Never Say Never (The Price of Fame Series) (4 page)

“Call Mrs. Young back. Find out what happened. She might be home already.”

Something sparked in her eyes. Hope maybe? “You’re right.” She pressed a few buttons on her phone then held it up to her ear.

“What happened, Mrs. Young?” she asked. Her high-pitched tone sounded stressed, making his heart thump uneasily.

Sander rubbed his palm up and down her arm. He had no idea whether it was comforting or not, but he couldn’t do nothing.

“How long ago?” Chloe straightened. “Can you stay at the house in case she goes back? I’m going to look for her.” Another pause, then, “Thank you.”

Chloe ended the call and slipped the phone into her jacket. “I have to find her.” She spun around, but Sander snatched her wrist.

“I’ll help you look. We’ll be faster on the road.”

Chloe turned to face him. “You don’t have to do that.”

Yeah, he did. She was still trembling, hovering on the edge of tears, and it was his fault for insisting she go to lunch with him in the first place. “I want to.”

The valet pulled up at the side of the road in his Porsche.

“Where?” he asked her.

He accepted the keys from the man, slipped him a bill, but his attention remained on Chloe. Her skin had paled a few shades and his heart squeezed. Hell.

She chewed on the inside of her mouth for a minute. Sander was about to push further, but she spoke first.

“Berwick Market. She told me yesterday she wanted to go shopping. She loves it there.”

“Then let’s go.”

He held the door open for her, then went around to the driver’s side. After checking the mirrors, he pulled out into the mid-day London traffic. Chloe remained silent through most of the journey, and it gave him time to reflect on how much of a jerk he’d been.

Yeah, he hadn’t known. How could he when she’d been determined to keep it from him? But she’d been reluctant, and he’d only thought of how Chloe being his date would benefit him. Didn’t even consider the ramifications it would have for her.

The dull ache in his gut grew more pronounced. Was it guilt? Probably. Sander darted a glance at Chloe. She’d clasped her hands together and they rested on her slender legs. She looked wound so tight it was only a matter of time before she shattered.

Another ache formed, in his chest this time. It was obvious she cared about her mother. She looked after the woman. Sander couldn’t imagine looking after either of his parents, but he guessed that’s because he’d never been close to them. Didn’t know them. Chloe’s mother must be pretty awesome for her to give up her life to look after her.

“Don’t you have help? Other than your neighbor, I mean.”

* * * *

“No,” Chloe whispered, and her cheeks burned. “The coffee shop doesn’t pay that well.”

Sander scowled out at the traffic, but she couldn’t worry about what had annoyed him now. Not when the thought of her mum out there alone caused her stomach to sink with dread.

She closed her eyes and sent up a silent prayer, thanking God that Sander was with her. If it weren’t for him, she’d have let the tears burning the backs of her eyes have free reign in the restaurant. And she couldn’t break down, not now. Not when her mum was out goodness knew where, and she didn’t even know if Joyce was in her right mind.

“You should have told me.” Sander’s voice was stiff as he maneuvered the car into a space across from the market.

Chloe didn’t comment. It was obvious he had changed his mind about their arrangement, but she’d worry about that later. First, she had to find her mum. Sander pulled the car to a halt and hiked up the brake.

She unfastened her seatbelt then pushed the door open. “Thank you for the lift.”

Chloe didn’t look back as she ran across the road and into a crowd of shoppers. Her heart sank as she pushed her way through the crowd. Looking for her mum there would be like searching for a silver grain of sand on the beach.

She pushed through, making her way toward the stalls selling paintings and ornaments. When her mum used to bring her to the market on Saturdays, that’s where she’d spend the most time. Chloe just prayed her mum’s love of home furnishings was still there. Sometimes, she had no idea who her mum was anymore. The thought made tears sting her eyes again, but she refused to let them fall. She had to keep looking.

Chloe reached her destination in record time, considering all the people mulling about. She ran down the front of the stalls, her gaze anxiously sweeping the crowd, and the knots twisted tighter in her stomach when she found nothing. What if she was wrong? What if her mum hadn’t come there?

