Broken Beginnings

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Chloe

I sunk to my chin in the bubbles and sighed, leaning my head back. The bathroom light was off, but I left the door cracked open. I wished I had a candle. It would have been much more peaceful than the harsh strip of light trying to fight the darkness. But I didn’t have one, and I was making do with what I had. I closed my eyes and saw Galen’s face in my minds eye. It was as though his image had been branded there. Every feature from his stunning cobalt eyes, to his ebony hair, and strong jaw had been captured to perfection. It was as though I was really seeing him. As though he was here with me.

At the thought, my eyes popped open and I moaned deep in my throat. What was wrong with me? Was I seriously entertaining thoughts of a man who was oh-so-very off limits to me? Was there really a part of my mind that thought, oh that’s fine, continue on. No! No there was not!

I splashed water into my face, ignoring the sounds of the bubbles popping in my ears. “What am I thinking?” I breathed aloud. What was it about Galen that caught onto me and held on for dear life? What was it about him that captured my interest to the point of obsession? I mean, I’d never thought of a man the way I was thinking of him. Of the way his hands had felt on my waist as he picked me up – however unexpectedly and inappropriately – his touch sparked feelings deep down inside of me. Feelings I knew I had no business entertaining.

I shook the thoughts of Galen from my mind. I tried to think of where my next destination would be. I didn’t think I could stay here. Here is where Galen was, and although I highly doubted he was a bad guy, I needed to focus on me. If I stayed here, I would be too busy thinking about him and that just could not happen. I had left Toronto to better myself. I left to find myself. If I let my concentration zero in on a man like Galen, I would never find me. I needed time to get to know the woman I had become, because somewhere along the line, I’d lost sight of her. Somewhere along the line, I lost sight of who I was. Until I found her, I couldn’t let myself discover someone else.

I pulled the plug and started the shower as the bath water drained, lowering around my feet. I scrubbed my hair and body, shaved my legs and underarms, before stepping from the shower and wrapping a towel around my body. I brushed my teeth and smoothed cream over my pale skin. I dressed in a tank top and booty shorts before I stared at myself in the mirror. I scowled at the pale image staring back at me. My hair was a deep red. It wasn’t vibrant, and thankfully it wasn’t fire-engine red either, but it was too red to be mistaken for brown. The strands were straight and long – it hung down to the middle of my back. My breasts were a little too large to compliment the rest of my body. I’d been an early developer, and I was certain that was where my resentment of them stemmed. I had been teased relentlessly for stuffing my bra with Kleenex, because no other girls in my class had begun developing. It had been a horrible experience that still affected me. My brown eyes were wide, but their color was unique. They were probably my favorite feature. The brown had a golden tinge in the right light – my mom used to say they looked like pools of honey. My nose was small and straight. My lips were plush and red. I’d been told I was pretty in a unique kind of way. My father once told me my beauty was not for the faint of heart – that was after I’d been rejected by a boy I’d asked to dance with me at a school dance. I returned home that night in tears. My father had been a man I looked up to then. His kind words had affected me and my tears had dried.

I chased the depressing thoughts from my mind as I let my eyes drink in my image. My arms and legs were thin and pale. Scattered freckles littered my skin, and to my surprise, they were a feature I didn’t loathe. I’d gotten them from my mother. However, unlike my mom who couldn’t tan to save her life, if I spent time in the sun, my skin would adopt a kind of golden glow that boosted my confidence. I hadn’t had time to spend in the sun, and it was because of that, I felt as though my skin could rival a snowman. My waist was narrow, giving my otherwise iron board figure something that, if I was being kind, resembled an hourglass.

On a heavy sigh, I flicked off the light and snuggled into bed. I closed my eyes and tried not to see Galen’s face behind their lids. I didn’t succeed. His blue eyes and crooked grin followed me into the darkness of my dreams.

***

Galen

I paced the garage where I’d parked Chloe’s car for what I was certain was the thousandth time. I knew I wasn’t going to fix her car. I’d known this when I offered to bring it home with me for the night. But what I didn’t know was why I offered to take a look. I knew what was wrong with the beast. Her tranny was shot. I’d been surprised when the thing started, and even more so when she climbed onto the tow dolly. My foot had been to the floor, but still, that was pretty alarming considering the liquid that had been on the road. I glanced at the car again and ran a hand through my hair. There was no way Chloe was leaving this town unless she took the bus or hitchhiked. The thought of her taking the bus made my skin crawl – the thought of her hitchhiking was unfathomable. The little thing probably didn’t even know how to form a proper fist, never mind defend herself.

But damn, she was just so untrusting. Her eyes were guarded and she looked ready to run constantly, which led me to the question I’d been asking all night. What, or who, was she running from?

I pulled my phone from the pocket of my jeans. I was still wearing my work clothes – I didn’t bother to change when I intended to spend the night in the garage. There was nothing like the smell of oil and engines. I couldn’t think of much else I loved more than tinkering with cars. I wasn’t made of money, and there was no hope for my making a million, but I was happy enough. I was doing what I had always wanted to do with my life. It was nothing special – but it was my dream, and that counted for a hell of a lot more than money. I had all I needed anyway – a house with a full fridge, a beautiful piece of land, and a truck. Before tonight, I never thought I was missing a thing from life. Tonight was the first time in my life that I ever wanted to prolong coming home to an empty house. And I knew it was because of a little red head with frightened honey colored eyes. 

I stared down at my phone and dreaded the call I knew I had to make – but that was just it. I had to make this call. I had to know.

I dialed the number I knew well and waited as it rang. I was well aware of the time, but I was also well aware of Landon’s shift. I was aware of why he had the night shift. Landon was an insomniac. However, his medical issues didn’t affect his work. He was a respected police officer. And he was my best friend.

“What the hell are you doing up at this hour, Galen?” He answered gruffly.

“I need a favor.” I could hear the hesitation in my voice, but there was no turning back now.

“What do you need?” Landon’s voice was curious, and beneath the curiosity, there was worry and a bit of uncertainty. I’d never asked him for a favor in all the years we’d been friends. And now he was a brother to me. The man had married my sister.

“Where are you?” I asked rather than making my request.

“In my office.”

“At the station or at home?”

“I’m at the station, Galen.” His voice was tense. “What’s wrong?”

“I need you check on someone for me.”

“You want me to do a criminal check on someone?” He laughed. “Who?”

“A girl I met.”

“You just met her?” He sighed. “You’re serious?”

“I’m not joking, Landon. She’s different and she admitted she was running. I just want to be sure she’s not running from the law, is all.”

“I can’t just do a check on,”  

“Forget ethics, Landon.” I growled under my breath. “I’ve never asked you for anything, but I need you to do this one thing for me.”

“Jesus man,” I pictured him shaking his head. “What’s her name?”

“Chloe Analee Green.”

“I got it. I’ll call you back.”

“Tonight?”

He laughed, sounding tired. “Within the hour.”

I settled into the portable camping chair I had in the garage and waited for the phone call that would determine my next move. I could only hope Chloe wasn’t running from the law, but if she wasn’t, then what was she running from? And with such fear?