When Darkness Falls (10 page)

“I’m sorry,” she repeated not sure what else to say. Loss was hard, and she knew from personal experience that there were no words that could help ease the pain.

He acknowledged the comment with a slight nod.

“How many years apart are you and Hank?”

“Two years and four months.” He smiled. “Want to guess who’s the oldest?”

“Hank … for sure.”

A playful smile tugged as his lips. “Yeah, he looks quite a bit older than me, doesn’t he?”

She wrinkled her nose. “A little … maybe. But he acts older.”

He gave her a crestfallen look. “You think so?”

She took a sip of her drink. “Yes, I do.”

“Hank’s the responsible one for sure.”

“So, how did the two of you end up in business together?”

“Hank went to BYU and got a business degree. I went to the U and studied Architectural Design.”

“The University of Utah?”

He nodded.

“We both have a knack for design, so we decided to pool our resources and work together.”

“From the looks of things, it seems like y’all have built a successful business.”

“Thanks. I like to think so.”

“So you’re doing the real estate on the side?”

“Huh?”

“When we went to dinner you said that you dabbled in real estate.” He had said that, hadn’t he? She tried to remember exactly how he phrased it.

“Oh, yeah. I do a little here and there. Travel quite a bit.”

She waited for him to say more. When he didn’t, she continued. “Oh yeah, you’d just gotten back into town that night we went to dinner. That’s when you saw your friend.” Was it Chloe’s imagination, or did he seem nervous all of a sudden? “How did your meeting with him go?”

“Fine.” He brought his napkin to his lips and signaled for the waiter. “Can we get our check, please?” He forced a smile. “It’s getting late. I need to get you home. We have a busy day of work ahead of us tomorrow.”

Chloe’s senses went on full alert. Garrett had been so open about his childhood, but the minute she mentioned his meeting with that murky-looking man, he clammed up. She was starting to think that Garrett’s carefree attitude was a carefully constructed front that masked a much more complex individual underneath. She wondered what secrets he was hiding beneath his easy smile.

Later that night, as she was drifting off to sleep, it occurred to her that the entire time she’d been talking to Garrett, she was trying to decide how much of her past she was willing to share with him; but as it turned out, the exercise was a waste of time because Garrett talked about himself the whole time and had not asked her a single question about herself. She couldn’t decide if that were a good or bad thing.

A
boiling heat
was the first thing Chloe noticed, followed by the intense brightness of the sand, causing the sockets behind her eyes to ache. There was no refuge from the fiery sun that was scorching everything around her. She looked ahead at what looked to be a checkpoint of some sort. Then she saw Dan, in his camouflage desert combat uniform, approach a van. He said something to the driver who held out his identification for inspection. Dan nodded as another soldier walked around to the passenger side where he began methodically checking the vehicle.

Chloe tried to bridge the distance between them, but her feet got mired in the treacherous sand that was dragging her down deeper and deeper. Dan turned, and she saw recognition light his features as he smiled. Everything slowed, searing the events into her mind. Dan’s smile turning to shock and then horror as a loud explosion shattered the air. The van breaking into pieces. Acrid smoke stinging her eyes. Razor-sharp shrapnel cutting her face.

She cried out, but the sound got snuffed out in the commotion around her. Her tears gushed, turning to blood that sliced red whelps onto the white sand.

“Dan! Come back! Dan!”

“Chloe, wake up!”

She fought against the hands that were shaking her. She had to get to Dan! She had to help him! “Why did you leave me?” she cried.

“Chloe!”

She opened her eyes, looking around wildly, not seeing anything. Then everything came into focus. She was in her room, lying on the bed, Darbie was standing over her, her curly red hair flying out in all directions. Chloe went still, her mind trying to synch the dream with her surroundings. She touched her face and realized it was wet with tears, and she was bathed in a sticky sweat. She sat up in bed and leaned against the headboard. Darbie sat down on the bed beside her.

What could she possibly say to smooth this over? Humiliation burned through her veins as she hugged her arms. “I’m sorry, I was having a nightmare.”

Darbie’s eyes met hers, and even in the near darkness, she could see the worry on her face. “That was more than a nightmare. It sounded like you were reliving some traumatic event. And you were calling out for Dan.”