She stopped at the end of the row, panting hard. A tear escaped and made its way down her cheek. Maybe she should call the hospitals. Chloe closed her eyes and sucked in a ragged breath. It felt like steel was closing in on her, crushing her insides to pulp. She struggled to inhale and could feel herself sobbing.

“Chloe.”

She almost laughed. Now she was hearing Sander’s voice. She really must be losing it.

“Answer me, dammit.”

Now that sounded too real to be a hallucination. She turned toward his voice, her labored breath caught in her throat. Sander rushed through the crowd with a nimble grace at odds with his large, muscular frame. As he drew nearer, his scowl disappeared and his pace quickened. One minute she was gawking at him like an idiot, the next she was being crushed in his big, strong arms. Her panic and stress dissolved as something warm and assuring took its place. The strength and comfort in his embrace was instant.

Resting her cheek against his shoulder, she inhaled her first steady breath in what felt like forever. He smelled spicy and delicious, and for a few precious seconds, she relaxed.

“Shhh, it’s going to be okay. We’ll find her.” His large hands ran up and down her spine.

“I…I don’t know where else to look.”

Sander pulled away. “Come on. We’ll have a quick walk through the market then try somewhere else. What does your mother look like?”

Chloe blinked away the moisture glazing her eyes. “I didn’t think you’d want to help.”

He frowned. “Why would you think that?”

She shook her head. It didn’t matter now. What mattered was that he was there. With Sander’s strength, she felt like she could do anything.

“She looks like me, only twenty years older.” Chloe smiled a little. People often mistook them for sisters.

“Let’s go.” Sander linked his fingers through hers and pulled her back into the crowd.

It was amazing the amount of people who stepped aside for him. Then again, when she darted a look at him, he was wearing his no-nonsense expression and strode with purpose. She wouldn’t want to get in his way either.

They pushed through the crowd, her gaze scanning everyone at least twice. As they neared the end of the stalls, Chloe’s blood ran cold with fear. Sander’s firm grip was the only thing keeping her sane. Keeping her strong. But her panic wasn’t far from the surface, and the tight ache in her gut warned she wouldn’t be able to keep herself together for long. Not if they didn’t find her mum.

Sander stopped and pulled her closer. “She looks like you.” He pointed toward a fruit and veg stall with his free hand.

Holding her breath, she scanned the customers in line. When her gaze landed on a small, darker-haired woman near the front her breath hissed out between her teeth. She released Sander’s hand and clumsily darted through the crowd, bumping into a few unhappy people.

“Mum!”

“Chloe?” Her mum’s eyebrows were high over her dark brown eyes.

Chloe wanted to laugh, and scream and jump around, she felt so happy. “What are you doing here?”

A puzzled look crossed Joyce’s face. “I’m shopping.”

Her mum’s eyes focused on something behind her, and her cheeks flushed. Chloe turned to see Sander standing a foot away, worry creasing his forehead. He cocked a brow in question. She nodded, relief making her grin like an idiot. She was so grateful to him for helping, she could hug him again.

“Is this your friend, Chloe?”

She turned back to her mum and the flush spread to her neck. Joyce was eyeing her with a knowing look, which only enhanced her embarrassment. “Mum, this is Sander Chase. Sander, Joyce Butler.”

“Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Butler.” Sander stepped forward and extended his hand.

Her mum shook it, and her eyebrows rose in question. Chloe was just glad her mum at least knew who she was today.

“You’re on that telly program with the singers.”

Please don’t start, Mum.

Sander nodded.

“What are you doing with my little girl?”

Chloe groaned. She wasn’t a little girl anymore.

“We had lunch together this afternoon. Chloe was worried when your neighbor said you’d left.” His voice was soft, gentle even, so she didn’t think he was annoyed. She relaxed a smidgen.

Joyce turned back to Chloe, and pain shone from her eyes. “I forgot to say I was heading out.”

“It’s okay, Mum. Really.”

She felt horrible, truly horrible that someone as young as her mum had to suffer from this disease. She’d give anything to make it better.

The grocer called the next customer and Joyce ordered some vegetables. Chloe turned to Sander. “Thank you so much for today. I don’t know what I’d have done without you here.”

