When Darkness Falls (5 page)

A smile touched her lips. “The vanilla’s better.”

He made a face. “No! I don’t believe it. Let me try it.” He reached for her soda and took a long swig. A smile broke across his lips. “Okay, you win. The vanilla’s better,” he conceded, handing her back the soda.

He pointed. “You were going to tell me the story behind those shoes.”

“Believe it or not, I was just coming out of an interview.”

“An interview? You’re kidding. With those shoes?”

The laughter in his eyes was infectious as a grin broke across her face. “Do you want to hear the story or not?”

“I’m sorry, continue.”

She wrapped her hands around the glass and took another sip of the bubbly soda. “It seems that my roommate thought she needed my car more than I because she took it this morning without asking, and I had to get a taxi. I was late for the interview, and it was raining. I ran out of the cab to the building; the heel of my shoe got caught on something, and I biffed it on the sidewalk.” She showed him her knee and hands. “See.”

“Ouch!”

“I’ll say.”

“You’re telling me that you interviewed with only one shoe on?”

“Well, I took off the other shoe. So technically, I was barefooted. You should have seen the look on that Singleton guy’s face when I tried to explain what happened. Of course, at the time, I didn’t realize my big toe was sticking out of the hole in my tights. I think the interview lasted all of fifteen minutes.”

Garrett’s eyes widened, and then he slapped his knee and doubled over laughing.

She wished she could think it was that funny.

After a minute, he regained his composure. “Where did you get the tennis shoes?”

“The receptionist took pity on me and let me borrow them.”

He laughed again. “That’s hilarious!”

She shook her head. “Well, it would be hilarious except I was counting on getting that job. Now, I’m not sure what I’ll do—probably high-tail it back home.”

Garrett shook his head. “Where’s home?”

“South Carolina.”

“Ah, the origin of that captivating accent.”

His eyes caught hers, and she felt warm all over. Then, he reached for her hand and held it in his. His touch was warm and not unpleasant, but the gesture completely caught her off guard, and she had to fight the urge to pull her hand away. It felt terribly inappropriate to be holding hands with a man she’d met only an hour ago.

“There’ll be other job interviews, I promise. But, we’re not going to worry about that tonight. I’m taking you to dinner.”

She withdrew her hand. “I—I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

“You have to eat, don’t you?”

“Well … yes, but we just met.”

He leaned back in his chair and flashed another sparkling smile that caused her breath to catch. “It’s just dinner, Chloe. Come on and take a chance. Get to know me. What could be so bad about that?”

“I don’t know…” It was the first time she’d been alone with a man since Dan. And Garrett was so sure of himself—so charming.

“There’s this great seafood restaurant. They have the best shrimp remoulade you’ll ever taste, and their oysters aren’t half bad either.”

She wondered if now would be the time to tell him she didn’t like neither shrimp nor oysters. “Do they have steaks?”

“Yep, they do.”

There was a pause in the conversation. He was handsome, Chloe admitted, taking in his well-proportioned features and wiry frame—maybe even a little too handsome for her taste. She’d never been overly impressed with the pretty-boy types.

There was a hint of teasing in his eyes. “Say yes. Where else would I find another date with such interesting shoes?”

She laughed. “You’ve got a point, but I’ll have to go home and change first.”

He made a face. “Not the shoes.”

She smirked.

“Okay, change them if you must. I’ll pick you up at 7:00.”

“But, do you have a car?”

“Of course.”

“We took a cab here. I just assumed …”

He chuckled. “We’d only just met, and I seriously doubt that you would’ve agreed to get in the car with a complete stranger. The cab seemed to be the more logical choice.”

“Oh.” Heat crawled up her neck. He was right, of course, but she wasn’t sure how she felt about him being able to read her so well. Her eyes met his in a challenge. “And what makes you so sure that I’ll get in the car and go somewhere with you tonight?”

He reached for her hand and began stroking it back and forth with his thumb. “I’ll take my chances.”

