SCARRED - Part 6 (The SCARRED Series - Book 6) (9 page)

Chloe put her arms around him and rose up on her toes. Even in the four-inch heels he towered over her. She let her lips glide across his and said, “Thank you. I loved all of that attention, contrary to what I would have believed. I also love all of your attention. Thank you, Derek.”

She stepped back and looked at him in his gun-metal gray Armani suit and black and gray paisley tie. He wore everything he put on well, but this particular suit was so well tailored to his gorgeous body that it made her want to rip it right off of him and explore the body underneath with her hands, lips and tongue.

“You look pretty damned amazing yourself,” she told him. Then she looked at her parents. Samantha was wearing a soft tan dress and heels and her pretty blonde hair was styled softly around her face. It lay spilled across her shoulders and the only jewelry she wore was a think gold chain and her wedding band. Chloe wondered if you were just born with that kind of class, or if her mother could teach it to her. Trevor had on a dark blue suit and he was looking as classy and attractive as his wife. “You all look incredible. I can’t wait to be seen with you.” She giggled and the other’s laughed.

******

I
n the limousine, Chloe was toasted once more by her parents and Derek. Chloe drank sparkling cider while the others toasted with champagne. She didn’t care. She didn’t need alcohol, she was high on life. The limousine took them to Manhattan, but she was confused when they passed through mid-town and headed towards lower Manhattan. She didn’t say anything, but she thought either lower Manhattan or Brooklyn were odd choices for Derek. When the car stopped, she realized they were adjacent to the Staten Island Ferry. Where the heck were they eating?

The driver opened the door and Derek stepped out first and took Chloe’s hand. The Whitemore’s exited and they all started towards the ferry.

“Are we eating on the island?” Chloe asked. She hadn’t been on the island for years, but all she remembered being there was an eclectic sort of food court. It wasn’t that she minded they just all seemed a bit over dressed for it.

“Yes,” Derek said.

“Oh, it’s a great evening for it,” she said. It was warm for September in New York. The temperature was in the low seventies, but with the humidity, it felt more like eighty. Chloe and Derek stood at the front of the ferry and looked out at the water and the islands in the distance. It was a gorgeous view, especially at night when the city lights danced off the surface of the East River.

Once they were on the island, they were loaded onto a tram and taken to a place called “Governor’s club.” Chloe had heard of it, but she’d never been there. It was billed as the only man-made beach and outdoor beer garden in New York. There was a building...kind of. It was made of tin and it had a roof and three walls. The space where the fourth wall would go when rolled down was opened up to a giant, private beach. There were no other people there, but Chloe could see a band setting up on the enormous stage.

“What do you think?” Derek asked her.

“It’s...wow, I love it. I love the little beach. That’s so cool. I want to take off my heels and traipse through the sand to that bar over there in the corner...and get a soft drink or juice of course,” she added with a grin.

“Okay, let’s do that,” Derek said.

To her surprise, he slipped out of his shoes and her parents slipped out of theirs. Derek took her hand and led her through the large, open building. When they stepped out onto the sand, Chloe was nearly thrown into a heart attack when the fifty or so people sitting at the tables to the right of the building stood up and yelled

“Surprise!”

“Oh my God!”

Roxi and Jake were right up front...and Lexi was there with Brock. Kevin was there, of course and Max was there and a whole bunch of her friends from the parks renovation project that she works with...or she did, before her life went haywire.   Derek and her parents must have worked for weeks to track these people down and invite them. No one had ever gone to this kind of trouble for her before. She was stunned, but when she saw Chantelle for the first time since Jesse’s trial, her body slipped into a mild state of shock.

“Chantelle?”

“Hey Kel...shit sorry. I meant Chloe!”

“Chantelle! Oh my god!” Chloe threw her arms around her friend and they hugged. When they separated, they both had tears in their eyes. “I can’t believe it. I’m so happy to see you. Are you doing okay?”

Chantelle smiled. She was still as beautiful as Chloe remembered her. Jesse hadn’t left any visible scars on her face, anyways. “I’m doing well. Getting better every day. You look great.”

