Page 40 of Finding Home
She looks up at me the biggest pleading eyes and Chloe looks at me sheepishly behind her, but there’s also a little bit of hope in her eyes, like taking Lila riding won’t just make Lila happy, but Chloe, too
“Yeah, Peanut. As long as you listen to everything Miss M tells you, you can ride them.”
The smiles that spread across both of their faces has my heart racing in my chest.
“We should get going, Mom. We should get Lila to bed, and I’m meeting Brin early to head to West Bridgejaw,” Chloe says, and I check the time, not realizing just how long we’ve been here.
“Don’t forget to take some of that soup home with ya. I made enough so you could have left overs.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“What are you grabbing in West Bridgejaw?” Melanie asks Chloe.
“Not sure. Brin asked for a travel buddy, and Aspen and Lennon weren’t available. Brin mentioned something about maybe grabbinga room for the night and coming back Sunday. She wanted to hit a new bar that opened in town.”
Melanie chuckles and shakes her head. “That girl, still ever the energy and centre of fun.”
Chloe grins. “Yup, and I somehow always get pulled into it. That girl’s lucky I love her.”
“Be safe and let me know if you’re staying there,” Melanie says before kissing her cheek.
“Of course, Mom. Thanks for dinner.” Chloe moves and wraps her arms around her dad and kisses his cheek. “Bye, Daddy.”
He pats her arm. “Bye, sweetheart.”
I shake their hands and thank them for dinner and walk with the girls back to the car. Lila rattles on to Chloe the entire time about the horses and all the cool things she showed her. While the girls chat during the drive, I’m left with my thoughts, stuck feeling that longing I’ve been pushing aside for a long time. Seeing Chloe with her parents has me wishing I had that closeness with my own. Even at twenty-seven, I have this ache in my chest that my parents were never close with me the way I just witnessed with the Maxwells.
My parents don’t know the name of any of my friends. They don’t know their personality traits. I’ve promised myself that I’ll do better for Lila, that I’ll be present enough to know who her friends are, what they’re like. That I’ll know what my daughter likes to do for fun and what makes her happy.
When we get home, I get Lila in the bath and ready for bed before heading back downstairs in search of Chloe. I find her in her bedroom, with the door open, sitting on her bed with a book. I knock on the open door, and she looks up at me and smiles.
“I just wanted to thank you for tonight,” I say.
She closes her book and sits up, and I take that as an opportunity to step inside.
“Thanks for noticing Lila being quiet at the table. She doesn’t open up well to new people, you being the exception. I appreciate you taking her to see the horses.” I chuckle. “She’s going to ask you every day until you take her for a ride.”
She grins. “Sounds like me as a little girl. I’ll take her as soon as Ican. We have all the safety equipment, and I’ve been riding since I was a kid. I’ll make sure she’s safe.”
I nod, shoving my hands in the pockets of my jeans. “I know. I trust you.”
Those three words hang between us. Both of us know the weight of them. Trusting someone with your child, the most precious thing to you, isn’t easy. I know deep in my bones that Chloe will do everything to ensure my daughter is always safe with her.
I step out of her room, and as I go to close her door I say, “Text me tomorrow with updates. I’d like to know you’re safe.”
“I’ll be fine, Everett.”
“I’m sure you will be. But for my peace of mind, text me.”
She tilts her head, not saying anything, and I sigh.
“Please.”
She bites her lip and nods. “Yeah, I’ll text you.”
I nod. “Thanks. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” she whispers, and I close the door and head to my own bed.
