A Place of Hope and No Pain

Matt's POV

I kept myself busy after Thanksgiving, using the time to find a house and I had, I'd found the perfect house. I'd made an offer and the owner's had accepted. So now I had a new house and I was pretty lucky, because it was vacant they let me have a key so I could get it painted while waiting to move in, hopefully all the contracts would go through quickly and I would be able to move in before I had to be out of my current house.

Chloe. Damn, I was so mad at her, having such a good time with her ex. I hadn't called her, I was too mad and I hadn't replied to her message. Just one message, that was all she'd sent.

Where the fuck are you?

I read it and ignored it, to mad to respond. I wanted to message back 'well where the fuck are you' but I didn't, I decided no reply would be better.

I sat on my couch, brooding. Fucking Chloe, god, just the thought of her made me mad.

Suddenly my phone rang and I glanced at it. Speak of the devil, it was her so I ignored it, letting it go to voicemail.

I waited until a message was left then I replayed it, frowning. It was Harper, and god, what if something was wrong?

I quickly hung up and as soon as I did it rang again, so I answered it.

It was Harper again and she'd called to chastise me for making her Mom sad. I sat there, feeling like the biggest asshole on the planet.

She demanded I come over and I agreed. Hell I'd missed not seeing Chloe and regardless of what I'd witnessed in the park I loved her to death.

I grabbed they key to the new house and then I stopped getting a pizza, a peace offering if you will. I knew when she saw me it wasn't going to be pleasant. I was such an idiot anyway, I should have just gone there Thanksgiving night and asked her about it, not come to some crazy jealous conclusion.

I grabbed the pizza and got out of the car, walking to the door and ringing the bell.

I couldn't help but smile when Chloe opened the door. She stood there, hair a mess, mascara smudged on one eye and still she was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen.

"I brought pizza." I mumbled, trying not to smile.

"How nice." She snapped. "You're only four days late."

I bit my lip, trying not to laugh at Harper who was pulling faces behind Chloe.

"Yeah well." I said pushing past her and walking in. "Who wants pizza."

"Me." Harper giggled.

"Not me." Chloe snapped.

I followed Harper into the kitchen and grabbed some plates, sitting down with her and eating while Chloe banged angrily around.

"Okay." I said standing up after eating. "Get your jackets on, we're going out."

"No I'm not." Chloe snapped and I ignored her, getting Harper's jacket and helping her into it.

"Get your fucking jacket." I snapped back at her.

She frowned, but I was pleased to see her grab her jacket and put it on.

The car ride consisted of Harper and I chatting and Chloe staring moodily out the window. I thought about taking her hand, but I figured it wouldn't go down well right now.

"What's this?" Harper asked as I pulled up to the house that was in complete darkness.

"My new house." I told her, turning the car off.

"Yay." Harper cried, throwing open her door and running up the path.

"Come look." I said to Chloe and she grunted, getting out.

I followed her up the path, sneaking a look at her ass. I'd missed that ass and I kind of wanted to grab it, but I also didn't want a smack in the mouth either.

"It's empty." Harper giggled after I'd unlocked the front door and put the lights on.

"Yep." I said walking in. "I'm getting it painted first."

Harper ran off exploring and I looked at Chloe. "Come on." I murmured. "I'll show you around."

I led her into the kitchen and turned on the lights. Honestly the kitchen was amazing and I watched Chloe look around with wide eye's.

"This is the backyard." I said opening one of the huge doors and turning on the light.

It illuminated the pool, which was something else again.

"It has a waterfall." Harper screeched, running out to look.

"Well." Chloe muttered. "Haven't you moved up in the world."

I ignored her. "Come on." I called to Harper. "Come see the bedroom's."

I followed Harper as she ran up the hallway, Chloe grumping behind us.

"This." I said turning on the lights. "Is Jaxson's room."

"Oooh." Harper giggled.

"And this." I said walking to the next room. "Is Ryder's."

"I like it." Harper whispered, looking around.

"And this." I said walking to the next room and turning on the light. "This is Harper's room."

"I get my own room?" She asked, running in with wide eye's.

"Of course you do." I told her. "And you need to decide what colour you want it."

"Purple." She giggled. "I want purple."

"Well purple it is." I said smiling, enjoying her joy.

"How nice." Chloe muttered and I looked at her.

She looked back and scowled, raising her eyebrows.

"And this." I said grabbing her hand and pulling her up the hallway. "This is our room." And I turned on the lights.

Honestly, this master bedroom was amazing and I went straight into the bathroom, turning on the lights so she could see. It had one of those double shower heads as well as a two person spa bath.

"And look at this." I said going to the glass double doors that opened to a private courtyard.

"Hm." Chloe mumbled, and that was all she said.

Goddamit, I was trying to ask her to move in with me and she was giving me nothing, absolutely nothing.

"You need to pick a colour." I said softly, smiling at her.

"Chocolate." She snapped, turning and walking out.

"Chocolate?" I called after her.

"Yes." She snapped back. "It's a warm colour."

I smiled to myself, at least she'd picked a colour.

I let the girls wander around, checking the place out then I locked up before we all got in the car, driving back to Chloe's.

"It sure is a nice house." Harper said as walked inside. "When are you moving in?"

"It's bedtime." Chloe said to Harper. "Go and get ready."

Harper rolled her eye's and smiled at me. "Can Matt tuck me in?"

Chloe shrugged and walked into the kitchen.

I watched her then went up to Harper's room, waiting for her to finish in the bathroom.

"Mommy's cranky with you." She giggled as she ran back in and got comfortable on the bed.

"She's always cranky with me." I said softly, kissing her forehead.

"Are those room's at your house really for us?" She asked me as I pulled her blankets up.

"Yep." I whispered. "I want you and Mommy to live with me."

"Good." She whispered kissing me.

I hugged her tightly, then I turned off the light, walking out.

The house was in complete darkness, Chloe obviously in bed. She probably wanted me to leave but I wasn't. I was going to get in bed and do some major sucking up.

I used the bathroom then I crept into the room quietly closing the door.

Chloe was laying on her side, facing the window and I pulled off my shirt, climbing in next to her.

"Do you like the house?" I whispered, moving closer to her.

She didn't answer, she just pretended to be asleep.

I wriggled around, taking her in my arm's and pulling her back against my chest.

"Chloe." I murmured in her ear. "Do you like the house?" I asked her again.

"I like it just fine." She snapped.

I smiled and reached up, taking her chin in my hand and turning her face towards mine.

I closed my eye's and kissed her softly, smiling when she responded, well sort of.

"I love you." I murmured, still holding her close.

And I did, I loved her more than I'd ever loved anyone. I just wanted her to live with me so we could start a life together. A life that we both deserved.