A/N: Took long enough, but at least it's finished! We'll call it Christmas in August :)
Chloe awoke to the smell of coffee again the next morning. A glance at the clock showed it was almost nine, which meant Oliver had likely already been to the gym. Nervous energy surged through her as she washed her face and ran a brush through her hair. The waves she'd so carefully fashioned the night before were still intact, so she spent a few minutes applying makeup before dressing in jeans and a dark green sweater.
She found Oliver in the living room watching the news.
"Good morning."
He turned and smiled at her. "Hey."
The scene struck her as surreal. She never would have imagined spending Christmas with Oliver in the Presidential suite at the Waldorf, and everything about it – from the snow now falling gently outside to the Christmas tree in the corner – still held a dream-like quality.
Chloe suddenly felt awkward standing there in the doorway, so she said, "I'm just going to get some coffee."
In the kitchen she found her cup beside the coffee maker and filled it with the Italian roast that she preferred, surprised that Oliver had remembered. She was getting the cream out of the fridge when she heard him behind her. Nerves erupted in her stomach, which was silly when everything had been fine the night before. The light of day made the previous evening seem distant, though, and it left her wondering how they would move forward.
When she turned around, she was startled to find him far closer than she'd realized.
Oliver took the cream from her hands and set it on the counter. "You seem nervous this morning."
"I'm not nervous."
He raised his brows. "Weirdly on edge, then."
Chloe took a breath and let it out slowly. "Last night was very different for us."
"It was," he agreed. He reached out and took one of her hands. "Personally, I thought it was a very, very good kind of different."
"The Midnight Mistletoe Experiment," she said with a smile.
"Well, we could always try again. We can call it the Morning Kitchen Experiment." He pulled her a little closer.
Standing on her toes, she met him halfway as his lips found hers. He teased her with soft kisses before wrapping his arms around her and kissing her in earnest. It only took seconds for her knees to give out, and she gripped the front of his t-shirt tightly to anchor herself.
He pulled back but held onto her. "So, what do you think?"
Her brain struggled to keep up. "Hmm?"
"About our little experiment." Oliver locked his fingers together at the small of her back as he grinned down at her.
"It's still unexpected, I guess." Chloe studied him for a moment. "Not so much for you, though."
"I've had a lot longer to think about it," he admitted. "I saw an opportunity this week to test the waters, and I took it."
She'd realized the day before that he seemed much more certain than she did that they'd be able to make this work. In retrospect, it shouldn't surprise her that he had thought about it before this week, but it did.
"Exactly how long have you been thinking about it?" she asked.
"Months," he replied.
"Months," she repeated, genuinely shocked by his admission. She thought back to every interaction she'd had with him in the last year before settling on the night she'd come to his aid in the alley near Isis. "That night at Isis you were acting a little weird, but I thought you were just being… protective, I guess."
"Yeah, this?" He motioned between them. "It hit me like a sledgehammer that night, completely out of the blue and more than a little inappropriate, all things considered."
Things like Jimmy, she realized, though he didn't say it. Add in Lois, Clark, and potential team complications, and she couldn't blame him for leaving as fast as he could that night. "I never would have guessed."
"I didn't want you to."
"Why not pursue it after you heard that Jimmy and I were done?"
Motioning for her to grab her coffee, he led her into the living room. After they settled on the sofa, he reached for her hand again.
Watching him play with her fingers so gently, like he was learning the shape of her hand and all the ways it could fit with his, was so distracting that she had to force her attention back to him as he started speaking.
"After that night, I spent months telling myself all the reasons why it was a bad idea and why it probably wouldn't work. And maybe I even believed it a little, but the truth is that you snuck in under my radar and once you were there? It wasn't so easy to forget about you. When I heard about the engagement, I told myself it was time to get over it. Then I met Lois for lunch and she told me you and Jimmy had called it quits, for good."
"You never said anything about it when we talked after that," she pointed out, though she couldn't help remembering the beautiful flowers he'd sent her after she broke her big story. She'd been surprised to receive them, and pleased, but if someone had told her then that he had romantic feelings for her, she would have dismissed the idea.
