Chapter 17
“What were you thinking, Chloe? You know how much we all love you. I haven’t belonged to this family very long, but long enough to know that we stand by each other when trouble comes along,” Lara told Chloe tearfully as she hugged her.
Chloe was glad to be back at the ranch, but it was hard to face her sister-in-law and her mother, who had both just hugged the life out of her.
“I was thinking about how to stop my family from paying for my mistakes,” Chloe admitted as she untangled herself from Lara’s arms with tears streaming down her face. “I was so scared that all of you would pay for what I did.”
“Let’s get some coffee and we’ll talk. I don’t think the men will be gone for long,” Lara suggested. “I have a feeling I know exactly how they’re taking care of things. Tate’s going to be disappointed if they’re done when he gets back to pick them up.”
Chloe took a deep breath, relieved that she could busy her mind with the small task of making coffee and getting together some snacks. She loaded a tray and brought it out to where the women were still waiting. She looked around for the glass table that was usually in front of the sofa, but couldn’t find it. Finally, she just set the refreshments on a built-in shelf. She wasn’t really hungry, and her stomach was rolling too much for coffee.
Her mom and Lara each took a cup, Lara snatching up several of the snacks and tossing them into her mouth before she took a sip from her mug. “That’s good,” she said appreciatively.
The women all took a seat in Gabe’s living room.
Chloe swiped at leftover tears from the position she’d taken in a recliner, staring at her mom and Lara, who were seated directly across from her.
She’d always known her family was special, but maybe she’d never realized just how incredible they were until now. All of them had come to her side supportively and without judgment of the mess she’d made of her life. They just wanted to help her clean it up and be happy.
“It wasn’t your fault, Chloe, and you got out. You know you didn’t cause James to become a psycho,” Lara told her adamantly. “Maybe he was always this way, but he hid it. Sometimes an abusive relationship starts out okay and gets progressively worse. You two lived in separate states for over a decade. Natalie talked to you about how not to blame yourself for how James acts, right?”
Chloe nodded. “It was really bad once I came home to live in Rocky Springs. Before that, I guess I could just put it down to the fact that we rarely saw each other and it bothered him. He was pretty livid when I decided to do the extra residency for equines. Sometimes I did think it was me, that I needed to change. It took me awhile to realize that no matter what I did, he’d find fault just to hurt me.”
“I don’t suppose you called Natalie when he started blackmailing you?” Lara asked quietly.
“No. I didn’t have time, and I was too worried to say anything to anybody. I didn’t want to set him off and cause him to release the video. I couldn’t risk it,” Chloe admitted.
“Who’s Natalie?” Aileen asked curiously.
“She’s my counselor, Mom. I owe a lot to her and to Lara for hooking me up with help and giving me so much encouragement.” Chloe didn’t want to think about where she would be if it wasn’t for her support system. “Gabe has helped a lot, too.” That was putting it mildly, but she wasn’t about to blurt out details of her sex life to her mother. But the man she loved had taught her so much about herself, made her accept that she was a desirable woman without needing to change herself to make him want her.
“I told you that you’d know when you found the right one,” her mother reminded her smugly.
Chloe gaped. “I don’t know if he’s the right one.” Oh, she knew how she felt, but the agreement she had with Gabe was only temporary. And she was his employee.
“You know,” Lara disagreed, clearly of the same mind as Aileen. “Chloe, what are you afraid of? I know it might be too soon for you to really trust Gabe, but what Aileen says is true. Sometimes the guy is just…right, even if the timing is off. I knew Tate was the man for me pretty quickly.”
Chloe was frustrated as tears sprang back into her eyes; she replied on a tortured sob that she couldn’t hold back, “I’m afraid that he won’t love me as much as I love him. I’m afraid because he’s become the most important person in my life, and I don’t know how I’ll live without him. I’m afraid it’s too soon, and that I’ll scare him because I still have some baggage I need to throw away. I’m afraid he’ll get tired of babying me because I screwed up.” Her tears became a veritable torrent.
“Sweetheart, that’s never going to happen,” Gabe said from a position directly behind her, his voice husky, his drawl heavier than usual.
Chloe froze, realizing the men had come in while she was on a roll, spilling her guts.
Gabe continued to speak as though he couldn’t stop. “I think I’ve been in love with you ever since I kissed you on New Year’s Eve. I just didn’t see beyond how much I wanted you. And I do want you, Chloe. I want you forever. Marry me and I’ll baby you forever if I need to, and I’ll love you every step of the way.”
