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“Knock it off.” Parker pushed me off of him.
“You’re so cute when you get grumpy.” I ruffled up his hair and closed the door.
“You’re such a punk,” Parker tried to hold a laugh in.
“A punk? You haven’t called me that in forever,” I choked out in a fit of laughter. “Mia is making you tougher.”
We both had a good, long laugh, then Parker hit me with information I hadn’t seen happening this soon. It wasn’t that our mother had seen the tabloids and was not happy.
“Mia called me earlier, and apparently Chloe is sick with a fever and a cough,” Parker said. “So maybe you’ll be lucky, and she won’t see that picture of her on the front page.”
I laid my head back against the seat. “I hope it won’t matter. I mean, she was there. She knows what really happened. Besides, she’s leaving. I’m the one who has to stay here with a mail-order bride and this fiasco.”
“True, but I’ll bet she won’t like being on the front page for all of America to see.” Parker turned back to his laptop.
“Wait, did you say Chloe is sick with fever and a cough, or did I make that up?” I asked, sitting up straighter.
“Yes. That’s what I said,” Parker said. “Dad checked in on her. Sounds like the flu.”
“That’s too bad. She’s had a rough year already,” I said behind closed eyelids. “Although, she could have gotten sick from Sophie.”
“Hey Mia, maybe keep Sophie away from Chloe tonight.”I texted.
“I’m taking Sophie out for a few hours with your mom.”
“Great Idea. I’ll keep an eye on Chloe for you.”
We arrived back in Manhattan at our building. On the way back, I’d come up with an idea after Mia had texted back. I decided I wanted to get some alone time with Chloe.
“Parker, go ahead. I’m going to pick up some food and go feed Chloe while you guys go out,” I said, not getting out of the car. “I already texted Mia that I would keep an eye on Chloe tonight.”
Parker just stared at me for a long moment, then he stepped out of the car. “You need to decide what you’re doing. Mom has put a lot of time and money into the bride she picked for you. You need to be all in or get out now.”
“I know. I’m hoping to get some clarity tonight with Chloe. She may not even feel the same way I feel,” I said. “I’m taking your limo. I’ll be back in about thirty minutes.”
Forty minutes later, I walked off the elevator to Parker’s penthouse with a large cheese pizza from Grimaldi’s, chicken noodle soup from Olympia Diner, and chocolate chip cookies from Insomnia Cookies. Parker had texted me that they were leaving and Chloe was sleeping. I set the food on the kitchen island and crept down the hall to check on Chloe. I looked in the room she’d been sharing with Sophie, then the extra bedroom.
Where is she? They did say she was here.
I walked back toward the kitchen and pulled my cell back out to reread the text to see if I’d read it wrong and if she had, in fact, gone with them.
“Do you always sneak into people’s apartments with food? If you do, that’s a weird fetish,” Chloe croaked from under a comforter on the couch.
“Aren’t you the funny one,” I joked. “Can I get you anything, other than the best pizza and cookies in New York City?”
“I could use some more Tylenol,” Chloe said. “My throat is starting to hurt, and I have a stupid cough.”
I went back to the kitchen to find the Tylenol and thermometer. “Hey, I see you have some cough syrup in here. Do you want that too?”
“No, I don’t want to fall asleep again right now, but maybe later,” Chloe said. “Can we eat out on the balcony? I’ve been in bed all day. I’ve been so bushwhacked and I hate it.”
I loved when she used her native slang. “Wherever you want to sit is fine with me. Wrap yourself up and get comfortable. I’ll be right out with the food. Do you want wine?”
“I was full as a boot last night, and that’s it for me,” Chloe said, dragging herself out to the balcony. “I would love a glass of water, though.”
We chatted about a lot of nothing while we ate the pizza. I gazed off into the night, catching glimpses of Chloe’s face in the moonlight.
“I’m going to miss this weather. It’s cold Down Under right now.” Chloe looked down at the slice of pizza in her hand.