"I couldn't exactly do it over the phone or by email. Besides, I didn't want to be a rebound, and I needed to think it through. I couldn't afford to make a mistake. Not with you."
"I had no idea," she said quietly.
"I know. I thought maybe when I approached you about being more involved with the team, and moving in to the new Watchtower, that it would be a good segue. Then fate stepped in."
She smiled. "Fate, huh?"
"I like to think so," he replied with a grin.
She supposed it was fate. It all seemed so easy sitting here in a fancy hotel suite, practically cut off from the world outside. Eventually, though, the storm would subside – she could already tell a difference in the weather this morning. The airports would open, and they would go their separate ways. She'd go to Raleigh and then back to Metropolis. Oliver might go to Metropolis for a while, but it wasn't his permanent residence.
"What are you thinking about?"
Chloe met his eyes and offered a half smile. "Logistics."
"Ah. Ever the pragmatist," he said. "I'm making the move to Metropolis permanent, if that helps."
"Really?" That surprised her.
"I need to oversee the renovations on our new headquarters and truthfully, the Star City office runs pretty well in my absence. The Metropolis office could use more of my attention." Oliver reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear. "And you know, I'm hoping a certain blonde reporter might want some of my attention as well."
"You really have given this some thought." She was playing catch-up and felt off kilter as a result. Two days ago, she'd been decidedly single; now she wasn't sure what she was.
"Yeah, I have." He squeezed her hand. "Tell you what. Why don't we go down and have breakfast, and I'll tell you my plan to help Meg and her kids."
The change of topic intrigued her, and she was grateful that the focus was off of them for the moment. But a bigger part than she'd admit to was happy that he held her hand on the way down to the restaurant.
Over breakfast, Oliver outlined his plan. "You know that the Star City branch of Queen Industries has been offering more employment opportunities to the general public. Based on aptitude tests, we offer specific training programs and then permanent employment to those who excel. It's entry level in a handful of departments, but if they want to continue their education later, we have programs to help with that as well."
"And you're going to implement a similar program in Metropolis? Oliver, that's amazing."
"It's an investment. There's a lot more turnover in the business world these days. Offering training and self-improvement opportunities means you're a step above the competition. We also opened an on-site healthcare clinic and a daycare in Star City last year, and we saw a significant reduction in hours lost to sick and personal days. Emil has been overseeing the Metropolis branch's clinic. It will open at the beginning of the year, and the daycare should be open by mid-January. Between that and the training programs beginning, it'll be a busy start to the year."
"This is the perfect opportunity for Meg," Chloe said. "But you saw her – she's very on edge and in a fragile state. Making that leap might be hard for her."
"I think the best thing would be to convince her to come with us when we leave. If she needs legal help with her marriage, my lawyers can step in. She could stay in one of the apartments I keep for visiting executives and investors until she has the time and money to find something more permanent. They're not used much in the winter months anyway."
"When do you think the airports will be open?"
"The storm is dying down. If it stops snowing this evening, they'll have the streets cleared and airports open tomorrow."
That was fast. "Maybe we could go to the shelter tomorrow and make plans to fly out the next day?" She bit her lip. "I still need to go to Raleigh though. If I don't go now, I won't have another opportunity for months."
"If you can convince her to come with us, we'll stop in Raleigh and then continue on to Metropolis. I can talk to my assistant, and we'll get her and the kids settled in with everything they need until she starts work."
It was a risk. The training program might not work out for Meg, but she knew Oliver well enough to know that he would find some other way to help her settle in if that was the case. "Okay. If we're able to go to the shelter tomorrow, I'll talk to her. I was also thinking the kids might enjoy decorating cookies? It means we'd have to bake some more this afternoon, but it would be fun for them."
"I might be convinced to help with that," he said. "I asked the manager for some board games too, if you want to give that a shot."
When he stood and held out his hand, she took it without hesitation.
