Love Me Long (Love Me Book 4)

Chapter 22

Chloe picked up a bottle of Lia's favorite wine on her way to Lia and Ben's house for dinner. It was their Saturday night tradition to meet at someone's place for dinner. It was a brisk night, and Chloe only lived a few blocks from their house, so she decided to walk and not mess with parking.

As she approached the house, she saw Ben, Silas, and Valentine sitting on the porch with beers, watching the neighborhood and tourists pass by the house. Chloe hadn't known that Valentine had been invited.

She was still far enough away not to have been noticed, so she stopped and looked her fill. It looked like a dream come true. How often had Chloe wished Valentine was with her during these dinners? Lia had Ben, and Faye had Silas, and in her few moments of weakness, she had wondered what it would be like for Valentine to be there with them, and now he was.

He looked good. He was wearing blue jeans and an expensive-looking sweater. It was so far from how he had looked in Drevniye. He looked like a normal guy and not the warrior she was used to seeing.

Ben said something that made them laugh, and Valentine stopped with his beer halfway to his lips and made a comment that made them laugh even harder. Her heart stopped. When was the last time she had heard him laugh? She wished she was close enough to hear him now.

Taking a fortifying breath, she walked towards the house. She was wearing an old pair of blue jeans and a cable knit sweater that she had stolen from Valentine years ago. It was one of her prized possessions, and she wondered if he would recognize it.

Chloe pasted a smile on her face. "Hello all," she greeted as she climbed the steps.

All three men looked at her. Ben smiled, Silas nodded, and Valentine let his eyes roam over her from her head to her toes as he lifted his beer to his lips. Chloe did her best not to fidget under his intense stare.

"Hey, Chloe, Faye, and Lia are inside arguing about the best way to cut a tomato," Ben told her. Chloe took the hint, and with another smile, she turned and entered the house through the front door.

"Hey, Chloe!" Lia greeted from where she stood, stirring something on the stove.

"You could have given me a heads up!" Chloe hissed as she sat the bottle of wine down on the counter.

"Lia thought you wouldn't come if she told you he was going to be here," Faye explained as she reached for the wine and a corkscrew.

"I probably wouldn't have!" Chloe said as she slumped onto a barstool at the island.

"Here, drink this," Faye said, handing her a glass of wine. "It'll take the edge off."

Chloe drained the glass and held it out for a refill.

"Hey, go easy. You brought that for me," Lia griped.

Chloe looked at her with a raised eyebrow, reminding her that the reason she felt it necessary to down an entire glass of wine was that she hadn't told her about Valentine.

There was a tense silence, and a few minutes later, the men joined them.

"Is dinner almost ready?" Ben asked as he looked over Lia's shoulder.

This night was going to be a disaster, Chloe thought as she held out her glass for another refill.

Faye eyed her. "You planning to drink all of Lia's wine?"

"Yes," Chloe said, jumping a little as Valentine sat on the stool next to her. "I find this situation incredibly stressful."

"What situation is that?" Silas asked with a tilt of his head.