I disclaim! I am sooooooo sorry I haven't updated but school started this
passed Monday and you know how it is. LOL Thank God, this semester all my
classes are online. (Phew) Ehhhh is all I can say about this chapter. So
sorry. And LOL @ Sue. There's no way I could make this fic go on for 100
chapters but thanks LOL
Chapter 14: Get Me To The Pub On Time!
Chloe gulped down the rest of her orange juice and jogged out of the door. She was already late for her shopping date with Belle. A few winks had turned into a few hours. And now it was half past twelve and time to get her ass in gear.
********************
*Basic Black*
"Yeah well son, I mean it's not the best looking dog I've ever seen. Don't expect him to win any awards but he is darn cute," John Black sat on the floor in his office, rubbing Fred's stomach. "Kinda grows on ya. Kinda like you."
"Ha, ha, old man." Brady, sitting across from him, grinned. "He's a good dog. I mean I've always wanted one. Don't know why I never got one before."
"So, uh, not that I don't love you being here but what are you doing here kid? Christmas's not for another ten days."
"Can't I visit my family without having some ulterior motive?"
John merely raised his trademark eyebrow and began scratching a snoring Fred behind the ears.
Brady sighed. "Okay, okay. Look, I kinda sorta called Chloe last night."
"You called Chloe?" John giggled like a schoolboy. "Well come on. Tell me. How'd it go?"
"It went as good as can be expected, considering she didn't answer the phone and I left a completely juvenile, ridiculous message."
"You left a message? What'd you say? Did she call you back?"
"Okay, first of all, calm down. You acting like a giggling teenage girl is kind of creeping me out."
"Ouch," John chuckled.
Brady joined him in laughter. "Secondly, I don't remember what I said and whatever it was must not have been very good because she didn't call me back."
"Well, what'd you say son?"
"I told her I had a meeting scheduled for today in Salem. Of course, I have no meeting but I had to make up SOME excuse for coming to town. Didn't want her to think I was coming here just for her."
John shook his head, smiling. "My son playing head games with a woman. Will wonders never cease?"
"And well, I asked her to meet me at the Brady Pub at two o'clock if she was off work. And if she was working, I'd drop by the hospital."
"Well, she and Belle had a shopping date this morning. So I believe she is off for the day."
"Oh really?" Brady frowned, looking at his watch, wondering why Chloe hadn't called to confirm a date. Maybe it was too late. Maybe she'd already moved on with her life.
"Yeah, but don't let that worry you son. She'll probably call you first chance she gets. You know how selfish your sister is. Probably tying up Chloe's day."
Brady gave his father a small smile. "I have more news for you. Nothing too big or anything. Just made a life decision." He played with the hem of his red shirt.
"Oh yeah? What'd you decide?"
Brady swallowed. "I put in my transfer for the Salem PD."
"You what? Why?"
"Well, Jesus dad, if I'd have known you'd be so happy, I would've done it sooner," Brady bit out sarcastically.
"Brady, I'm not upset. I'm just. . . confused. Of course I'm happy you're coming home. Why wouldn't I be? I just want to know what brought about this change?" 'Or who,' John thought to himself.
"I just. . ." he sighed. "I've just been thinking about my life lately. I wanted to be closer to family and being back here in Salem feels right. Like it was meant to be. And of course, Chloe may have had a little to do with it." He looked at the knowing plastered on John's face. "Okay a lot." He paused, looking for the right words. "I just know what it feels like now when your priorities change and how to deal with them when they do, you know?"
"Yeah, I know." John nodded. "You're growing up. Took you long enough," he joked.
Brady chuckled. "Yeah, yeah." He sobered. "Like I said I've been thinking about my life a lot recently, about what I've been afraid of all these years. What I discovered was that I was afraid of getting too close to someone. And Chloe told me that you know but I just didn't want to hear it at the time. I was afraid of loving her and losing her like. . ." he trailed off.
"Like your mother," John finished grimly and Brady nodded.