Oliver couldn't remember a holiday since his parents' death when he'd felt so content. Being with Chloe was even better than he'd imagined during the few times he'd allowed his imagination to wander in that direction. He felt comfortable with her, and they were having fun. They'd mixed more cookie dough around noon, and they'd split their time between baking and board games in the afternoon.
He couldn't seem to stop watching her. She moved around the kitchen in a busy, purposeful way, measuring ingredients with scientific precision and carefully checking her recipe notes along the way. When they set up the first board game, he realized she was just as competitive as he was and quite determined to win.
She was so pretty. He thought he could probably spend hours memorizing her, from the curve of her cheek to the way she laughed. He'd noticed her big green eyes the day they met, but now the myriad of shades fascinated him.
And every time he touched her, the resulting spark shot through him like lightning. He wanted her. God, did he want her, so much that it was a physical ache.
Don't push, he told himself. Remember that you're playing the long game here. Patience wasn't his strong suit, but she was worth the wait.
Chloe was definitely open to the possibilities, but he knew he'd thrown a lot at her in a short amount of time. Based on what Lois had said, he assumed Jimmy's proposal had been impulsive, and Chloe had been equally impulsive in saying yes. It made sense that she would want to take some time to process this change in their relationship.
When all of their cookies cooled, Chloe packed them away in containers and he helped her clean up the kitchen.
"Do you want to go down for dinner or order in?" he asked.
She dried her hands on a towel and leaned back against the counter. "I thought maybe we could order in and watch movies."
He wanted as much time alone with her as he could get, so he was glad that she wanted to stay in. "Sounds perfect."
Despite the formal setting, dinner was a casual affair. Just as they had in the restaurant downstairs, they sat closely together as they talked and shared food.
There was something about sharing a meal with a man to whom you were attracted that turned it into a sensual experience, perhaps because all of your senses were simultaneously heightened. Oliver's scent lingered each time he leaned towards her; when he fed her a bite from his fork, she swore it tasted better. She felt flushed and aware of her own body on another level, and his too.
His hands were a particular distraction since she now imagined how they'd feel on her. She knew he was just as affected because whenever his eyes weren't on the food, they were on her. The way he was looking at her – hot, and totally focused – was having more of an effect on her than any element of foreplay ever had.
By the time the room service waiter arrived to clear away the remnants of their meal, Chloe was shaking. She wondered if her reaction was because she was just that love starved or because Oliver was just that good at seduction, with some still-rational part of her brain acknowledging it was probably both.
That said, he was very, very good at it. She supposed she'd been in a form of emotional hibernation since her breakup with Jimmy, and probably even before that. They had settled into such a comfortable routine that passion had long vacated their relationship even before they ended it. She'd tucked away all of her feminine urges and desires, and it had been far too long since she'd been close to someone like this.
And every one of those urges roared to life every time Oliver came within feet of her, as if to remind her that this long-buried part of her was wide awake now and feeling cheated each time it went nowhere. Clearly, a very libidinous part of her wasn't pleased to be all worked up for nothing.
Needing a moment to cool down, she walked over to the window as the room service waiter was finishing up. She leaned her head against the cool glass and closed her eyes. She couldn't hear the wind anymore and when she opened her eyes and stared out at the city, she saw that it had stopped snowing.
This magical time with Oliver was coming to an end, soon to be replaced by their equally hectic schedules. They'd both have to make an effort to find time for one another. That was part of what had caused her relationship with Jimmy to fizzle out, though at least she and Oliver would be working together on a number of projects. They also wouldn't be hiding secrets from each other.
It could work. Chloe allowed herself a moment to picture it – after a busy day at the Planet, she could meet Oliver at his apartment. They'd have dinner together, maybe discuss team issues. If she ran across corruption during her investigations, he'd be the perfect sounding board as she figured out how best to expose it. And she knew enough about the general ins and outs of his company to be a sounding board for him as well. They could be partners in every sense of the word. It was the kind of relationship she'd always wanted but had stopped hoping for at some point.
