Our beers arrived, and I took a long gulp of mine.
“Did you really leave her because of Dad?”
I nodded. “He did the right thing by her and us.”
He looked at me like I was nuts. “Maybe, but he didn’t do it to do the right thing. They’ve always loved each other. In fact, their story isn’t that different from yours and Kate’s.”
I laughed derisively. “It’s entirely different. Mom gave Dad another chance.”
“Not right away. Maybe you just need time.”
I had time, but I wasn’t sure my ego could endure Kate’s constant disdain and rejection.
CHAPTEREIGHT
Kate
It was petty of me to flirt with Max in front of Sam. If anything, it contradicted my statement that I didn't care about Sam.
Why try to make him jealous if I didn’t care?
The truth was, I wanted what we'd had before. As much as I couldn't believe that I’d let Sam fuck me on my desk, it happened because of the overwhelming need to be close to him again. There was no way I could let him in emotionally, but I could physically.
Hell, if I was completely honest with myself, he was a part of me emotionally, and not just from anger.
Part of me still loved him.
Each time he made his plea for me to give him a chance, my heart wanted to burst wide open and take him back. Luckily, my brain was smarter and stronger. I didn't know what happened between him and Sandra, but I wasn't going to risk her coming back and taking him away from me again.
I left Sam and Max to their lunch, not returning to the patio area until I knew they were gone. When was Sam going to get the clue that I didn't want to try again? I was becoming terrified that my resolve would start to wane and my heart would win over my brain. I couldn’t afford for that to happen.
The next day, the Sea Siren was closed, so I drove out to Harper and Noel's house to meet their new baby, Noelle.
Noel opened the door carrying the nearly two-year-old Guillermo whom they called Mo.
"Harper’s on the couch nursing Noelle. Please don't mind the mess. Mo likes to scatter his toys all over the house. I really wish someone would create a vacuum cleaner-like thing that picked up kids’ toys."
I laughed. "I think that's called parents."
He flashed a grin. Despite the chaos two young children had brought them, he beamed with blissful happiness.
As I entered the living room, I saw Harper smiling sweetly down on her nursing baby. That same happiness Noel had, Harper exuded as well.I could've had that, I thought, but then pushed it away.
My chance had come and gone with Sam, and while he was back saying all the right things, I wasn't brave enough to open myself to him again.
Maybe there was hope for me with somebody else in the future. Looking at Harper living life so fully was proof that strong, independent women, who were sometimes called “difficult”, could find true love and happiness.
I looked down at the baby. "She's beautiful, Harper."
Harper looked up at me. "She is, isn't she?"
“I’ll get you two something to drink,” Noel said, heading to the kitchen.
I set the present I brought on the coffee table and then sat in the chair across from her. "Are you getting any sleep? When Ethan and Lucy had Kira, I don’t think they slept for a month."
She laughed. "Sleep? What's that?"
Noel returned carrying a glass of wine, which he handed to me, and a glass of water he set on the side table next to Harper. "I'm going to get Mo down for his nap, and I might crash out a little bit myself."