Chapter 5

Trembling, Chloe sat in the passenger seat and tried to calm herself down. If she had called Ash, she’d probably be feeling stronger right now. But with Tanner sitting beside her, it just made her feel…awkward.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked after they’d made that right turn. “You don’t have to. I just thought that maybe…” Then he shrugged and added, “If you’d rather me just sit here quietly, I can do that too.”

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she seriously doubted that, but she probably should talk to him so she didn’t run into the hospital and completely freak out on everyone.

Letting out a long breath, Chloe forced herself to speak calmly. “My older sister called because our mom had a seizure. Actually, she had two of them.” Pausing for a moment, she let that sink in. “She’s never had one in her life and the doctors are saying it’s because of the accident.”

Beside her, Tanner nodded.

“Last night, they said she had a concussion, but no one mentioned that something like this could happen. So now they’re worried that there’s a more significant brain injury than they originally thought, and…it’s terrifying. I mean…I can’t believe this is happening.”

“That’s totally understandable,” he said softly before going quiet for a moment. “When I was in my early twenties and competing, I had a teammate who had an accident while skiing downhill.” He paused, and Chloe saw him swallow hard. “He’d done that run a hundred times and used to brag he could do it with his eyes closed. But that day…something went wrong. He lost his balance or just…I don’t know. All I know is I was waiting to follow him down on our practice run and he just fell and then kept falling. Our coaches and pretty much everyone held our breaths for what felt like forever because we didn’t know if he was alright. When he finally came to a stop…”

Unable to help herself, Chloe reached over and placed her hand on his thigh. He didn’t have to say what happened; she could already tell.

“At some point in the fall, he’d hit his head on a tree and…” The breath he let out was shaky before he glanced over at her. “The recovery was rough and there were so many times we all swore he wasn’t going to make it.” The smile was small, but it spoke volumes. “But I can tell you that miracles are real because Benny is still here. He doesn’t ski competitively anymore, but he is skiing. There were dozens of us on the slopes the day he first came back, and I don’t think I’ve ever cheered so hard in my life when he reached the bottom. It was…it was amazing.” His voice cracked and she felt tears stinging her eyes.

“Thank you for sharing that,” she said quietly. “It gives me hope that my mom can overcome this. I know it’s too soon to really know, but…this really helped.”

They stopped at a traffic light and Tanner turned his head and smiled at her and she felt that same fluttery feeling in her belly that she felt that morning at Books Beans.

So not the time for this…

“We don’t have to just talk about trauma stuff,” Tanner said after a moment. “Tell me what the first day of school is going to be like. What’s your favorite part of it?”

That was the perfect distraction question.

“I love getting to meet all my students for the first time. They come in with their parents and you get some who are excited to be there and some who are totally scared and I make sure I take the time to greet each of them and show them to their seats. It’s an easy transition from holding their mom”s or dad’s hand to walking with me.”

“What do you do if a bunch of families come in at the same time?”

“I greet them all and then just work my way through all of them until everyone’s in their seats. Most of the time, the parents distract their kids by walking around the classroom with them and showing them something they think is fun. That’s why I always make sure the room is fully decorated. This way, they have a lot to look at.”

“And…that’s not distracting when you’re trying to get them to focus?”

She shrugged. “Sometimes, but…that’s normal. They’re only five, and for most of them, this is their first time in a classroom environment. Getting them to focus on the work takes a little time, but they get there.”

“That’s kind of why I wanted to teach in the older grades. In fourth or fifth grade, they’re more grounded and know the rules. I’m not sure how good I’m going to be at guiding them when they’re so young.”

Color me surprised…he’s admitting that he doesn’t know it all.

And just thinking like that made her cringe. It was like she didn’t even know herself this last week.

“I’m sure you’re going to do great,” she assured him. “As long as you’re smiling and excited for them to be there, they’ll be fine. If you’re uncertain or uneasy, they can sense it and have a hard time.”

Nodding, he continued to drive. “So basically, fake it until I make it, huh?”

“Maybe…”

Her phone vibrated in her pocket and she pulled it out to see a text from Ashlynn.

Ash: Where are you? Are you almost here?

Chloe: On my way. About ten minutes out.

Chloe: How did you get there so fast?

Ash: Was already on my way up with a change of clothes for Billie.

Ash: Is Levi with you?