Oliver had been thinking about this for months and had been far more patient and methodical in his approach than she would have guessed he could be. In some ways, he reminded her of Lois – when he wanted something, he went after it. He was as impulsive as she was careful but in this, he'd chosen the careful route. It was an encouraging sign that he was serious about it.
She heard the waiter roll his cart out of the suite and moments later, Oliver joined her at the window. The heat of his body behind her caused her pulse to leap wildly in response.
"It's stopped snowing," he said as he settled his hands on her shoulders. "Want to go out and see it before the snow plowing and shoveling begins?"
They got their coats and a few minutes later, they stood on the snow-covered sidewalk outside the hotel, breathing in the chilly air. The contrast of the tall, stone buildings against the drifts of fresh snow created a stark but picturesque environment. In the distance, Chloe heard a door opening, followed by the scraping sounds of snow being cleared.
"You like this kind of weather," Oliver commented.
She looked over at him and smiled. "Yeah, I do. There's something kind of magical about snow. Everything just stops – the noise, the traffic, the people rushing around from home to work and back again. For a few moments, the world freezes and becomes a crisp, clean wonderland full of new possibilities."
Oliver wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. "You, Chloe Sullivan, are a little bit of a romantic."
So many things had squashed that whimsical romanticism over the years, but he was right. It was still there. Her arm crept around his waist as she answered him. "Maybe I am."
"It's beautiful," he said. "I used to go skiing with my parents, and I always enjoyed the change of scenery. But I think I'm a warm weather kind of guy at heart."
"You'll have to get used to the cold if you're planning to make Metropolis your home. We don't have snow all winter, but it's freezing. And we usually get a few inches in January or February."
"Eh, worth it."
She looked up to find him staring down at her with that half smile that made her heart race. Then he was kissing her, and she forgot all about the cold as heat spread through her limbs like a small wildfire.
Oliver tightened his arms around her even as he pulled back. He rubbed his nose against hers. "Come on, let's get you inside before you freeze."
Chloe nodded and followed him back inside.
Decorating Christmas cookies was a hit with the kids at the shelter the following afternoon. It was also messy, though the volunteers helping out were good-natured about it.
Anna had run straight to Chloe the moment she saw her, followed by her younger brother, Ben. Oliver couldn't help smiling at the sight of Chloe holding the tow-headed boy as Anna wrapped her small arms around her hips. They'd taken to her so fast, proof that her small kindnesses had really made an impact on them, and he wondered how much upheaval they'd endured in their young lives.
"I quite like her," Mrs. Nelson commented.
"So do I," Oliver replied softly.
He took a few minutes to explain his plan to Mrs. Nelson.
"She'll never get a better offer, that's for sure," Mrs. Nelson said. "It would be a completely fresh start, and she and the kids sorely need that."
"Do you think she'll make the move?"
"She doesn't have any family here – just the husband. Yesterday, she asked one of the other volunteers if we knew of any pro bono lawyers who could help her with filing for divorce. It would be a big change, but I think she might be ready."
The kids were still wary around Oliver, though they settled down quickly after Chloe invited him to sit with them. Oliver took charge of Ben at the table as they decorated cookies, while Chloe helped Anna. Meg held the baby and occasionally offered advice to Anna on icing and sprinkles. Ben was more interested in licking the icing off his fingers than he was in putting it on the cookies, but he was having fun.
When they finished, Chloe went with a few other women to help the kids wash their hands, and Oliver helped clear away the mess on the table. When they returned, Chloe asked the kids to show Oliver their Christmas presents while she talked to their mom.
Anna led Oliver and Ben over to their cot, and he sat on the floor with them as they each showed him their gifts.
"I didn't think Santa could find us," Anna explained as she rolled a ball over to Ben, who giggled and rolled it back to her. "But he did! Even in the snow."
"That's the magic of Christmas," Oliver told her with a smile. "Santa has lots of elves who can help find all the kids."
She nodded. "You're not scary like I thought. You're nice. My daddy isn't very nice."
