Sam’s eyes were wide. Her jaw was unhinged in shock, and I wasn’t sure if she was angry or not. She closed her laptop on her lap and set it at her feet, then instantly began to laugh.
She laughed, and she laughed, and she laughed.
She laughed so hard she started coughing, and I had no idea what the hell was going on.
“Samantha?” Liam asked. “You okay?”
“Oh, my gosh,” she said breathlessly. “Okay. Hold on. Sorry guys.”
“You good?” I asked. “No need to be sorry. We just aren’t sure if we embarrassed ourselves just now.”
“No, no, no. It’s that idea. It’s really good,” she said.
“So, why are you laughing?” Liam asked.
“Because I would’ve never thought you guys would’ve been any help in the fashion world,” she said.
“Have you seen the way I dress?” I asked. “I look fly all the fucking time.”
“No, you don’t,” Liam said.
“Glad we could be of service,” I said with a smile.
Sam got up off the couch, and we followed her lead. She escorted us to her front door, and I was sad our time was coming to an end. But ending it with a smile on her face was worth it. I’d missed her smile and the sound of her laughter. It looked like there wasn’t so much weight on her shoulders any longer. I unlocked her door and opened it, but not before her delicate hand wrapped around my wrist.
“Come here,” she said.
I turned around, and her lips planted firmly onto mine. My eyes immediately closed, and my hand slipped around her waist. That beautiful dip that cradled my arm perfectly. And I felt her melt into me.
It was just enough to leave me wanting more before she pulled away.
Liam’s eyes were wide as she came for him. Kissing him the way she’d kissed me. And it was odd because I wasn’t jealous at all. I was still pissed Liam had followed me but watching her kiss my brother didn’t anger me like I figured it would. She smiled up at him, and he cupped her cheek, having one little moment with her before he pulled away.
Then the two of us headed back to our cars as Sam closed the door behind us.
“Well,” I said as I unlocked my car, “guess it was a good thing we stopped by.”
“Maybe,” Liam said. Now get your ass back to work.”
CHAPTER 33
SAM
Instead of going out to eat with the guys, I texted them and told them to come to my place. I didn’t feel like going out. I wanted to stay in. I half killed myself between my nausea and my writing over the weekend, and I was too tired to go do anything. Especially if I was going to have to talk about my feelings. I didn't like doing that. I didn’t like talking about things until I had a plan of action. I didn’t like people worrying over me or constantly bombarding me, but it seemed that I wasn’t going to get away from that with the guys. I had to let them in, even though I had no idea where my life was going. Even though I had no idea what I was going to do on a day-to-day basis.
I had to talk with them.
They were right in that regard.
I was nervous. I went into my room to get changed and noticed I still hadn’t unpacked from my parents. I picked up my suitcase and tossed it onto the bed, then started digging around for some clothes.
And then my hand fell against it.
That manila envelope.
Fuck. Amidst all the drama and chaos, I’d completely forgotten about the divorce papers. I pulled the envelope out of my suitcase and looked at it, my fingers dancing over my name written in Levi’s chicken scratch handwriting. I unzipped the front compartment of my suitcase and pulled out the ring. The cheap piece of tin with what I was sure was nothing more than a plastic, sorry excuse for a diamond.
But I slipped it onto my ring finger anyway.