by Taylor Hart
“Did you sleep at all at the hospital?”
Roman took a sip of water and shook his head. “The staff was great. They let me push the other bed in the room next to him, and I laid by him every night.” He sighed. “But I don’t think I slept either night. I was…” He broke off and blinked. “I was too worried.”
It was unnerving to see ‘the great Roman Young,’ as Lou had put it, out of sorts. In that moment, Sam felt everything fall into perspective. He’d been worrying and having panic attacks all year about the stupid things he’d done. The things he’d chosen to do. He’d been consumed with his own problems. Seeing his friend’s problems—as a father with the weight of the world on his shoulders—was humbling. Before he realized what he was doing, he reached out and put a hand on Roman’s shoulder, offering comfort. “It’s going to be okay, man.”
They both ate in silence for a few minutes.
Then Roman sighed. “It’s good to be home, I feel like I haven’t been able to take a breath for two days. I was so worried about that kid, and I couldn’t tell Katie how worried I was until I knew, for sure, he would be okay.”
Sam nodded. “Being a father is hard.”
Immediately, Roman’s face turned happy. “I guess Maddy’s broken you in.”
Sam grinned back and finished off his sandwich. “That girl can eat.”
Roman laughed and stood, taking his dishes to the dishwasher and putting them in.
Sam followed. “Holy cow,” he said sarcastically, watching Roman load his dishes. “I didn’t realize you knew how that thing works.”
Roman rolled his eyes and took Sam’s dishes and loaded them too. “Ha, ha. So what, I’m not the housekeeper you are, Dumont? It’s a lot harder to juggle life with two kids and no wife. I do have a cleaner lined up to come in every Friday. I paid her double to come the day before Katie comes home next week.” He flashed a grin.
Sam laughed. “So Katie’s back next week?”
“Yep. She’s never been to Europe, and she went with an old friend. Mrs. K worked for my Uncle at the Inn for years. Anyway, Katie took her as a gift from us. They’ve been having a blast, and I’m glad they stayed. Katie was so scared and worried they almost came back early.”
It looked like his friend had aged ten years since he’d punched him two days ago. “I’m glad everything’s okay.”
Roman gave him a sober look and moved to the counter, leaning forward. “Look, Sam, you being here has meant a lot. I want you to know that I forgive you.”
Sam shook his head, unbelieving still. “I don’t know how you do, but I’m grateful.”
“I’m going to just level with you. I had gotten over it. I’d moved on, but…I was still ticked. When you showed up on my porch and I got to deck you, I’m not gonna lie, it felt good.”
Sam laughed, understanding the release of flesh on flesh. He touched his eye that was still a mixture of yellow and black bruising. “I bet it did.”
He shrugged. “But after what you did for me, what you’ve done the past two days…” He trailed off.
“It was nothing,” Sam interrupted.
Roman’s face was stern. “No, it was everything.” He blinked back tears. “When I caught you and Sheena, later, when I would think about it…the thing that hurt the worst wasn’t her…it was the fact I’d thought of you as a brother…and you’d betrayed me.”
Sam blinked. “I know. Me, too.”
The side of Roman’s lip went up. “Look, you being here. You doing what you did was about more then stepping up, it was…”
“About you being able to count on me, again.”
Roman nodded. “Exactly. And you came through.”
Dang it. Sam felt suddenly amazing and lighter and hopeful there was some chance he and Roman would be friends like they used to be. He realized that Roman, for all intents and purposes, didn’t have a family, either. No one besides his wife and children. Both of them needed a brother. Emotion made his voice break. “I’m glad I could help.”
Both of them smiled and then turned away from each other, both silently agreeing they couldn’t delve into anything deeper without turning into women.
Roman cleared his throat. “Have you heard about your contract, yet?”
Sam shook his head, discovering he hadn’t even thought about the contract he’d been obsessing over before he showed up on Roman’s doorstep a day ago. “Nope.”
Roman hesitated. “But you’re getting on a plane to Miami tonight?”
