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He also didn't like that Joel had seen Sylvie again. But he wasn't surprised about that, either. Sylvie was the kind of woman Joel usually dated. Tall, thin, sophisticated, someone who knew all the right people and could network and charm her way into wherever she needed to go. Sylvie was frenetic energy and drama. She was a party girl, and until recently Joel had liked to party.
Sylvie had broken up with Joel because he'd taken a huge detour from his life. Now he was talking to her and thinking about going back to the city.
Chloe was going to get hurt by another man who was putting his career first.
Maybe that wasn't fair. Joel had tried to make things work in Whisper Lake. If he couldn't do it, he couldn't do it. But Joel needed to tell Chloe that. He needed to free her up.
And then what…
He tensed at the question running around inside his head. If Joel and Chloe weren't together, then there was nothing standing in his way. He could ask her out. He could kiss her again. He could stop trying to pretend there was nothing between them but friendship and a work relationship.
And then what…
He wasn't staying here. He had a life and a business elsewhere. He also wasn't a long-term kind of man. And Chloe needed a forever guy. That wasn't him. He'd been raised to keep moving forward: new people, new experiences, new, new, new.
It had been a good philosophy for a long time.
Now he wondered if there was a reason his father didn't look back…a reason that had to do with Ellie.
He started as Chloe's car turned into the driveway, his heart flipping over as she stepped out of the car, wearing black denim and a brightly colored cardigan over a white t-shirt, her hair pulled up in a ponytail.
"Hi," she said, a smile on her face as she approached. "I meant to come by earlier, but I had to wait for a delivery at the restaurant."
Where's Leo?"
"He has a playdate. The boys are having so much fun that their mom invited him to stay for dinner, so I have a few hours free." Her gaze moved to his truck. "It looks like you've been doing my job for me."
He shrugged. "I was here, and it had to get done. There's nothing personal in this load."
"So you looked?" she asked, a quizzical gleam in her eyes.
"I looked," he admitted. "But I didn't find anything."
"I haven't had a chance to go through the rest of the stuff in my house. I looked at the samples you left, but I haven't made any decisions. I'll do that tonight or tomorrow."
"You have a little time, but not a lot."
"I know."
He stiffened as a gray sedan turned into the driveway. "Who's this?" he asked, as an older woman climbed out of the car. She had white hair and wore tan slacks and a thick sweater.
"It's Janet Richey," Chloe replied. "One of Eleanor's friends."
"Chloe, is that you?" Janet asked.
"It's me, Janet. How are you? I haven't seen you in a while."
"I was visiting my sister for a few months," Janet replied. "I just got back to town, and I'm so sad about Ellie's passing."
"It's very sad," Chloe agreed.
"I heard you were fixing up the house, and I don't know what happened with Eleanor's things, but I gave her two quilts I had made to use when she was feeling ill. They're not worth a lot of money, but they're sentimental to me, and I was wondering if I could get them back."
"Of course, but I'm not sure where they are, or if we've already donated them. Eleanor left quite a few personal items behind."
"I know," Janet said. "I'm aware of Eleanor's desire to never throw anything away. She had the quilts downstairs in the living room last time I was there." Janet's gaze moved past Chloe to him, and her jaw dropped. "Oh, my God!"
"What's wrong?" he asked, as her gaze searched his face.