She turned in shock, certain she misheard him. “You love me?” she asked tearfully, her heart full of dawning hope.
“Desperately, darlin’,” he answered with a nod, his eyes intent on her.
“Oh, my God. What happened to you?” Her euphoria over hearing that he loved her was overshadowed as she looked at his face. He had a bleeding cut over his eye, and his jaw was swollen.
“Nothing much,” Blake answered calmly as he stepped up beside Gabe.
“You fought with James?” The cause of his injuries was immediately crystal-clear.
“Wasn’t much of a fight,” Zane answered from behind Blake. “They had to take James to the hospital. I don’t think he’s getting out anytime soon. And Gabe didn’t give any of us a chance to take a shot at the bastard.” His tone sounded disappointed and disgruntled.
“Oh, Gabe,” Chloe breathed out softly, moving forward to gently swipe at the blood dribbling from his cut. “You’re bleeding.”
“Don’t worry about that. You didn’t answer my question,” he grumbled, sticking his injured hand into his pocket to pull out a jewelry box. “I planned on doing this in a more romantic way, but I can’t wait.”
Chloe took the box from him, her heart racing as she popped it open to find the most gorgeous ring she’d ever seen. “Oh, my God. It’s amazing.” Her tears continued to fall, her emotions getting the better of her.
If she had to pick the perfect ring, the one nestled on a bed of red velvet in the box in her hand would have been it. It was large, but delicate and elegant, a round cut center stone surrounded by small diamonds, with even smaller stones dotting the sides.
“I’m not much good at picking jewelry, but I’ve heard that the woman who designed it is one of the best,” Gabe said anxiously.
Chloe reached out a finger to touch the gorgeous ring. “Who?”
“The wife of some billionaire in Florida. She’s a jewelry designer.”
“This is a Mia Hamilton ring? Her jewelry is amazing, but very exclusive. She’s so busy it’s hard to get her to take a commission. I know of her—she’s married to Max Hamilton from the charity…” Chloe knew that Max was one of the founding members of the charity for abused women that she and Lara were getting involved with on a regular basis. In fact, Max’s own sister, Asha, was one of the reasons the charity had been founded. Mia was just as involved, donating most of the proceeds of her jewelry business. That made the ring Gabe had gotten her so much more special than it already was.
Gabe shrugged. “She did it for me, although I have to admit that I called in a few favors from friends. Do you like it?”
Chloe looked up at him with her eyes full of love. “I love it. You know she donates a lot of the money she makes to a charity for abused women? It’s really special.”
“I know, and I’m glad it has meaning for you, and that you love it. But it has a whole different meaning to me,” he answered with a grin. “Are you going to let me put it on or not?”
Chloe’s heart squeezed tightly at Gabe’s thoughtfulness. “You must have ordered it awhile ago. Nothing happens fast when a designer is that in demand.”
“Right after I first kissed you.” He took the ring from the box. “I rationalized ordering it, thinking you deserved a damn ring. Period. But I never would have given it to James to put on your finger. It was always going to be me, Chloe.”
That New Year’s Eve had been a turning point for her. But she hadn’t realized how much their kiss had affected Gabe, too.
Slowly, she held out her left hand. “Yes,” she told him, her voice quivering with emotion. “Yes, I’ll marry you,” she reinforced, wanting to be joined with Gabe desperately.
He slipped the ring on her finger quickly, as though he were afraid she’d change her mind.
“I know you have a past to overcome, but we’ll build our future together, Chloe,” he said huskily. “I swear.”
She examined the ring on her finger, knowing in her gut that it was absolutely right. “I love you,” she whispered quietly, reverently, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him.
“I love you, baby. More than I ever knew it was possible to love somebody.” Gabe ignored the little peck she was going to give him and curled his uninjured hand around her neck and claimed her lips.
Everything was there in his kiss: love, devotion, understanding, and happiness and relief. Chloe kissed him back, forgetting that all of her family was watching.
Her face flushed when they finally broke apart and then everyone was clapping and shouting their congratulations at the same time.
“It’s going to take awhile for me to get used to seeing you make out with my little sister,” Blake joked, his voice containing humor and a little disgust as he slapped Gabe on the back. “But I can’t see her finding a better man.”
Chloe smiled at Blake and he winked back at her before pulling her into a hug. She hugged every person in the room, her heart overflowing with joy.
“I can wait until you’re ready before we get married. But I wanted that ring on your finger,” Gabe whispered huskily into her ear.
