I turned in time to see him stiffen. "Yeah. He's one of our clients. Jonathan Burke. He's as bad as you at sleeping around. Good thing the ugly bastard is only here for the winter."
I chuckled as excitement pulsed through me. "Why do you have him as a client if you don't like him?"
"I didn't say I didn't like him. I said he was a slutty bastard."
My Dad shrugged and I let it go. We had Chloe's Dad on our listing at the office. She was going to find me in her front yard before she could blink twice. I only prayed that whoever was assigned to her house would give me the job. Money was tight and it was the holidays, but one could hope.
* * * *
I stopped by the office after my Dad dropped me off at home and checked the schedule. A huge smile lifted my cheeks as I spotted her last name. Cliff was scheduled to go later that afternoon. I couldn't have gotten any luckier.
It took me a few minutes to grab a few shovels and a warm pair of gloves from the stock room, but as soon as I was done, I called Cliff and got into my truck.
"Hey boy. How's it hanging?" He answered the phone on the first ring.
"Hey old man. You're schedule for a shoveling this afternoon at the Burke place. Can I take it off of you?"
"Well, damn. You know things must be bad if you're looking to take jobs off of the shovelers. You ain't got nobody with a plow you can call? You need to rest. You ain't as young as you think."
"Ain't isn't a word." I smiled at the sound of his laughter and couldn't help but think of Chloe. She wouldn't believe for one damn minute that fate had slung us back together. Three times in three days? Impossible.
"You can have it if you want it, but you have to tell me why it's important to you."
"I'm broke?"
"Liar. You'd have taken that fifty from me the other day free and clear. What's at the Burke residence that I'm giving up?"
"A pretty girl in her early twenties." I pulled my truck out of the snowy lot and headed toward one of the many wealthy neighborhoods in Aspen.
"She's all yours then. My Martha would have a fit if she even know about this girl." He laughed and I thanked him and hung up.
It only took twenty minutes to get over to the Burke residence, but by the time I did, my hands were shaking and I had no clue of what I was going to say. I almost felt sorry for Brian and his being terrified of talking to women. I'd never experienced it myself, not until now. She was going to be upset, or was she? Maybe I was over thinking it.
I pulled up in the driveway and got out, pulling my extra sweater over my chest before zipping up my coat. I covered my ears, then my head, and pulled on my gloves. I decided to start working and then go deliver the invoice, instead of doing things the other way around. If Chloe was pissed, and refused to let me on her property, then I would have to deal with my Dad as I had no doubt her father would call him.
Too much drama for what it was all worth.
I started to work, letting myself get lost in thought. I wanted her to see the other side of me. The one that hated one-night stands and wanted a different future. I knew that my actions and all the shitty decisions I'd made left me looking like a has-been, but I wasn't. I just needed a fresh perspective, a new start, and a good woman could give me that.
I glanced over my shoulder and noticed the curtains moving back into place. Someone had been watching me. Maybe it was her, but maybe not. All I could do was hope that if it was, she'd feel bad for me and come out with something warm to drink.
If she was the woman I figured her to be, she would.
If not...I probably deserved it.
Chapter 11
Chloe
I slept horribly the night before, but by the time the sun came up, I'd come to the conclusion that I was being ridiculous. I was judging Finn based on a life that I knew nothing about. The fact that Brian had been so open let me into the reasons why Finn was like he was, but the fact still remained that it was irrelevant. He wasn't my problem and I was soon to be headed home.
Funny how that resolution faded as my phone buzzed and I scrambled to get it, thinking that somehow he'd gotten my number.
Cindy: Just wanted to let you know I'm on a flight back home. Last night was wicked fun. Thanks for the hookup. Hope we can do it again soon. Love ya!
Me: Anytime. Be safe. Love you too.
I tossed the phone toward the other end of the bed and picked up my pillow, groaning into it loudly. Why did this matter? I had a million other things to worry about beside some local playboy who wasn't even going to be a memory in a month. My father was breathing down my neck to talk about my designs and I had a few, but nothing really worth showing him yet. My main sketch pad was missing and something told me that I had left it in the top of the closet back in the dorm room. I checked with Jessie, but she hadn't gotten back to me to verify if my worries were valid.
"Chloe?" My father's voice sounded outside my door as he knocked softly.
"I'm up." I tugged the covers up to my chin and looked up as he stuck his head in the room.
"I'm going to whip up some pancakes. Let's talk about your designs this morning, okay?"
"Yeah. Alright." I rolled over and curled up. "Can you put chocolate chips in mine?"
"And pecans?"
"Yeah. Like momma used to do." I closed my eyes. Nothing was working out, and of course this was the very moment my father would choose to be nice. It was going to be short lived seeing that he was far more interested in his money than me, but it was too much even for the short stint that it would last.
"Of course. Hurry up. I have a lunch date." He closed the door and I rolled out of the bed, hitting the floor in a crouch.
A lunch date. Sex with a chick at lunch on a Sunday? He was going straight to hell.
I chuckled at the audacity of my thoughts and got up, changing into a long cream-colored sweater and a pair of black tights. After tying my hair in a messy bun, I walked down the hall and made a beeline for the coffee pot.
"I'm not sure you're going to want to talk without me having my large sketch pad. It's got my main dress and shirt designs in it." I poured the cup and turned to look up at him.
"Are you okay? Your eyes are puffy. Were you crying last night?" Concern swept across his face, but it left as quickly as it appeared.
"No. Went out drinking." I moved to the table and sat down, focusing only on the warmth my coffee provided. "Where's Parker?"
"He has a gamer day on Sunday's with some of the boys from school. I drop him off at eight and he comes home around six. It's good for him to get out of the house." My father looked up from his cooking and seemed to be analyzing me.
"What?"
"Nothing. Just noticing how much you look like a woman. Like your mother."
I nodded. "I'm twenty-four, Dad. I grew up while you weren't looking."
His jaw clenched and I realized how my words sounded.
"I didn't mean it like that." I stood up and he lifted his hand.
"It's fine. Get your work and let's talk." He pursed his lips and I knew the conversation was over.
I walked to the room with my head hung down, pissed at myself for starting off the morning with him on a bad note. I needed him in a good mood for the discussion we had coming up and he was going to be anything but.