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“Is no doubt afraid of Pastor Belington? He’s not coming around these parts.”
“You, of all people, know what he’s capable of. I’ll not have you?—”
Chloe cuts him off. “Damn right you’ll not have me. We established that Saturday night, or did you forget?”
Both Marks and I chuckle.
“You got a beer for your neighbor?”
“We’re on the H2O for the week.” Marks nods to the cooler. “A soda pop if you think you can handle the caffeine at this time of night.”
She looks at Danny, and he holds his hands up. “Not sure we could handle two weekends in a row if we got into the sauce on a Monday night. We’re light weights.”
The slight upward twist of her lips tells me she likes that, and I can’t blame her, knowing now that her ex got really heavy-handed when he drank—and he drank often.
“I think I can handle a Dr. Pepper, if you have one.”
“Pope keeps that on hand.”
“Smooth,” Chloe scolds Danny as Marks pops the tab and hands her one.
“What?” he asks, clueless to the fact that she obviously caught on that I keep that brand in stock for Whit.
And now, I also have vanilla creamer.
“Smooth as a cat’s tongue,” Marks says dryly.
Chloe rolls her eyes at Danny and takes a sip, sliding her gaze to me. “Pastor B was saying there was record attendance at First Methodist yesterday.” Then, she looks at Danny and Marks. “He was very happy you two were there.”
“Everyone needs a good dose of Jesus and Pastor B to get them on the straight and narrow,” Danny states, like it’s the gospel.
Marks and I exchange looks, both obviously aware that Danny is in hot pursuit of Chloe Shaw.
“Some more than others,” she quips at him.
We all look left as headlights start coming down the street, and behind it is another set.
My heart stays stuck right in my damn throat as I wait to see if it’s York. I grab a ball out of the bucket next to me.
“You damn fool.” Chloe snatches it away. “Sometimes, a girl needs to feel like she’s her own hero in order to heal.”
I narrow my eyes. “Why the hell do you think I’ve been keeping a distance?”
“Watch the tone with the lady, Pope,” Danny snaps.
Chloe rolls her eyes at him and looks back at me as she holds up one finger. “You’ve given her less than a day.”
“I’ve given her much more than that.” So much wasted time.
“Let her come to you.” Chloe insists as her car pulls to a stop in front of the house, and York pulls up behind. Chloe quirks a perfectly shaped brow. “Give her as much as she needs.”
“I have a window of opportunity that’s closing day by day.”
She nudges me with her hip and whispers, “I always thought the Pope and Whit I knew back in the day had a lifetime.”
A smile tugs at my lips as Whit steps out of her vehicle, pulling a hoodie over her head. “I really hope you four fools stop sitting out in the cold like you’re waiting for the annual parade.”
“My bad,” Chloe says, taking off down the stairs. She hooks her arm through Whit’s and the other through York’s. “I snuck out after reading approximately eight bedtime stories.”