Chloe: No. I didn’t even think to call anyone.

Chloe: Have you seen Mom or talked to her doctor?

Ash: Only for a minute with Mom. They were taking her for some scans.

Chloe: I hate this. I hate this so much!

Ash: I know. Me too.

Ash: Wait…if you’re not with Levi, how are you texting me? You don’t have voice command set up.

Crap.

Chloe: Oh, one of the teachers offered to drive me because I was so upset.

Ash: Aww…that’s so nice. I was worried about you driving alone again.

Chloe: It’s all good. I promise.

Chloe: I’ll see you in a few minutes.

Ash: Sounds good. I’ll meet you in the lobby.

Ash: Love you!!

Chloe: Love you too!

“Everything okay?” Tanner asked when she put her phone down.

“What? Oh, um…that was my sister. She was asking when I was going to get to the hospital.”

He nodded again. “Do you just have the one sister and a brother? I thought I remember you saying that your sister bakes for Books Beans and your sister-in-law owns it, right?”

“I actually have two sisters and one brother. My older sister, Billie, is the one who bakes, and Ashlynn and I are twins.”

“Really?” he asked with a bit of wide-eyed interest. “That’s very cool. My older brother passed away when I was five. He had a heart condition that no one ever diagnosed and died while playing JV football in school.”

“Oh my goodness, Tanner! I’m so sorry!” And again, her hand went to his thigh. “I…I don’t even know what to say to that. Do you have any other siblings?”

He shook his head. “My parents were devastated and…” Shaking his head again, he let out a soft, mirthless laugh. “Sorry. We’re supposed to be distracting you and not talking about sad and depressing things.” Another pause. “Is that the hospital up ahead?”

It was and the rest of the ride was spent with mindless chit-chat about the town, the roads, and eventually, the parking. When Tanner actually pulled into a parking spot, Chloe was a little perplexed. “Um…you can just drop me off up by the door. I’m sure…”

“I’d feel better if I walked you in,” he told her as he climbed from the vehicle, leaving her no choice but to follow. Tanner walked around and opened the door for her and then placed his hand at the small of her back again as they made their way to the main entrance. She spotted Ashlynn as soon as they walked in.

“I’m so glad you’re finally here!” Ash said as she came over and hugged her. When she pulled back and spotted Tanner, she smiled. “And I want to thank you for making sure Chloe got here safely. I’m Ashlynn.”

“Hey,” he said. “I’m Tanner.” He shook her hand and looked between the two of them in mild confusion.

“We’re fraternal twins,” Ash explained. “People get confused all the time because we really don’t look anything alike.”

“No, but there’s definitely a resemblance there,” he confirmed. “So, um…is there anything you guys need? I can go and grab food or coffee or…”

“Thanks,” Ashlynn replied. “But I think we’re okay for now. My fiancé’s on his way up and so is our brother. And honestly, I don’t think I could eat or drink anything until we have some answers about our mom.”

Chloe nodded in agreement before facing Tanner. “I can’t thank you enough for getting me here, but I know you have things to do back at the school. We’re going to be here for a while and I can get a ride home from one of my siblings, so…”

“No problem,” Tanner said graciously. “I’m glad I could help. If you want, I can…”

He never got to finish because Levi and Reid walked in and then Billie stepped out of the elevator and called to them. “They’re bringing Mom back to the room and the doctor is going to talk to us! Come on!”

Before joining her siblings, Chloe turned and faced Tanner. “I…I really am thankful for everything you did today, Tanner. I guess I’ll see you on Tuesday.”

Nodding, he slid his hands into his pockets. “Glad I could help. And I hope your mom’s okay.”

“Chloe!” Billie called out again, her impatience clear.

“I need to go. Thanks again.” And with a small wave, she ran to join everyone in the elevator.

“Who was that?” Levi asked as the doors shut.

“Oh, um…he’s the new kindergarten teacher. Tanner Westyn.”

“Wait,” Billie interjected. “That was Tanner? The guy you called an icky jerk? What was he doing here?”

She inwardly groaned before explaining the situation.

“Well, I think it was very nice of him to do that,” Ashlynn said before giving her a sly grin. “Very nice indeed.”

This time, her groan was outward. “He was just being a decent human being because he saw I was too upset to drive.”

