“No, I don’t have my mom’s abandonment issues, because I’ve worked hard to get over them. I’ve made it a goal in life not to be the same endless well of need for attention. And, no, I would never cheat on anyone.”
“Let’s stick a pin in those goals of yours for the moment. Is Michael anything like your dad?”
“He’s in the military. As far as I can tell, he plans to stay in.”
“The occupation is a superficial similarity. Is he cold and remote? Does he withhold affection and put his ambitions ahead of everything else?”
“No, he’s none of those things. He’s funny and charming and he put his ambitions at risk to help me out.”
“Okay, then. In our little game here, I’m going to claim this point. You’re not your mom. Michael’s not your dad, and, by the way, your parents’ shitty marriage had nothing to do with the military. The marriage failed because she craved constant adoration, while he used attention as a bargaining chip and put his own needs first. He could have been an accountant or a teacher and the marriage still would have sucked. Don’t use Michael’s uniform as an excuse to run away.”
“Why does everyone keep saying I’m running?” She couldn’t keep the frustration out of her voice. “I travel. It’s my job. After all the mistakes I’ve made trying to find stability where none existed, why is it so hard to believe being a rolling stone suits me better?”
“It suited you for a while, because you needed to spend some time alone and gain your self-confidence back after your divorce, but now it’s just a crutch—something you use to justify avoiding attachments. But whether you wanted to be or not, you’re attached to Michael. Stick around and see where it leads.”
“I did that with Drew, and it didn’t lead anywhere remotely resembling happy ever after. I’m not ready to attempt the journey again.”
“What I’m hearing now is just leftover fear and insecurity. Bury the past, get on with your life, and enjoy where you’re at right now.”
Chloe felt her own exasperation growing. “It’s easy to say ‘Get on with your life,’ but, you know what? It’s surprisingly hard to do. I’ve spent the better part of a year trying to move on, get myself back on track, and I’m still a walking disaster.”
“You’re not a disaster—”
“I got fired, got so drunk I couldn’t stand up and, oh yeah, got fake engaged to my neighbor so I could avoid ending up at a homeless hotel. What part of all this says to you, Hey, that Chloe has her shit together?”
“Everybody screws up now and then. Everybody. You can’t judge yourself by the last few days. Look at the bigger picture and tell me what you see.”
“There is no bigger picture.”
“Fine. You win. If walking disaster is all you see when you look at yourself, you’re right. You’re not ready for Michael or anybody else.”
Chloe winced at the blunt reply, but Lynne wasn’t a mom of two boys for nothing. She could dish out the tough love when she needed to.
Michael wandered back into the room, stopping a few feet away from her to pick up his wallet from the spot where she’d tossed it earlier. She absorbed him with her eyes and felt her face heat when he caught her looking and raised his eyebrows.
“So, ASAP means?” she asked Lynne.
“I figured you’d need twenty-four hours, so as not to leave Veronica i
n the lurch, plus you have to pack and say your good-byes, so I had travel book you a flight tomorrow evening at 6:00 p.m., out of John Wayne.”
Tomorrow! She gripped the phone to keep her hands from shaking. Across the room, Michael stood utterly still, watching her. She drew in a deep breath, then another, before she felt calm enough to attempt a reply. “I-I can make that work.”
“Fab,” Lynne said curtly. “We’re putting you up at an extended-stay hotel near the resort. I’m emailing you the details as we speak. Will you be able to log-on somewhere and get them?”
“Yes. Thanks.”
“You know what, Chloe? Don’t thank me. Thank your lousy parents, and your no-good ex, because they’re the reason you’re going to New Mexico. They’re the reason you’re running away from a chance at a real, honest-to-God, happy ever after. You’ve got some dark periods in your past, but you’re letting them ruin your future too. You’re giving them more power than they deserve.”
“I can’t get into this with you right now.” She could barely talk around the tightness in her throat. Barely concentrate on anything beyond the fact that her time with Michael was winding down. By this time tomorrow she’d be on a plane to New Mexico.
Lynne muttered something that sounded like, “Maybe he can talk some sense into you,” and hung up.
Chloe returned the phone to its stand. With a knot twisting in her stomach, she turned to face Michael.
“New Mexico?” he asked from across the room. He didn’t back away or come closer.
She nodded and forced a laugh. “Your prayers have been answered. You’re going to get your apartment, and your life, back. No more Chloe and her clutter everywhere.”