Chapter 18:
Monday morning. Back to the daily grind. Chloe entered the Basic Black elevators with slightly shaking legs. She hadn't been here for a while. John, back to work part-time but full time while Brady was away, had called her this morning, requesting an order of peanut butter chunk brownies. Brady's favorite. As Chloe shifted the medium sized pink pastry box in her arms, she adjusted her knee length sleeveless, denim dress and thought of Brady and that morning in his office.
FLASHBACK..
[i]"Peanut butter chuck brownies, Chloe. My favorite." He looked up at her in surprise. "How did you know?"
"I asked Belle this morning." She nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"You've spoken to Belle?" He dug into the brownies stuffing a whole one into his mouth.
"Yes. I felt bad about what happened between us last night."
"You talked to Belle about our fight?" His mouth was full.
Chloe looked at his chewing mouth disgustedly. "Well, I didn't give her the details but yes, I told her that we did have a fight and that I felt kind of bad about it. So she suggested that I make you something and so I did."
He swallowed and licked his lips, nearly speechless. "So I guess this was her idea too then huh?" He held up the Styrofoam cup of chocolate milk and bottle of ibuprofen.
"No, actually that was my idea."
"What makes you think I like chocolate milk?"
"Look, if you don't appre-"
"Chloe.Chloe I was kidding." He smiled and gently took her hand in his. "Thank you. Thank you for doing all of this."
"You're welcome." She averted her eyes from his intent stare.
"How's your hand?" he continued to stare at her as she tried to look at anything but him.
"It still hurts but it's better than yesterday."
"And your heart?"[/i]
END OF FLASHBACK.
Oh boy, did she miss him. "Pull yourself together Chloe. It's barely been a week," she murmured to herself. And knowing Brady wasn't due back for at least another week, Chloe agreed to pay John a visit and deliver the brownies herself. She hadn't really spent much time with the Blacks since she and Brady split. She hadn't wanted to make anyone uncomfortable. But she knew she couldn't stay away forever. She was close to them before she really even knew Brady, so she saw no reason she couldn't be close to them now.
*********************
Brady leaned back in his chair at his desk and tapped his pen absently on his gray pants. He'd returned home late last night and insisted that he cut his vacation short and go immediately back to work. John had protested, insisting he could handle Basic Black himself and that Brady needed more time. But, always the stubborn one, Brady declined, saying he just wanted to get back to work. But now he sat here, not knowing what to do with himself. He guessed he could leave a little early today and just come in a little earlier tomorrow. There wasn't much to do today anyway. Maybe he would pay Chloe a little visit. After all, that is why he'd come home so prematurely. But he had already lost his nerve, not knowing what on earth he would say to her, sure he wouldn't be able to handle any harsh words from her lips directed at him. 'Aha,' he thought, having a sort of epiphany. 'I'll go apartment shopping.' His father would understand. I mean he couldn't live with his parents forever. John and Marlena were now used to their privacy and him shacking up with them, even if it was short- term, probably put a crimp in their style, not to mention a definite wrinkle in their sex life. He grimaced. To think: His father and Marlena had a better sex life than he did. That was it. No more thinking about what he didn't have. No more feeling sorry for himself. He stood from his desk, throwing on his discarded jacket and tie, before exiting his office.
"Brady," John sped up a bit to catch up to his son, retreating to the elevators.
"Hey, dad," Brady waited for his father to catch up with him before he made his way over to the elevators.
"Where are you going?" John said, almost panicked. He knew Chloe was on her way with the brownies and he needed Brady to be here when she arrived. Belle had put him up to this early this morning and he couldn't help but agree to this. Anything to bring his son and Chloe back together. He'd called Chloe specifically requesting that she deliver them. And now Brady was leaving?
"I was just going to take off for the day. You don't mind do you?" Brady pressed the elevator button. "Did you need anything?"
"Uh, yes," John lied. "Um.the 'Pinchapenny' report from Dave downstairs, twentieth floor. I would go down there myself, but I have a delivery coming in that I wanted to be here for. So can you bring that up for me?"
"Uh, sure dad," Brady nodded slowly, wondering why Dave couldn't bring the damn report up himself. "I'll bring that up for you and then I'm just going to leave for the day, okay?"
"Hey, yeah, sure. Do whatever you have to do," John patted him on the back and practically skipped back to his office.