"Like my mother."
"Brady, when I first met your mother I knew that what was between us couldn't be denied. We were best friends. . . lovers. We were everything to each other. . . meant to be. If, back then, I'd have known she was going to leave us so soon, I'd still have married her and she me. We'd still have you and we'd have enjoyed every second we had each other on this Earth. And you know something? We did. Do you understand what I mean, son? Do you understand that nothing is guaranteed in this life but that you have to make the most of what you do have when you have it? Life is so much sweeter that way."
Brady nodded, touched. "I understand. You know I look at my life now and I try to imagine it without Chloe and I just can't. At first that thought made me want to push her away. Dump her before she can dump me sort of thing. But now I see how foolish I've been and how much precious time I've wasted."
John smiled. "You really care about this woman, don't you?"
"Dad, I love her, with everything in me. I've never loved anyone more." **************
*Ballistix*
Chloe ran her hands along the black silk teddy. "This is beautiful," she murmured to herself.
Belle peaked over her friend's shoulder. "Well, then buy it."
"But. . ." Chloe sighed.
"But nothing."
"You're right, Belle. I'm going to get it. Nothing would have stopped me from getting it before Brady Black and nothing's going to stop me now."
"Good girl."
*****************
Brady stepped into the Pub. It was one o' clock. One hour and counting. He still hadn't heard from Chloe but he figured if she still wanted him and loved him she would be here. If she truly felt half of what he felt for her, she would be here. She had to be. Knowing she still had an hour to get here before he considered himself stood up, he took a seat in a booth and grabbed a menu, tying Fred's leash to the table leg.
"Brady Black! Is that you?"
Brady turned to see Caroline Brady smiling, making her way over to him. "Mrs. Brady, how've you been?"
"Get over here," she pulled him into a hug when she heard a growling down at her feet. "And who's this little guy?"
"That is Fred. Hope it's okay I brought him in here."
"Any family of yours is family of mine," she grinned, untying the leash from the table and gathering the dog in her arms. "When's the last time this guy's eaten?"
"Oh who knows," Brady chuckled. "We just drove in from Chicago this morning."
"Okay, well how about two Brady burgers and a side of fries for the each of you?"
"That sounds great. But hold the onions on Fred's burger. I read something about onions and loss of red blood cells in dogs or something this morning in the paper."
"Okay," she grinned, handing the dog back to Brady who seated Fred next to him.
"Thanks, Mrs. Brady."
"It's nothing, Brady."
Waiting for the food to return and waiting for Chloe, he listened to 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas' playing through the speakers and smiled. If everything worked out right, he was sure he'd have a merry little Christmas indeed.
*****************
Chloe sighed as she plopped down in her seat at the Java Café. "Oh boy, what a day."
"Aww. . . you loved it," Belle grinned, taking the seat across from her.
"I did," Chloe confessed, getting comfy in her chair and sifting through her bags.
"Good. Shopping is a girl's best friend, you know? Better than diamonds!"
"Better than a hot shower," Chloe smiled.
"Better than chocolate!"
"Better than sex!" Chloe giggled.
"I don't know about that," Belle murmured.
"Well, it's been so long on both counts, my memory's kind of foggy."
Belle laughed. "I see. So. . . uh. . . you and Brady never. . ."
"No," Chloe shifted uncomfortably.
"Oh." Belle left it at that. "Oh look, there's Philip."
"Greeeeeeat," Chloe muttered.
****************
Brady slurped down the last of his chocolate shake. It was four o' clock. Chloe was an hour late. Part of Brady knew he'd been royally stood up. The other part of him reasoned something could be keeping her so he should just sit tight. So he'd gone through two Brady burgers, four colas, four sides of fries, and two chocolate shakes. Well, three now.
Brady looked over at his canine friend. About an hour ago, Mrs. Brady thought it'd be cute if she dressed Fred up in a baby bonnet and bib and place him in a highchair and so she did. Fred looked absolutely ridiculous. "Fred, you look absolutely ridiculous." Brady deadpanned, to which the dog merely snorted and turned away from him. "Well, what do you think Fred? Have we officially been stood up?"
