Chapter 10

Still a bit shaken up by the phone call she had just received, Chloe didn't notice Brady staring at her. She turned to face him and smiled, grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the door.

"Where are we going?" Brady asked, confused.

"Out."

"Yeah, I gathered that. Out where?"

"Are you hungry?"

Brady gave her that glazed look, and she laughed. When was Brady Black ever not hungry? "What are you in the mood for?"

Chloe cocked her eyebrow up. "Do you really want to know?" She was turning the tables on him. He wasn't the only one that could insinuate. It was fun to watch him squirm for once.

Brady just laughed in response. Chloe certainly had fire in her.

They settled on Italian and went to a small classy restaurant around the block from Jared's apartment building. It was strange for Brady to be out at a restaurant instead of dancing in some club, but he felt oddly comfortable. He had come to enjoy spending time with Chloe, much to his chagrin. He wanted to keep himself closed off from people, but he found that to be an impossible task where Chloe was concerned. They sat across from each other on either side of the tiny oak table. Just a small burning candle and a salt and pepper shaker separated the two. It was definitely a different experience than they usually shared with each other, but it was a pleasant one.

Brady grinned at Chloe after taking a sip of wine. "So Chloe, tell me about it."

"About what?"

"About everything. About your life. About growing up in foster care."

"Brady, that is hardly dinner time conversation. Try again."

"Chloe, I don't know if you've noticed, but hardly anything we have been through has been conventional. But if you don't want to share, I understand."

"It's just hard to talk about."

"Okay, we don't have to talk about it. So when did you discover this love of opera that you have?"

Chloe gave a light chuckle at the irony. "When I was in foster care." Here they were trying to move away from the subject, but it seemed inevitable that they would talk about it.

"Oh. We don't have to...I mean..."

"No, it's okay," she said, taking a bite of her roll and swallowing before she began to speak. "I was four years old, and I went to live with this elderly Italian couple. Every day, almost all day, the old man would sit by the fire, playing these ancient records. Just swaying his wrinkled head. Closing his eyes, listening to the words. One day, I became very curious. I left my crayons and colouring book and stood in front of him. I watched him react, and I closed my eyes too. When I opened them again, he was smiling, looking down at me."

Brady listened intently, pulling up his chair to get closer.

"Anyway, he said to me, ''You wanna lissen to da opera wis me?'" Chloe tried her best to mimic an Italian accent. "I nodded and climbed into his lap. I remember his eyes were so kind, so loving. You could tell that he really cared about the music. So he started to tell me what the words meant. They were in Italian, and he would translate for me. It became a little ritual for us. I would sit there with him, and he would fill me in on the greatest operas the world had to offer. I don't know what made me do it or even how I did it, but one day I just started to sing along."

Brady smiled at her, watching her eyes grow huge as she told her story.

"I don't know if I even realized I was doing it, but when the song ended, he had tears in his eyes. I started to cry because I thought I had done something wrong. I covered my face and refused to look at him. He took my hands away from my eyes and laughed, and so I laughed. Then he told me that I had 'talento,'' which was Italian for gift. At the time, I didn't know what he meant; I was just so happy to have someone in my life that was interested in what I had to say."

Brady and Chloe joined in laughter before she continued. "So that's how it was, for a while. He would teach me, and I just absorbed everything. To this day, I can still speak fluently in Italian. When I close my eyes, I can still picture everything so clearly. It's like a painting that comes alive inside my head. I can see his face; I can hear the music, the notes swirling around the room, hugging my ears. I can still feel the reverberations in my chest. It just felt...right."

Chloe looked up, realizing she had closed her eyes. She felt Brady's intense stare and opened her sapphire eyes. She blushed slightly as he continued to watch her. "What?" she finally questioned, self-consciously.

A smile tugged on his lips. "It's just the way you talk about music, it's like it's alive."

"You think I'm silly, don't you?"

"No. I think you're great."

Chloe's head shot up, surprised by his comment. She took in his light features, trying once again to figure out who Brady Black really was. The waiter brought them their meals, and for a moment, there was a calmness between them. They weren't guarded, but it only lasted a moment. And then it was gone.

"So what happened to this couple? Are you still in touch with them?"

Chloe played with the food on her plate absent-mindedly. "No. A week before my fifth birthday, they were declared incompetent to raise me, and I was moved away. I never saw them again."

