Istare down in disbelief at the paper Sami has just handed me. When I look up, my gaze meets her beautiful green one. “What a fucking asshole.”
She shrugs as she settles on the couch at her place. “We knew that.”
When I received the text from her this afternoon asking me to come over, I wasn’t expecting a conversation about her ex. I could say I wasn’t expecting anything, but that would be a lie. And even now, seeing her wearing soft shorts, a tank top, and I would guess no bra, I could let my mind wander with possibilities. The thing is that I’m Sami’s best friend first. The benefits are secondary. Right now, she needs a friend.
As I study her expression, I see the small lines near her downcast eyes. Even after she kicked his ass to the curb, her ex is still a source of her angst. My stomach twists with a memory, and I face the fact that I failed her. “Sami, I’m sorry. I should have said more.”
“More about what?”
“That night we were all at the same bar...remember downtown...The Rooftop on the top floor of the Marriott?”
“Yeah. Do you know I walked two blocks in those ridiculous shoes and that short dress just so I wouldn’t valet park his precious car?”
I remember the night and the snow beyond the windows. “There had to be six inches of snow on the ground.”
“Well,” she says, “thankfully, the sidewalks were clear.”
I sit next to her and reach out, squeezing her knee. “That night, before you got to the bar—”
“I was probably trekking along a freezing cold sidewalk as salt pellets crunched under my high-heeled shoes.”
A grin comes to my lips. “Probably. Can you shut up a second and let me talk?”
Sami’s head shakes. “Bossy.”
“You like it.”
That changes her sad expression to a grin. “Sometimes.”
“Anyway, that night, while you were exploring the frigid streets of Grand Rapids in totally inappropriate hiking clothes...”
“And shoes.”
I inhale. “...and shoes, I saw Jackson and watched from the other side of the bar.”
Her brow furrows. “Watched what?”
“I don’t know for sure. And that’s why I didn’t say anything, but if I went with my gut, he was flirting with the blonde.”
“Ugh.” Sami stands and paces around her living room. “That blonde is her. That’s Ellen.” She spins. “She probably isn’t a real blonde, but I didn’t get close enough to take a look while she was in my bed.”
I let that comment pass as I move forward. “I went over to him. I guess I wanted him to know I saw him.”
Sami wraps her arms around her torso as her expression clouds.
Standing, I walk to her.
I can’t stop myself. It’s as if Sami’s a fucking magnet, and I’m helpless but to obey the laws of force drawing me to her. I don’t stop until I reach out and wrap my arms around her soft slender body and pull her against my chest. The scent of strawberries whiffs through the air as I inhale.
“I was such a stupid idiot.” Her words are muffled against my chest.
“No, I should have said something.”
Sami leans away and as her gaze meets mine, she slaps my arm. “You should have. Why didn’t you?”
“Ow.” She couldn’t physically hurt me if she tried. Okay, she did when we were five but not now. Now, I’m only crying wolf to see her smile. And it worked.
“That’s why,” I say as I run the pad of my finger over her cheek. “Your smile. It lights up a fucking room. I’ve seen you happy, and I’ve seen you sad. Never, and I mean never, do I want to be the cause of your sadness. And I think when I saw him with her, I didn’t want to say anything, on the off chance I was wrong.”