****************
"Yes!" Philip exclaimed, raising his hands in the air for dramatic effect. "Yes, oh yeah baby. Whip me! Whip me ragged!"
Belle laughed a little too hard for it to really be sincere Chloe realized, so she too put her best face forward. "And did it work?"
"Well, yeah, I mean, pretending that the cream had a voice really helped me whip it properly. And the cake turned out wonderfully. Best cooking class I've ever had."
Belle finished off her coffee. "That's great, Philip. You know what? I just realized I meant to call Shawn so I'll be right back," she hurried from the table. If she had to listen to one more of Philip's stories about life in Los Angeles, she was going to kill someone.
Chloe almost cried as she watched Belle make an excuse to leave the table. Damn her! Chloe nodded and smiled and pretended to listen to another one of Philip's incredibly boring, freakishly weird stories about life in L.A.
Brady was pissed, to say the least, as he walked through Salem Place. He'd had it with love. Though there was no one to blame but himself really. If he hadn't been such a coward, he and Chloe would've gotten together weeks ago. "What have I done, Fred?" He looked down at his dog, still in bib and bonnet, who attempted to lift his leg and urinate on one of the trashcans that lined the walkway.
"Oh no," Brady scolded. "We'll have none of that." He lifted the dog into his arms and headed to the Java Café. All that food at the Brady Pub had given him a colossal stomachache. A nice hot cup of peppermint tea would do the trick. "Shit," he sighed when he realized he'd gotten that advice from Chloe. "Fred, what am I going to do? I lost the love of my life before I even got a chance to really love her. Tragic, isn't it?" Fred only snorted and shifted in annoyance in Brady's arms. And that's when Brady spotted them: Philip and Chloe over at the Java Café, looking pretty damn cozy if he didn't say so himself. "Too damn cozy," Brady gritted out. For a second he contemplated just walking away, admitting defeat. But as quickly as that thought occurred, it passed. So, with a fidgety Fred in one arm and a balled up fist in the other, he made his way across the street in a direct beeline for Chloe and Philip's cozy little table.
"So yeah," Philip exclaimed, smiling that fucking dimpled grin. "And. . ." he trailed off when he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. "Is that Brady coming over here?"
"What!?" Chloe choked out and followed Philip's gaze. Sure enough, Brady was walking directly towards their table, his face a mask of stone. And apparently he was holding some kind of doll? It was until he was at their table that she realized the doll was a bulldog puppy complete with bib and bonnet. "What the hell?" Chloe murmured.
"Philip. . . Chloe," Brady murmured, never taking his eyes off of her the minute he spotted her from across the street. "I see you've been busy."
"What?" Chloe choked out again, eyes wide. What the hell was Brady doing in Salem? Why didn't he tell her he was coming to town? And why the hell did he look so damn angry? Sexy as hell but angry?
He laughed maniacally. "Oh ho ho, like you don't know why I'm. . . disappointed."
"I don't."
"Oh let's see I call you last night and leave a preposterous message. You know I suck at leaving messages. And you don't even have the decency to call me back. And yes, I admit, I was waiting by the phone. But never again. Oh, and then I wait for you at the Brady Pub too, part of me still believing that you love me as much as I love you. I ate two Brady burgers. Two! I hate Brady burgers! I like Burger Barn but I. . ." he rattled on.
Chloe felt her face flush with the excitement of seeing him again after all this time. Even if he was upset, for whatever reason, he looked damn good. His lips, though flapping away in the breeze, seemed fuller than she'd remembered and his eyes seemed exceptionally blue today. And his cheeks were really rosy from the cold. And his hair was kind of windswept and was doing that dorky cowlick thing Chloe loved so much.
"And I hate that," he finished. "Well?" Brady stood defiantly, holding the dog in one hand, the other on his hip, breathing harshly.
"Well, what?" Chloe looked at him, confused.