Brady reached across the table and took her hand in his, giving it a light squeeze. Chloe looked down at their hands and smiled at him, tugging on his hand too. Brady let go fairly quickly when he realized what kind of tenderness he was showing. The last thing he needed was for Chloe to get the wrong idea, for his heart to get the wrong idea.

Chloe brushed it off just as quickly. "Okay, I told you something about me. Now, it's your turn."

"I guess you're right. What do you want to know?"

"Promise not to get mad?"

Brady looked at her apprehensively, before his lips curled into a smile. "Promise."

"Tell me about Lisa, just something small. Like when you first met her."

Brady inhaled sharply, trying not to lose his temper. Every time Lisa's name was mentioned, he couldn't help but feel like he was being stabbed in the chest. The wound still felt fresh, even after all this time. "In the spirit of this new formed friendship, I'll tell you, Chloe, but after tonight, don't ask me again."

Chloe nodded, thankful that he hadn't been more severe with her.

"It was my last year at boarding school. I was seventeen and didn't give a fuck about anything. I thought I knew everything..."

"You still think you know everything," Chloe laughed, making him lose his train of thought.

He smiled in spite of himself. "Like I was saying, I was angry and rebellious. I had just gotten off the phone with my father. I was pissed. I turned around and kicked a trash can, and there she was. I didn't see her come in, but there she was, staring at me. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. I knew I had to talk to her. Being Mr. Suave, I walked up to her and asked her if she was lost. She laughed in my face, asking if that was my best pick up line. I swear I must have turned three shades of red."

Chloe watched the expression on his face. He was actually smiling. He shook his head and continued. "Anyway, she was at my school for a drama festival. Our sister school used our theatre for recitals because they didn't have one," Brady said to clarify. "So the entire day, I was stuck like glue to her. Following her around, being my regular charming self. Finally, it was her turn to perform. She got up on stage and froze. She couldn't move, and I just felt so bad for her. So I slipped out the back of the auditorium and pulled the fire alarm."

"You didn't?" Chloe laughed.

"Oh, I did. I was suspended for a week. I almost got expelled. It was the third 'incident' of the month for me. But I didn't care; I just knew I had to help her out somehow. So we were all outside, waiting. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her. I gallantly walked up to her and told her she was 'welcome.'' She turned to me and gave me the brightest smile. Then she hugged me. I swear I can still remember what she smelled like," Brady admitted, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Chloe. He wondered if he had revealed too much.

Chloe smiled at him, seeing how much it pained him to talk about her and thankful that he had shared something so intimate.

"Anyway, that's how we met."

The rest of the dinner, they sat in almost complete silence except for a few pleasantries. They were both feeling so exposed, too vulnerable to talk. When they finished, Brady paid the check and put his coat on. He helped Chloe with her coat and handed her the small package that contained the rest of her meal. All the talk about her life had left her a little uneasy. Somewhere along the way, she lost her appetite.

The pair strolled down the street, each quiet, each thinking. They got to Jared's building quicker than they realized. Brady stood in front of her, trying to find words to say to her. It almost felt like he owed her a thank you for forcing him to talk about his life and for listening. Before he realized what he was doing, he leaned over and gently took her in his arms. Surprised by his actions, Chloe eagerly responded, loving the closeness she felt.

"Good night," he whispered tenderly, before releasing her and walking away.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A week later, Chloe had found the place of her dreams and had even saved up enough money to afford it. Brady and Jared were busy removing boxes as Chloe barked orders at them. Since the night Chloe and Brady had dinner, they had grown closer and were actually starting to become friends. Jared was still happy with Brandi but still pined away for Chloe in the back of his mind. It was a difficult situation for everyone involved. It was getting harder for Chloe to deny her feelings for Brady. Brady too was beginning to feel uneasy around Chloe. He feared that he would go back on the promise he had made to Jared and would wind up regretting it for the rest of his life.

Chloe was arranging pictures on the wall when she turned to see Brady come through the doorway.

He smiled at her and set his box down. "You're not doing that right, Chloe." He smiled, coming up behind her.

"What do you mean?"

"You can't just stick a nail on the wall and put up the picture. You have to measure everything out to make sure it is centered."

"Brady, I didn't realize you were such a perfectionist," Chloe laughed.

"There's a lot you don't know about me," he breathed against her neck.

