“Have a good night, Everett.”
“You, too, Chloe.”
I think I’m royally fucked when it comes to Chloe Maxwell, because I don’t want her to walk down the hall to her bed. I want to carry her up to mine and wrap my arms around her as I play with her hair and she burrows into me, content and safe.
TWENTY-THREE
CHLOE
When I wake up in the morning, Everett is in the kitchen, shirtless, making coffee. I bite my lip as I approach him and grab a mug. He pours some into mine before his, adding milk and sugar, and I duck my face as I think about how Everett has watched me make my coffee enough to know how I like it.
I lean against the kitchen counter and watch him finish his cup, a single spoon of sugar and just a splash of milk so it’s still dark in colour. It fits him. A dark and bitter view on the outside, but when you actually try it, it’s got some sweetness and softness to it. Just like Everett. He may not show the rest of the world that he’s not all grumpy and grumbly, but I see it when he’s with Lila and how soft he is with her. How he’s been with me. The small things like learning how I take my coffee, or sitting on the couch and reading with me. The way he brushed my hair last night and massaged his fingers into my scalp in a way that had me nearly falling asleep and begging for more when he stopped.
Everett isn’t just what everyone else sees. He’s so much more, and the fact he lets me see that part of him is everything.
He takes a sip of his coffee and stares at me. His eyes are assessing, like he’s trying to decide something before he finally shakes his head and says, “I’m going to get Lila up and see what she wants for breakfast.”
I nod as he heads upstairs, and I take a seat at the kitchen table.I’m still in my pyjamas, meaning an oversize T-shirt with no bra and a pair of shorts, but I’ve decided I’m done running away from Everett. As much as I know he’s a student’s parent and crossing that line can be all sorts of wrong, I can’t help but want to be closer to him. To see more of what he doesn’t show just anyone, only those he deems worthy. I want to be worthy of seeing those parts of him.
Lila bounds into the kitchen, taking a seat beside me, Everett hot on her heels.
“Lila has decided on french toast this morning. Sound good?”
I smile. “Sounds perfect. How can I help?”
Everett shakes his head. “All good. I’ve got it.”
I sit back and sip my coffee as I watch him move around the kitchen like it’s all second nature. He occasionally looks over and checks on Lila, who’s drawing beside me, and I see how he tries to fight his smile when his eyes land on me. It only has mine growing, which causes him to look away.
When he finishes, he once again plates the food for both Lila and me. I notice how he makes sure my hashbrowns and bacon don’t touch each other or the french toast, just the way I like it. It’s the little things.
“So,” I start. “I was thinking about taking Lila for her first ride today, if you wanted to join us.”
Lila is grinning like a fool, and Everett smiles at me. “I’d love to. You excited, Peanut?”
Lila nods. “Yup. It’s gonna be the bestest. Miss M said I can ride her horse, Miley. I have to make sure I brush her first and then we can go out, and then I brush her after.”
“I see. Well, I’m sure you’re going to do great,” Everett says.
I finish my breakfast and excuse myself to get ready for work, calling out, “Bye,” as I head out the front door.
The second school is done, Lila is waiting beside my desk for us to leave. I told Everett I’d bring her home with me today and then we can head over to my parents’ together. I can’t help but chuckle at her excitement.
“Okay, girlie, let’s head home and change.”
She half skips the entire way to my car. I get her settled in the back and turn the music up as we make our way home. Once we’reinside, I tell her to change into a pair of old jeans and a hoodie. After I change, I find Everett in the kitchen, putting together a snack. He wordlessly hands me a plate with cut up apple and cheese slices, and my stomach chooses right then to grumble.
We settle at the table as Lila joins us. She inhales her snack like it’s a race, looking at me with excited eyes when she finishes.
“You can put on some boots now, and we’ll head out.”
Lila’s out of her chair before I even finish, and Everett and I share a look before shaking our heads. We follow her out and to Everett’s truck because he insists on driving. He pulls up outside my parents’, and I guide him to the side gate, opening it and letting him through before closing it and hopping back into the truck. I guide him down the tiny dirt trails towards the barn and have him park beside it. There’s a couple people milling around, doing some final things to take care of the horses before they head home for the day.
I smile at Peter, one of the first people Grayson hired to look after the horses, as we pass him and he tips his hat at me.
Lila heads straight to the brushes and then to Miley’s stall, who whinnies when she spots Lila. I unlock the gate for her, and she slips in. Everett and I watch as she grabs a stool from the side and moves it beside Miley then climbs it and starts gently brushing her.
As she gently works the brush over Miley, she talks to her, telling her about everything that’s happened since she last saw her. When she decides she’s done with one spot, she shuffles the stool over to get to a part further down.