Page 34 of Still Afraid

They all filed out of the theater room and up the stairs. Poirot took the lead, followed closely by the children.

Once upstairs, Chloe’s dad and brothers went out to check on the horses while everyone else cleared the table and got dessert ready. On their way to the kitchen, Chloe squeezed Josh’s elbow, bringing him to a stop.

“What if there’s storm damage here too and we have to find a new location for the wedding?”

“The storm went around the farm. It’ll be fine. The horses might be a little spooked, but I highly doubt there’ll be any serious damage. It’s not worth worrying about because we’ll get married regardless.”

She nodded slowly, but her brows were scrunched tightly together.

“Lay down your anxiety.”

She closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, then released the breath out before opening them and meeting his. With a soft smile she nodded before letting go of his arm and walking into the kitchen.

Lord, for Chloe’s sake if nothing else, would it be too much to ask that we have calm weather for the next couple of weeks?

Though Josh had seen the extended forecast, and it didn’t look promising.

Chapter Eleven

An hour later, Chloe tossed the keys to Josh as they walked to her SUV. Dessert had been delicious as always. And while conversation had been light and steady, Chloe had zoned out on multiple occasions. She was so tired. At least she could blame it on moving, but she recognized it was more mental than physical.

The storm had taken the last reserve she’d had. Right now she needed a good night’s sleep. A nice hot shower would also be nice, but she wasn’t sure she had the energy for that.

After letting Poirot in the back seat, she climbed in the passenger’s seat.

Josh started the engine. “Are you okay?”

“Just tired.” Not that a good night’s sleep would completely alleviate her anxiety, but it would reduce the tension in her muscles.

“I hear that.” He turned the car down the long driveway and out onto the main road.

Chloe flipped on some quiet worship music. Other than that, they rode in silence. She was glad he didn’t feel it was necessary to fill the air with talking. While she loved her family, she was peopled out from the full day of interactions. A few individuals in her life insisted she wasn’t as much an introvert as she claimed, but they didn’t see her right now and didn’t realize she was bubbly around them because they were her safe people.

She closed her eyes as Josh followed the winding road back into town. Sleep met her there on the country road, and before she knew it, they were pulling down her street.

Josh parked in her driveway and came around to open her door before she’d even gotten her seatbelt released. Once Poirot was out too, Josh took her hand, and they walked to the front door together.

They stopped on the stoop, and Josh enfolded her in a snug embrace. “I’m not going to come in. You need to get to bed.”

“That’s fine. You need to get home and get to bed yourself.”

He transferred one hand from her back and cupped her face. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

He leaned in and kissed her with all the tenderness a girl could hope for. She looked forward to the time when she wouldn’t have to part ways with him after they said goodnight. Soon this kiss could be more and last as long as they wanted without pushing the limits of propriety and morality.

She stepped back, breaking the kiss before her mind got ahead of itself. “Thirteen days.”

“But who’s counting?”

They both laughed, and she rose to her toes, throwing her arms around his neck.

He lifted her from the ground, spinning her around. With a final kiss that lasted a touch longer than maybe it should have, they said goodbye.

Josh turned and walked toward where his SUV was parked down the street.

Chloe called Poirot over and opened the storm door.