Page 99 of Without You, Scotch and Sammy 2

“Sam--”

“But,” I interrupt her pained groan. “I’m here today for you and Rosie. Whatever else happens, we’re going in there today, and you’re walking in proud with all of these people on your back. They all care, and they’re here to show you their support.”

She looks over my shoulder subtly.

“Most of ‘em are assholes. But they’re good people. This is my family, and now they’re yours. Whether you want them or not. Whether you keep them or not. We’re here to make sure Lily goes home with you.

“I know you’re scared, but I need you to remember the fearless teens we once were. I was a boy when I made promises. But as a man, I promise that I’ll keep them. You bucked everyone except me. You traded a fancy wedding that I know you’d probably planned since you were old enough to know what a wedding was, and you married me on a Monday morning in your jeans and shirt without any of your friends there. You married me. You said yes.”

“Thirteen years is too long--” she pleads.

“I know that. It was a long fucking time, but we still love each other.”

“No--”

I pin her with an angry glare. “Don’t you lie to me, Ricci. Don’t you fucking lie because you’re proud.”

Her own fiery glare meets mine, but then it transforms to defeat. I prefer the fire. “Sometimes love isn’t enough. We already tried that. Jesus, we had more love than any other couple in the whole world, and it still didn’t work out.”

“Miscommunication. That’s what it was. It was manipulative assholes out to tear us apart. But we’re older now. Wiser. We’ll make better choices, and we won’t let anyone hurt us again.”

“How can you promise that? How can you know?”

“I know what I know, Sammy. And I know--”

Tears escape her tightly shut eyes. “Don’t. Please, Sam. Please don’t say that.”

“I know what I know!” I rush out. “We still fit, Ricci. After all this time, we both wear our wedding bands.” I squeeze her hand until her eyes meet mine again. “You’re still wearing my promise ring. Did you think I wouldn’t notice the tan mark when you came to my door? You took it off while you were in my apartment, but you can’t hide the indent a ring makes after more than a decade of wearing it. You had to have had it resized. You’ve grown since then, so you purposely went out and had it resized. You couldn’t let me go any better than I could let you go.”

“It doesn’t matter what I did in that time--”

“What’s your end game here, Sammy? Being alone for the sake of being alone? You’re single. I’m single. We’re already married. You love me. I love you more than my own fucking life. I’ll move here if you want me to. I told you I’d go anywhere you wanted. I brought clothes and my guitar, they’re in my car. You’re here, and Lily’s here. That’s all I need! We have smartphones these days. I can FaceTime the guys any time I want. Why are you arguing?”

“Because it hurt!” she finally snaps back. “It hurt, and like a puppy conditioned to flinch every time his owner’s boot swings his way, I’m scared to do this again.”

“So you’d rather be alone?”

“It’s not as black and white as that, Sam. It’s not that easy!”

Hugging Lily securely to my chest with my right hand, I lean toward Sammy and press my lips over hers. She cries out in shock, just like that day in my kitchen. Tears spring from her eyes as sobs burst from her lips to mine.

“We are that easy! We’re the easiest thing there ever was. Stop lying to us both!”

“Sam,” she cries softly. She’s shaking her head no, but she’s here. She’s right here in front of me.

“Tell me you love me, Ricci. Tell me the truth.”

“Sam--”

“I don’t know if you know this about me, but I have the patience of a fucking saint. I can wait you out. Tell me you love me.”

“Samantha?” A portly older man steps into the foyer our group fills. Sammy hurriedly wipes her tears away before she turns her gaze toward him.

“We’re ready for you now.”

She nods. “Thanks Ed. I’m coming in now.”

Sammy sucks in a large ragged breath as Ed walks away, then stepping forward without meeting my gaze, she plucks Lily from my arms and sets her in the stroller. “I have to go.”

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