Chloe shivered against his chest as he came closer. Taking hold of the hammer in her hands, he positioned the nail on the wall and guided her. Chloe moved into his body and let him take the hammer from her hands. He grazed her arm with his as he hung the picture on the wall. She turned to look at him, staring into his deep blue eyes.

"Last box!" Jared announced, startling them out of their trance.

Brady backed away from Chloe and ran his hand through his hair nervously. Jared slumped down on a plush chair he and Brady had carried in before.

"Great! I'm so excited!" Chloe said, turning to face the two men.

"Okay, I gotta hit the road," Brady said, walking halfway out the door. He was getting too close to Chloe. They needed some time apart. There were still so many issues Brady had to work out for himself. It wasn't fair to her or anyone else to get involved in a relationship just yet.

"Wait!" Chloe shouted after him.

"What?"

"I thought the three of us could go out and celebrate."

"I'm sorry, Chloe. I really can't."

"Well, why not?"

"I've got a date, and I'm already running late as it is."

Chloe's face fell. She knew they were only friends, but a part of her was hurt. A part of her wanted him to never be around any other girl but herself.

"A date? Since when do you date, Black?" Jared interrupted, coming between them.

"I date all the time."

Jared laughed. "Brady, what you do isn't called dating."

"Fine, whatever. Then let me go do my thing," Brady grunted, high fiving Jared.

"Another time then?" Chloe suggested.

"Don't let me stop you guys. You two go out."

Jared looked to Chloe for approval. She smiled and nodded.

"Fine. Then it's settled. Have fun, Brade."

"You too, man. See ya, Chloe."

"Bye," she said softly, as she turned to close the door. He had just blown her off for some girl. Just when she thought they were making progress and that she was finally starting to see a glimpse of the real Brady Black, he pulled away.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Brady stepped off the elevator and took out his keys. He opened the door to his apartment. Taking off his boots and jacket, he lay down on the couch and flipped on ESPN. There was no date, but Brady couldn't bear to be so close to her. He hadn't been a friend to a woman in a long time and didn't know just how to do it. He was afraid that he wouldn't be able to contain himself around her, that when he looked at her, he would get those butterflies that came too often these days.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chloe unpacked the rest of the boxes when she got back from dinner with Jared. She fell asleep fast that night, but there was something that was bugging her. She had finally started to connect with Brady, and he seemed to be pulling away. Maybe she didn't understand him as well as she thought he did. Chloe thought back to what Brandi had said to not give up on him. Although she was skeptical, she was determined to make a breakthrough with Brady.

Chloe wasn't foolish. She knew Brady had secrets; she had secrets of her own. If they ever had a chance to be together, they would have to resolve a lot of issues first. Especially issues that were about to come back into their lives.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Brady grew restless. He had been couped up in his apartment for days, trying to avoid Chloe. He just knew that he was getting too close to her. Already he had revealed too much. He knew where she would be and knew he couldn't resist seeing her. However, he wasn't sure what he would do when he found her.

Grabbing his leather jacket, he pulled it over his white button down shirt. Slamming the door behind him, he made his way to his motorcycle. The bike vibrated under his legs as he rounded the corner and parked. Going to the front of the line and ignoring the protests of the other patrons, Brady entered his favourite night spot.

There she was, illuminated in lights centre-stage, no less. Unfortunately, she was not alone. In fact, she seemed to be quite acquainted with the man she danced with. He waited on the other side of the room until they took a break, before he approached her. "Chloe, can I talk to you for a minute?" he asked impatiently, wanting to get her away from the goof she was with.

Chloe was annoyed as hell with him. All week he had avoided her, and now when she was with someone in a crowded night club, he wanted to have a talk. Well, he was going to have to wait because Chloe had other plans and those plans did not include Brady Black. "Can't you see I'm busy? We can talk tomorrow."

"No, we need to talk now."

"It's going to have to wait, Brady. Todd and I were just leaving. Isn't that right, Todd?" Chloe looked up at the large man; she winked at him.

God help him, he was as intelligent as a fence post, and it took him a few minutes to clue in. "Yeah, that's right."

"Chloe..."

"I'm sorry, Brady. Todd promised we'd go back to his place, and I'm looking forward to it." She smiled, looking him straight in the eye.

"Fine. Go. Whatever," Brady pouted.

"We're only friends, Brady. Don't forget that. I don't owe you anything," she whispered into his ear.