“You could have called me,” Levi murmured, but she was saved from responding when the elevator doors opened up on the fifth floor. They all filed out and followed Billie down the hall toward the ICU. They stopped in the waiting area, where there were several chairs and sofas.

“Wait, this wasn’t where she was yesterday,” Chloe said out loud. “Why did they move her here?” She and Ashlynn moved toward one of the doors, hoping it was Marie’s, and fortunately, it was.

“Is it just me or is Mom not moving? Like at all,” Ash whispered so only she could hear.

“She’s not,” Chloe confirmed, and that had her trembling and on the verge of tears again.

“Guys,” Reid quietly said as he joined them and guided them back to the waiting area just as a nurse stepped out of the room. “We can’t just go in there.” Then he turned toward the nurse. “Do you know when we’ll be able to go in and see her?”

“Dr. Barnett and Dr. Manning will be down to speak to you in a few minutes,” the nurse said as she made her way past them.

“Um…she’s just sleeping, right?” Ashlynn asked her before she went too far.

“She’s sedated right now to help with the seizures. Dr. Manning will explain it all to you.” And before anyone else could ask, the nurse was walking into another patient room.

“Rude much?” Billie asked no one in particular. “I mean, this is all scary and we’re just concerned. Would it have killed her to just stay until the doctors got here?”

“Maybe she doesn’t have all the information and doesn’t want to tell us the wrong thing,” Levi countered. “And you have to admit, there’s far too many of us up here and we can be overwhelming.”

Billie mumbled something under her breath before sitting down on one of the sofas.

“I hate this,” Chloe quietly commented. “I hate that we’re all here, I hate that mom’s hurt, and I hate not knowing what’s going on.”

Levi moved to her side and wrapped his arm around her. “We all feel that way, but we have to stay strong and positive and believe that everything’s going to be okay.”

Easy for him to say…

The two doctors came down the hall, and after introducing themselves again—like they had the day before—they took turns explaining all of Marie’s injuries and how they had placed her in a medically induced coma because of the swelling to her brain. It was only temporary and they were optimistic that they could wake her up within the next day or two, but that was why they had moved her up to the intensive care floor.

After that, it was a lot of medical jargon that Chloe didn’t fully understand, but it sounded like there was going to be a lot of waiting around with very little results.

And now I hate this more…

“You can reach us at any time,” Dr. Manning said. “We understand that this is all very upsetting for you, but our primary concern is making sure Marie is kept sedated and monitored. I wish we had better news for you, but the next forty-eight hours are going to be critical. There isn’t much you’ll be able to do here, but you’re more than welcome to stay until visiting hours are over.”

“Please remember that you can only go in and sit with her one at a time,” Dr. Barnett added. “Any of the nurses at the desk can help you with going in and out of the room, but we ask that you not stay too long. What your mother needs right now is to let her brain and body rest.”

“Isn’t that why you put her in the coma?” Billie asked. “I can’t imagine us sitting there and doing anything to disturb that.”

Both doctors nodded. “That’s true,” Dr. Manning replied, “but patients can still hear noises around them while in a coma. We just ask that you keep that sort of thing to a minimum.”

“Can one of us stay the night?” Levi asked. “I understand about visiting hours, but my sister stayed last night, and I planned on being here tonight. Of course, that was when she was in a regular room, but…”

“You can,” Dr. Barnett responded. “Just let one of the nurses know, and she’ll make sure you have a blanket and pillow. The chair beside the bed pulls out to a sleeper. It’s not the most comfortable, but it beats sleeping sitting up.”

They talked for a few more minutes, but all Chloe wanted was to go in and see her mother. That took another thirty minutes because she somehow ended up being the last one to go in. All the time she sat waiting, she wondered what she was going to do or say when she went in, but all she knew was that she had to be strong and not cry.

It didn’t quite work out that way.

Once she was standing beside the bed, she broke down crying and hated herself for it. “I’m sorry, Mom,” she quietly sobbed. “I know I need to be strong, but I can’t. Not right now. I want to talk with you and tell you about my classroom and share crafting ideas.” Resting her head on the edge of the bed, she let the tears fall. There was nothing she could do, nothing she could say, and she had no idea how long she had even been sitting there when Ashlynn opened the door.

“Chlo? You okay?”

All Chloe could do was shake her head.

“Come on,” her sister said softly as she helped her to her feet. “Let’s get you out of here for a little while.”