"Well, what do you have to say for yourself Miss Lane?"
"I'm. . ." Chloe trailed off looking for the right words because she honestly didn't know what the hell he'd been babbling about. "Sorry?"
"That it huh?" Brady shook his head in amazement. "You sure are a piece of work. Well, I hope you'll be very happy with Philip, Mata Hari. Come on, Fred." He angrily strode away, leaving a clueless Chloe and an even more befuddled Philip behind.
Chloe's brow furrowed. "Did that just happen?"
"Um yeah. Your name's Chloe right?"
"Ugh, yes Philip."
"Well, who's Mata Hari?"
"Wha- Oh my God, he thinks we- Ugh. Oh God." She buried her face in her hands.
Belle arrived back at the table, her face the picture of puzzlement. "Chloe, was that my brother?"
"Yes."
"What the hell was he doing here?"
"I don't know but he thinks Philip and I. . .Ughhhhhh!"
"But Philip's gay," Belle said matter-of-factly.
"Brady doesn't know that!"
"That still amazes me," Philip grinned.
"Oh God. Oh God."
"Well, Chloe, what did he say?"
"Before he called me Mata Hari and accused me of sleeping with Philip? Well, let's see something about leaving a message and burgers and being stood up and him obviously loving me more than I do him. I don't know really. He was acting really weird."
"He admitted he loved you?"
Chloe nodded, slowly coming to a realization. "He admitted he loved me. He admitted. . .oh my God. Ahhh," she screamed. "Belle! He loves me! And I love him and woooo!"
The two proceeded to jump up and down, screaming, ignoring the shocked faces of the patrons that passed them. Feeling a little left out, Philip joined the two women in jumping up and down and screaming in wild excitement.
"I've got to do something. I've got to go get him!" Chloe fumbled for her bags.
Belle giggled in anticipation. "Kiss him for me. Well, you know what I mean. A brother-sister type of kiss," she finished quickly.
"Belle, when I kiss your brother, there will be nothing sisterly about it," she bolted from the table, shopping bags in hand, frantically searching for the man who'd stolen her heart.
TBC. . . Thanks for reading!
Chapter 14: Get Me To The Pub On Time!
Chloe gulped down the rest of her orange juice and jogged out of the door. She was already late for her shopping date with Belle. A few winks had turned into a few hours. And now it was half past twelve and time to get her ass in gear.
********************
*Basic Black*
"Yeah well son, I mean it's not the best looking dog I've ever seen. Don't expect him to win any awards but he is darn cute," John Black sat on the floor in his office, rubbing Fred's stomach. "Kinda grows on ya. Kinda like you."
"Ha, ha, old man." Brady, sitting across from him, grinned. "He's a good dog. I mean I've always wanted one. Don't know why I never got one before."
"So, uh, not that I don't love you being here but what are you doing here kid? Christmas's not for another ten days."
"Can't I visit my family without having some ulterior motive?"
John merely raised his trademark eyebrow and began scratching a snoring Fred behind the ears.
Brady sighed. "Okay, okay. Look, I kinda sorta called Chloe last night."
"You called Chloe?" John giggled like a schoolboy. "Well come on. Tell me. How'd it go?"
"It went as good as can be expected, considering she didn't answer the phone and I left a completely juvenile, ridiculous message."
"You left a message? What'd you say? Did she call you back?"
"Okay, first of all, calm down. You acting like a giggling teenage girl is kind of creeping me out."
"Ouch," John chuckled.
Brady joined him in laughter. "Secondly, I don't remember what I said and whatever it was must not have been very good because she didn't call me back."
"Well, what'd you say son?"
"I told her I had a meeting scheduled for today in Salem. Of course, I have no meeting but I had to make up SOME excuse for coming to town. Didn't want her to think I was coming here just for her."
John shook his head, smiling. "My son playing head games with a woman. Will wonders never cease?"
"And well, I asked her to meet me at the Brady Pub at two o'clock if she was off work. And if she was working, I'd drop by the hospital."
