Haynes, K. R. - The Light in Her Eyes [In Her Eyes] (Siren Publishing Classic) by K. R. Haynes Read Free Book Online

tonight, Chloe smiled. She actually smiled.

Chapter Nine

    Randall still had no idea why Chloe had seemed so down when he found her seated at the booth by herself. It was a topic that he wanted to address with her after ushering her away from the dance floor and back to their table. Sliding into the booth and picking up his beer, he took a quick swig before placing the bottle back down. Glancing up at Chloe, who stood near the table, concern for her washed over him. Something was up with her tonight. He just didn’t know what yet.
    Taking her hand, he tried in vain to guide her to sit down. Chloe released her hand from his grasp and crossed both arms over her chest.
    “Answer me this one question then, Chloe. Why are you really here tonight, alone?”
    What happened next bewildered him. Randall felt like he was watching her in slow motion, as she leaned over the table and grabbed her purse and keys. When she turned to him, he saw the sadness in her eyes. Her sadness struck him hard in the chest.
    “It was my birthday, Jon,” she offered quietly to him, a hint of hurt lingering in her words. Then she turned and walked away, leaving him dumbfounded, staring after her as she disappeared into the crowd.
    “Fuck, it was her birthday!”
    How the hell did he not remember her birthday today? The 27 th in the month of May, the one date he could never forget. And here he was, staring at the vacant chair Chloe had once occupied. Now she was gone. “Fuck.”
    Randall remembered then the words he had once whispered to Chloe on her sixteenth birthday. Words he was determined to say to her again. His heartfelt message he had given only to her. No other woman had ever heard those same words, and they never would.
    Randall made a promise then, that when the time was right he would convey his heartfelt message to his Chloe once again.
    Scrubbing a hand through his hair and down his face, he realised then he still had no idea where Chloe lived or how to get ahold of her. Leaving his half-empty beer on the table, Randall headed out of the pub and drove back to the station.
    He parked his arse behind his desk and turned the computer on. It was about bloody time he found out where Chloe Watson lived. It might be too late to go around and see her tonight. But tomorrow morning she was going to receive one hell of an early wakeup call from him, whether she wanted one or not.

    * * * *

    Shuffling her way into the kitchen and then turning the coffee machine on, Chloe stared out the window above the kitchen sink. It was just after dawn. The sun was slowly rising behind the hills in the distance, dusting the sky with shades of pinks and oranges. Normally dawn was her favourite time of day. Chloe loved watching the sun rise. She marvelled at the way the colours splashed across the sky. Today, though, it didn’t give her the same feeling it usually left her with, one of warmth and beauty.
    No, after a restless night’s sleep, Chloe felt chilled to the bone and empty inside.
    Wrapping her silk robe around her tighter and turning away from the window, she stared across the kitchen at the print she had framed on the wall. One she had received on her sixteenth birthday, she knew that much. She had no memory of who gave it to her though. What she did know was it was given to her from someone who had once loved her.
    The print itself was an abstract. It seemed to represent the depth and the power of their love they held for her. Plus the inscription on the back of the print gave a clear indication of their said love. The artist who painted the original clearly had had love on their mind when they painted it as well. The artist’s own passion and love were clearly visible in the colours used in the painting and within the image itself.
    Staring at the print now, Chloe still struggled to come to terms with her disappointment from last night. It was the main reason for her lack of sleep. She couldn’t believe that she had told Randall about her birthday