A nod was her only response.

Stepping out of the room, Chloe was surprised to see Tanner standing with her family. He was passing out bottles of water and cups of coffee and snacks.

What the…?

“Maybe he’s not such an icky jerk,” Ashlynn whispered before walking over to join everyone.

Tanner knew he could have left when Chloe and her family went in the elevator, but he felt like maybe they wouldn’t mind if he stayed. Right now, they might not think they need anything, but wouldn’t it be great if they didn’t have to do anything for themselves right now? So he went and scouted out the cafeteria and decided the selection wasn’t great before going out to his car and finding the nearest coffee shop and buying a variety of things to tide the Donovans over for a little while. He grabbed bottles of water, coffees, and an assortment of cookies, cakes, and chips.

He knew they wouldn’t be as good as what they had at Books Beans, but he figured it would be okay.

When he stepped off the elevator a few minutes ago, everyone had been in the waiting area except for Chloe. Ashlynn had introduced him to everyone before heading down to her mother’s room, and after thanking him, they had all settled into some casual conversation about his move to Sweetbriar Ridge. He was telling them about his house when he spotted Chloe coming down the hall looking utterly devastated, and he had the strangest urge to just walk over and wrap her in his arms. Of course, her twin was comforting her and then the rest of her family, so Tanner simply stood back and tried not to be too intrusive.

It was mildly fascinating watching them. Everyone took turns hugging Chloe—including her future brother-in-law, Reid—and then her brother was the one to put his arm around her and lead her back to the waiting area. She gave him a weak smile and accepted the bottle of water he offered to her.

“I have coffee too, if you’d prefer,” he lamely offered, but she simply shook her head. Then he sort of stood back and tried to stay out of everyone’s way, even as he listened to what was going on.

Apparently, their mother was put into a medically induced coma because of some swelling in her brain. Part of him wanted to share the story he’d shared with Chloe—but in more detail—but he honestly didn’t want to intrude.

Every once in a while, one of them looked over at him and probably wondered why he was still there, and it made Tanner wonder too.

Yeah, what am I still doing here?

And the answer was…he wanted to help.

Billie got up and went into their mother’s room, and ten minutes later she came out and then Levi went in. They kept up that routine for a couple of hours and still Tanner didn’t leave. Sure, he’d gone and refreshed coffees, and called the school to give Susan an update, but other than that, he sat off to the side and casually played on his phone until he heard someone mentioning a need.

That’s when he ordered lunch to be delivered.

Nothing fancy, just a variety of sandwiches from the local café.

“Tanner, you really didn’t have to do all this,” Levi said before clasping him on the shoulder. “But we really appreciate it. Thank you.”

“No worries. Glad I could help.”

They all ate and talked about visiting schedules and questions they wanted to ask the doctors, but all along, Chloe sat quietly next to Ashlynn and just seemed lost in her own thoughts.

“I hate to say it, but…I really need to go home and nap for a little while and then go and get some baking done,” Billie said when they were all done eating. “Jade has everything under control and we could probably get by with what we have in the freezer, but it will do me good to leave for a little while.” After she hugged everyone, she thanked Tanner for everything and left.

An hour later, Reid was the one to stand up. “I have a shift starting in a couple of hours and need to go home and do a few things.” He looked at Ashlynn. “Are you staying?”

She glanced toward the rest of her family and sighed. “I want to say yes, but…I think I have to agree with Billie. It will do me good to leave for a little while. Sorry, guys.”

“Not a problem,” Levi said. “There really isn’t anything any of us can do. Go check on the salon and we’ll see you later.”

After they left, Tanner figured he probably should go too. Slowly, he got to his feet. “Um…I guess I should get going too.” He looked at Chloe. “Can Levi drive you home or do you want me to take you back to your car?”

Levi looked at the two of them for a moment. “I’m planning on staying through the night. I don’t want Mom to be alone.” Then he glanced at Tanner. “If you wouldn’t mind…?”

Chloe quietly cleared her throat. “I can go get my car and then come back. You shouldn’t be here by yourself either.”

But her brother stopped her. “Honestly, Chlo, we’re all going to be taking turns, so why don’t you go home and tomorrow night will be your night here? Get a good night’s sleep and take care of anything you need to.”