G
arrett insisted
on accompanying her in the cab back to her house, even though she told him it would be easier to just give him directions for tonight. When she stepped onto the porch, she gave him a final wave and breathed a sigh of relief when the cab drove away. It had been an eventful morning, and she longed to plop down on her bed and relax for a few hours—after she and Darbie had a nice, long talk. Her Honda Fit was parked in the driveway. That meant Darbie was home. She tried the door, but it was locked. The TV was on. She pounded on the door. “Darbie! It’s me. Open up!”

No response.

“Great!” There was no telling where that darn house key was. Everything was now a jumble in her purse. She knocked again. “Darbie! Can you hear me?”

No answer.

Left with no other alternative, she put down her portfolio case and started rifling through her purse. Finally she found it.

“Hi, Chloe.” Susan stuck her head out the front door of the house on the left. “Is everything all right?”

Chloe looked across the yard and gave her a strained smile. She hadn’t realized they were next-door neighbors. “I’m okay. Just having a hard time getting this door open.”

“I have an extra key if you need it.”

She jammed the key into the lock and turned it. “Got it. Thanks!”

“Let me know if you need anything.” Susan closed the door.

“Yeah, I need something. A new roommate,” Chloe muttered under her breath.

Susan stuck her head out the door again, making Chloe think for one wild second that Susan had heard her. “I’m making barbecue chicken tonight if anyone’s interested.” She closed the door before Chloe could answer.

The first thing Chloe saw when she opened the door was Beasty. “Hey, boy. Did you miss me?” He gave her an indifferent glance before sticking his nose in the air and prancing out of the room. “Good to see you too,” Chloe called after him. She put her things on the couch and began opening the blinds, one by one, allowing sunlight to flood the room. “Much better.” She was tempted to open the doors and windows to air out the place the way her mother did at home. That would certainly help rid the air of that stale pizza smell. She should’ve picked up some air freshener when she was shopping over the weekend. Beasty came back into the room. “Come here, big guy.” Chloe bent down and grabbed him before he could escape. His thick fur was soft against her face. “Good kitty,” she said, rubbing his back. As usual, he bowed up and let out an irritated meow. She put him back on the floor and gave him one last rub across the back before he darted off. “You are a beast,” she said.

Her stomach growled, reminding her that all she’d had to eat or drink all day was the vanilla soda. She went into the kitchen to make a turkey sandwich but stopped short when she saw the mess. The turkey she’d bought on Saturday was sitting on the counter, half-opened, along with the cheese, mayonnaise, and mustard. Chloe’s blood began to boil. She’d spent her own money for that meat, and Darbie thought she was going to let it sit out on the counter and spoil? First the car and now this! She stormed out of the kitchen and down the hall to Darbie’s room where she threw open the door. “We need to talk!”

It took her a moment to realize that Darbie was kneeling beside her bed, praying. Chloe’s face drained. Not knowing what else to do, she backed out and closed the door. Darbie had not even looked up.

“Chlooooeee.”

Chloe recognized the voice. It was Susan, in the kitchen.
Oh no! Beasty!

“Can I talk to you for a minute?”

Her heart skipped a beat. Where was that cat? She stepped into the kitchen and felt a wave of relief when she saw that he wasn’t in there.

Susan looked her up and down. “What happened?”

Huh? Chloe looked down at her skinned knee and ripped tights. In all of the commotion, she’d forgotten about her haggard appearance. “Oh, I fell getting out of a taxi this morning, but I’m fine.”

“Your knee.”

The blood had dried, matting her tights to the wound. “It looks worse than it is. It’ll be better once I get it cleaned up.”

“You look a little pale.”

“Just hungry and tired,” she said as Beasty scampered into the room and brushed against Susan’s leg.

Susan raised an eyebrow. “The reason I came over is to talk to you about your cat.”

If Susan had knocked Chloe in the chest with a ton of bricks, it would not have felt any heavier. “I thought Darbie had told you about Beasty. If there’s a problem …”

Susan held up her hand. “Don’t be silly, I want to borrow him.”

“Borrow him?”

“I’ve seen signs of mice in the closet on the built-in porch.”

