Page 89 of The Closed Off Captain

“What’s that?” Sebastian asks, nodding at the letter.

I take a drink of my water before I answer. “A proposition letter from Indianapolis to Chloe.”

Everybody at the table stares at me. It’s Stephanie that breaks the silence first. “They want Chloe to come work for them?”

I nod and reach up and loosen my tie before it strangles me to death. My skin is itchy, and I wish I could just leave this event. But I won’t do that to Chloe, so I’m stuck here. “Are you serious?” Sebastain asks, a rare scowl on his face.

“Why?” Brielle asks.

“Because Chloe’s really good at her job,” I tell her.

“Well, yeah,” she admits.

“I can’t stand Knight,” Sebastian mutters.

“Same.” I don’t say more than that, because once I start, I may not be able to stop.

“When do you guys play them next?” Stephanie asks, looking across the room, just like Sebastian is doing.

“Not soon enough,” I grunt out.

Chapter39

Chloe

I make it through the night somehow. It kind of passes in a daze. Necessity made me focus, and I did my absolute best. The night was a success, but it’s soured by the weight of the letter in my hands. Gunner gave it back to me at the end of the night before he took off. Of course, being the good guy that he is, he didn’t actually leave. And when I walked to my car nearly an hour later, he was sitting in his truck next to my car. I waved at him, and he nodded at me and then proceeded to follow me home.

Now, it’s Sunday morning, and I need to pull myself together and make something to take over to Grandma May’s. As tired as I am, I’m excited to see her and spend the day with her. I climb out of bed and make a cup of coffee and get to work. I end up making one of her favorites—chicken and rice soup. I make a mental note to pick up some bread on the way over. I’m nearly done with the soup when my phone dings with a text.

Gunner-what time are you going to Grandma May’s?

Chloe-about twenty minutes

Chloe-why?

Gunner-I'll take you

His words surprise me, and it takes me a minute to know what to say. Before I can reply, he texts again.

Gunner-is that okay?

Chloe-sure but you don’t have to

Gunner-I know. I want to

Chloe-okay see you soon

After a moment, I text him again.

Chloe-Grandma May will be thrilled to see you

Gunner- good

I don’t dwell on why Gunner’s coming with. Instead, I finish the soup and then shower and get ready to go. Since it’s a chilly day, I dress in jeans and a warm sweater. Because Gunner’s already seen my crazy hair, I don’t bother drying and straightening it. Instead, I leave it curly and put in some hair product to keep it from getting too frizzy. A knock at the door lets me know he’s here. I open the door to let him in and shiver in the chilly morning air. “Come on in.” I step back, so he can join me and take a moment to appreciate the casual look he’s got going today. Sweatpants and sneakers, a black zip-up sweatshirt, and his usual black ball cap. “I just have to grab my stuff, and I’m ready to go. Do you mind carrying the soup?”

He heads right to the kitchen. “Smells good.”

“It’s one of our favorites—chicken and wild rice. If you’re good, you can have some with us.”

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