Shrugging, Sam tried to seem more confident than he felt. “It’s home. I…I’m planning on taking some time, surfing, laying on the beach.” He tried to convince himself that it was a good plan, the right plan. “I need to find a place.”
Roman nodded and lifted an eyebrow. “Why don’t you stay here for a few days?”
“What?” Sam hadn’t been expecting this offer.
The side of Roman’s lip turned up. “I could use a friend to help out.”
Even though Sam wanted to say yes, his mind flashed to Tiffany and how vulnerable he’d felt that morning in the diner. He shook his head. “I would like that, but I don’t think it would work out right now.”
“Why?” Roman asked, sounding hurt.
Sam paused. “Look, I appreciate the invitation, but—”
Roman cut him off. “You have nothing to do right now. You’re just waiting on the contract, right?”
He wanted to fire back that it was Roman’s fault he was waiting because he should still be the starting quarterback for the Destroyers, but it wasn’t Roman’s fault.
It was his fault. He knew that. There was no one to be angry with except himself, so he said nothing.
Roman’s face softened. “Look, just stay.”
Sam let out a puff and thought of Tiffany. “I’ve already insulted your friends.”
“What?”
Sam looked at his hands, picked at his nails for a second and then looked back up at Roman. “I kind of told Tiffany she was making a mistake not taking a job with a band that offered her the lead singer role, and it…well, it blew up this morning at the diner. I swear all the old men and Lou wanted to kick my trash when I left.” He shrugged. “I’m amazed there’s not an article about it in the Enquirer already.”
The side of Roman’s jaw clutched tighter. “Wow, leave it to you to tick everyone off in less than two days.”
“Right,” Sam said with no energy behind it.
“Dang, Dumont.” Roman laughed, turning and walking out of the kitchen. He laughed some more then turned back. “Cancel your flight. You’re staying, even if it’s just to apologize to Tiffany, and believe me, you’re going to have to grovel to get back into her good graces.”
“I’m not apologizing.”
“What?” Roman’s tired gaze turned hard.
Sam sighed. “She threw the fact I had an affair with your wife in my face.”
The line of Roman’s jaw flexed.
Sam squeezed his eyes together for a second then turned away from Roman. “I’m just going to go.”
Roman let out a low, boiling chuckle. “Oh, no, you’re not getting off that easy, bro.”
18
Tiffany didn’t like the way her hand shook a little bit as she pushed the doorbell to Roman’s house.
“Well, it was sure nice of them to cook us dinner, wasn’t it?” Tiffany’s mother chatted beside her.
When Tiffany had received a text from Sam asking that she come to dinner at Roman’s house, she’d ignored it. What Tiffany hadn’t expected was that Roman would text her mother and extend a formal invitation and insist that they just bring themselves.
What in the heck was Sam Dumont still doing in Wolfe Creek?
No, she wasn’t angry that Sam had stayed. What did she care? He was nothing to her. Barring the fact he was a rude jerk this morning at the diner, she could care less about him. It didn’t matter that she’d thrown his past in his face—he deserved it.
Granted, she couldn’t get that me
mory of them surfing together out of her head all day. And dang it all if the memory of his abs hadn’t haunted her along with the scar above the right side of his lip. So she was attracted to him, so what? Who cared? She’d written off all men. She could have handled him if he was just attractive, but he was pushy too. He described it as trying to be ‘helpful,’ but what gave him the right to tell her what was best for her? How dare he? She’d gotten enough pushiness from Brett, and she wasn’t about to be bulldozed again.
Though Brett would probably say that she had a will of steel. Yeah, she wanted to wait to have sex until she was married. Why was that so irrational? Why did people act like she was some amazing mythical creature because she was a virgin? She didn’t do it to make a statement; she did it because she felt like God wanted her to wait to do that with someone that she was married to. She was glad she hadn’t compromised on that part of her life. With all the other things she’d compromised on—not going to college, putting off her career—at least she still had that. If Sam Dumont thought he could swoop in and tell her what she needed in her life, well…he couldn’t.