A clutch of anxiety went through Chloe. She’d almost lost Beasty at the rest stop. What if he were to somehow get out of Susan’s porch? She might never see him again. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” she began, selecting her words carefully, so as not to offend her landlord. “He’s still getting used to being in this house. I don’t want him to somehow get out and get lost.”

Susan dismissed the concern with a wave of her hand. “Oh, he won’t get out. I’ll take good care of him, I promise.”

Chloe could tell that any argument she could present would fall on deaf ears. “Okay, you can borrow him, but as you can see, Beasty doesn’t miss many meals, so I’m not sure how good he’ll be at catching mice. But you’re welcome to give it a try.”

Susan laughed. “Let’s hope there’s a hunter in you somewhere.” She scooped him up and took him out the door. “Ciao.”

Chloe stood there, shaking her head. After all the worrying she’d done about that darn cat, and Susan had known about him all along.

Chloe made herself a sandwich and was cleaning up the mess when Darbie came into the kitchen. Embarrassment rushed over her as she thought about how she’d interrupted Darbie during her prayer. She thought Darbie would call her on it, but Darbie simply said, “Hey.”

“Hey.”

“I have a test in my next class, and I was praying for help.” Darbie opened the refrigerator door and took out the milk and then cast a sidelong glance at Chloe. “What happened to you? You’re a mess.” She took a long swig right out of the jug.

“Don’t do that.” Chloe ran hot water over the dishes in the sink. She squirted dish soap and swirled it around to make suds.

“What?” Darbie asked innocently.

Chloe’s brows knitted together as she shut off the faucet and turned to face Darbie. “You know what.” She took the milk out of Darbie’s hand and put it on the counter. “Don’t drink out of the jug. There are plenty of glasses in the cabinet.”

Darbie put the milk back in the fridge and slammed the door shut. “You’re so picky about everything.”

Chloe’s hands flew to her hips. Enough was enough! “We need to have a talk.”

“Okay, talk,” Darbie said. “But you’d better make it quick because I have to get back before my next class.”

“First of all, I don’t appreciate you taking my car without asking. Because of you, I was late for my interview this morning.”

“I did ask you … last night.”

“No, you asked if you could ever borrow my car, and I said
maybe sometime.
”

“Okay, then what’s the problem?”

“I didn’t mean that you could use it today. I meant that we could talk about it, and that maybe down the road that might be a possibility.”

“Sorry.” Darbie rolled her eyes. “Is that all?”

Chloe could’ve strangled her! “You don’t just take someone’s car and leave them a note. What kind of person does that?”

“I thought your interview was tomorrow.”

“No, it was today. TODAY!” Her voice had risen to near yelling, and she clenched her fists in an attempt to remain in control of her emotions.

“Geez. Sorry. I didn’t think it would be a big deal.”

“Well, it is.”

“I guess you didn’t get the job.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Darbie shrugged. “I can tell by your sulky attitude that you didn’t get the job.”

Chloe gritted her teeth. “What did you say?”

Darbie cut her eyes at her. “You heard me.”

Chloe had never considered herself a violent person, but at that moment, she thought about ramming her fist down Darbie’s smart mouth, just to shut her up. Instead, she picked up the dishcloth, wadded it, and then threw it across the room.

“Why’d you do that?” Darbie demanded.

Chloe’s voice rose to a fevered pitch. “Because I don’t want you taking my car again without asking, and I’m sick of cleaning up after your messes!”

“Hey, calm down. You’re blowing this way out of proportion.”

“No, I won’t calm down! Look at this place!” She grabbed the butter knife that Darbie had left laying on the counter and slung it into the sink, splashing dishwater onto the counter and floor.

“My mother told me you were a little crazy, but I certainly didn’t expect this.”

Chloe’s head began to spin. “What did you say?” She could tell from the look on Darbie’s face that she knew she’d gone too far.

“Nothing. It was nothing.”

Tears welled in Chloe’s eyes.

“Look, I shouldn’t have said that. I was out of line.”

“I’ll be in my room,” Chloe said, running in that direction and slamming the door behind her.