"Okay," Brady chuckled. Something was definitely going on with his father. He pressed the elevator button again. "Damn elevators," he sighed. "I'll just take the stairs. It's faster." He jogged to the stairwell just as the elevator doors opened.
Chloe stepped out of the elevator and looked around before making a beeline for John's office. "Morning Jamie."
"Good morning Chloe. Go right in. Mr. Black is expecting you." The receptionist gave Chloe a wink.
"Thanks," she gave Jamie a warm smile, wondering what the hell that wink was about, before entering John's office. "John."
"Chloe, hey!" He practically jerked her to a chair. "How you doing?"
"Good," she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "How are you?"
"Never been better."
"I trust your vacation went well?"
"Oh, it was fabulous," he grinned. They chatted on for a good fifteen minutes before John began squirming in seat. Where the hell was Brady?
**********************
Out of breath, Brady entered the Basic Black elevators, practically full of employees, on his way back up to his and John's floor. Subtly, he tried to catch his breath until they all exited out on their respective floors. And then he was practically doubled over in pain. Damn, he must be getting old. That jog down from the fortieth floor to the twentieth took a toll on him. He was breathing all heavy and he'd continually had to wipe the sweat that accumulated on his brow. And when he'd finally gotten down there, he couldn't even find Dave. And when he finally did, Dave told him the 'Pinchapenny' report had been on John's desk since last week. Brady was so angry; he almost decided to leave right then and there. But the desire to give John a piece of his mind, had him on the elevators, making his way back up to his office.
************************
"Look, John," Chloe rose from her chair. "I really, [i]really[/i] have to go."
"Can't you stay a little longer?"
"Actually, no I can't. Susan's probably running around like a chicken with her head cut off by now. Bye John. See you soon." She chuckled and made her way over to the door, exiting before John could protest. 'What the hell was that,' Chloe thought to herself, shaking her head in disbelief. She pressed the elevator button, and waited patiently.
Ding.
The elevators doors slid open and Chloe bumped right into a man, coming off of the elevator as she was going in. "I'm sorry. I wasn't even looking up." She looked up and him and gasped.
"I'm sorry too, I--- Chloe."
"Brady," she replied breathlessly. The elevator doors closed, leaving them both inside. She turned away from him, concentrating all her efforts on pressing the button for the first floor. He was here. He was here! He was here with her and they were alone.
"How. How are you?" He tried to give her a small smile, but couldn't manage it, his concern for her overriding his manners. She looked so beautiful, her long dark hair falling loosely down her back, her face practically free of all makeup, except her lips were covered in a light gloss. And she had this slight glow that Brady assumed was either wonderfully natural or from some miracle cosmetic powder.
"I'm okay," she turned to face him, trying not to really look at him, his light blue shirt making his eyes seem a richer blue. He was wearing his tie. That was strange. "You?"
'I'm miserable. I'm lonely. I love you. I want you,' he thought to himself. "I'm fine," he sighed.
"How was New York?"
"New York?" He repeated her. "It was lonely," he replied truthfully.
Her eyes widened slightly, not sure she heard him right. "Oh?" She looked at him, following his gaze that lead to her left hand and the ring she still wore on her finger. "Oh." She covered it with her right hand, trying to pull it off. She hadn't had the heart to take off her ring just yet and Brady hadn't asked for it back.
"No, Chloe," he tried to reached for her hand but she pulled away. "No, please, keep the ring."
"No," she kept tugging at it but the ring wouldn't budge. "It's your ring. You bought it, you keep it."
"But I want you to have it."
"Well, I don't want it," she tugged some more, her embarrassment over the situation and the fact that the damn ring wouldn't budge had her flushing with anger. She finally pulled it free, holding it out to him. She tried to calm herself, "Here."
"I don't want it," he shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Take it," she gritted her teeth. "I don't want anything from you." Dammit, why did arguments with Brady have her feeling like she was six years old again?
"Chloe, you are so stubborn," he took the ring from her open hand. His fingertips skimmed her palm causing him to involuntarily shudder, not having come into physical contact with her since that night at 'Sweet Bar.' The elevators doors swished open, and without thinking he caught a retreating Chloe's wrist. "Wait."
"What?" She pulled away from his grasp and backed out of the elevator, his hand on her wrist having affected her more than she liked.
Brady looked at her as he kept his finger on the elevator's "Door Open" button. Her hair was all mussed from whirling around to look at him and her cheeks were flushed. She was so beautiful. 'Say it,' he told himself. 'Say it.'