“But…” She looked around nervously, and Tanner could tell she didn’t feel right about going. “Ash said she was coming back, and so did Billie. Why can’t I…?”

Levi moved in closer to her and hugged her. “We both know Billie’s going to go home and crash hard and probably be up baking half the night. Ash is going home and then checking on the salon and when she calls, I’ll tell her not to come back too. There seriously isn’t anything we can do here. You take tomorrow night, Ash will take Sunday night, and hopefully by then, Mom will be awake and we can start looking at when she can go home.”

Her shoulders sagged. “I guess you’re right.”

“Just…promise me you’re going to eat. You barely touched your lunch. We need you to be strong, so…” Then he turned to Tanner. “I hate to ask because you’ve already done so much today, but…”

“I’ll make sure she eats dinner,” he assured him.

“I’m right here, you know,” Chloe huffed. “And I’m not a child.”

Levi hugged her again. “I know, but I worry. Humor me, okay?”

She let out another huff, but nodded. “Fine.” Then she glared up at Tanner as if he’d betrayed her, but he could take it. When she stood, she only looked at her brother. “Please send some updates, even if it’s to say nothing’s changed. And if anything does change…”

“I’ll call. I promise.” Kissing her on the forehead, Levi gently turned her toward Tanner while mouthing, “Thank you.”

All he did was nod at the acknowledgment.

They rode down in the elevator in complete silence that carried them all the way to the car. It wasn’t until he was ready to start driving that he decided he’d had enough.

“Look, for what it’s worth, I get it. You’re upset because Levi essentially forced you to leave, but…that’s not my fault. I’m simply trying to be helpful. If you don’t want to eat with me, that’s fine. You’re a grown woman and I’m sure you know that you need to eat and keep up your strength.”

“I do,” she mumbled.

“Okay, then. I’ll just take you back to your car and…say goodbye.”

“Thank you.”

He was totally prepared to drive in silence, so it was a complete surprise when Chloe spoke.

“I was really surprised when I saw you sitting with my family earlier. I thought you’d left.”

Shrugging, he pulled out of the parking lot. “I had a feeling there was going to be a lot going on and I know from personal experience that we tend to overlook things, like eating, when we’re in high-stress situations. It just didn’t feel right to leave.”

He could feel her staring at him, but decided to wait it out and see what she was going to say.

“You’re turning out to be not quite what I expected,” she said shyly. “After the way things went when we met…”

Yeah, he knew where she was going with this.

“I come on strong. I know. And abrasive,” he added for good measure. “But believe it or not, my heart’s in the right place. As for today, after our conversation on the way to the hospital, it reminded me of what it was like when my friend was brought in. His wife and parents were so overwhelmed that they stayed up in the waiting room for days until his wife nearly passed out because she hadn’t eaten.”

“Food was probably the last thing on their minds. I know it was for me. And it was very kind of you to not only take care of one meal, but two.”

He shrugged again. “Coffee and snacks were really just a distraction; the sandwiches were a necessity. I could tell that Billie was exhausted, and Reid mentioned that he had to work a shift tonight, so it made sense that for everyone’s well-being, they needed to eat.” He let that statement sink in before adding, “Is there anywhere you can recommend for dinner? I haven’t really tried any of the restaurants in town yet.”

“The café is very good, and there’s a steakhouse that’s also pretty good. What are you in the mood for?”

Chuckling, he shook his head and knew he couldn’t exactly say what he was thinking.

“Tanner?”

“Hmm?”

“Oh, come on!” she said with a small laugh. “I can totally tell you’re thinking of something. Just say it!”

Groaning, he said, “Mexican. After hearing you talk about it yesterday at the meeting, all I can think about is guacamole!”

Fortunately, she laughed. “Wow! That was not what I was expecting you to say at all! I figured you’d want to know where to get the best pizza or burgers!”

“That’s a little sexist,” he teased, but immediately laughed. “My parents and I went to the steakhouse last weekend and it was good, but there is something about chips and guac that is too hard to resist!”

“I totally agree, and if I had the ingredients at home…”

“That wasn’t what I was hinting at, Chloe. I swear. But if there’s a good Mexican restaurant nearby…”

“There is. It’s on the other side of Sweetbriar, so after you drop me off at my car, it will be another ten-minute drive.”

“Awesome.” He paused before deciding to be a little bold. “Any chance you’d like to join me?”