He’d kept her strong when she could have so easily fallen to pieces. It had been a long time since she’d been vulnerable.

Emotions he’d disguised so well over lunch now played across his features. Chloe’s breath caught in her throat at the pain, the worry, the doubt she saw. What was he thinking?

“I’ve got everything I need,” Joyce announced.

“Come on, I’ll take you ladies home.”

Sander turned and strode into the crowd. Joyce threw her a questioning look before she followed him. Chloe’s stomach dipped. Now that she’d found her mum, her earlier anxiety about Sander was back with a vengeance. If today taught her anything, it was that she definitely needed professional help with Joyce. Someone to look out for her when Chloe was at work.

The only problem was…if Sander backed out of the deal they’d made, how on earth could she afford it?

Chapter 4

Sander rubbed his hands down the front of his jeans as he vaulted the steps to Chloe’s terraced house. Every cell of his body screamed this was a bad idea.

He reached out to knock on the door, but hesitated.
Pull it together.
He rapped his knuckles below the brass number four and waited. It had been two days since he’d seen Chloe. He assumed on Tuesday when she hadn’t been at the coffee shop that it was her day off. And again yesterday. When she wasn’t there today, he knew something was up.

She opened the door and gaped at him. Golden brown waves with blonde highlights flowed down her shoulders. Bare of makeup, her cheekbones looked higher and her face glowed. The sides of his throat sucked together.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

Sander swallowed and mentally gave himself a shake. “Can we talk?”

She chewed the inside of her cheek for a minute, her dark golden eyes unsure, but then she stepped out and closed the door behind her. He took in her skintight white vest and hip-hugging sweats. Arousal punched his groin, fast and hard.

Forcing his gaze away from her perfectly rounded breasts, he looked into her eyes. “Are you sick? I’ve been by the coffee house, but you weren’t there.”

“I’m fine. Rachel’s covering my shifts for a few days.” She raised a sculpted brow. “I’m guessing you didn’t stop by to enquire about my health.”

The irony in her voice, the way she stood strong and brazen in front of him was a stark contrast from the Chloe who’d almost fallen to pieces a few days before. It was as if he was facing another person. Either that or she’d had enough time to strengthen her armor.

Still, he’d seen her vulnerable, he’d seen how terrified she was for her mother. And like it or not, he felt responsible.

“I have a new proposition for you.”

Shock parted her lips, and he had to stifle a chuckle.

“I told you I’d help, and I keep my promises. If you’re still willing to pretend to date me over the next couple of weeks, I’ll arrange for a home care nurse from one of the best companies in London to stay with your mother while you’re at work and when you attend functions with me.”

“Sander—”

Seeing the
no
in her expression, he pressed on. “Chloe, all I’m asking is a few hours each night. It’ll be fun, I promise.”

Chloe frowned, but not in an angry way, more like something he’d said confused her. “I thought you’d changed your mind.”

Sander grinned. “Like I said, you’re perfect for this.”

Her lips curved and his body heated. Her whole face lit up when she smiled. “Thank you. I’ll pay you back as soon as I can.”

It was his turn to frown. He didn’t want her money, just her company to an event he dreaded more and more as the time trickled closer. Still, that was an argument he’d leave for another day.

“I’m doing a gig tonight at
Destiny
. Have you been there before?”

“The club?” Chloe laughed. “No. I haven’t been out at night since I came home.”

He leaned closer. Her position on the top step made her almost eye level. The blackness of her pupils swallowed the golden brown irises. The closer he got, the closer he wanted to be. His hands itched to slide around her waist and pull her flush against him, but he knew he shouldn’t act on those impulses. The scent of lavender filled the air, making his blood sing and his skin tingle. Well, at least he wouldn’t have to feign attraction.

“I’d like you to come with me tonight.”

Not only would she be getting the chance to get a job she wanted, but he was now determined to make the time they had together fun. Sounded like Chloe hadn’t had much fun recently, and he couldn’t remember the last time he had either. Maybe this fake relationship would have more perks than he’d initially thought.

She chewed the inside of her mouth again, a gesture, he noticed, she did when she mulled something over. “And you’d arrange for someone to stay with my mum?”