C
hloe pulled
out her suitcase and started slinging clothes into it, knowing all the while that a few minutes later, she would have to take them all out again and put them back in her closet. Oh, she would go home in a heartbeat if she could, but what would that solve? Her parents thought she was crazy. The reason Darbie’s words cut so deeply was because Chloe knew that Darbie had gotten the information from her mother, who no doubt had heard it from Chloe’s own mom.
Good grief.
Was her mother blabbing her business to the entire world? She sat down on her bed and blew out a breath. Not that she could blame her parents for thinking she was crazy. Seeing Dan … or
thinking
that she was seeing Dan was crazy.

Even as a child, Chloe craved order. Her mother used to joke that Chloe was the only four-year-old she’d ever seen that would meticulously straighten all of the shoes in the closet. She’d always been sensible—to the point of exasperation. So where did this thing with Dan fit in? She’d watched those shows on the Discovery Channel where people with hushed voices talked about feeling the presence of a ghost. She’d always passed them off as coots—like those people who swear they’ve been abducted by aliens, experimenting on their bodies.

Dead people don’t come back no matter how much you want them to.
Fear needled its way through her stomach. She needed help. She’d already spent so much time in counseling. What was the next step? A psychiatric ward? She hugged herself and tried to take deep breaths. These kinds of thoughts weren’t helping the situation.

“Chloe.” Darbie was knocking on the door.

“Go away!”

More knocking.

“Go away!” Chloe said louder. “Leave me alone!”

“Well, that’s just it … I can’t.”

Chloe looked at the closed door in disbelief. “What?”

“I need you to take me back to school.”

Chloe let out a laugh. And Darbie was calling her crazy? To think that she actually thought Chloe was going to take her anywhere! There was no freaking way!

Darbie knocked again. “Chloe … please …. I really need your help. I can’t miss this next class because I have a test.”

Chloe shook her head and looked at the ceiling.
Great!
Next, Darbie would be blaming her for failing a test. “Fine, I’ll take you. Just give me a minute.”

“Chloe?”

“What?”

“Could you open the door, so we can talk?”

Chloe jumped off the bed and threw open the door so quickly that Darbie practically fell into the room.

“Sorry,” she said dryly. “Didn’t realize you were leaning against the door.”

Darbie recovered herself and looked around. “Gosh, you are a neat-freak.”

“Excuse me?”

“No wonder you’re upset about the kitchen. Your bedroom looks like it came right out of Pottery Barn.”

“Thanks … I think.”

“No, I really like it. Maybe you could help me pick out a few things for my room.”

It was a lame attempt to patch things up between them, but at least Darbie was trying. Chloe shrugged. “Sure … whatever.”

Darbie picked up a frame from the dresser. “I recognize your mom. This must be your dad.”

“Yeah.” The picture had been taken on the beach during a family vacation.

Darbie put the picture down and sat on the edge of the bed. She tucked a curl behind her ear. “Look … about what I said. I didn’t mean …”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“You know,
crazy
is a relative term.”

Chloe just looked at her, making Darbie shift uncomfortably.

“What I mean is that my mom got it in her head that I was going to be a nurse like my aunt Linda, and she about lost it when she realized that I want to be a police officer instead. The whole family thinks I’m crazy.”

As if a career choice could possibly compare to what she was going through.
“I understand what you’re trying to do, but it isn’t necessary. I already told you I’d take you back to school.”

“I know. I just thought that maybe we could talk about it.”

Chloe crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the dresser. “So what do you want to know?”

“Well … this guy who died …”

“My fiancé, Dan.”

“Yeah, Dan. Do you really think you’ve seen him … since his death, I mean?”

Hearing the words spoken out loud made the situation seem even more absurd. How had things gotten so twisted? It was all she could do to keep her voice even as she spoke. “Yeah, he shows up here every night to tuck me in. Haven’t you seen him?”

Darbie gave her a nervous laugh. “I guess I deserved that. It’s just that my mother told me—”

“I’m not sure what you’ve heard, but whatever it is, I can assure you that it has most likely been blown way out of proportion.”

Darbie gave her a speculative look. “So you haven’t been seeing a ghost?”