"Well, she and Belle had a shopping date this morning. So I believe she is off for the day."
"Oh really?" Brady frowned, looking at his watch, wondering why Chloe hadn't called to confirm a date. Maybe it was too late. Maybe she'd already moved on with her life.
"Yeah, but don't let that worry you son. She'll probably call you first chance she gets. You know how selfish your sister is. Probably tying up Chloe's day."
Brady gave his father a small smile. "I have more news for you. Nothing too big or anything. Just made a life decision." He played with the hem of his red shirt.
"Oh yeah? What'd you decide?"
Brady swallowed. "I put in my transfer for the Salem PD."
"You what? Why?"
"Well, Jesus dad, if I'd have known you'd be so happy, I would've done it sooner," Brady bit out sarcastically.
"Brady, I'm not upset. I'm just. . . confused. Of course I'm happy you're coming home. Why wouldn't I be? I just want to know what brought about this change?" 'Or who,' John thought to himself.
"I just. . ." he sighed. "I've just been thinking about my life lately. I wanted to be closer to family and being back here in Salem feels right. Like it was meant to be. And of course, Chloe may have had a little to do with it." He looked at the knowing plastered on John's face. "Okay a lot." He paused, looking for the right words. "I just know what it feels like now when your priorities change and how to deal with them when they do, you know?"
"Yeah, I know." John nodded. "You're growing up. Took you long enough," he joked.
Brady chuckled. "Yeah, yeah." He sobered. "Like I said I've been thinking about my life a lot recently, about what I've been afraid of all these years. What I discovered was that I was afraid of getting too close to someone. And Chloe told me that you know but I just didn't want to hear it at the time. I was afraid of loving her and losing her like. . ." he trailed off.
"Like your mother," John finished grimly and Brady nodded.
"Like my mother."
"Brady, when I first met your mother I knew that what was between us couldn't be denied. We were best friends. . . lovers. We were everything to each other. . . meant to be. If, back then, I'd have known she was going to leave us so soon, I'd still have married her and she me. We'd still have you and we'd have enjoyed every second we had each other on this Earth. And you know something? We did. Do you understand what I mean, son? Do you understand that nothing is guaranteed in this life but that you have to make the most of what you do have when you have it? Life is so much sweeter that way."
Brady nodded, touched. "I understand. You know I look at my life now and I try to imagine it without Chloe and I just can't. At first that thought made me want to push her away. Dump her before she can dump me sort of thing. But now I see how foolish I've been and how much precious time I've wasted."
John smiled. "You really care about this woman, don't you?"
"Dad, I love her, with everything in me. I've never loved anyone more." **************
*Ballistix*
Chloe ran her hands along the black silk teddy. "This is beautiful," she murmured to herself.
Belle peaked over her friend's shoulder. "Well, then buy it."
"But. . ." Chloe sighed.
"But nothing."
"You're right, Belle. I'm going to get it. Nothing would have stopped me from getting it before Brady Black and nothing's going to stop me now."
"Good girl."
*****************
Brady stepped into the Pub. It was one o' clock. One hour and counting. He still hadn't heard from Chloe but he figured if she still wanted him and loved him she would be here. If she truly felt half of what he felt for her, she would be here. She had to be. Knowing she still had an hour to get here before he considered himself stood up, he took a seat in a booth and grabbed a menu, tying Fred's leash to the table leg.
"Brady Black! Is that you?"
Brady turned to see Caroline Brady smiling, making her way over to him. "Mrs. Brady, how've you been?"
"Get over here," she pulled him into a hug when she heard a growling down at her feet. "And who's this little guy?"
"That is Fred. Hope it's okay I brought him in here."
"Any family of yours is family of mine," she grinned, untying the leash from the table and gathering the dog in her arms. "When's the last time this guy's eaten?"
"Oh who knows," Brady chuckled. "We just drove in from Chicago this morning."
"Okay, well how about two Brady burgers and a side of fries for the each of you?"