Her soft gasp was the initial response, but then she ducked her head and played with her hair a bit. “Um…thanks, but…I’m a little emotionally exhausted. I’m going to make myself some soup and maybe a sandwich and just try to relax. I’ll probably call Ash and see if she wants to join me after she checks on the salon.”

It was crazy how disappointed he was. And it wasn’t just because he didn’t know anyone in town yet, but because he was genuinely starting to like Chloe.

A lot.

Probably more than he should, considering the fact that they were coworkers and he was planning on putting up a fight to win the Teacher of the Year award this year. Was he willing to give all that up?

No, he told himself.

Right now, he was just feeling like this because of the situation with her mom. He was certain that under other circumstances, he wouldn’t think of her as anything but a fellow teacher.

Liar.

Okay, yesterday he had started softening toward her, but…how could he not? She was sweet and pretty and had a great laugh and…

Tanner inwardly groaned because having any kind of feelings for Chloe was not good, especially right now. With no other choice, he had to go back to thinking of her as the competition and nothing more.

With that decision made, they drove back to the school while discussing some of the other places to eat, both right in Sweetbriar Ridge and the surrounding towns. By the time he came to a stop in the parking lot next to her car, he felt like he had a good grasp on at least the restaurants in the area.

“I know I’ve already said it,” Chloe said as she reached for her door handle, “but thank you again for everything.”

“Glad I could help.”

She climbed out of the car and Tanner did the same, following her over to the driver’s side of her car. “I hope someday I can return the favor,” she said as she unlocked the door. “Seriously, if there’s anything you need, just let me know. Whether it’s information about the town or help with projects for your students, I’ll be there.”

“Chloe…”

“And just so you know, we’ll have decent weather next week, but around mid-September, it starts to get cold. You might get lucky and be able to ski by the end of October!”

“Oh, well…”

“I hope you have a great weekend!” she rambled on. “The school will be open for the teachers on Monday, so if there’s anything you still need to do, you can go in and get it done.”

Before he could respond, she was talking again.

“I feel terrible about you losing an entire day because of me, so if there’s anything you need help with…”

Okay, he had to put a stop to this because she was clearly nervous and talking just for the sake of talking. “Chloe,” he began, placing his hand on her arm. “We’re good. I promise. I’m glad I could help today and I’m not keeping a scorecard. Stop worrying about me and what I need to do, and just focus on yourself. Everything’s going to be alright. I swear.”

The next thing he knew, she was pressed up against him, hugging him tight.

It would be rude not to hug her back, right?

So, not wanting to be rude, Tanner’s arms banded around her waist as he held her close. He thought he heard her hum softly, but figured maybe it was just his imagination.

When she pulled back, she stared up at him with those big blue eyes and he swore they were the most beautiful eyes he’d ever seen. Then she whispered his name and seemed to move closer and before he knew it, he was closing the distance between them. The moment his lips touched hers, he was lost.

Chloe’s arms tightened around him, and this time he knew he heard her hum. Her body was pressed up against his, her soft lips opened beneath his, and it was possibly one of the most perfect moments of his life. As much as he told himself only minutes ago that this wasn’t a good idea, he knew he was helpless to deny that there was a definite attraction between the two of them.

An attraction he wanted to explore.

Now.

He deepened the kiss and held her tighter, hearing her soft intake of breath before she relaxed against him again. It was sweet and sexy all at the same time and he was about to suggest they maybe get in one of the cars or even go to his place, when Chloe broke the kiss and forcefully stepped out of his arms.

“Ohmygod!” she whispered, a look of sheer horror on her face. “I…I’m sorry. I need to go!”

“Chloe, I…”

But she wasn’t listening. She scrambled into her car and was pulling away before Tanner could even think of something to say.

With nothing left to do, he stood there and watched her drive out of the parking lot and kept watching until the car was out of sight.

“Damn,” he murmured, raking a hand through his hair.

Only…he wasn’t sure if he was referring to her leaving, his disappointment, or how damn stunned he was by how hot a simple kiss was.

“And I’m not going to figure it out while standing alone in the middle of the school parking lot.”

Walking back to his car, a smile crossed his face as he suddenly had another reason to look forward to the first day of school. Not only was he ready to take on this new challenge with a class full of kindergarteners, but he was ready to see where things went with Chloe.