Authors: Julie Ortolon
~ ~ ~
The afternoon passed in a haze of food, music, and laughter. With her stomach sated and her head slightly buzzed, Chloe sat at one of the picnic tables inside the barn, watching Luc’s father and the rest of the band up on the stage. Couples whirled across the sawdust-strewn plywood that served as a dance floor. The infectious rhythm coming from washboard, accordion, and fiddle had her feet tapping, but she’d been relieved when Luc had told her he couldn’t dance. A Texas two-step she could handle, since Adrian had taught her years ago, but the thought of trying to learn the steps for Zydeco in front of a room full of Cajuns proved too much for even her courage.
For now, she was content to enjoy the music while Luc went to get each of them another beer.
“Well, this is a surprise,” a soft, friendly voice said.
Chloe turned and found Luc’s grandmother standing on the other side of the picnic table. Her heart nearly stopped. She’d spotted the woman several times during the afternoon, but avoiding her had been easy. The last time she’d seen Luc’s grandmother, the woman had been sitting at a table on the opposite side of the dance floor.
“Uh, hi, hello,” she managed to stammer.
“What a pleasure to see you here.” Smiling, the woman took a seat on the opposite bench.
“It is?” Chloe blinked. Had no one told the woman her name yet?
“But, of course,” Luc’s grandmother said as if puzzled. “I remember you from yesterday when I did your portrait. I’m Adelaide, by the way.”
“I’m, uh, Chloe,” she said, seeing no way to avoid introducing herself. Her chest tightened with nerves as she waited for the woman to realize who she was.
“Such a pretty name.” Adelaide settled more comfortably.
“Thank you.” Chloe frowned as her thoughts raced. Why was this woman being nice to her? Didn’t she realize Chloe was the person who’d found the necklace? Or maybe Luc hadn’t told his grandmother, yet, about her refusal to help them reclaim it.
“My grandson seems very taken with you.” The woman met her eyes with that penetrating gaze. “I understand you’re the young woman he saw in Galveston.”
The young woman who’d caused Luc’s recent unhappiness. Chloe cringed.
“No wonder you asked about him yesterday.” Adelaide gave her a gently reproachful look. “I wish you’d told me who you were.”
“I’m sorry,” Chloe said, feeling guilty. Not just because of her refusal to help Adelaide get her necklace back, but now for a deception she hadn’t even intended. “It’s just, Luc and I are kind of feeling our way along right now.”
“I understand.” Adelaide’s knowing smile unsettled Chloe. She sensed only kindness, but wondered how much this woman perceived just by looking at her. “I was wondering about that crossroads I saw in your palm. Have you made a decision?”
“I don’t even know what my choices are,” Chloe said. And yet, she did. Would she help her family get the necklace, or would she help Luc? An unexpected flood of emotions overwhelmed her. “I don’t know which way to go. I have so many people pulling me in different directions. How do I choose who I please and who I hurt?”
Adelaide cocked her head, curious but nonjudgmental. “Which direction do
you
want to go?”
“I don’t know,” she said, feeling oddly compelled to spill out all of her confusion and longing to this woman she barely knew. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Then I will tell you.” Adelaide reached across the table and laid a hand over Chloe’s. “Listen to your heart and have the courage to follow what it says.”
“You don’t think that’s selfish?”
Those piercing eyes stared into hers. “When I look at you, I don’t see selfish. You have a heart that is far more tender than you want to show, but it’s there for anyone who cares to see. When the time is right, make the decision that is right for you. That is the only way you’ll find the place where you belong.”
Chloe opened her mouth, but no words came out. How could Adelaide possibly know how much Chloe craved exactly that, a place to belong?
“And now, I need to go,” Adelaide said, rising. “I may be old, but the night is young.
Laissez les bons temps rouler,
” she said with a flourish.
Let the good times roll.
Chloe watched as Adelaide started across the barn. A group on the dance floor grabbed her and she was swept up into the movement, laughing and turning with a group of young and old people who all seemed to be dancing together.
“Everything all right?” Luc asked, taking a seat beside her. He glanced from his grandmother to Chloe. She looked composed but tense, as if a river of turmoil ran just beneath the surface.
“Everything’s fine.” She smiled stiffly.
“You look upset.”
“Confused, actually,” A frown dimpled her brow. “Does your grandmother know my connection to the necklace?”
“Why? Did she mention it?”
“No, she didn’t.” Her frown deepened.
“Then what did she say?”
“She asked me about something that happened yesterday.” Her expression turned worried. “I have a confession. I spoke to her in Jackson Square. Right after she did your portrait.”
“You were there?” He straightened. “I knew it!”
“How?”
“Uh…” He didn’t dare tell her he had a built-in Chloe-sense. “It’s not important. You talked to Mémère?”
“Yes.” Her eyes lowered with guilt, then rose with apology. “I saw you talking to her, recognized her from your drawing, and…”
“What?” he prompted.
“I was trying to decide if I had the courage to contact you, to see if we could…”
“Work this out?” he guessed. Tremendously relieved she had, he brushed her cheek with the back of his finger. “I’m glad you did.”
“Me too.”
“So, what did she say?”
“I had her do my portrait, and then she read my palm.”
“She doesn’t read palms anymore. Or cards. I told you that.”
“I know.” Her face lined with uncertainty.
“What did she say?” When her frown deepened, he held up his hand. “No, let me guess. It was something cryptic that somehow made no sense, yet made profound sense. Right?”
She nodded.
Releasing a sigh, he took hold of her hand. “I’m sorry if she upset you.”
“I wouldn’t say upset.” She frowned. “More like confused.”
