Page 39 of The Problem with Playboys

Ten

Aweekend with Parker turned into a week. Which turned into another week. And another after that. When Chloe wasn’t overanalyzing, it wasperfect. Absolute bliss. Her pulse picked up every time she saw him, but he also had a calming effect on her. He got her to unwind, mostly because there wasn’t another option with Parker. As intense and focused as he could be, he was simply a very laid-back guy. He didn’t let things eat at him the way Chloe did. His work was a bear just like hers was, but at night when they were together he didn’t let the worries from that day consume him. A glass of wine, some TV and snuggle time with Blue, and it was like there was no stress in his life at all. He would give her that look, the one that said he wanted her, and the next thing she knew the entire world fell away. How did he do that? Chloe wasn’t entirely sure. All she could do was adopt his approach to life and hope that at some point, she could stop being so worried about everything.

Of course, it wasn’t as simple as that. Spending every spare minute with Parker meant that her mom and her friends were feeling ignored, and that piled on the stress for Chloe. Taylor and Alex wanted updates. They wanted to know the state of things between Parker and her, and Chloe simply didn’t know how to answer that question, other than to say that they were happy. As for her mom, Chloe found herself immensely thankful her mom had a new guy. Whoever he was, he was occupying a good deal of her time. But that didn’t keep her mother from noticing when Chloe hadn’t come to visit.

“Another weekend gone without seeing your face,” her mom said over speakerphone as Chloe was getting settled in her office on a Monday morning. “I’m worried I’ll forget what you look like.”

“Mom, come on. Please don’t give me a guilt trip. You know I’m busy. It’s just the way things are.”

Forrest appeared in the doorway to Chloe’s office with an armful of files and she waved him in.

“It’s my right to point out that your priorities aren’t in order,” her mother said.

“I run my own PR company. I assure you that I am only making time for things that are immensely important.”

“I find it very difficult to believe you’re working nonstop every weekend. There’s something else going on. There’s a man, isn’t there? And you’re keeping him from me.”

Chloe and Forrest made eye contact, and a distinct mix of shock and horror came over his face. “I’ll come back later,” he whispered.

Sorry, she mouthed.

Chloe took her mom off speaker and held the phone to her ear. “Do we really have to have this conversation right now? It’s nine-thirty on a Monday morning, I have a million emails to answer, and client meetings after that.”

“Just answer the question. Yes or no. Is there a man who’s occupying your time?”

“And what if there is?”

“Then I want to meet him. That’s all. I want to know his name and who he is and what he does.”

Oh, no. That is not happening.“I don’t knowyourboyfriend’s name. I’m not the only one who’s hiding things.”

“So this mystery manisyour boyfriend?”

Dammit.Chloe could hardly believe she’d not only walked into that, she’d created the problem for herself. Another tide of guilt washed over her. She’d known this reckoning might come someday, but she’d also argued with herself that it was okay to put it off. She kept waiting for something to go wrong with Parker, so she could save herself the headache, and most important, shield her mom from the sense of betrayal she would inevitably express. The trouble was the perfection of being with Parker. Nothing had gone wrong. He managed to do everything right. “Yes. There’s a guy. But I’m not ready for you to meet him.”

“Is it the fling you mentioned at brunch after your trip to Miami?”

She was already precariously close to lying to her mom. She had to be forthcoming about some things. “Yes.”

“You’ve been back for over a month. That’s not a fling.”

“Then we’ll pick another term for it.” Chloe struggled for the right word. Affair? Tryst? Liaison? None of those felt right. They were all so minimizing. What she had with Parker was more.

“It sounds to me like a relationship. Which brings me back to my original point. I’d like to know who he is. I’d like to know about it if you’re falling in love.”

Chloe felt as though her heart had frozen in the center of her chest. Speaking of uncomfortable words—that one went at the top of the list. “I promise to tell you if I fall in love.”That’s a long time down the road. If at all.

“I should certainly hope so.”

“I really have to go, Mom. Maybe we can have breakfast one day this week? My afternoons are full of meetings.”

“It will have to be today or tomorrow. I’m going out of town for a few days with Gavin.”

“Gavin? The new boyfriend?”

“Yes. Gavin Goldstein. He’s in art and antiquities.”

“I know who he is. I’ve been to his gallery. I’ve also seen his family’s wing at the Met.” It was amazing the way her mom attracted rich and powerful men like flies.