Instead of berating myself for the missteps, I’m proud of myself for ending it. If Dune can tell me he needs the kink, it’s a step in the right direction that I realize my needs are just as important. I can only bend so much before I’m permanently curved. I’m not a prude, but I saw some wild things in my search for knowledge and I’m just not ready. Say yes to nipple-zapping one day and the next you’re sporting a bushy tail and indulging in pony play.
But if not for Dune, I wouldn’t know anything about spreadsheets or found a new love for romance novels or stepped out of my comfort zone and found my limits, so I can’t say I regret him or our freckling.
I’m kind of sad to lose his friends, though. And his piercing. Oh, well.
Austin and Lucy get ready to leave to spend the rest of the holiday at her place. Before they go, Austin finds me in the laundry room, organizing my art supplies while I wait for a load of clothes to finish washing.
“You want to come with us?” he asks.
“No. I don’t mind being alone.” Oh God, I sound like Mildred. But I really don’t mind it.
He rests his T-shirt clad shoulder against the doorjamb. “I know I gave you a hard time, but it’s because I think he should’ve made more time for you.”
His words are sweet, but they hurt because...I don’t want to think about why they hurt. “Bikers are a different breed, I guess.”
“You’re a different breed, Chloe. He didn’t realize it, and I knew he didn’t realize it.”
Man, the feels. I turn my back to him so he can’t see my face, because I’m sure it will give me away, even if my words don’t. “Did you know that early sea voyagers washed their clothes by putting them in a bag and tossing them overboard to drag behind their ships?”
He chuckles. “I didn’t know this. But again, that’s what I’m talking about.”
I don’t tell him that just like Finn, I never shared history facts with Dune. That might make it seem like it’s our thing, and Austin and I really shouldn’t have a thing. “Well, breakups suck. No doubt about that. But at least I was daring this summer.”
“Yeah,” he says. “Now you need to be daring in your artistic life and get Mae’d With Love going. The Fall Thing is coming up and you’ve got a stockpile growing of things to sell.”
“We’ll see,” I say. “I’m not sure what’s holding me back from my goal, other than fear of rejection.”
“Your stuff is good, Chloe. It won’t be rejected.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“I’m going to head out. You sure you don’t want to come along? We can stay here—”
“No, seriously, I’m fine.” I turn to face him. “I’m not going to cry or wallow in self-pity. Maybe a little. I don’t know. I’m sad that it didn’t work out, but I’m surprisingly okay. I’m just going to reflect.”
He studies me and then nods. “There’s some pizza in the fridge I made at the restaurant. And I saved extra marinara for dipping, like you like.”
I smile. Why must he be so perfect? “Yum.”
He smiles and then leaves with his girlfriend. A girlfriend who hugs me and whispers that she admires me for knowing what I want. Ugh, I suck. After cleaning the house top-to-bottom, in my ass-covering pajamas, I pour a generous amount of wine, turn on some music, grab my laptop, and move to the back porch. Fire season isn’t bad this year, so for once I’ll be able to catch a glimpse of neighborhood fireworks. Alone.
It’s okay, because it’s Independence Day. Ha.
From my seat on the back porch steps, colorful fireworks light up the sky and shower down until it burns out and fades to nothing but wispy smoke. Sort of like Dune and me. Breaking up with him might be the bravest thing I’ve ever done. And honestly, it might suck more to be the one who deals the death blow to a relationship. Normally, I’d stick around forever, but I’m growing and learning that time is ticking away. It stops for no one. Least of all me.
Lucy’s words about focusing on her career waft into my brain. It’s time I do something else brave for myself. I open my laptop and navigate to the craft fair site. The vendor tab beckons me to click on it and after five minutes I do. After draining the rest of my wine, I open the application and eeek, sign up for the Fall Thing. It’s a fairly simple process, and after submitting my credit card, it’s done. As long as I’m approved, I will officially have a booth. “Good job, Chloe,” I tell myself, because, well, I’m single again and that’s what you do when you’re alone.
It’s fine. Autumn will be my season.
All about me.
The Fall of Chloe.
Hopefully the in-love kind.
Chloe’s dating adventures continue in
Fall Hard:
Fall is boyfriend-sweater weather, and Ryan is exactly who I want to cuddle up with.
Luckily, Ryan’s good at sharing.
In fact, he’s quite the giver.
Did I mention he has a perfect beard?
We could easily be the cutest new couple in Boulder… if we ever leave his place.
Get Fall Hard
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Also by Laurelin Paige
Visit my website for a more detailed reading order.
Dating Season
Spring Fling | Summer Rebound | Fall Hard
Winter Bloom | Spring Fever | Summer Lov'n
Also written with Kayti McGee under the name Laurelin McGee
Miss Match | Love Struck | MisTaken | Holiday for Hire
The Dirty Universe
Dirty Filthy Rich Boys - READ FREE
Dirty Duet (Donovan Kincaid)
Dirty Filthy Rich Men | Dirty Filthy Rich Love
Dirty Games Duet (Weston King)
Dirty Sexy Player| Dirty Sexy Games
Dirty Sweet Duet (Dylan Locke)
Sweet Liar | Sweet Fate
Dirty Wild Trilogy (Cade Warren)
Wild Rebel | Wild War | Wild Heart
Man in Charge Duet
Man in Charge
Man in Love
Man for Me (a spinoff novella)
The Fixed Universe
Fixed Series (Hudson & Alayna)
Fixed on You | Found in You | Forever with You | Hudson | Fixed Forever
Found Duet (Gwen & JC) Free Me | Find Me
(Chandler & Genevieve) Chandler (a spinoff novella)
(Norma & Boyd) Falling Under You (a spinoff novella)
(Nate & Trish) Dirty Filthy Fix (a spinoff novella)
Slay Series (Celia & Edward)
Rivalry | Ruin | Revenge | Rising
(Gwen & JC) The Open Door (a spinoff novella)
(Camilla & Hendrix) Slash (a spinoff novella)
First and Last
First Touch | Last Kiss
Hollywood Standalones
One More Time
Close
Sex Symbol
Star Struck
Written with Sierra Simone
Porn Star | Hot Cop
Also by Kayti McGee
Dating Season
Spring Fling | Summer Rebound | Fall Hard
Winter Bloom | Spring Fever | Summer Lov'n
By Any Other Name
Written with Laurelin Paige as Laurelin McGee
Holiday for Hire
Miss
Match
Love Struck
MisTaken: A Novella
Under the Covers novels
UnderCovers
Topped
Long Shot
Hands Off
Standalone
Screwmates
That Thing You Do
About Laurelin Paige
With millions of books sold, Laurelin Paige is the NY Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Fixed Trilogy. She's a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there's kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn't seem to complain, however. When she isn't reading or writing sexy stories, she's probably singing, watching shows like Killing Eve, Letterkenny, and Discovery of Witches, or dreaming of Michael Fassbender. She's also a proud member of Mensa International though she doesn't do anything with the organization except use it as material for her bio.
www.laurelinpaige.com
laurelinpaigeauthor@gmail.com
About Kayti McGee
Kayti McGee is livin’ deliciously in beautiful Kansas City, Missouri. Go Royals!
She also writes as the latter half of Laurelin McGee. Like her co-author Laurelin Paige, she joined Mensa for no other reason than to make their bios more interesting. Sometimes they podcast as IRL.
Stalk away at:
www.kaytimcgee.com
KaytiMcGee@gmail.com