Page 63 of Finding Her Leading Man

Trevor tried to laugh, but it came out stale. When they returned from the parking lot, Samantha had planted her cute butt next to his mom and not left her side the entire night. What in the hell could they have to talk about for two hours?

They looked like best friends.

He took another drink, grimacing at the beer before giving up on finishing it. “I don’t know what to do about Sam.”

Grayson’s expression didn’t change. His focus remained locked on Juliana. “I don’t see how there is anything to do.”

“You know what I mean.” What happened after tomorrow. After next week when he left to go back to Australia with Grayson. When she left Statem?

“I didn’t want to be in this position. Ever.”

Grayson leaned forward, propping his elbows on the table. “That’s an odd statement. You pushed and pushed to get Samantha to want to be with you, and now you’re second-guessing yourself. Typical.”

Trevor frowned. “What the hell does that mean?”

“I mean it’s typical for you to cut-tail and run. It’s all you’ve done since I’ve known you. People start getting too close, and you leave.”

“I haven’t left your sorry-ass yet.”

His lips twitched under his beard, but he didn’t smile. “Because even in your twisted thoughts on life, you know you need someone. You have Addie. You have me. I don’t know why you can’t add Samantha to that list. You don’t see us every day, and we survive just fine without you.”

Trevor stood and shifted, standing in front of Grayson. “It’s not the same with someone like Samantha.”

“Why? Because you’re sleeping with her? It can still work. You aren’t your parents. You’d never let someone feel abandoned the way you did.”

“How? She’s in New York. I’m in L.A. when I’m not with you. I’m not getting into a long-distance relationship. Nothing but a series of booty-calls for the next ten years. And I can’t do what I need to do for you sitting in New York seven days a week.”

Grayson rose. “Don’t use me as an excuse.”

Trevor reacted to the threat in Grayson’s voice, redirecting his frustration. He stepped closer. “Why the hell do I even need to explain this to you? I’m not moving to New York. I’m not starting something long-term with Samantha. After tomorrow, after the wedding, I’m leaving. She’ll go back to her life. I’ll go back to mine.”

“Oh.”

Hell. Trevor closed his eyes before turning around. Samantha stood there, her lips pressed together, but her expression unreadable. Angry? Hurt? He didn’t have any idea.

“I’m sorry—”

“For what? For doing what you told me you were going to do all along.”

He ran a hand over his head. He’d told her that several times on the way back to Georgia, but he hadn’t meant a single word of it. Not any longer. The future had always been distant, something he’d figure out later. Always later.

“I know we have stuff to talk about.”

Her gaze flicked to Grayson before settling on him. “Yes. We do. But not tonight. And not tomorrow. This wedding is about Addie. Not you.”

“Us,” he corrected. Because he wanted there to be an “us,” he just didn’t know how to make it happen. How did he get past the guilt? How did he move past worry that he was ruining her life? How did he deal with the need to be with her more than he could?

“She’s right,” Grayson said, his voice low. He set his hand on Trevor’s shoulder. Trevor didn’t turn around. “Focus on Addie’s wedding.”

Samantha smiled, but it was fake. Back to that. “We have a song to sing tomorrow.”

“We can talk about it tonight—”

“No.” She jerked her shoulders back, and her chin kicked out. “Not until after the wedding. I mean it. We have to perform tomorrow.”

“So, what? Will you just pretend like we don’t have this dark cloud hanging over us? That we’re not about to end—” he motioned back and forth “—this?”

“Yes. I will. You said before that you’re happy today. I’m trying to do the same.” She moved close enough for him to pull her into a hug. “Right now, we’re happy.”

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