“I’m getting better every day too. Thanks mostly to these incredible people.” Chloe hugged her again. “Thank you so much, Chantelle. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I am so sorry about all you had to go through...”

Chantelle held up her hand to stop her friend and said, “That’s all in the past. I hear that now we can have a real friendship at last. My mother and I got a place in Manhattan. Maybe we can do lunch and coffee and things like that.”

“You have no idea how much I would love that. Thank you.”

Chloe hugged her one more time before moving on to welcome the other guests who had come to celebrate her birthday. When she reached Roxi and Jake, she didn’t miss the fact that Jake’s arm had been around Roxi’s waist. Roxi looked gorgeous as always in a strapless blue dress that was the exact shade of her eyes. Chloe hugged her and then Jake. “Thank you both for being here. I can’t believe you all knew about this and no one slipped and told me.”

“That was easy since I never see you anymore,” Roxi said with a curled lip.

Chloe laughed. “Maybe I should come back to work?”

Roxi rolled her eyes and said, “Don’t tease me. I can’t seem to find another girl who can dance like you do and has that blatant sex appeal that made men want to leave most of their money in my club.”

“Maybe that’s a sign that it’s time to sell the place and go into another line of work,” Jake said.

Chloe was shocked. No one ever suggested to Roxi that she should get out of the exotic dancer/club/bar business.

Roxi looked at him and with her most dazzling smile she said, “I’m open for suggestions, but just so you know, the new minimum wage will not support me in the way to which I’ve become accustomed.”

Chloe watched in amazement as Jake raked his eyes over her friend. He looked like he was already familiar with her curves. When they finished travelling and landed on her face, he grinned and said, “I’m sure if we put our heads together, we can come up with something.” Roxi smiled seductively and hooked her arm through his.

“The planning sessions will be stimulating, I’m sure.”

“Okay you two get a room,” Derek said, walking up behind Chloe.

Jake grinned again and said, “You’re not the only one who gets the girl, little brother.”

Mentally shaking her head, Chloe hooked her own arm through Derek’s and led him over to where Lexi and Brock were sitting. They looked even more lovey-dovey than Jake and Roxi. Love was definitely in the air.

Lexi jumped up and hugged her friend. “I’m so happy to see you! I missed you like crazy!”

“I missed you too,” Chloe told her. “Hi Brock.”

“Hi Chloe. Happy birthday. I’m glad you’re doing okay.”

“Thank you. I’m glad you were looking after Lexi for me so that I didn’t have to worry about her too.”

Brock looked at Lexi. He had adoration in his eyes. “It was completely my pleasure,” he said.

Chloe finished saying hello to everyone and then she took a good look around. The faux beach was lined with tiki lights burning soft hues of yellow and blue light and casting shadows across the sand. The tables were covered with brilliantly colored linen tablecloths and vases filled with tropical flowers sat in the center of each one...but the real star of the show was the food.  There were tables lining the walls and on top of the tables sat every delicacy that a person could imagine. One table held platters laden with steaks and chicken and fish. Another table held just about every side dish a person could think of. The next held platters of vegetables and sauces and dips and then there was the dessert table. In the center was a huge cake with pink icing that said, “Happy Birthday Chloe!” It was surrounded by a variety of cakes, pies, tortes and candies. 

“This is amazing Derek. Thank you so much.”

Derek stood behind her and slipped his arms around her. “It was mostly Samantha. She should go into party planning.”

“She should,” Chloe said, “It’s perfect.”

––––––––

D
erek and Chloe ate with her parents and afterwards, when the band began to play, they danced. She was overwhelmed by everything...but she knew for sure that none of it felt as good as she felt in his arms. After they danced a few times Derek took her by the hand and said, “I have one more surprise.”

“I don’t think I can take one more,” she said.

“Just one more and this is the best one...I think,” he said with a grin.

“Okay, if you say so. Bring it on.”

Derek led her out the way they had come in earlier. There was a small tram waiting for them. The tram took them across the Island to a big wide-open grassy area. The sky looked like it had been painted on, just for the occasion. It was black, but it had a velvety quality. It looked like it would be soft if you could touch it. It was cloudless and speckled with stars.

