Our Love Story

Chapter 51CHLOEThe sun is shining when I roll out of bed and internally groan.

Noah’s parents arrived in the middle of the night last night, and when I walk downstairs, I know I am going to come face to face with them.

Leo’s visit has been pretty tame. For the most part, he has been going out with Enzo and the guys every day. He says surfing is his newfound passion and I’ve gotta admit, for a man in his late fifties, it’s impressive to see him get out there on a board and just go for it, taking a risk and learning something new.

But the good thing about Leo is since he is a widower, there are no judging eyes of Enzo’s protective mother looking down on me.

Leo is just as generous as his son. After getting over the initial shock of the relationship, he’s always helping with dinner, telling jokes, and reminiscing about when the boys were young, growing up, and getting in trouble.

But Noah does have a mom and it sounds like she was a wonderful homemaker and mother. Always there for her boys when they were young and I can only imagine the heat I am going to get once Noah tells her who I am exactly.

And if my last experience with a female family member bears any weight, then this week is going to go really badly. Mason’s little sister left LA thinking the worst about me.

But as I get ready, I think about my day. While Noah’s parents coming are a big deal-- I also have my coffee date with Harlow. Maybe I just need to talk to a woman about all this. I hope she won’t judge me when I open up to her. Putting on a bikini and then cutoffs and a tank top over it, and braiding my hair into a fishtail, I refuse to let what judgment I’ve faced in the past affect me now.

I have worked too damn hard to get where I am today. And even though I don’t know how I really feel about this pregnancy, I do know I cannot let any negative people around me right now. This baby deserves more than that.

Besides, I don’t owe anyone, except my men, anything. I owe them honesty, above all else. We have made a commitment to be with each other, and even though I know things might get really messy when we have the big talk about who the father of this child is, I know we are going to get through that when the time comes.

Or at least I hope we can.

For now, I am going to make the best of the situation. I am in Oahu for goodness sakes, with four men by my side! I have no reason to stress. As I walk downstairs, I see Noah’s mom, Tammi, in the kitchen; she has a spatula in one hand and looks like Paula Deen. Big smile, big laugh, and a big presence. The guys are on bar stools listening to everything she says. She delivers a punch line and everyone laughs. The man who must be Noah’s father, Tom, claps in approval. Leo is there too, drinking coffee and soaking in the sun that shines through the window.

“What did I miss?” I ask warmly.

Tammi sets down the spatula and opens her arms, pulling me into an embrace. “Oh, Chloe, you sweet thing, you are just a doll,” she coos.

She pulls back and pinches me on the cheeks. Literally.

“Well, not sure about sweet, but thanks, Tammi.”

“Oh, now don’t be shy. Noah hasn’t stopped singing your praises, you know that, right?”

I look over at a red-faced Noah who is eating a plateful of pancakes. And bacon. My eyes go wide as saucers. “Pancakes?”

He shakes his head sheepishly and I see all the guys have stacks of flapjacks. “She’s a pusher,” he says with a bashful smile.

“I’m impressed, Tammi,” I tell her. “I can’t get these boys to eat anything besides green smoothies and quinoa. I need your secrets.”

Tammi hands me a plate and I set it on the island, pouring maple syrup.

“Thatagirl,” Tom says as I dose my food in sugar coma.

I shrug. “What can I say? I have a sweet tooth.”

“And yet you’re with Noah,” Tammi teases.

“What? You don’t think Noah is sweet?” I ask, realizing our conversation is dominating the room. My guys are pretty damn silent. A pang hits me as I realize Noah’s parents don’t really know what sort of relationship I have with her son. They know I am dating him but it was all spelled out in pretty loose terms. They likely don’t realize I am with all of them. I know Noah laid the groundwork that I was living with them. But they don’t know that we are in love.

And having a baby.