Oliver wasn't sure how to respond to that. Finally, he said, "Sometimes adults have problems that make them feel sad or angry. If he wasn't nice to you, it was about him. Not you."
"Mommy said it was his problem too," Anna said.
She looked over her shoulder, and Oliver followed her gaze to where Chloe sat with Meg and the baby. They both looked serious, but it was hard to tell how the conversation was going.
"Mommy said Miss Chloe might not come back, but I'm really happy she did. But Mommy said you and Miss Chloe live in a city really far away." Anna reached up and straightened the purple headband she wore in her dark hair as she smiled sadly at him. "I wish you didn't live far."
Oliver's chest felt tight. He glanced over at Chloe and Meg again to see them both walking in their direction. When Chloe smiled at him, relief swept through him. "Maybe we can do something about that, Anna."
Later that night, Chloe snuggled into Oliver on the sofa as they watched a movie. The sound was turned down, and the lights were dimmed. She was enjoying their closeness more than the old action film, and the way Oliver stroked her back in a slow, absent-minded fashion had lulled her into a jelly-like state.
They'd had dinner at the shelter, and Oliver spent some time talking to Meg about the trip to Metropolis. Meg's shell-shocked demeanor gradually shifted to hopeful as Oliver explained that this wasn't charity so much as a little boost up, to help her get a toe-hold in a new world.
Chloe thought this might be the first time Meg had hoped for anything in years. Maybe ever, considering she had grown up in the foster system. When Oliver mentioned the aptitude test, she told him that her grades had been good in high school, before she got pregnant.
Anna had been thrilled to learn that when Chloe and Oliver left the next day, she and her family would be going with them. She didn't express any concern about the plane ride or living in a new city, and while Ben didn't quite understand what was going on, his sister's excitement was contagious.
The plan was to pick up Meg and the kids after breakfast and head to the airport. Oliver had insisted on flying her to Raleigh before continuing on to Metropolis. He'd called his assistant, who would make sure that their temporary home was ready – a three-bedroom, two bathroom, fully furnished apartment close to Queen Industries.
She'd heard Oliver asking his assistant to make sure the bedrooms were child friendly, which she suspected meant that toys would be delivered along with the crib he'd requested for the baby. He gave her details on age and gender of the kids and added that they'd need the kitchen to be stocked. It would be a couple of weeks before Meg could take the aptitude tests, which would give them time to settle in and get comfortable in their new surroundings.
Chloe closed her eyes and sighed, feeling conflicted about their last night together. Part of her didn't want to sleep alone, and another part didn't want to rush into anything when they'd be apart for a few days. She didn't even know what Oliver's plans were for the New Year. She wasn't sure how she would feel if he jetted off to Hawaii after dropping Meg and the kids off in Metropolis. It was nothing but ridiculous jealousy, but visions of Oliver frolicking in the surf with bikini clad models crept into her mind whenever she thought about it.
It always brought her back to the question of whether she would be enough for him long term. She told herself she was underestimating him because he'd surprised her numerous times with his thoughtfulness over the last few days. He wasn't the shallow playboy the media so often portrayed him as, and she knew that better than anyone. But forever was a very long time, and it didn't come with guarantees. Much like Meg, she'd have to take a leap.
She closed her eyes and let herself drift in and out sleep until she heard Oliver speak.
"It's getting late – we should probably get to bed," he said quietly. He tightened his arms around her and kissed the top of her head before releasing her.
Chloe stood and watched as he switched off the TV and the overhead lights, leaving only the twinkling tree to illuminate the room. When he walked back towards her, she wrapped her arms around him in a fierce hug.
"Thank you. This is the best Christmas I've had in years."
"For me too. I feel like you helped me rediscover the spirit of the holiday. It was my mom's favorite time of year." He drew back and stared down at her for a moment. Then he kissed her, just once, in a way reminiscent of a sweet, date night gesture.
"Good night."
Chloe's hands were still trembling when she got to her suite. Her mind was full of Oliver as she moved around the room on auto-pilot – the way he touched her, and how he made her feel. She ran a bath and soaked for a while, determined to enjoy the simple luxury.