"That sounds great. But hold the onions on Fred's burger. I read something about onions and loss of red blood cells in dogs or something this morning in the paper."
"Okay," she grinned, handing the dog back to Brady who seated Fred next to him.
"Thanks, Mrs. Brady."
"It's nothing, Brady."
Waiting for the food to return and waiting for Chloe, he listened to 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas' playing through the speakers and smiled. If everything worked out right, he was sure he'd have a merry little Christmas indeed.
*****************
Chloe sighed as she plopped down in her seat at the Java Café. "Oh boy, what a day."
"Aww. . . you loved it," Belle grinned, taking the seat across from her.
"I did," Chloe confessed, getting comfy in her chair and sifting through her bags.
"Good. Shopping is a girl's best friend, you know? Better than diamonds!"
"Better than a hot shower," Chloe smiled.
"Better than chocolate!"
"Better than sex!" Chloe giggled.
"I don't know about that," Belle murmured.
"Well, it's been so long on both counts, my memory's kind of foggy."
Belle laughed. "I see. So. . . uh. . . you and Brady never. . ."
"No," Chloe shifted uncomfortably.
"Oh." Belle left it at that. "Oh look, there's Philip."
"Greeeeeeat," Chloe muttered.
****************
Brady slurped down the last of his chocolate shake. It was four o' clock. Chloe was an hour late. Part of Brady knew he'd been royally stood up. The other part of him reasoned something could be keeping her so he should just sit tight. So he'd gone through two Brady burgers, four colas, four sides of fries, and two chocolate shakes. Well, three now.
Brady looked over at his canine friend. About an hour ago, Mrs. Brady thought it'd be cute if she dressed Fred up in a baby bonnet and bib and place him in a highchair and so she did. Fred looked absolutely ridiculous. "Fred, you look absolutely ridiculous." Brady deadpanned, to which the dog merely snorted and turned away from him. "Well, what do you think Fred? Have we officially been stood up?"
****************
"Yes!" Philip exclaimed, raising his hands in the air for dramatic effect. "Yes, oh yeah baby. Whip me! Whip me ragged!"
Belle laughed a little too hard for it to really be sincere Chloe realized, so she too put her best face forward. "And did it work?"
"Well, yeah, I mean, pretending that the cream had a voice really helped me whip it properly. And the cake turned out wonderfully. Best cooking class I've ever had."
Belle finished off her coffee. "That's great, Philip. You know what? I just realized I meant to call Shawn so I'll be right back," she hurried from the table. If she had to listen to one more of Philip's stories about life in Los Angeles, she was going to kill someone.
Chloe almost cried as she watched Belle make an excuse to leave the table. Damn her! Chloe nodded and smiled and pretended to listen to another one of Philip's incredibly boring, freakishly weird stories about life in L.A.
Brady was pissed, to say the least, as he walked through Salem Place. He'd had it with love. Though there was no one to blame but himself really. If he hadn't been such a coward, he and Chloe would've gotten together weeks ago. "What have I done, Fred?" He looked down at his dog, still in bib and bonnet, who attempted to lift his leg and urinate on one of the trashcans that lined the walkway.
"Oh no," Brady scolded. "We'll have none of that." He lifted the dog into his arms and headed to the Java Café. All that food at the Brady Pub had given him a colossal stomachache. A nice hot cup of peppermint tea would do the trick. "Shit," he sighed when he realized he'd gotten that advice from Chloe. "Fred, what am I going to do? I lost the love of my life before I even got a chance to really love her. Tragic, isn't it?" Fred only snorted and shifted in annoyance in Brady's arms. And that's when Brady spotted them: Philip and Chloe over at the Java Café, looking pretty damn cozy if he didn't say so himself. "Too damn cozy," Brady gritted out. For a second he contemplated just walking away, admitting defeat. But as quickly as that thought occurred, it passed. So, with a fidgety Fred in one arm and a balled up fist in the other, he made his way across the street in a direct beeline for Chloe and Philip's cozy little table.
