AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His words made her realize that her first instincts were right—Decker was just passing through. He'd be gone in the blink of an eye, and she didn't need to know any more about him. Because that's all she really needed to know.
Not that she even needed to know that, because she wasn't going to date Decker; she was seeing Joel. That's who she should learn more about.
"What about you, Chloe?" Decker asked, interrupting her thoughts. "Did you grow up in a happy two-parent household?"
"I did, and I feel kind of guilty for saying that."
"Don't feel guilty. That's great. And it's rare."
"I was lucky," she admitted. "My mom stayed home with me until I was in high school, then she went back to work. After they moved away, it felt a little different. At first, they'd come back every few months, or I'd go visit them, but once I had Leo, it was harder for me to travel, and their lives had gotten very busy. We definitely don't see each other as much as I'd like."
"Have you thought about moving to where they are now?"
"No. I have my business, my home, my friends. I need all of that to make my life work."
"Have you ever lived away from Whisper Lake?" he asked curiously.
"Yes. I went to college in Denver. After graduation, Kevin and I got married sooner than we'd planned because Kevin was in the Army and was going to be stationed at Fort Bragg. We wanted to move there as a married couple."
"You were young."
"Yes, too young, in retrospect. We lived on the base for three years. Then Kevin went into special forces, and he was called up for long deployments. I was lonely. I decided to move back to Whisper Lake and help his parents run the restaurant. I never lived on a base again, although I did sometimes spend time with him wherever he was."
"Sounds like you spent a lot of time living his life."
His words echoed the same thought that had run through her head a million times. "I spent too much time doing that," she admitted. "But I was in love. Neither of us knew how we'd be tested, how we'd change, how we'd disappoint each other. I'm sure in Kevin's mind I failed him as much as he failed me. But none of that matters now. We just need to be good co-parents for Leo."
"Joel said your ex isn't around much. How does he co-parent?"
"Kevin tries to talk to Leo once a week, but sometimes it's two or three weeks. He comes home when he can, but his life is at the whim of the Army. Last year he was gone somewhere for four months. I didn't even know where he was. But it was easier not to know because we weren't married anymore, and I was no longer depending on him for anything."
"That's rough."
"It's complicated," she said. "Kevin loves Leo, but he is obsessed with his military life, his band of brothers. His family is the men and women he serves with. That's the relationship he has always put the most effort into. And that's just him. He has best friends that seem to be able to have their family and their career, but Kevin just can't juggle that. He has to be solely focused on what he's doing." She paused. "But I don't want you to think he's a bad guy. He's smart and brave beyond belief. Anyway, I don't know why I'm telling you about him. You can't possibly be interested in my failed marriage."
He met her gaze. "I don't think ending something means you failed; you just changed. That's life. You did what was best for you and your child. Your ex probably feels the same way."
"I think he does. I wish I could give Leo the ideal family, mom and dad living in the same house, loving one another, but I can't. I just have to do the best I can. Thank you for not judging."
"I rarely judge anyone. My dad used to say unless you're walking in someone's shoes, you can't possibly know how they feel, what challenges they're dealing with. You can imagine, but you can't know, because every single person on this earth has a secret life."
She thought about his words. "I think your dad was right. Anyway, it's all good now. Or at least, as good as it can be. Leo is smiling most days, which makes me smile."
Decker grinned. "You seem like a person who smiles a lot."
"No one likes to talk to someone in a bad mood."
"So you fake it."
"Sometimes. But I think actions drive feelings, so if you act positive, then you feel better."
He nodded. "I agree. No point in wallowing in misery and self-pity. That doesn't make you any happier."
She thought he probably put on a good face a lot of the time, too. Losing both his parents so young had to have put a dark shadow over his life. But he wasn't living in that shadow. He was out in the sunshine. And he looked good in the sunlight, with the warm beams of light dancing through his dark hair. But he probably looked good in any light.
"Speaking of smiles and making people happy," Decker said. "You've definitely put a smile on Joel's face."
She started at his words, realizing she hadn't given Joel much thought since she'd sat down with Decker. "Joel seems great. We're still getting to know each other, but I like what I've learned so far."