Chloe raked her hair out of her face. She could feel Darbie’s eyes, looking at her like she was a freak. “It was a dream,” she muttered. “A silly dream.” She gritted her teeth. “Geez! Everyone has nightmares from time to time. It’s not a big deal!”

Darbie touched her arm. “Stop.”

Chloe jerked around. “Stop what?”

“You need help.”

Tears welled in Chloe’s eyes, and she angrily brushed them away. “I don’t need help! I just need time.”

“You’re still seeing him, aren’t you? Your fiancé.”

Chloe rocked back as the words circled around her, stripping away her carefully crafted barrier of protection, making her feel naked and exposed.

“It’s okay. You can tell me.”

There was enough moonlight shining through the window that Chloe could see Darbie’s anxious expression, but there was also something else there as well that she’d not counted on—compassion. She was so tired of pretending. Tired of trying to fight this thing alone. Something gave way inside of her as she slowly nodded. “Yes, I still see him,” she said quietly. A sob wrenched her throat, and she put her hand to her mouth to stay it, but it was too much to contain. She started gulping and then sobbing. Darbie sat patiently beside her until she got it all out.

Finally, Chloe sniffed and wiped her nose with back of her hand. “I’m sorry.” She let out a half laugh. “You got more than you bargained for when you agreed to room with me. You didn’t know you were getting a crazy person.” It was her greatest fear, laid open. She was crazy, and now she’d admitted it out loud. Everything hung in the balance as she waited for Darbie’s response.

“I think you’ve been through a rough time and that it has left scars.”

“You think?” Chloe let out a sarcastic laugh.

Darbie held up her hand. “Let me finish. But I don’t think you’re crazy.”

Hope sprang in Chloe’s breast. “Really?”

“Really.”

Chloe couldn’t tell whether or not Darbie really believed that or if she were only trying to make her feel better.

“I do think you need to see someone about this.”

Fear clutched her throat. “No!”

“You can’t keep suffering like this in silence.”

Chloe clutched the sheets. “I just need time to sort this out.” Her voice became pleading. “You can’t imagine what it’s like to not only lose the person you loved more than anything in the world but to also learn that he betrayed you.” Her voice broke. “And the worst part is that I can’t even confront him about it.”

“Which is probably why your subconscious mind keeps drudging him up.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

Darbie gave her a cautious look. “That is what this is, right? You’re imagining that you’re seeing him. You don’t actually believe you’re seeing him for real … do you?”

“Of course not!” Chloe said adamantly to leave no room for doubt. She didn’t know what to think anymore, but she would never admit that to anyone. “I know it’s all in my mind. I just have to learn to deal with it.”

Darbie shifted on the bed. “Have you tried prayer?”

Chloe groaned. “Not you too! You sound just like my mother! According to her, the whole world’s problems could be solved through prayer and going to church!”

“Well, she might be right.” Darbie chuckled.

Chloe shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I just don’t believe that … not anymore.”

Darbie cocked her head. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll make you a deal.”

Wariness crept over Chloe “What sort of a deal?”

“You start coming to church with me on a regular basis, and we’ll keep this little incident between us.”

Chloe didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She shook her head. “Really? You’ll keep it between us.”

“Yes, if you agree to go to church with me, I will.”

This wasn’t making any sense. And she was the one accused of being crazy! “What does attending church have to do with anything?”

“Contrary to what you might think, the Lord has not forgotten you, Chloe Kensley. He knows who you are, and He knows what you’re going through. And the only way that you’re going to get over this thing is to turn to Him.”

Emotion welled inside of Chloe. Oh, how she wished those words were true. She only shook her head and looked away.

Darbie touched her hand. “Do we have a deal?”

Chloe looked at Darbie. “How can I count on you to keep something like this under wraps when you can’t even keep a simple confidence? You blabbed to Susan and Lila about Garrett the minute I stepped out of the room.”

Darbie’s eyes went wide, and she started fidgeting with her hands. “I guess I deserved that.”

“You’re darn right you did!”

“I’m sorry, okay?” She pushed her hair out of her eyes. “I didn’t think it was a big deal. You’re just so uptight and private about everything. What I told Susan and Lila was perfectly harmless. This is different.”

“I just don’t know if I can trust you.”

Darbie let out an incredulous laugh. “Trust me? Really? I’m not the one seeing the dead guy!”

