He pushed me, and I stumbled backward. His words burned down my veins painfully. Did the situation between them have to do with my mother?

"Fuck you, old man. You don't know anything."

"Right. That's why I live in this house, and drive these cars, Finn. You're right. I'm ignorant." He snorted as if it were funny, and turned back to the house, disappearing inside it and leaving me feeling like absolute shit.

He was right. Chloe did deserve better. Much better than me.

Chapter 23

Chloe

I laid around Finn's for most of the morning, and then decided to clean the place up for him. Having figured it would only take an hour or two, I was shocked when I looked up to see it was already after noon. I cleaned myself up and grabbed my keys, deciding to treat myself to a muffin, coffee and a fabric store. The type of material I needed to work on my ski jacket design wouldn't be easy to find, but seeing that it was a common fabric for Colorado, I had high hopes.

The snow had piled up so high around my tires the night before that I had to find a stick and force most of it away. I would need to get my father to show me how to put the chains around them later that day, but it could wait. Most of the main roads were salted, and I could take it slow until I came to them.

Moments later Christmas music blared from the radio, and heat from the vents. My mood was high and my heart full. I would have loved to have called Jessie and told her the good news, but I couldn't bring myself to talk to her just yet. The situation with her and Seth was still a little too raw.

I made it to one of the large strip centers in town, and parked by a row of trucks before getting out and walking into the fabric store. I paused at the front and breathed in deeply, finding myself at home in the midst of all the different textures and colors.

"No. It's too girlie, woman. I told you to get brown." A man's voice rose up from an aisle over, and it was too familiar not to check it out.

"It is not. Blue is a man's color too." A pretty blond pushed at a guy's chest, and smiled like the world revolved around him.

He turned to look up at me as I walked down the aisle, having planned to skirt by them.

Finn's Dad. A smile lifted his lips, and he extended his hand to me.

"Chloe. What a nice surprise." He shook my hand as I offered it, and nodded toward his friend. "This is my secretary, Milly."

The woman flinched, and I had to assume it was the title he used with her.

"Nice to meet you. I'm a friend of Finn's." I shook the woman's hand before turning my attention back to Clark. "You finally get a day off? That wayward boy of yours working in your absence?"

He chuckled as he released my hand. "I'm sure he's out working hard after this snow we got."

"No doubt he is." Milly moved in closer to Clark, who didn't seem to mind. "That snow we got last night was horrible. We were worried to get out into it today."

"Yeah, me too. I'm from California, so this has been an adventure and a half." I nodded to the fabric. "You making something?"

Clark butted in. "Make sure you have chains on your tires, Chloe. If your Dad doesn't put them on, bring them over and I'll have one of the boys do it for you."

I smiled at him. "I'll have my Dad do it. He won't mind."

Milly pushed at Clark's chest and smiled. "Get out of here. I'll bother Chloe to help me look for colors. You go get us a coffee next door."

"Bossy-ass women," he mumbled, and walked to the door before pausing and glancing over his shoulder. "Chloe, you want something, honey?"

"No, Sir, but thank you." I chuckled at him using mine and Finn's latest joke, and of course not knowing it.

"So look at these two fabrics." Milly held them up. "Which do you think would better fit Finn?"

"Oh the blue. Definitely." I reached out and brushed my hand down the front of it. "What are you making?"

"A vest to wear under his jacket." She beamed, and I could tell that she cared for Finn tremendously.

"Have you considered flannel or fleece?" I moved to the racks of materials and found the same shade of blue in the other two fabrics. "Here, run your hand over these."

She gave a sound of appreciation as she did. "These are both great."

"I'd use fleece as cold as it is out here." I stopped and pressed my fingers to my lips. That was it. I needed to use fleece in the paneling for my own jacket I was designing.

"So you sew?" Milly asked, taking my attention again.

"Oh yeah. I just got my degree in design." I beamed, unable to help myself. "My mother taught me to sew when I was nine. My Dad had a fit because of the moving needles and such, but I loved every minute of it."

"Do you still sew together when you come home to visit? I assume you're visiting." She took the roll of flannel and snuggled it to her chest.

"She died eight years ago around this time." I searched for a light pink in the same fabric.

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry." She brushed her hand over my back.

"It's okay, but thank you for your kindness." I turned and decided to ask Milly about the burning question inside of me that just wouldn't leave me alone. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure. After you've helped me find this great material for Finn's Christmas gift, you can do anything you like. I've been looking for forever, and as you can see, Clark's been no help at all."

"How long have you known Clark?"

"Since we were kids. His first wife was a friend of mine." She tilted her head. "Why?"

"Then I guess you know my Dad too?"

"What's his name, dear?"

"Jonathan Burke."

She stiffened, and I didn't need a response. I already had it.

"I know Jon." She smiled, relaxing.

"Something happened between them, but I can't figure out what." I glanced around to see Clark coming back in the store. "Never mind."

She reached out and squeezed my arm. "Ask you Dad about it, then help him heal. It's been a long feud, and it's long overdue that they stop acting like jealous boys over a girl."

Did she mean literally or figuratively? I was more confused, which was frustrating.

"What are you to girls whispering about over here?" Clark handed Milly a cup, and smiled at both of us.

"Sharing secrets about how to score a good man." I chuckled.

"Yeah, but first we gotta find a few of them." Milly elbowed Clark in the stomach, and he gave her a look.

"I'm going to wrap up some shopping today, and I got Finn some cologne, but what else would he like? Does he need anything for his snowboarding stuff or some new shirts or..." I let my words trail off as they both turned to stare at me.

"He's a pretty simple guy." His Dad's expression softened a little.

"He hates gifts too." Milly turned to look up at Clark.

"That's because he's always too broke to return the favor." Clark took a sip of his coffee.

"Oh, I don't want anything from him. I just wanted to get him something nice to open on Christmas morning."

"Are you two seeing each other, or just friends?" Milly's cheeks colored like she'd asked something inappropriate.

"I think we're somewhere in between the two." I shrugged.

She glanced back at Clark and lifted her eyebrow. "Looks like you and Jon better get your shit cleaned up. No need to let it fall on these kids. They haven't done anything to deserve it."