master bedroom in case he wanted to stay over. He’d left her alone to unpack, and eventually she heard voices in the outer rooms.
She stepped into the hall and headed to the living room, where, sure enough, she found Linc and Jordan with him. “Really?” she asked Xander.
He shrugged. “Linc happened to call while I was on my way to the city.”
“So you just had to tell him.” She glanced at her oldest sibling. “Did you come to gloat? To say I told you so?”
Linc’s compassionate gaze met hers, and she was taken off guard by the kindness in his eyes. “I never wanted you to get hurt.”
She blinked back the tears that threatened to fall again. “Well, it’s not like Beck didn’t warn me, you know? He said he didn’t do relationships, had no intention of falling in love, and would never marry. He was pretty specific, so I have only myself to blame for letting myself fall for him.”
“I’m not sure you can control who you fall in love with,” Jordan said softly, glancing up at Linc.
He nodded, his expression grim.
“But you can go into things with your eyes open and still have the rug ripped out from under you,” Xander muttered.
Sasha Keaton, Chloe thought. The famous actress who graced every red carpet, fashion magazine, and social media outlet these days. She and Xander had met before she’d become the It girl, and her brother had fallen hard and fast.
But Sasha had been younger than him and eager for stardom, and though Xander was in love with her, she’d broken his heart. Despite being a former marine with a tough exterior, Xander had a soft inside, and despite the trying to make it work, her ambition and the transient lifestyle had been too much. The breakup had gutted him. Years had passed and he hadn’t been serious about any woman since.
Unfortunately her brother’s words made a lot of sense. “I know what you mean,” Chloe said. “I can’t blame Beck just because I fell in love with him.” Her eyes filled and she swiped the moisture with the back of her hand.
“Are you sure it was love?” Linc asked. “I mean, you were getting married to someone else a couple of weeks ago. Maybe it’s just–”
“Don’t you dare say rebound,” Chloe said, stepping into her brother’s personal space. “I may have had my head in the sand about Owen, I admit that, but I spent time figuring out that I only wanted to marry him because I thought he’d be a safe choice. A man who wouldn’t cheat like Dad did.” She couldn’t contain the snort that escaped. “Clearly I was wrong about that. Just like I was wrong in trying to keep my life choices risk free.”
She glanced up at her family, who stared at her and just listened, something she appreciated. “Since Owen dumped me on my wedding day, I’ve done my best to understand myself and my choices and decide what I want for the future. And Beck was there, helping and encouraging me every step of the way. I know exactly what I feel for him, and I know that it’s real. He just doesn’t return my feelings.”
“He told you that?” Linc asked.
She sniffed and nodded.
“Did he say he didn’t love you?” he pushed.
She shook her head. “He said he won’t ever fall in love or get married. He’s afraid of losing someone the way he lost his sister, and that’s not something I can change. Now instead of revisiting my humiliation, I think I’m going to take a walk.”
“Want company?” Xander asked.
She glanced at him, surprised. He didn’t like the city streets, the noise, or the clusters of people. “Sure. That would be great.” With Xander, she could walk in silence and think. Her brother wasn’t the type to talk for the sake of filling the silence.
She turned to Linc and Jordan. “Thank you for coming over. Just give me some time, okay?” She needed to lick her wounds in private, and though Linc never meant to push, that was his nature.
“I’m sorry I didn’t see you were unhappy with your job and that I didn’t give you what you needed creatively.” Linc pulled her into a hug. “I owe Beck something for encouraging you. But I’d like to kill him for hurting you.”
She laughed. “Let’s go back to you two keeping a respectful distance. I think that suits everyone much better than any interaction between you.”
“Sure.” He stepped back and took Jordan’s hand. “Ready?”
She nodded. “Call me if you want to talk,” Chloe’s soon-to-be sister-in-law said.
“I will.”
Chloe spent the day with her brother, but she couldn’t get Beck out of her mind.
* * *
Beck sat at his desk, staring at the closed door he knew wouldn’t be opening so Chloe could pop her head in. He’d left her at the apartment this morning, walking out early so they could avoid an awkward morning. He wasn’t sure why he thought going home tonight would be any easier, but oh, well. He’d just have to face her then.
They’d go back to being roommates and friends, if they could get past the uncomfortable fact that they’d slept together and she’d admitted to having feelings for him he just could not handle.
He groaned and buried himself in work, calls, meetings, anything he could do not to think. By three p.m., he headed over to the hospital to see his father in person. He’d already checked in this morning and midday. Despite normal post-operative pain and issues, his dad seemed to be in an upbeat mood and was trying to recuperate fast by doing everything the doctors instructed. He wanted out of the hospital ASAP. Not that Beck blamed him.
Not wanting to tire his father out, Beck didn’t stay long, but the doctors said he was supposed to go home Monday if he had a restful weekend with no issues. And they should have biopsy results by the end of next week. He pushed that thought away and headed home.
Braced for a discussion of some kind, he entered the loft, which seemed strangely quiet. The lights inside were off, which was unusual considering Chloe tended to sit in the big family room with the lamps on so she could read.
Hoping like hell she hadn’t retreated to her room, he put his phone on the credenza and walked down the hall. Her door was open but her lights were also off.
His gut churning, he looked inside. The room was empty. Devoid of the perfume she kept on the dresser, the bottle of water on the nightstand, and other odds and ends he’d gotten used to seeing there. He stepped into what he’d come to think of as Chloe’s room and opened each dresser drawer, finding one after the other empty. And though he knew what he’d find, he checked the closet anyway. Everything that belonged to her was gone.