Chloe’s jaw went hard.

“There’s only one solution here.”

She arched an eyebrow, waiting to hear the rest.

“I guess we’re just going to have to learn to trust each other.” She held out her hand. “I’m making you the deal of the century here. Take it or leave it. Come to church with me, and we forget this whole thing ever happened.” She looked her in the eye. “You have my word.”

Chloe clasped her hand. “Deal.”

“
H
ello
, Garrett, this is Chloe. I’m at the Douglas job for our scheduled appointment. You assured me that you would be here. The appointment was at 2:00, and it’s now five minutes after. Call me!”

She ended the call with a frustrated sigh. Today marked her one-month anniversary at Marsh Interiors, and she could count on one hand the number of times Garrett had actually shown up for an appointment. In the staff meeting, on her first day, she’d assumed that when Garrett said he needed her help on projects it was an excuse to spend more time with her. When in reality, he wanted her on the projects, so that she would do all of the work! He always had some excuse for his absence, like traveling out of town to take care of a real estate deal or getting held up on another appointment. It was so dang infuriating! And the worst part was that he promised he would be here for this appointment in particular. Mrs. Douglas was a longtime client of Marsh Interiors, and he was going to introduce Chloe and get her up-to-speed on the project. Garrett had all of the files and had assured her he would bring them to the appointment, so she didn’t even have those. She was going into this one completely unprepared!

Her relationship with Garrett was complicated to say the least. On the off times that he was actually in town, he insisted on taking Chloe out. She enjoyed her time with Garrett, and there was something enticing about a drop-dead, gorgeous guy who was trying his best to win her over. Each date seemed to get more elaborate, and he was always buying her expensive clothes. She would be lying if she said she didn’t enjoy dating Garrett. He was fun loving and exciting—a pleasant distraction from the past. Admittedly, a part of her felt guilty for letting things continue because she wasn’t sure how she felt about him. When they were together, he doted on her and said all of the right things, but then there were times like today when he left her hanging out to dry. More than anything, she needed someone she could count on.

She glanced at the clock on the dash—2:10. She couldn’t put this off any longer. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then, she reached for her purse and design bag. As she walked up the steps leading to the front door, she tried to remember what little Garrett had told her about the project. Mrs. Douglas was one of their oldest and most valued customers and had requested what she called “her last makeover.” She suppressed a shiver.
Last makeover
sounded so morbid. What kind of person was this Mrs. Douglas? She searched her memory, trying to recall her first name, but it was a blank. By the time she rang the doorbell, she was so angry with Garrett for leaving her in the lurch that she would’ve slapped him had he been here. She chuckled at the irony of the thought. Had he been here, she wouldn’t be mad at him to begin with. As the door opened, she squared her shoulders, trying to feign a confidence she did not feel. Her professional smile automatically spread across her lips. “Hi, I’m Chloe Kensley. It’s nice to meet you.”

She didn’t know how she expected Mrs. Douglas to look, but she was taken back when she saw the frail, silver-haired woman who looked to be in her mid seventies. She was holding onto a walker.

“Please, come in. I’ve been expecting you.” She gave Chloe a warm smile that instantly put her at ease.

She followed Mrs. Douglas inside to a spacious foyer that opened to a sunken den. The room had an open floor plan that led into a modern kitchen, complete with granite countertops, a tile backsplash, and all of the upgrades imaginable. The palette throughout the space consisted of subtle variations of shades of pastel blues, creamy beiges, and chocolate accents.

Mrs. Douglas sat down in an overstuffed chair next to a gas fireplace and motioned for Chloe to sit across from her on the sofa. “You have such a lovely accent. Texas maybe?”

“South Carolina.”

Mrs. Douglas nodded. “Of course. How do you like Salt Lake?”

“I’m really enjoying it. It’s much dryer than what I’m used to, and I feel like I’m always putting on lotion.”

She laughed. “Yes, it is dry. I’m sure you miss the humidity.”

Chloe thought for a second. “Yes and no. My skin misses it, but my hair does much better out here, and it’s not so hot.”

“Yes, that’s very true. I’ll be curious to hear what you think about the winter.”

She made a face. “I hear there’s lots of snow. I’m not used to driving in it. That’ll be intimidating.”

