Chloe’s gaze flicked between her friends. “You bet on me falling in love with Theo? Was Daniela in on this?”
“Of course she was. She had you down for next month,” Hazel answered. “She’s going to be soooo pissed.”
“Speaking of… Are you mad at us?” Blair’s brow wrinkled.
Chloe leaned back on her hands. “I should be.”
“But you love us too much to be angry?” Hazel teased.
“Something like that.” Chloe rolled her eyes.
“Before we get into the details, we need food. Hazel, as the winner of our bet, I order you to get us hot dogs.” Blair motioned imperiously toward a brightly colored umbrella and the food cart underneath.
“Sure, whatever, I guess this is my treat. You want one?” she asked Chloe.
Remembering her outing with Theo when he’d bought her her first hot dog, she nodded. She felt a low blush spread across her cheeks.
“Oh God, she’s blushing! I think we’re really on to something.”
Ten minutes and three hot dogs with extra mustard later, Chloe was finally willing to talk.
“So, you’re in love. When did you finally work it out?” Hazel asked, wiping her fingers with a Wet-Nap.
“I think I’ve always known,” she said, shredding her napkin into a neat pile. “My feelings for him have never gone away even after all these years we’ve been apart. And seeing him again, what was once a teenage crush bounded to the surface, only this time as something stronger.”
“That’s so romantic.” Blair placed a hand over her heart and sighed. “It’s like you’re in a romance novel. A really good one!” Blair winked suggestively.
Chloe rolled her eyes at Blair. “Except this story won’t have a happy ending. We all know Theo doesn’t want marriage and kids.”
“And that’s a deal breaker for you?” Hazel asked gently.
Was it a deal breaker? It was the reason she’d flown across the world. To change her life and get what she wanted: a marriage and a family. “I came to New York to find those things.”
“Maybe he’s changed his mind?” Blair said.
Chloe stared at the shredded napkin pieces fluttering in her lap. There was a metaphor in that somehow, but she didn’t care to think about what it might mean. Her heart was too heavy. “No, he hasn’t.” Not once had he said otherwise.
Always the sensible one, Hazel asked, “How are you going to find what you’re after, if you keep seeing Theo?”
That was the problem. It had been on her mind for days. She loved Theo, couldn’t see a future without him, but he didn’t want the same things she did. She needed to step away and stop seeing him if she was ever going to get over him and be able to move on. “I know I have to end things soon.” She hung her head.
“Are you sure?” Hazel placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Is this what you want?”
“No, but what else am I supposed to do? I can’t keep making lists for him to tick off, as much fun as it’s been.” And it had been fun. “I need more. I deserve more.” She wanted Theo to change his mind about marriage and kids, but it wasn’t fair to ask him to change for her when she wasn’t willing to consider changing for him.
“Yes, you do. Don’t settle for anything less.” Blair said.
“Just remember, you can always change what your happily ever after looks like,” Hazel said, picking up their trash including Chloe’s now-confetti napkin. “You can decide your fate.”
But she’d already decided, hadn’t she? She’d already changed her mind. After Isla had died, she’d changed from wanting to be the highest-paid agent in Australia to wanting to be a wife and mother. She couldn’t change her dream again so soon, could she? She couldn’t. She wouldn’t.
So when the time came to end their relationship, would Chloe walk away from him with her heart intact? Not a chance.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Laterthatweek,Theohad a surprise visitor. It wasn’t often Theo’s dad came into the office. Since retiring five years ago, he’d left the running of the business to Theo and Blake. Theo smelled a rat.
Said rat met Theo in his office with a grin on his face. Almost too happily, he dropped into a chair and put his feet on the desk, crinkling some papers.