"What, Brady?" She stared at him. She wanted to run. She wanted to cry. She wanted Brady to stop looking at her like that or she'd jump back into the elevator and ravage him. He looked so primed, so ready for something. His strong jaw was clenched and his blue eyes were filled with a steely determination.
He took a deep breath and swallowed back his fear and his pride. "I love you, Chloe."
"What," she said quickly, feeling as if the wind had been knocked out of her.
"I love you." He released his finger on the button. "I'm in love with you."
Chloe couldn't speak, couldn't breathe. He couldn't be. But he just said he was. They stood there staring at each other, Brady wondering what the hell was going through Chloe's mind and Chloe wondering if her heart beat any faster or harder, would it fly out of her chest? She looked down at her feet and smiled slightly, overwhelmed.
Quietly, the elevator doors closed, leaving Brady alone in the elevator, and he released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He just told Chloe he loved her. He finally said it. Granted, he didn't get the reaction he hoped for. But he didn't get the reaction he was dreading either. He half expected Chloe to drop kick him in the face, spit in his ear and ground the heel of her shoe into his chest but she did no such thing. And maybe he hadn't seen right, but he could have sworn he detected a small smile gracing her lips as the elevator doors closed. Before he realized what he was doing, he found himself laughing madly in the elevator; incredibly relieved he had gotten that off of his chest. Oh he was giddy. Screw Philip. He was going after Chloe. He was going to get her to fall for him. "Love," he sang to himself. "Exciting and new." he happily sang the theme to "Love Boat" all the way up the forty floors to his office, suddenly refreshed and happy to work the rest of the day.
**********************
Chloe's feet moved so that she was already on her way back to 'The Sweet Bar' but her mind and her heart were still in front of that elevator where Brady had confessed his love. She hadn't said anything. Why hadn't she said anything? She was scared. She was shocked. She was overwhelmed with happiness. Something glinting in her purse caught her eye. "What's this," she murmured, pulling out the small object. "My ring," she sighed. Somehow Brady had snuck this back into her possession and she couldn't be happier. 'So what happens now?' Chloe thought to herself.
Monday morning. Back to the daily grind. Chloe entered the Basic Black elevators with slightly shaking legs. She hadn't been here for a while. John, back to work part-time but full time while Brady was away, had called her this morning, requesting an order of peanut butter chunk brownies. Brady's favorite. As Chloe shifted the medium sized pink pastry box in her arms, she adjusted her knee length sleeveless, denim dress and thought of Brady and that morning in his office.
FLASHBACK..
[i]"Peanut butter chuck brownies, Chloe. My favorite." He looked up at her in surprise. "How did you know?"
"I asked Belle this morning." She nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"You've spoken to Belle?" He dug into the brownies stuffing a whole one into his mouth.
"Yes. I felt bad about what happened between us last night."
"You talked to Belle about our fight?" His mouth was full.
Chloe looked at his chewing mouth disgustedly. "Well, I didn't give her the details but yes, I told her that we did have a fight and that I felt kind of bad about it. So she suggested that I make you something and so I did."
He swallowed and licked his lips, nearly speechless. "So I guess this was her idea too then huh?" He held up the Styrofoam cup of chocolate milk and bottle of ibuprofen.
"No, actually that was my idea."
"What makes you think I like chocolate milk?"
"Look, if you don't appre-"
"Chloe.Chloe I was kidding." He smiled and gently took her hand in his. "Thank you. Thank you for doing all of this."
"You're welcome." She averted her eyes from his intent stare.
"How's your hand?" he continued to stare at her as she tried to look at anything but him.
"It still hurts but it's better than yesterday."
"And your heart?"[/i]
END OF FLASHBACK.
Oh boy, did she miss him. "Pull yourself together Chloe. It's barely been a week," she murmured to herself. And knowing Brady wasn't due back for at least another week, Chloe agreed to pay John a visit and deliver the brownies herself. She hadn't really spent much time with the Blacks since she and Brady split. She hadn't wanted to make anyone uncomfortable. But she knew she couldn't stay away forever. She was close to them before she really even knew Brady, so she saw no reason she couldn't be close to them now.