“But it won’t feel as cold here,” Mrs. Douglas countered, holding up a finger.

“Hmm, that’s good to know. I haven’t thought about that.”

Chloe shifted in her seat, dreading this next part. She figured she’d broach the topic before Mrs. Douglas did. “I hate to tell you this, Mrs. Douglas, but I’m afraid it’s just me today. Garrett got held up and won’t be able to make it.”

She waved the comment away with a flick of her hand. “I know, dear. He called me and told me he couldn’t be here.”

“Oh.” Heat rushed to Chloe’s face, and she could feel her temples pulsing. Garrett had called this woman and not her? He’d really gone too far this time!

Mrs. Douglas gave her a funny look. “Are you okay?”

She forced a smile. “I’m fine.”

“So, I take it this is not the first time that Garrett was a no-show for an appointment.”

For a second, she thought she’d heard her incorrectly. “Excuse me?”

She chuckled. “I’ve known Garrett since he was a tot. And while he has many talents, dependability isn’t one of them.”

A laugh bubbled in Chloe’s throat. “No, it’s not,” she agreed, looking at the woman before her through new eyes. She’d mistakenly attributed her fragile body to a weaker mind, but nothing could be further from the truth. This woman was sharp and ultra observant.

“Okay, I guess we need to talk about my home.”

“Mrs. Douglas, I probably shouldn’t say this, considering that you’ve hired Marsh Interiors to help you, but your home is absolutely gorgeous. Are you sure you need a makeover?”

Her eyes sparkled in quiet amusement. “Please, call me
Glory
.”

“Of course. What a pretty name.”

Glory smiled appreciatively. “Thank you.” She clasped her hands together. “Let me give you the tour. Oh, and to answer your question—I just had the main areas redone last fall, so they’re fine.”

They were much more than
fine
. The place looked like it had come right out of a
Traditional Home Magazine
.

As if reading her mind, Glory added, “I’m afraid Hank and Garrett like to spoil me a bit. They insist on giving me every comfort imaginable.” She smiled. “Of course, I’m the envy of all the ladies in my bridge club. Although at my age, some of this feels a little excessive.” She sighed. “But I don’t argue. Besides, it’s nice having the company while the work is being done. I get to meet new friends such as you.”

A feeling of warmth came over Chloe as she smiled. “Thank you. The feeling is mutual.” Glory’s easy manner reminded her of a southern lady. She felt as if she’d known her forever and could talk to her about anything. An image of Dan flashed through her mind, and she suppressed a shiver.
Well, almost anything.
She forced her mind back to the project. “Which areas are you wanting to redo?”

“Let me show you.” Glory led her into a study. The walls were painted a deep burgundy. The desk was mahogany, and there was an arrangement made of ivy sitting atop it. The window treatments were made from a striped fabric that was gold and hunter green. The sides were dripping in a heavy gold fringe. Pictures of landscape scenes with gold, ornate frames hung on the wall. The ensemble screamed early nineties. The expression on her face must’ve said it all because Glory took one look at her and started laughing.

She lifted an eyebrow. “Still think I don’t need your help?”

“Yeah, I guess I spoke too soon. I mean, this was great for its time. But …” She sought for the right words, not wanting to offend Glory.

“Yes, I know, it’s dreadful. I may be old, but I’m not blind …” she pushed her glasses up on her nose “… yet!”

Chloe got down to business, asking a string of questions that would allow her to put a plan together. “Are you wanting a look that’s similar to the main area of the house?”

“I want it to flow, yes, but I also want it to be unique.”

“I agree. Let’s talk about the items in the room. Is there anything that you’re particularly attached to?”

Glory pursed her lips, thinking. “Well, I would like to keep the clock because it was a gift from my late husband, Ed.”

Chloe jotted that down. “How about the desk?”

“No, I’m not particularly attached to it.”

“Good, because I’m thinking that we should go with a wood that’s lighter—maybe a weathered look.”

She shrugged. “Sounds good to me. I just want it to look good in the end.”

Chloe’s eye fell on a channel-back chair in the corner. The back section arched up at a sharp point on the left side and then angled down, creating a dramatic curved effect, reminding her of a fan. The fabric was a thin, salmon-colored silk. It was whimsically modern—a total misfit in the otherwise traditional room. She pointed. “Tell me about this chair.”