Chloe looked her in the eye. “Do you believe in ghosts, Darbie?”

Her eyes grew round. “No, of course not.”

“Well, me neither.”

Darbie looked relieved.

“Any more questions?”

From the way Darbie started chewing on her inner jaw, Chloe guessed she had a million of them. “No,” Darbie finally said. “No more questions.”

“Good, let’s get you back to school.”

“Just one more thing.”

Chloe stopped.

“I’ll make a deal with you. I won’t pay any more attention to this nonsense about you seeing your dead fiancé if you’ll be a little more tolerant about my lack of housekeeping skills.”

Chloe chuckled. “Lack of housekeeping skills, huh? I guess that’s one way to phrase it.”

Darbie smiled as she stood and held out her hand. “Deal?”

They clasped hands. “Deal.”

“Hey,” Darbie said on their way out the door, “if Dan does show up here one night, maybe we could put him to cleaning the house.”

“Ha ha, real funny.”

C
hloe was relieved
that Darbie was meeting with a study group and would be home late. The last thing she wanted was for her mom to get wind of her going on a date with a virtual stranger. Her nerves were jumping on ends, but it made her feel alive in a way she hadn’t felt in a very long time. She had to put the past behind her once and for all, and a date with a good-looking guy was the fastest way to do it. She was giving her cheekbones a final dusting of bronzer when she heard the doorbell. “Here goes,” she said to her reflection.

“Garrett,” she said a little breathlessly when she opened the door. “Hi.”

He looked her up and down, not trying to hide the appreciation in his eyes. Chloe had toyed with the idea of dressing down but had ultimately decided to dress up instead, choosing her favorite red blouse, black pencil skirt that hit just above the knees, and wedge sandals. It was a good thing too because Garrett looked dashing in his royal blue button-up shirt and jeans. “Never date a guy who’s prettier than you, Chloe,” her mom had always told her. As good as Chloe looked this evening, Garrett looked better. He really was stunning with his thick head of wavy blonde hair and sparkling smile.

“No tennis shoes?” There was a hint of amusement in his eyes.

She looked down at her sandals. “Well, I did think about it but then decided to wear these old things instead.”

He shook his head. “I guess they’ll have to do.”

They laughed.

“You ready?” he asked.

“Sure.”

He surprised her by giving her a peck on the cheek and then pulling a single red rose from behind his back.

Her eyes widened. “Thanks, I love flowers.” She felt so darn awkward and unsure of herself around this sophisticated man. “I’ll be right back, just let me put this in water.” She walked quickly into the kitchen and grabbed the first thing she could find—a drinking glass with a chip in the top.
It’s a little too early for some guy to be sweeping you off your feet
, she told herself. She needed to keep her feet planted firmly on the ground so she wouldn’t get hurt again. She couldn’t handle another heartbreak! When she walked back into the living room, she felt more composed and sure of herself, but that was short-lived.

“You drive a convertible BMW?” she said when they stepped outside.

He smiled and hit the clicker. “Yep.”

Why was she not surprised? This guy had to have a flaw … somewhere.

She reached for the door handle, but he was faster. In fluid motions, he opened the door and helped her into the car. “Thanks,” she mumbled.

He drove the streets like they were an old, familiar friend, and he seemed completely at ease—unlike her. She could feel her pulse pumping in her neck, and her hands were clammy. They weren’t talking, and the silence was getting the best of her. She searched for something to say. “You drive well.”

“What?”

Her throat went dry. It was a stupid thing to say. She was just about to repeat it when he chuckled and put a hand over hers. “Your hands are like ice.” He gave her a confident smile. “Relax, I don’t bite. We’re just going to dinner.”

Yes, she was acting a bit absurd and blowing things way out of proportion. She gave him a nervous laugh and then settled back in her seat. Garrett turned on the CD player, and the band Cold Play came over the speakers.

“I love the way the city looks at night,” he said.

Chloe looked out at the thousands of lights shimmering against the velvety darkness.

“When I was little, I used to pretend that they were stars that had fallen to the earth.”

“Or diamonds,” Chloe added.

