Page 110 of Mark my Words

Kissing Kristine on the cheek, I let go of her hand and stood up, taking a few steps in Nathan’s direction, holding my hand out in greeting. I was sure Chase or Evan had invited him, but they were still coming from the hotel. “Good to see you, man. Come sit with us.”

“Sam, hey.” He smiled hesitantly. “Chase found out I’d be in the city and invited me to dinner, but I didn’t realize there would be so many other people here.”

“Yeah. It’s supposed to be a work thing to celebrate the end of the tour, but Evan flew in their families too. Chase and Evan aren’t here yet.” Kelly and Kristine’s intoxicated laughter drew my attention back to the table. “There’s someone you should meet.”

Chase and Evan arrived shortly afterward. I sat back and quietly thought about what awaited us all when we returned home as Adrian toasted their hard work and dinner got underway.

Kristine and Kelly continued to bond over their Pinot noir, Nathan taking their antics in his stride, clearly intrigued by the elder Stineman sibling. He talked about his consultation project in Manhattan, keeping them both entertained with his story of the demanding architect he’d be working with for the next few months.

By the time Chase and Evan left, I was ready to return to the hotel, but I dutifully followed along as the table emptied after they disappeared.

“What’s going on?” Kristine asked as she clung to my arm toward the back of the crowd.

“You’ll see,” I whispered back as we all filed into the small hallway overlooking the lower courtyard, watching through the large stone-encased windows as Evan dropped to one knee.

“Oh shit, not them, too!” she whispered as he held her hand over her mouth. “Is this where you were this afternoon?”

“Yeah.” I nodded, holding my finger over my lips to quiet her so the group could hear Evan’s proposal. It was oddly awkward but heartfelt, and Chase was practically in tears as she dropped to her knees in front of him on the stone path covered in rose petals. It’d taken hours for us to string all the lights, but I had to admit, it was the perfect setting for his proposal.

I felt a bit like we were intruding on a special moment as we watched it all play out, my heart clenching as I surreptitiously monitored Kristine’s reaction. She looked half intrigued and half disgusted with the public display, leaning against my arm as she watched the happy couple’s families fawn over them.

“God, I don’t know why they’re so eager to tie themselves down, but whatever floats their boat.”

“What’s so wrong with knowing who you want to spend your life with?” I asked, curious as to why the thought of such a serious commitment had brought out her snarky comments. She’d balked at the proposal we’d witnessed in Disneyland, but I hadn’t expected this reaction after her more relaxed demeanor the last few days.

“Because it never lasts.” She frowned, glancing up at me and then back to the glass in her hand, draining the contents. “And then what are you left with? Someone who resents you for the rest of your life? Excuse me if I’ll pass on that kind of mistake.”

And suddenly, with one comment, I realized while I was holding back decisions about my future because I wasn’t sure where I stood with her, Kristine wasn’t in the same position. She knew all along we didn’t want the same things. She may have been letting her guard down, but she’d never want forever with me.

I’d just been the deluded idiot that assumed she needed time to open her heart and see how good we could be together. She was never going to want the future I did, and as I watched her reaction to the night’s events, I knew that I needed to let go of my blind idealism and see things for how they really were.

KRISTINE

NEW YO

Things had been awkward all morning. Sam disappeared out the door to my hotel room early with a stilted promise to return once he’d talked to Adrian about a few things going on at the office in our absence. He’d put the brakes on last night, just holding me in the darkness of my quiet room until the gentle caresses of his hand on the back of my head had lulled me into a partially intoxicated sleep.

He’d seemed amused by my drunken commentary most of the night, but something had changed on our ride back to the hotel. There was unspoken tension in our quiet trek across the city, and I didn’t know what to say to break it. My track record with words wasn’t the best, and I didn’t want to blurt out the wrong thing and push him away.

Adrian and Isobel were taking on the remaining few book signings and readings back in Boston, gladly granting us a few days of paid vacation before we were expected to report back to them.

I was relieved Sam was accompanying me to Nana’s party, knowing she’d be delighted that I was bringing him along. I wasn’t sure how to introduce him to the rest of my family because the term boyfriend seemed a little infantile.

All I knew was that he’d finally worn down my defenses, not letting me escape when my fear of commitment reared its ugly head. Sam had metaphorically tamed the beast that was the mess inside my head.

My video interview with Sloane had gone well enough. Her focus clearly on the position in Boston. She’d seemed almost hesitant to answer my questions about the New York office, carefully steering my questions back to the fantasy position.

She’d told me they’d reach out to the final candidates as soon as we arrived back in Boston, congratulating me on a job well done on the tour and thanking me for my time. I wasn’t sure if they’d be offering me the position, but I seriously considered turning down the New York position if they offered it and staying with Isobel. My family wasn’t the driving force behind my decision any longer, but staying close to Sam might have been.

A hesitant knock pulled me from my chaotic thoughts, and I smiled as I opened the door to a rumpled-looking Sam.

“Hey,” I smiled, opening the door wider. He’d checked out of his room, agreeing to stay with me for our last night here. “You get everything taken care of?”

“Yeah,” he sighed, wheeling his suitcase inside and dropping into the armchair by the floor-to-ceiling windows, his head falling into his hands. “It’s done.”

“Are you okay?” I asked, crossing the room and running my hands through his soft hair.

He captured my hand in his, interlocking his fingers with mine and kissing my palm. “I’ll get cleaned up in a moment. Just sit with me?”

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