Everyone was milling around the living room chatting, giving them a break to be alone for a moment.
“What happened with you and James?” Chloe knew the bastard had gotten what he deserved. Still, she hated that Gabe had been hurt in the process. The cut over his eyes had clotted and stopped bleeding, but his jaw was still swollen.
“We settled things. He’ll go from the hospital to jail. Unfortunately, he’ll probably get out if he makes bail. There weren’t that many charges we could bring against him, nothing violent.”
“When do you think he’ll get out? Do you think he’ll try something else? What if he has other videos?” Chloe wondered if her fear would ever end.
“I’m pretty doubtful he’d ever have released the video. It doesn’t exactly put him in a good light either. He was careful when he didn’t email the video to you. I don’t think he wanted any copies out there. And I’m pretty sure he isn’t going to get out of the hospital any time soon.”
Chloe sighed as she put her arms around Gabe’s neck and rested her head on his chest. “I can’t believe you put him in the hospital. What if he presses charges?”
“He won’t. I have witnesses who will swear it was self-defense, one of them a senator. He’s already been warned that he can’t win. He hated that. The bastard always wants to win.”
Chloe knew Gabe was right. James did like to win. There was nothing that pissed him off more than losing.
“Let me clean up your cuts,” she said, pulling away from him. “You really should go to a hospital.” She could doctor him up a little, but for her peace of mind, he needed a professional assessment.
“That’s the last thing I need,” Gabe argued as he pulled her close to him again, tossing the jewelry box he was still holding onto a nearby counter. “I only need you.” He pulled her close and ran his hands up her back.
“You have me. Now let’s get you a doctor.”
“I think I already have one,” he said teasingly.
Chloe rolled her eyes. “If you were a horse, I’d know exactly what to do.”
“Pretend I’m a stallion,” he whispered naughtily.
“That’s hard to do when almost every member of my family is here.”
“Later,” he promised.
Chloe ached to be alone with him, but she wanted to thank her family first. All of them had been willing to let their own lives crash down around them because of James’s revenge porn. She wanted them all to know how much it meant to her that they loved her that much.
“Later,” she agreed, pulling him down for another kiss. She was gentle, careful not to aggravate his injuries. She settled for a short embrace before pulling away. “Now let’s go get you cleaned up.”
He let her lead him away from the crowd. She took him upstairs and cleaned his wounds, thinking the entire time that he acted just like the restless horses he loved so much. He changed clothes because he had blood all over his shirt from the cut on his forehead, and they headed back downstairs.
“That was fast,” Blake said with a smirk as they appeared. He looked Gabe up and down.
Chloe laughed, knowing her brother was teasing Gabe because they’d taken so little time upstairs. Blake was insinuating that they’d gone for a quickie.
“Fuck off, Colter,” Gabe grumbled.
The men stopped insulting each other as Chloe’s mother came rushing over. “Let me see the ring.”
Chloe held her hand out for her mother to dutifully admire her engagement ring. “It’s a Mia Hamilton ring,” she told her happily, going on to explain how Mia and Max were related to Asha, who Aileen knew from hearing Chloe and Lara speak about her in conjunction with the charity they’d become involved with.
“It’s lovely. How many carats?” she asked Gabe curiously.
Chloe watched him shrug. “I thought about getting something bigger, but I was afraid Chloe wouldn’t wear it all the time if I did that. I think this one is around four carats.”
Aileen smiled at her, and Chloe smiled back, remembering their joking conversation about getting at least a three-carat ring from The One.
“It’s more than enough,” Aileen said happily and winked at Chloe.
“I think it’s perfect,” Chloe said with a contented sigh.
Her family started to leave one by one, and she thanked all of them even though they shrugged it off as no big deal.
Blake offered to get Chloe’s truck from James’s house.
“We’ll pick it up…later,” Gabe told his friend with a warning glance.
Chloe nodded, knowing she needed some time alone with him.
When everyone had gone and the home was quiet, Chloe breathed a sigh of relief. She loved her family, but right now she needed Gabe. Her fiancé. The man who really did love her and accepted her, mistakes and all.
She locked the front door. “I think I need a bath. And I feel like some company.” Chloe felt like she needed to wash all remnants of James from her body, and who better to help her but Gabe?
“So what are you waiting for, woman? Come on,” he encouraged, grabbing her hand to pull her toward the stairs.
Chloe laughed at his impatience as she followed him.