“Hey, guys,” Chloe said, walking up to them.
Richard turned toward the other woman, and he seemed to tense u
p. Turning toward Chloe, Grace was surprised to see her in a conservative pale pink dress. “Have you seen Suzy?”
“I just passed her. She had seen someone she wanted to talk to.” Chloe joined them, and her smile dropped when she saw Richard. “Hi, I didn’t see you there. I didn’t think you’d come here,” she said.
“I live in Greater Falls, and I used to go to this high school.”
The once bubbly woman looked totally uncomfortable.
“Can I talk with you?” Richard asked.
“Erm, sure, I guess.”
Grace moved beside Drake, watching them.
“There’s tension between them, right? That’s not just me?”
“There’s a shitload of tension between the two.”
“I like Chloe. He better not be hurting her.”
“The club will hurt him if he even tries. Chloe, she’s a darling, sweet, and caring. Don’t worry, we’ve got her back, and we’ll take care of her.”
Grace nodded, taking a bite of her cotton candy.
“So, I was wondering if you’d like to go and see a movie with me?” he asked.
Glancing up at him, she bit her lip. “Like a date?”
“No, not like a date. Like two friends going out, watching a movie, of your choice, of course, and maybe getting some dinner afterward.”
She was a little disappointed. Why are you disappointed? This is what you wanted, duh!
“I’d like that.”
“How about Monday night?”
Grace shook her head. “I’m working the evening shift. I don’t get off ‘til midnight. I’m good next Friday if you can wait. We don’t even know what’s showing.”
“Something good should be showing. I’ll pick you up around seven?” Drake said.
“Sounds good to me.” She offered up some candy. “Seeing as you’re my friend, and you can’t take your gaze away from my candy, have some.” He took a bite while staring into her eyes. “Tastes good.”
“Hell yeah.”
Offering him a drink of soda, she walked beside him as they continued to enjoy the fun.
****
“You look different,” Richard said.
Chloe glanced down at the pale pink summer dress and felt her cheeks heat. Richard had only ever seen her in club clothes, the short skirts, and fuck me jeans. The dresses were part of her more normal life when she didn’t want to draw attention to herself. “We’re not in the club.” Pausing near the bleachers, she turned to him. “What did you want to talk to me about?”
She saw the bear he was holding but averted her gaze. This man had the power to unravel her in ways she didn’t even understand or like. The feelings he inspired inside her were part of the reason she had stopped going to the playrooms of the clubhouse. She still played with the club men as she did love having strong arms wrapped round her when she was sleeping. None of them was the right man. She wasn’t a fool. There was no way Richard would go with a woman like her. Outside of the playroom, he never gave her the time of day.
“I wanted to see how you were.”