Glory chuckled. “It’s dreadful, isn’t it?”

“Well, it does stick out like a sore thumb in this room.” She paused. “And I’m not sure that it’ll fit well with the new design scheme either.” She hoped that sounded tactful enough. “Although I suppose we could have it reupholstered if you’re attached to it.”

Glory chuckled. “You really wouldn’t make a good bridge player because your expressions give you away.”

Heat flamed over Chloe’s face. “Oh, I’m sorry. I hope I haven’t offended you.” This part of the job was always tricky because people were ultra sensitive when it came to which of their furnishings stayed and which of them went.

“Not in the slightest. I agree with you one hundred percent, and that’s what I’ve been telling Garrett, but he keeps insisting that it will go with anything. I keep moving it from place to place, trying to hide it out of the way. He wanted to put the thing in the den. Can you believe that?”

Chloe made a face. “Really? It doesn’t go with your style at all.” She couldn’t imagine how Garrett could possibly think that chair would look good in Glory’s house. She was starting to doubt Garrett’s design know-how—one more thing to add to the growing list of doubts she was having about him.

“For some reason, Garrett likes it, and I wouldn’t hurt his feelings for the world.”

She wrinkled her nose. “But it’s your house, Glory. You have to like it.” Chloe detested those designers that insisted on decorating a house according to their taste, not taking the client’s taste into consideration.

“You have to understand, those boys and I have a long history together.”

“Those boys, meaning Hank and Garrett?”

She nodded. “You see, I knew their mother. She had a hard time raising two boys on her own. I had to step in a couple of times and head off disaster. But that’s a story for another time.” She motioned. “Back to the room. What do you think?”

“Well, the large window is fantastic, and you were smart to redo the flooring in the entire house when you did the main areas.”

She nodded. “That’s what Hank said.”

“It certainly makes this project easier. With some new paint and furnishings, we can make it stunning. I’ll work up a design scheme and then present it to you. Once you approve, we’ll get to work.”

“That sounds great.”

“Oh, I almost forgot to ask. Do you have a budget?”

“I let Hank and Garrett take care of that part.”

“Oh … okay.” That was unusual. She jotted that down.

“Let’s go back into the den. My legs are getting tired from standing.”

“Of course.”

They took their former seats.

“Do you mind if I snap a few pictures before I go?”

“Not at all.” She scooted back in her seat. “You can do that on your way out. First, I want to hear about you.”

“I didn’t bring my portfolio, but I’ll be glad to send you some images of my work through email.”

Glory shook her head. “I’m not worried about that. You seem to know what you’re doing. I mean, tell me a little about yourself.”

Chloe figured she might as well make herself comfortable because it was obvious that Glory had no intention of letting her get out the door anytime soon. She started by telling about her parents and what it was like to grow up in South Carolina. They talked about how the food out West compared to the food in the South. Then the conversation drifted to more personal topics, and before Chloe knew it, she was telling Glory about Dan’s death and his betrayal, leaving out the part about seeing his ghost. All the while, Glory listened patiently, a kind expression on her face.

When Chloe finished, Glory let out a sigh. “For one so young, you’ve already weathered your share of storms. Life has dealt you some pretty hard blows, but things will get better, and one day, you’ll realize that you have become a better person because of your experiences.”

Moisture filled Chloe’s eyes. “Thank you.” A comfortable silence settled between them until Chloe spoke. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to go into all of that.”

“I’m glad you did. Life is about making connections. And when you get my age, you realize that those connections are all that really matter in the end. Everything else is superficial—a distraction.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

A peculiar light came into Glory’s eyes as she peered over her glasses. “Now, tell me about you and Garrett.”

Chloe’s jaw dropped. “What? You know about that?”

Glory chuckled. “Like I said, there’s not much I don’t know about those two boys.”

This is where things could get sticky. Did she dare tell Glory how truly conflicted she was about Garrett?

“It’s that bad, huh?” Glory let out a dry chuckle. “Like I said earlier, your expression says it all.”

“I’m not sure how I feel about Garrett. I mean, he’s handsome … charming … says all of the right things.”

“But?” she prompted.

“But, I just don’t know. I guess I’m still trying to get over the thing with Dan. Maybe in time …” She shrugged. “I guess it’s still too soon to say.”