*********************
Brady leaned back in his chair at his desk and tapped his pen absently on his gray pants. He'd returned home late last night and insisted that he cut his vacation short and go immediately back to work. John had protested, insisting he could handle Basic Black himself and that Brady needed more time. But, always the stubborn one, Brady declined, saying he just wanted to get back to work. But now he sat here, not knowing what to do with himself. He guessed he could leave a little early today and just come in a little earlier tomorrow. There wasn't much to do today anyway. Maybe he would pay Chloe a little visit. After all, that is why he'd come home so prematurely. But he had already lost his nerve, not knowing what on earth he would say to her, sure he wouldn't be able to handle any harsh words from her lips directed at him. 'Aha,' he thought, having a sort of epiphany. 'I'll go apartment shopping.' His father would understand. I mean he couldn't live with his parents forever. John and Marlena were now used to their privacy and him shacking up with them, even if it was short- term, probably put a crimp in their style, not to mention a definite wrinkle in their sex life. He grimaced. To think: His father and Marlena had a better sex life than he did. That was it. No more thinking about what he didn't have. No more feeling sorry for himself. He stood from his desk, throwing on his discarded jacket and tie, before exiting his office.
"Brady," John sped up a bit to catch up to his son, retreating to the elevators.
"Hey, dad," Brady waited for his father to catch up with him before he made his way over to the elevators.
"Where are you going?" John said, almost panicked. He knew Chloe was on her way with the brownies and he needed Brady to be here when she arrived. Belle had put him up to this early this morning and he couldn't help but agree to this. Anything to bring his son and Chloe back together. He'd called Chloe specifically requesting that she deliver them. And now Brady was leaving?
"I was just going to take off for the day. You don't mind do you?" Brady pressed the elevator button. "Did you need anything?"
"Uh, yes," John lied. "Um.the 'Pinchapenny' report from Dave downstairs, twentieth floor. I would go down there myself, but I have a delivery coming in that I wanted to be here for. So can you bring that up for me?"
"Uh, sure dad," Brady nodded slowly, wondering why Dave couldn't bring the damn report up himself. "I'll bring that up for you and then I'm just going to leave for the day, okay?"
"Hey, yeah, sure. Do whatever you have to do," John patted him on the back and practically skipped back to his office.
"Okay," Brady chuckled. Something was definitely going on with his father. He pressed the elevator button again. "Damn elevators," he sighed. "I'll just take the stairs. It's faster." He jogged to the stairwell just as the elevator doors opened.
Chloe stepped out of the elevator and looked around before making a beeline for John's office. "Morning Jamie."
"Good morning Chloe. Go right in. Mr. Black is expecting you." The receptionist gave Chloe a wink.
"Thanks," she gave Jamie a warm smile, wondering what the hell that wink was about, before entering John's office. "John."
"Chloe, hey!" He practically jerked her to a chair. "How you doing?"
"Good," she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "How are you?"
"Never been better."
"I trust your vacation went well?"
"Oh, it was fabulous," he grinned. They chatted on for a good fifteen minutes before John began squirming in seat. Where the hell was Brady?
**********************
Out of breath, Brady entered the Basic Black elevators, practically full of employees, on his way back up to his and John's floor. Subtly, he tried to catch his breath until they all exited out on their respective floors. And then he was practically doubled over in pain. Damn, he must be getting old. That jog down from the fortieth floor to the twentieth took a toll on him. He was breathing all heavy and he'd continually had to wipe the sweat that accumulated on his brow. And when he'd finally gotten down there, he couldn't even find Dave. And when he finally did, Dave told him the 'Pinchapenny' report had been on John's desk since last week. Brady was so angry; he almost decided to leave right then and there. But the desire to give John a piece of his mind, had him on the elevators, making his way back up to his office.
************************
"Look, John," Chloe rose from her chair. "I really, [i]really[/i] have to go."
"Can't you stay a little longer?"
"Actually, no I can't. Susan's probably running around like a chicken with her head cut off by now. Bye John. See you soon." She chuckled and made her way over to the door, exiting before John could protest. 'What the hell was that,' Chloe thought to herself, shaking her head in disbelief. She pressed the elevator button, and waited patiently.
Ding.
The elevators doors slid open and Chloe bumped right into a man, coming off of the elevator as she was going in. "I'm sorry. I wasn't even looking up." She looked up and him and gasped.
"I'm sorry too, I--- Chloe."