Todd put his arm around Chloe, and they walked out of the club, leaving Brady standing there, feeling very small. Once they were a block away, Chloe called for a cab and left Todd standing on the street alone.

Entering the empty apartment, Chloe took off her tall boots and jacket. She rubbed her feet that stung from blisters. Dancing was fun, but dancing in four-inch heels was very impractical. She shimmed out of her skirt and took off her long socks and shirt. She covered herself in an over-sized t-shirt and settled under the cool sheets. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep, since she was so worn out from the club. Distant memories began to surface, and before long, she was tossing and turning.

"FREAK!"

"LOSER!"

Huddled against the side of the brick building, she covered her ears while the other children taunted her. It was no different, no matter where she went. She was always the new girl. Always without friends. She had learned to shelter herself from the rest of the children, to keep to herself so no one bothered her. But it wasn't working this time. They weren't going to just go away.

She made a move to get up and walk away, but the rest of the kids crowded around her, their yells and screams becoming louder, almost violent. Looking around, she realized there was no escape. This time, she had to face her problems head on. "Please, leave me alone," she said in a scared, shaky voice.

"Awww, the baby wants us to leave her alone," a somewhat tall twelve-year-old boy with dark curly brown hair and eyes squealed in delight, his voice not yet changed by puberty.

"What did I ever do to you?" Chloe asked quietly, more to herself than to the mob of children.

"You're a freak, that's what you did. You sit in your room all day, listening to those dumb records, singing along. You're a loner and ugly and no one will ever love you."

"Scram, you brats!" a husky teenage boy called out to the children. "That means you too, Chris."

"We were only having fun, man. Why do you always stick up for her?"

"That's my business. Now leave, before I get angry."

"Whatever!" Chris mumbled and ran off to join in a game of touch football.

Derek, one of the oldest kids in the orphanage, leaned down and offered his hand to Chloe. Derek was fifteen and normally the number one trouble maker in the bunch, but he had a soft spot for Chloe. All the other kids were afraid of him and the other boys and girls that hung out with him. For some reason, he felt the need to take pity on Chloe. Beneath the long flow of hair and large rimmed glasses, he saw her beauty.

Ever since she had been sent there after another one of her foster-homes gave up on her, Derek had taken her under his wing. Chloe was eleven years old and was steadily growing up before her time. In a world where she had to fight over food, shelter and clothing, she knew how important Derek's help was to her. Whether it was out of pity, she didn't know. There was still a part of her that harboured that child-like innocence like normal kids. She could still be naive when it came to boys. But that would soon change as she got older and got to know Derek.

"Are you all right?" he asked, watching her dust herself off.

Chloe was mature for her age and was already starting to show signs that she was on the verge of womanhood. "I'm fine." she said, looking up to meet his eyes. She flashed him a toothy grin. "Thanks. You always seem to be there when I need you."

"I'll always be there for you, Chloe. You can count on me to always be there. I promise."

The words seemed so innocent then but would forever haunt her now. She awoke, turning on the small lamp on her night stand. She shuddered. It had been a long time since she thought about that place, those kids or Derek. He had taught her a lot about life, shown her how to survive on her own. But mostly, he kept a lot of the kids from teasing her. Not all things stayed the same or turned out the way they were supposed to. Chloe had learned that early on. Promises were not always a good thing. Sometimes promises left little room to breathe and grow. If you were not careful, a promise from the wrong person could get you into all sorts of trouble.

Stepping out of bed, she walked over to her desk. Pulling a leather case from under the chair, she set it on the desk. Delicately, she untied the string binding and pulled out her most tangible, prized memory. With great effort, she blew away the thick cover of dust and sent it scurrying throughout the room in a great cloud. Carefully, she lifted the circular disk from the parchment and gently rested it on the record player. Extending the arm just so, the needle came to rest on one of the fine grooves. She was always careful not to scratch the record, like she had been taught so many years ago.

As she waded through the introduction, she walked to the window. She watched the city below and pulled the window pane up to let in the cool breeze. The air was crisp and cold as it flooded the room and her senses. Soon, she could see her own breath dew and hang lightly in her room, as she listened to the tunes that had kept her safe as a child. She stood there, frozen in time and space, her body shaking, but going unnoticed. Eventually, she closed the window and returned to her bed, turning off the light, but letting the music play, lulling her to sleep.