“I know the feeling.” He looked into her eyes, longing to comfort her. The swirl of people and noise whirling around them stopped him.
She glanced about as well. “Would you mind if we left?” she asked apologetically. “I don’t want to take you away from your family and it looks like the party is just getting started, but…”
“It’s okay.” He laughed without humor. “I think I’ve had enough family time for one day.”
Chloe was quiet as they made their way to the car. The sun hadn’t fully set and color filled the sky as night bugs did their best to compete with the music coming from the barn.
Once they’d climbed in the Porsche, Luc looked at her. “You sure you’re okay?”
She just nodded.
He wanted to push her for an honest answer, but feared making things worse. “Okay, I’ll take you home.”
“LeRoche House isn’t my home,” she said hollowly.
“I just meant—”
“I don’t have a home.” Her voice tightened. She swallowed visibly to regain control, refusing to look at him. “I thought I did, for a while. But it wasn’t real. Pearl Island was just a place where I was staying as a welcome and useful guest. I’ve never had a home.”
“Chloe, I—” He didn’t know what to say. Her outward calm more than her words twisted his insides. He wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her it was okay to be upset, to cry or yell, or do whatever she wanted to let out whatever was upsetting her. She clearly didn’t want that, though, so he sighed with regret. “Where would you like me to take you?”
“I don’t know.” One of her shoulders lifted in a listless shrug. “Jackson Square, I guess. It’s early enough to walk around a bit before I catch the trolley back to my grandparents’ house.”
“Okay.” He started the car and drove down the dirt road that would take them back toward the highway. The thought of just dropping her off in Jackson Square sat ill with him. Whether she wanted to show her emotions or not, she shouldn’t be alone. “If you want to kill some time, maybe you’d like to hang out with me for a bit?”
“What do you have in mind?” She finally looked at him.
“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “I was planning to go back to Vortal Headquarters, but—”
“I’d like that.”
“You would?” He glanced over at her.
“Yeah, actually, I would,” she said slowly. “I didn’t get to see much of it yesterday.”
“I can give you the grand tour.”
“And finally teach me how to play Vortal?”
The question caught him off guard, and made his hopes soar. “You still want to play?”
“I do.” She nodded. “I really was fascinated by everything you told me about developing the game. I wasn’t pretending.”
“I thought you were just trying to get into my pants,” he joked, then instantly wanted to kick himself.
To his surprise, she laughed. “I was.”
“What?”
“C’mon, let’s be honest. We were both hoping to wind up in bed together. There’s nothing wrong with that, as long as both parties are interested for the right reasons.”
“Duly noted.” He nodded, wondering if she was saying she wanted to sleep with him again. His heart nearly pumped out of his chest.
“So,” she said as a smile curved her lips, “do I finally get to play Vortal?”
“You are so on.”
Chapter 18
“Watch out!” Luc shouted from the living room. His voice also came through the headset Chloe wore, while on the computer screen Sir Blade, dressed in a green tunic that hugged his muscular body, charged toward her through the forest. “He’s trying to sneak behind you!”
“I’ve got it,” Chloe said into her own headset, working her hand controls. Luc had set her up on his massive desktop computer tucked into an alcove off the living room. His apartment had vanished, however, the instant she’d been transported into the lush medieval world of Vortal. She muttered under her breath as the dragon on the screen tried to slither his way around her. His teeth gleamed as he emitted a menacing hiss, then he uncoiled his long neck and drew back his head.
“He’s about to blast you,” Luc warned.
Adrenaline pumping, Chloe worked her controls to swing her sword. Unfortunately, she hit the control too hard and spun in a circle.
“Whoa!” Luc shouted.
On the screen, Sir Blade ducked just in time to escape getting slashed. Then he sprang past her, thrusting his sword deep into the dragon’s chest. Blood spurted as the dragon screamed. A clawed foot sent Sir Blade flying against a tree, where he groaned in pain. The dragon staggered from the wound, but didn’t go down. Instead, it narrowed its yellow eyes at Sir Blade, ready to incinerate him.
Chloe had a split second to decide whether to go to Blade’s aid or seize the chance to dash past the distracted dragon into the cave the beast had been guarding. “Wha’do I do?”
“Go for the treasure,” Luc ordered.
But the dragon was going to get Blade. She never would have made it this far in the game if they hadn’t decided to play as allies. He’d saved her life more times than she could count. How could she abandon him now?
“Go!” he yelled, raising his sword to battle the dragon. “Now!”
Fighting the urge to help him, she charged into the cave. There she spotted the prize, a gleaming emerald sitting on top of a pile of smaller gemstones. Sheathing her sword, she grabbed the prize with both hands.
Medieval horns trumpeted her victory as the screen switched to show both their scores. To her surprise, she’d actually scored higher than Luc.
“Woo-hoo!” She thrust both fists into the air. “I won!”
“Only because I saved your ass several times.” Luc’s voice sounded muffled now with the game over.
Removing her headset, she turned the desk chair to see him sitting forward on the sofa, holding the controls plugged into the laptop on the coffee table. She smiled teasingly as he removed his own headset. “You’re the one who wanted to play as allies.”
“I wanted to be sure you survived long enough to enjoy the game.” He looked at her eagerly. “So, what did you think?”
“I loved it!”
“I’m glad.” Relief washed over his face. “One word of advice, though. When you’re playing with a master as your ally, you need to trust your partner a bit more. You nearly got both of us killed several times.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Rising, she went to join him. Settling into the corner of the brown leather sofa she thought about the game. Vortal was every bit as exhilarating as she’d hoped. She couldn’t wait to play again. “I’m not sure I’m cut out for playing as allies.”
“Too competitive?” He cocked a brow, admiration showing in his eyes.