Putting on lotion after her bath turned out to be an exquisite torture. Her body was so tuned to Oliver's presence that she felt like she'd been aroused for days. She wrapped herself in the plush, white robe and stared at her reflection for a few minutes, finally coming to a decision.
Oliver was sitting in a chair by the window, staring out at the city when he heard the knock on his door. Scarcely daring to breathe, he watched as Chloe slipped into the room and walked over to join him. In the soft glow of the bedside lamp, he could see she was still flushed from her bath, and the scent of her lotion hung in the air between them.
He was afraid to speak. Afraid to move and disturb the moment. Chloe stood before him, biting her lip, considering. Then she placed her hands on his shoulders and carefully straddled him on the chair.
Jesus. He swallowed hard as blood shot south so fast he felt lightheaded. With a Herculean effort, he kept his hands to himself, allowing her the freedom to explore his bare chest. She approached the task with the same fascination he'd expect an artist to display. Her small hands, soft and warm, traveled over his pectorals and skimmed his ribs, pausing when she reached the waistband of his pajama pants.
She scooted closer, settling more firmly against his obvious erection. The fabric was thin, and he could tell she wasn't wearing anything beneath the robe. A low sound he barely recognized escaped him when he felt her lips against his jaw before they moved south, pressing light kisses against his neck.
When she leaned back to look at him, he asked, "Are you sure?"
"So sure," she replied. She untied her robe, allowing it to fall open just enough to show the curves of her breasts. Then she reached down and pushed at the waistband of his pants.
The first contact of skin on skin felt better than anything his imagination could have conjured, and he'd conjured plenty in the last few days. Done being passive, he pushed the robe off her shoulders and kissed a trail from her pulse point to her collar bone, nipping lightly, and continued down to kiss and suckle the sensitive peaks of her breasts.
He gripped her hips lightly to help her find a rhythm to her rocking motion. He raised his head and slipped a hand between her legs, watching her face closely, intent on stroking her to her first orgasm. She sagged against him, arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders as she came down from the high.
Oliver kicked off his pajama pants and stood up to carry her over to the bed. His suitcase was open next to the bed and he paused to grab a couple of foil packets out of the pocket before joining her. He was aching to get to the main event, but he wanted to give her time to relax before they moved on.
He spent several minutes kissing her lips, her neck, her breasts, and the curve of her hip. He touched her everywhere – long, sweeping passes across her stomach, waist, and hips. He wanted to know every inch of her, and what made her sigh, or moan. What made her scream.
Chloe responded to every touch by pressing closer to his lips and hands, welcoming his exploration. When she began another exploration of her own, her hand finding his length and stroking, tentative but determined, he knew she was ready.
He eased into her, each small thrust taking him further into her body. When she tired of the slow pace, she wrapped her legs around his waist and lifted her hips against him, nudging him to go faster.
They barely slept that night, instead choosing to steal these last moments alone and hold them as tightly as they held each other. And when the winter sunlight pierced their shadowy seclusion, Oliver knew that he'd do anything to keep her at his side.
As much as Chloe was enjoying spending time with her father and his new family, she missed Oliver.
They'd had little time alone together the day they left New York. Between a hurried breakfast and picking up Meg and her kids, and getting all of them settled on the jet, it had been quite a busy morning. Haylie cried off and on during the flight, leaving Chloe and Oliver to keep Anna and Ben occupied while Meg soothed the infant. Too soon they were in Raleigh, and Oliver was walking her inside the terminal to meet her dad.
Despite the more public environment, Oliver had kissed her cheek and hugged her before returning to the jet. Her dad had raised a brow but chose not to comment, perhaps waiting for her to offer more information on her own.
The days passed, full of family activities outside in the snow and shopping with Charlotte and her daughters. She and Oliver texted back and forth, and they spoke each night before bed. She knew that Meg and the kids were settled in their new home, and Oliver had left her with some information on Queen Industries and the various training programs to be offered in the new year.
