Love At First Sight (Southern Bride 1)

“I want us to date and see where this goes. You have to know I feel more than just friendship toward you. I love you, Rip. I’ve loved you since the first day I saw you in kindergarten.”

He continued to stare at me. Something that looked like conflict flickered in his eyes.

I could now hear my own heart beating in my ears. With each passing moment, the longer he stood there staring at me, the more I regretted my decision to tell him how I really felt. Maybe Mike had been wrong. Maybe Rip didn’t actually like me more than just as best friends.

But what about all the signs he gave me? I was so confused suddenly.

“Rip, will you please at least say something?”

After drawing in a deep breath, he walked up to me. He cupped my face in his hands, and I felt my entire body warm with his touch.

Kiss me. Please kiss me.

He leaned down as I lifted up on my toes. Our eyes were locked, and I was positive Mike and Alyssa could probably hear my heart beating. It pounded in my chest.

Rip was within inches of kissing me. His hot breath danced over my lips. Then he pulled back and rested his forehead against mine.

Just like he always did before it seemed like he was going to kiss me.

I clutched onto his arms, trying not to let my legs go out from under me.

“Chloe Cat, you have no idea how much I treasure you.”

Smiling, I squeezed his arms.

“I want to kiss you, and I want to tell you that everything will be okay between us, but what if it isn’t? What if we lose what we have and can never go back to that place again?”

My eyes burned while I fought to hold back my tears.

He was rejecting me.

“I never want to lose you as a friend. You mean the world to me, and I love you, too. I just can’t risk losing you like that.”

Dropping my hands to my sides, I stepped away from him. His eyes looked as if he was also holding back tears.

“I see. So you’re not in love with me enough to be with me, but you love me enough to keep me by your side all the time? Want to explain why you kept me so close all through high school?”

“Chloe.”

“No, Rip, there were so many times I looked into your eyes and it felt like I was looking into my own soul. I thought you wanted to be with me.”

He raked his fingers through his hair but said nothing. His silence was my worst enemy.

I laughed, causing him to jerk his head to look at me. I’d taken a gamble and lost. What else could I do but laugh because the only other option was to cry, and I’d already given Rip every other part of my heart, so why not my dignity, too.

Turning away from him, I threw my hands up in the air. “I can’t believe this. I had it all wrong.”

“Chloe, no, you didn’t have it wrong. It’s just…”

I faced him again. “You want me all to yourself and no other man can have me. Not even you. Is that it, Rip? God forbid you take a chance.”

He looked at the ground.

“I’m going to ask you once more, and if your answer is still no, I will never bring this up again.”

“Chloe, don’t do this to me. You sprung this shit on me our first fucking day in College Station.”

I stared at him. I’d waited all through high school for this day. I deserved an answer and wouldn’t leave until I had one.

“Do you want something more than friendship, Rip?”

When he didn’t answer me, I walked over to the sofa and picked up my purse.

“Chloe. Chloe!”

I opened the door and headed down the steps. I soon heard Alyssa behind me.

“Give me your keys. I’m driving,” Alyssa said.

“Chloe, stop for one damn minute and talk to me,” Rip called out.

Handing her my keys, I covered my mouth to keep my sobs from rushing out. Once I was safely in the car and she had pulled away, I let myself cry.

Alyssa reached for my hand and squeezed it. “At least it’s over now. You have his answer and now you can move on, Chloe.”

I stared out the window and nodded as I wiped away my tears. “Yeah, but will it ever be over?”

Chloe – Present Day

EASTON GAZED UP at me, waiting for my answer. My mind swirled with memories of me and Rip. High school dances, fishing trips, memories of laughing with my best friend. The man I had always imagined would be down on his knee asking me to marry him was now back in Oak Springs, living his life. Without me.

That dreaded day came back in an instant. The day I told Rip how I really felt. After he rejected me, I pushed it out of my mind and pretended nothing had ever happened. Rip tried for almost three months to talk to me about it, but he eventually gave up and went along with the charade. He pretended it hadn’t happened either. Soon he started dating, which forced me to start dating. He had moved on, so I needed to move on, too. Keeping up the farce that was the Rip and Chloe show.