"Brady," she replied breathlessly. The elevator doors closed, leaving them both inside. She turned away from him, concentrating all her efforts on pressing the button for the first floor. He was here. He was here! He was here with her and they were alone.
"How. How are you?" He tried to give her a small smile, but couldn't manage it, his concern for her overriding his manners. She looked so beautiful, her long dark hair falling loosely down her back, her face practically free of all makeup, except her lips were covered in a light gloss. And she had this slight glow that Brady assumed was either wonderfully natural or from some miracle cosmetic powder.
"I'm okay," she turned to face him, trying not to really look at him, his light blue shirt making his eyes seem a richer blue. He was wearing his tie. That was strange. "You?"
'I'm miserable. I'm lonely. I love you. I want you,' he thought to himself. "I'm fine," he sighed.
"How was New York?"
"New York?" He repeated her. "It was lonely," he replied truthfully.
Her eyes widened slightly, not sure she heard him right. "Oh?" She looked at him, following his gaze that lead to her left hand and the ring she still wore on her finger. "Oh." She covered it with her right hand, trying to pull it off. She hadn't had the heart to take off her ring just yet and Brady hadn't asked for it back.
"No, Chloe," he tried to reached for her hand but she pulled away. "No, please, keep the ring."
"No," she kept tugging at it but the ring wouldn't budge. "It's your ring. You bought it, you keep it."
"But I want you to have it."
"Well, I don't want it," she tugged some more, her embarrassment over the situation and the fact that the damn ring wouldn't budge had her flushing with anger. She finally pulled it free, holding it out to him. She tried to calm herself, "Here."
"I don't want it," he shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Take it," she gritted her teeth. "I don't want anything from you." Dammit, why did arguments with Brady have her feeling like she was six years old again?
"Chloe, you are so stubborn," he took the ring from her open hand. His fingertips skimmed her palm causing him to involuntarily shudder, not having come into physical contact with her since that night at 'Sweet Bar.' The elevators doors swished open, and without thinking he caught a retreating Chloe's wrist. "Wait."
"What?" She pulled away from his grasp and backed out of the elevator, his hand on her wrist having affected her more than she liked.
Brady looked at her as he kept his finger on the elevator's "Door Open" button. Her hair was all mussed from whirling around to look at him and her cheeks were flushed. She was so beautiful. 'Say it,' he told himself. 'Say it.'
"What, Brady?" She stared at him. She wanted to run. She wanted to cry. She wanted Brady to stop looking at her like that or she'd jump back into the elevator and ravage him. He looked so primed, so ready for something. His strong jaw was clenched and his blue eyes were filled with a steely determination.
He took a deep breath and swallowed back his fear and his pride. "I love you, Chloe."
"What," she said quickly, feeling as if the wind had been knocked out of her.
"I love you." He released his finger on the button. "I'm in love with you."
Chloe couldn't speak, couldn't breathe. He couldn't be. But he just said he was. They stood there staring at each other, Brady wondering what the hell was going through Chloe's mind and Chloe wondering if her heart beat any faster or harder, would it fly out of her chest? She looked down at her feet and smiled slightly, overwhelmed.
Quietly, the elevator doors closed, leaving Brady alone in the elevator, and he released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He just told Chloe he loved her. He finally said it. Granted, he didn't get the reaction he hoped for. But he didn't get the reaction he was dreading either. He half expected Chloe to drop kick him in the face, spit in his ear and ground the heel of her shoe into his chest but she did no such thing. And maybe he hadn't seen right, but he could have sworn he detected a small smile gracing her lips as the elevator doors closed. Before he realized what he was doing, he found himself laughing madly in the elevator; incredibly relieved he had gotten that off of his chest. Oh he was giddy. Screw Philip. He was going after Chloe. He was going to get her to fall for him. "Love," he sang to himself. "Exciting and new." he happily sang the theme to "Love Boat" all the way up the forty floors to his office, suddenly refreshed and happy to work the rest of the day.
**********************
Chloe's feet moved so that she was already on her way back to 'The Sweet Bar' but her mind and her heart were still in front of that elevator where Brady had confessed his love. She hadn't said anything. Why hadn't she said anything? She was scared. She was shocked. She was overwhelmed with happiness. Something glinting in her purse caught her eye. "What's this," she murmured, pulling out the small object. "My ring," she sighed. Somehow Brady had snuck this back into her possession and she couldn't be happier. 'So what happens now?' Chloe thought to herself.