Garrett laughed and raised her hand to his lips. “Spoken like a true woman.”

A few minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot of a trendy restaurant with a stacked-stone exterior. Two large gas lamps, one on each side of the massive wooden doors, flickered, casting shadows against the stone. When they entered, Chloe was impressed to find that the interior was just as charming as the outside. The aroma of freshly baked bread hung heavy in the air, making her mouth water. She took in the solid mahogany shelves, filled with bottles of wines of different varieties and vintages. The shelves were a pleasant contrast to the opposite walls, which were a dark brick. An oval doorway led from the foyer into the actual restaurant. Wide wooden planks covered the floor, and intricate rod iron encased the light fixtures. The place had a true authentic flavor, and judging from the amount of people waiting to be seated, she guessed the food must be good.

“How many?” A pretty blonde receptionist with a mouth too small for her teeth smiled at her.

“Two,” Chloe said.

“What’s the name?”

Chloe hesitated, not sure if she should give her name or let Garrett give his. Then the girl’s polite smile changed to recognition when she saw Garrett step up. She retrieved two menus. “Your table is ready. Right this way please.”

She led them to a table by the window and then looked at Garrett. “Is this okay?”

He rewarded her with a gracious smile. “It’s great. Thanks, Tammy.”

Chloe thought the woman was going to melt into a puddle right then and there. It was unsettling how much power this man wielded over the opposite sex.

“Do you come here often?” Chloe said, wondering how many other women he’d brought here before her.

He winked. “Just when I want to impress someone.”

Chloe blushed and changed the subject. “Whoever decorated this place did one heck of a job. I love the combination of the rustic with the trendy. This restaurant has a very comfortable feel.”

Garrett didn’t comment but instead opened his menu. “As I told you earlier, the shrimp remoulade is excellent, and so is the calamari.”

“Calamari? Isn’t that …”

“Octopus,” he finished for her.

Her face must’ve said it all because he started laughing. “It’s really very good. They cut it in thin slices and fry it.”

“I’m sorry. I just don’t think I could ever eat octopus, regardless of how it’s prepared.”

He looked disappointed.

“But you could order some … if you want,” she said, trying to lighten the mood.

Before he could answer, their waiter arrived, bringing them a basket of aromatic bread with honey butter. He took their drink orders, and Garrett ordered a sampler plate for the appetizer.

“How is the job hunting going?” Garrett said.

“I’ve found a couple of interesting looking positions,” Chloe lied. “I’m going to send out a few résumés tomorrow.” The truth of the matter was that she’d been counting on getting the job with Marsh Interiors and was now going to have to formulate a new plan. “How’s your job search going?”

He gave her a funny look. “My job search?”

“Yeah, this morning when we ran into each other, you said you were late for an interview.”

He cocked his head, giving her an appreciative look. “You have an excellent memory.”

“So, what type of job was it?”

“I’m sorry, I’m not following you.”

“What type of job were you interviewing for?”

He gave her a smooth smile. “Let’s not talk about work tonight.” He reached for a slice of bread. “Tonight we celebrate fate.”

She lifted an eyebrow. “Fate?”

“Yes, fate brought us together.”

She leaned back and crossed her arms. “Really? I thought it was circumstance. I was going one direction. You were going the other. We ran into each other.” She shrugged. “It’s as simple as that.”

He laughed. “I like you, Chloe Kensley. You’re all right.” His eyes caught hers. “Call it what you will. I’m glad that our paths have crossed.”

Chloe looked at the man who was approaching their table. For a second, she thought it was the waiter, bringing the appetizer, but it was someone else. He was wearing a polo shirt and black slacks. She guessed him to be in his early forties. He had a stocky build, and it was obvious from his bulging biceps and tapered waist that he spent a lot of time in the gym. His hair was thinning on top, and he had a closely trimmed goatee.

Recognition instantly lit Garrett’s features as he held out his hand to the man who clasped it in his.

“When did you get back in town?” the man said, “I’ve been trying to get in touch with you.”

“The night before last. I was going to give you a call,” Garrett said quickly, “but things have been hectic.”