Roman swung the door back and immediately pulled her and then her mother into a quick embrace before shooing them in. “You guys saved my bacon. Thank you, thank you!”
The smell of steaks grilling was in the air, and she also smelled something like fresh bread.
“Oh, Roman, you know me and my Tiffany live to help out our neighbors and friends.” She walked with Roman into the main area.
Tiffany surveyed the scene, looking for the enemy.
19
Sam felt like he was going for a last second Hail Mary to win the game. This was his chance to do something big. Something that would change the tide. Nervously, he watched from the kitchen as Tiffany walked into the living room with Roman and her mother. Maddy sat next to him in the high chair. He was just finishing feeding her some peas that she’d been spitting back at him for the last five bites. Cleverly, he’d put on the pink apron that hung next to the kitchen light, so he wouldn’t get sprayed.
Roman had helped him come up with the perfect apology. He hoped Tiffany would go for it. He knew if she did, it would be because Roman had worked a lot of persuading into it.
Tiffany walked in and the butterflies fluttering around his stomach made him feel like a junior high kid again. It unnerved him how often he felt like that young, vulnerable kid when she was around. She wore dark jeans with bling on her back pockets, a sea-green fitted shirt, and black clogs. Her blonde hair hung long down her back, but when she turned, he noticed she looked like a princess with it braided around the crown of her head.
Need. Desire. Want. All of it greater than anything he’d ever experienced filled him. How had this woman put a spell on him that made him want to go to her and drag her into his arms and make her his forever?
Her face didn’t change when she saw him. Disinterested. Cool. Aloof. But then she cocked one eyebrow.
Swallowing, he stood and pulled off the pink apron. He smiled down at her. “Hey.”
Both of her eyebrows lifted, as she looked him up and down. “Oh, I thought you might be over dressed with the boots.” She shrugged. “But I guess you’re not staying here. You’re going out?” she asked it lightly, but he sensed an edge of anger in the words.
“That’s right.” Roman cut in, turning from a conversation with her mother. He grinned and put his arm around Tiffany’s shoulders. “I talked it over with Katie, and we have something special planned for tonight. So I’m hoping you’ll let Sam take you.” He shrugged, and Sam saw the look Roman gave women when he was trying to get what he wanted. “Katie and I really appreciate how you stepped in so quickly. We hope you have fun tonight.”
Tiffany’s face scrunched up suspiciously. “What are you doing, Roman?” She hedged. “Mama and I came for dinner.”
Tiffany’s mother settled herself on the couch, seemingly unfazed by all of it. Sam knew that Roman had told her. “When someone wants to thank you, you just need to say yes, sweetie.”
Tiffany flashed a frown to her mother. “Mama, how come I feel like you’ve been hiding something from me all night?”
Reese grinned. “Girl, you have always taken good care of your mama, but you are young. Go. Have fun.”
Tiffany still didn’t look convinced. “I don’t even know what you all are talking about.”
Sam stepped forward, holding the keys to Roman’s truck. He couldn’t believe how nervous he felt. “Come on, Chance…take that chance.”
She frowned and gave him a patronizing look. “Wow, you’d think that was the first time I’d heard that.”
He held out his hand and smiled at her, giving her the smile he tried to use on women when he wanted something.
Narrowing eyes at her mother and Roman, she let out a breath. “Fine,” she said as she turned back to him, not taking his hand. “But I’m only going because Roman asked.”
20
If someone would have told Tiffany that she was going to take a private jet to Nashville to see a Luke Bryant concert in two hours, she would have laughed at them. Then she would have told them that it would be more likely that she’d be going to the moon because there was no way that that was going to happen.
Nervous flutters had taken up residence in her gut and gone all the way up into her throat. All that could come out was a giggle. It reminded her of the first time she and Katie had gone toilet papering when they were twelve.