“It’s so pretty out here” Chloe told him.

Derek led her over towards a big oak tree with a bench underneath it. He held her had until she was sitting down

“Look over there,” he pointed out across the water.

The Manhattan skyline lit up and stretched out before them and Lady Liberty stood lay a sentry at her post. Her torch was lit and from where they stood it looked like it was burning. Chloe had only seen her once before. It was on a sixth grade field trip. The Brooklyn Bridge rose up above the East River and cast its own glow out on the water.

“It takes my breath away,” she told him, honestly.

He turned her towards him and cupped her chin. He tipped her face up and said, “You take my breath away.”

He brought his lips down and covered her mouth with this. She automatically let her tongue reach out for his and once they found each other they danced a more beautiful tango than anyone had been danced on the floor tonight. When Derek pulled back, he looked into her eyes with an intensity that gave her chills. Then he smiled and let his long body slide down to the ground on one knee. Chloe sucked in a breath.

He was looking up at her with those crystal blue eyes and said, “I love you Chloe. I want to defend you with my life and comfort you during your difficult times. I want to dance and rejoice with you in good times. I’ll never give up on you. I’ll never betray you. Even during times of trial I’ll always be on your side. I’ll forgive you when you’re wrong and I’ll apologize when I am. I promise to love you until I draw my last breath. I promise to never abandon you. Will you marry me?”

Chloe had tears freely running down her cheeks. She tugged on his arm so that he would stand up, but he held his ground, so she went down to him and wrapped herself into him. He held her like that while she cried for a really long time. Finally, with a worried look he pulled back and looked at her face. “Are you okay baby?”

Choking through her tears she said, “Yes. I’m so much more than okay. I never thought anything like this would happen to me. I thought happy endings were for other people. You’re my Prince Charming...Disney was right!

Derek laughed and hugged her back into him. “Is that a yes?” he asked cautiously.

She was still sobbing so she nodded into his chest. When she pulled her head back up at last she said, “Yes-yes-yes-yes! I love you so much!”

She grabbed his face with both of her hands and brought her lips to rest against his. They kissed softly and sweetly at first...but it quickly turned passionate and more urgent. They didn’t break it until they absolutely had to breathe.

In a husky voice Derek said, “I love you, Chloe. I’m going to make sure that from here on out, you have the best life ever. Do you want to see the ring?”

“Yes.”

He flipped open the box he’d been holding in his hand and Chloe sucked in another breath. It was a white gold band filled with chipped diamonds and leading up to a huge solitary diamond on top. Chloe didn’t know much about diamonds, but it had to be five carats at least.

“Oh my God Derek! It’s gorgeous. I can’t wear that.”

He laughed. “Why?”

“What if I lost it?”

“It’s insured.”

“What if I broke it or chipped it or dropped it down the garbage disposal?”

With a chuckle he said, “Still insured.”

“What if it’s too heavy and my hand can’t hold it up?”

He cocked an eyebrow and looked back at the ring. “I could trade it for...” Chloe took the box from his hand and said, “Don’t you dare!”

Laughing, he plucked the ring from its velvet pillow and slid it on the ring finger of her left hand. He held her hand this way and that and said, “It’s perfect.” Then, he let go of her hand and said, “Can you hold it up?”

She lifted her hand and held it up for a few seconds. Then she put the right hand underneath it and said, “If it gets tired, I’ll use this one.”

Derek threw his head back and laughed. They stayed at the edge of the water for a while after that just enjoying the alone time before Chloe said, “We should probably go back.”

“I guess we should,” Derek agreed. Neither one of them made a move to leave though. They ended up standing there in each other’s arms for another fifteen minutes before they were both finally convinced to go back to the party.

When they got back, the dance floor was full and everyone seemed to be having a great time. Chloe sought out her parents first and once she found them, Derek said, “I’ll be right back.”

“Okay,” she told him, turning back towards her parents. She could tell by the looks on their faces that they already knew. Trevor looked like he was trying to control his smile and Samantha looked hardly able to contain herself.