When Chloe explained what Oliver was doing, Gabe was surprised. "I wouldn't have thought someone like him would worry so much about the little guy. It's always about the bottom line with big corporations."
"Oliver isn't like that," she said with a smile. "He cares about making sure the company is successful, of course. It was his father's company, and that connection is important. But to him, the company's success is what allows him to help people. He's an innovator."
"That's very high praise coming from you. You tend to land on the cynical side."
"It's because he's proven himself, over and over. Helping Meg and her family start a new life barely scrapes the surface of everything he's done to help people. Having access to affordable healthcare and childcare will change the lives of a lot of working parents in Metropolis, and there's so much more that people will never know about because he doesn't take credit for it."
"Well, now that you're dating, I look forward to getting to know him better." When Chloe looked surprised, Gabe shrugged. "Brit says only a woman who has a boyfriend would text as much as you do. And I do remember a thing or two about that smile of yours – the one that says you're thinking of someone special."
Chloe leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I'm really sorry I've been so bad about staying in touch. I promise things will be different now."
"I think we both carry some blame for that, Chloe. Just know that I've missed you."
New Year's Eve was a family affair. Gabe opened the expensive bottle of Scotch that Oliver had sent with her, and she and Charlotte settled on a nice bottle of wine they'd found while shopping earlier that day. She'd helped her step-mother and step-sisters prepare sub sandwiches and snacks, and they'd spent the evening watching New Year's Rockin' Eve.
"They do it differently in Seoul," Brit said. "They have this old bell called the Bosingak Bell, and they ring it thirty-three times for good luck."
"Have you been to Korea?" Chloe asked curiously. She knew their dad was an engineer who worked abroad.
"She hasn't been anywhere," Anna said, dodging the pillow her sister threw at her. "She just likes K-Pop bands."
Chloe kept glancing at her phone throughout the evening. Oliver had elected to stay in Metropolis rather than travel on to Hawaii, and she was hoping to talk to him before midnight. He'd mentioned being invited to a party that one of his VPs was throwing at the Ace of Clubs, but she didn't know if he'd decided to go.
Gabe was helping Charlotte clear plates and carry them to the kitchen when the doorbell rang.
"Chloe, honey, could you get that?"
Chloe opened the front door, expecting to see the neighbor kids who were friends with Brit. Instead it was Oliver.
Hands in the pockets of his dark peacoat, he grinned at her. "Hope you don't mind me crashing New Year's Rockin' Eve."
Chloe hugged him, breathing in his scent in the frigid air. "I missed you."
"Me too." He kissed the side of her head. "I think I'm done with spending holidays alone."
Chloe pulled back and noticed that Gabe, Charlotte and the girls had gathered behind her.
"I let Oliver know that we always had room for one more," Gabe said with a smile. "I figured you wouldn't mind."
"Thanks, Dad." Grasping Oliver's hand, she pulled him in out of the cold.
Oliver got on well with her dad; Chloe found them discussing business and politics a number of times. He joined in on the family snow fight the next day, which earned him Anna and Brit's approval, and Chloe could tell that Charlotte was utterly charmed by him.
They stayed until the afternoon of the second and then boarded the jet to head back to Metropolis, with Gabe promising they would visit her during spring break.
Thinking back to where she'd started the holiday, Chloe marveled at how everything had changed for the better, and all due to a snow storm and canceled flights.
Fate, kismet, destiny – whatever you wanted to call it, she sent a silent thank you to the universe for altering her course that holiday season.
A/N: Marking another off my WIP list feels good. Into the Dark updates will be next, and I have a fake engagement Chlollie story that I plan to start posting when ItD is done.
Side note – Gabe's family here is the same one I used in If You Want Me, in case any of you were having a déjà vu moment. My head canon is that he moved away, maybe remarried, etc and that's why he and Chloe grew apart. So, any stories where he's featured with his new family will likely include Charlotte, Anna and Brit because I don't want to come up with new minor characters for each story. Thanks for reading!