Read Online When Angels Fall (Fallen Angels) by Jo Cattell - Free Book Online
Authors: Jo Cattell
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seemed to enjoy that she’d put Chloe on the spot a few times.
Nick walked Chloe home and they took a shortcut through the park.
She stopped at the gazebo by the lake and put her stuff down. “I love this place at night. It’s so clear tonight, too. Look at all the stars,” she said, taking in the cool night air. Fall had arrived and she loved the smells of the leaves and the crunch they made as she walked on them.
“Yeah, it’s great. Can I ask you something?”
“What’s up?” she asked as she sat on one of the benches.
“All that stuff Robyn said about your mom and dad tonight… Why didn’t you tell me she died?”
Chloe got quiet. “I don’t like to talk about it. I would have told you eventually or you would’ve figured it out.” She wasn’t ready for him to know this much about her, but Robyn had to push it, and then when his mom had asked, she didn’t really know what to say.
Nick put his hand on her shoulder. “How did she die?”
Chloe wiped away the tears quickly and faked a smile. “I really don’t want to talk about it. Your mom had fun tonight, looking at all those dresses. It’s a shame she didn’t have a girl,” she chattered, trying to change the subject.
“Yeah, she thought I was a girl. She even went so far as to get a dress to bring me home in. She said when I was born, instead of being disappointed it was another boy, she just looked at me and fell in love. I think it was the dark curls.” He laughed.
“Yeah, that’s what Robyn says. She just loves those dark curls of yours and your deep, brown eyes,” Chloe teased him.
“Yeah, and she has put that in every letter she writes. After tonight, though, I saw a side of her I didn’t like. I wonder what Josh thinks about his soon-to-be mock wife writing me letters and stuffing them in my locker.”
“I think he’s still a little miffed I didn’t pick him. But it hasn’t stopped him from asking me out. And judging by the looks I kept getting tonight, he isn’t happy,” she answered, thinking about how he was really going to push her now for a date.
He seemed to want to change the subject. “What about the stuff about your dad, you really weren’t invited to the wedding?”
“See? The illusion is starting to crack, and you’re starting to see the real me. They have made it clear that I’m not a part of their life. It used to hurt really bad at first, but after a few months, I just got used to it. It’s my normal. I told you, I really am not the girl you think I am.” She was fighting to keep tears from falling. She didn’t want him to see her cry; those were for when she was alone.
“Hey, if you ever want to talk about your mom or dad, I’ll listen.” He wanted to make her understand that he really did care about her.
“I’m over it. It was like six years ago. I’m good now. As for my dad, well, that’s just the way it is in some families,” she said, lying to him. She didn’t think she would ever really be over it. And somehow, she knew that Nick could see right through that.
“It’s getting late, you ready to head home?”
Chloe nodded and followed him back through the woods.
* * * *
When Nick got home, they were just sitting down to dinner.
Kevin and Mark couldn’t help but look as if they were a little in awe of the recent development.
Kevin snickered at Nick.
“Okay, what?” Nick finally asked, tired of the looks he’d been getting.
“I was just wondering how you got paired up with Chloe. It just seems a little funny to me,” Kevin watched Nick for an answer.
“Why is that funny? We just decided to be partners for the project. There’s nothing funny about it,” he answered, not wanting to tell them what really happened.
“Really? Because with Josh being in that class, too, I would think she would pair up with him,” Kevin stated.
“And what’s your point?” Nick questioned.
“Isn’t Josh that guy who likes her? The
Nick walked Chloe home and they took a shortcut through the park.
She stopped at the gazebo by the lake and put her stuff down. “I love this place at night. It’s so clear tonight, too. Look at all the stars,” she said, taking in the cool night air. Fall had arrived and she loved the smells of the leaves and the crunch they made as she walked on them.
“Yeah, it’s great. Can I ask you something?”
“What’s up?” she asked as she sat on one of the benches.
“All that stuff Robyn said about your mom and dad tonight… Why didn’t you tell me she died?”
Chloe got quiet. “I don’t like to talk about it. I would have told you eventually or you would’ve figured it out.” She wasn’t ready for him to know this much about her, but Robyn had to push it, and then when his mom had asked, she didn’t really know what to say.
Nick put his hand on her shoulder. “How did she die?”
Chloe wiped away the tears quickly and faked a smile. “I really don’t want to talk about it. Your mom had fun tonight, looking at all those dresses. It’s a shame she didn’t have a girl,” she chattered, trying to change the subject.
“Yeah, she thought I was a girl. She even went so far as to get a dress to bring me home in. She said when I was born, instead of being disappointed it was another boy, she just looked at me and fell in love. I think it was the dark curls.” He laughed.
“Yeah, that’s what Robyn says. She just loves those dark curls of yours and your deep, brown eyes,” Chloe teased him.
“Yeah, and she has put that in every letter she writes. After tonight, though, I saw a side of her I didn’t like. I wonder what Josh thinks about his soon-to-be mock wife writing me letters and stuffing them in my locker.”
“I think he’s still a little miffed I didn’t pick him. But it hasn’t stopped him from asking me out. And judging by the looks I kept getting tonight, he isn’t happy,” she answered, thinking about how he was really going to push her now for a date.
He seemed to want to change the subject. “What about the stuff about your dad, you really weren’t invited to the wedding?”
“See? The illusion is starting to crack, and you’re starting to see the real me. They have made it clear that I’m not a part of their life. It used to hurt really bad at first, but after a few months, I just got used to it. It’s my normal. I told you, I really am not the girl you think I am.” She was fighting to keep tears from falling. She didn’t want him to see her cry; those were for when she was alone.
“Hey, if you ever want to talk about your mom or dad, I’ll listen.” He wanted to make her understand that he really did care about her.
“I’m over it. It was like six years ago. I’m good now. As for my dad, well, that’s just the way it is in some families,” she said, lying to him. She didn’t think she would ever really be over it. And somehow, she knew that Nick could see right through that.
“It’s getting late, you ready to head home?”
Chloe nodded and followed him back through the woods.
* * * *
When Nick got home, they were just sitting down to dinner.
Kevin and Mark couldn’t help but look as if they were a little in awe of the recent development.
Kevin snickered at Nick.
“Okay, what?” Nick finally asked, tired of the looks he’d been getting.
“I was just wondering how you got paired up with Chloe. It just seems a little funny to me,” Kevin watched Nick for an answer.
“Why is that funny? We just decided to be partners for the project. There’s nothing funny about it,” he answered, not wanting to tell them what really happened.
“Really? Because with Josh being in that class, too, I would think she would pair up with him,” Kevin stated.
“And what’s your point?” Nick questioned.
“Isn’t Josh that guy who likes her? The
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