"So yeah," Philip exclaimed, smiling that fucking dimpled grin. "And. . ." he trailed off when he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. "Is that Brady coming over here?"
"What!?" Chloe choked out and followed Philip's gaze. Sure enough, Brady was walking directly towards their table, his face a mask of stone. And apparently he was holding some kind of doll? It was until he was at their table that she realized the doll was a bulldog puppy complete with bib and bonnet. "What the hell?" Chloe murmured.
"Philip. . . Chloe," Brady murmured, never taking his eyes off of her the minute he spotted her from across the street. "I see you've been busy."
"What?" Chloe choked out again, eyes wide. What the hell was Brady doing in Salem? Why didn't he tell her he was coming to town? And why the hell did he look so damn angry? Sexy as hell but angry?
He laughed maniacally. "Oh ho ho, like you don't know why I'm. . . disappointed."
"I don't."
"Oh let's see I call you last night and leave a preposterous message. You know I suck at leaving messages. And you don't even have the decency to call me back. And yes, I admit, I was waiting by the phone. But never again. Oh, and then I wait for you at the Brady Pub too, part of me still believing that you love me as much as I love you. I ate two Brady burgers. Two! I hate Brady burgers! I like Burger Barn but I. . ." he rattled on.
Chloe felt her face flush with the excitement of seeing him again after all this time. Even if he was upset, for whatever reason, he looked damn good. His lips, though flapping away in the breeze, seemed fuller than she'd remembered and his eyes seemed exceptionally blue today. And his cheeks were really rosy from the cold. And his hair was kind of windswept and was doing that dorky cowlick thing Chloe loved so much.
"And I hate that," he finished. "Well?" Brady stood defiantly, holding the dog in one hand, the other on his hip, breathing harshly.
"Well, what?" Chloe looked at him, confused.
"Well, what do you have to say for yourself Miss Lane?"
"I'm. . ." Chloe trailed off looking for the right words because she honestly didn't know what the hell he'd been babbling about. "Sorry?"
"That it huh?" Brady shook his head in amazement. "You sure are a piece of work. Well, I hope you'll be very happy with Philip, Mata Hari. Come on, Fred." He angrily strode away, leaving a clueless Chloe and an even more befuddled Philip behind.
Chloe's brow furrowed. "Did that just happen?"
"Um yeah. Your name's Chloe right?"
"Ugh, yes Philip."
"Well, who's Mata Hari?"
"Wha- Oh my God, he thinks we- Ugh. Oh God." She buried her face in her hands.
Belle arrived back at the table, her face the picture of puzzlement. "Chloe, was that my brother?"
"Yes."
"What the hell was he doing here?"
"I don't know but he thinks Philip and I. . .Ughhhhhh!"
"But Philip's gay," Belle said matter-of-factly.
"Brady doesn't know that!"
"That still amazes me," Philip grinned.
"Oh God. Oh God."
"Well, Chloe, what did he say?"
"Before he called me Mata Hari and accused me of sleeping with Philip? Well, let's see something about leaving a message and burgers and being stood up and him obviously loving me more than I do him. I don't know really. He was acting really weird."
"He admitted he loved you?"
Chloe nodded, slowly coming to a realization. "He admitted he loved me. He admitted. . .oh my God. Ahhh," she screamed. "Belle! He loves me! And I love him and woooo!"
The two proceeded to jump up and down, screaming, ignoring the shocked faces of the patrons that passed them. Feeling a little left out, Philip joined the two women in jumping up and down and screaming in wild excitement.
"I've got to do something. I've got to go get him!" Chloe fumbled for her bags.
Belle giggled in anticipation. "Kiss him for me. Well, you know what I mean. A brother-sister type of kiss," she finished quickly.
"Belle, when I kiss your brother, there will be nothing sisterly about it," she bolted from the table, shopping bags in hand, frantically searching for the man who'd stolen her heart.
TBC. . . Thanks for reading!