Sam sat across from her, seeming to study her. The plane was fancy. Everything was covered in soft leather, and there was a stewardess that had brought them both soft drinks. She was looking out at the night sky as the oranges and pinks were starting to streak into the clouds, and she felt like she was dreaming. Another giggle bubbled out of her.
The side of Sam’s mouth lifted into a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I take it you’re excited?”
Without worrying that she seemed totally out of sorts, she shook her head and giggled again. She shook her finger at him. “Mind you, I’m only here because of Roman.” She tried to hold on to the previous anger she’d felt towards him, but it was quickly evaporating. “Although I do like the boots, by the way.”
Titling his head down, he kept his eyes on her and took a sip of his soft drink.
He looked… amazing. He had on dark jeans with the black boots. And, even though he had on a long-sleeved black Under Armour shirt, what could she say, it fit him. Along with the cowboy hat. His chocolate eyes drew her in, and she couldn’t look away. She couldn’t stop thinking of how they’d sung Bon Jovi together, their chairs close and his cool breeze smell surrounding her. Looking back on last night, she didn’t know if she was more upset because of the way she’d reacted to him or if it was because of what he’d actually said to her.
Breaking eye contact, she turned back to the window and pulled in a long breath. It was exciting. She’d dreamed about going to Nashville for years. Granted, she and Brett had talked about going together. They had talked about all the things they wanted to do. Tour Andrew Jackson’s house and the gardens he’d built for his wife. Go to a show at the Grand Old Opry. She and Sam weren’t going to the Opry tonight, but she still couldn’t wait to meet Luke Bryant. “How did Roman score back stage passes?” she asked, forgetting that she wasn’t talking to him.
Sam stared out the window, and he didn’t answer for a few seconds. “He didn’t.”
“But I thought…” she said, breaking off, her heart going back into stutters. Duh. Of course this wasn’t Roman and Katie’s idea. She sighed. “Why are you always doing nice things for me, Sam? Especially after what I said to you this morning?” She knew her cheeks would be flushing. “I’m sorry, you didn’t deserve that.”
Slowly, those chocolate eyes swerved to meet hers. But he didn’t respond.
She looked out the window, into the clouds. “I know I was deflecting…I shouldn’t have done that.”
For a second he didn’t speak. “Deflecting, yes, my
shrink says I’m good at that, too.”
Pausing , she sighed. “I really was horrible this morning,” she said softly.
All of a sudden, she thought about how, since she’d met Sam Dumont, all they’d ever done is talk about her problems. Her mind flashed to what she’d heard recently about the trade to Miami. “I guess you still haven’t heard about your contract?”
He looked down for a second and then back to her. “Nope. Maybe they won’t pick me up.” He thrummed his fingers on his knee. He looked nervous. Then he gave her a half smile. “Maybe no one wants me.” His eyes bored into hers. “I’d deserve that, right? Because I’m a cheater.”
The giddiness from earlier was replaced with guilt and remorse. “I haven’t been fair to you. Since Brett—”
He cut her off. “I don’t like being compared to Brett.”
How could he put her on edge so fast? “I wasn’t comparing you to Brett. I was actually thinking that you are nothing like him. With him, everything was about him. With you, I…I guess you just seem so confident that I haven’t even thought of you as having problems.” She could not believe she’d been being so self-centered, never once thinking about what Sam was going through. “Sam…” She broke off.
His eyes went back to hers. “It’s fine.” He waved a hand of dismissal. “I am sorry about this morning. That wasn’t where I wanted the conversation to go.”
There was silence for a few more minutes. Tiffany couldn’t believe how much she’d only thought of him as a cheater before. C’mon, she’d listened to Katie and Roman say a few things about how poorly he’d been playing, and then she’d read the few articles about him in the grocery line because of her ties to Katie and Roman and her father had loved the Destroyer’s, but honestly, she was seeing him so differently in this moment.
She grinned, thinking of how she’d seen him for the first time when he was shirtless with Maddy on the kitchen floor, using his shirt to clean up her face.
