Page 20 of The Boy I Hate

He shook his head, almost laughing. “You eat your snacks, Sam. I’m getting a burger.” But before he opened the door to walk inside, he turned and retraced his steps almost reluctantly. He ducked down, looking at her through the passenger window. “Join me if you want,” he said, tilting his head to the side. “Or don’t. Your choice.” He flashed her one of his first-class smiles, then stood up and walked inside, leaving her stomach filled with butterflies, and the sudden urge to call herboyfriend.

8

ChapterEight

Presentday

“Good afternoon,Connor and Associates, how may I directyourcall?”

Samantha shoved the last bits of jerky into her mouth and rolled down the bag. “Steven Mathers,please.”

Tristan had been gone no longer than two minutes, but it was long enough for her to have a mini panic attack about her relationship. She was still seething over Tristan’s comment about priorities. Possibly because the way he said it reminded her of Renee, or maybe it was the disappointment in his eyes when he said it, but it bothered the hell out of her. Tristan didn’t know her. He didn’t know how her and Steven’s relationship functioned—yet he’d made a split second judgment about Steven’spriorities.

“Hold please,” the operator said, sending Samantha to elevator music while she tucked the bag of jerky back in herpurse.

It wasn’t until that moment with Tristan, that she realized she hadn’t told Steven at all that she was leaving. Not because it was a secret. Because he was busy with work and she didn’t want to bother him. But now that Tristan’s words were in her head, she couldn’t help but feelguilty.

What if hewasupset she’d gone with Tristan? What if Tristan was right, and Steven didn’t like the idea of her driving cross-country with a man he’dnevermet?

Though he had met him… A long time ago, buthehad.

At first she was angry, but the more she thought about it, Tristan may be right. If the situation were reversed, and Steven was driving cross-country with a woman she’d never met, she wouldn’t like it one bit. And she wasn’t even the jealous type. Her stomached coiled deep inside and she worried herbottomlip.

Steven’s voice came through the line, hurried and out of breath. “Steven Mathers,” he answered, making her anxiety flair and her face to cringe withregret.

She’d caught him at a bad time, she was sure of it. “Hey, it’s me.” She whisper-replied.

“Sam.” He lowered his voice and muffled the receiver. “Everythingokay?”

“Yeah,I—”

“Can I call you later? I really shouldn’t be on thephone.”

She bit her bottom lip, determined to get the words out. She glanced through the window of the restaurant, where Tristan could be seen looking at a menu. “I’m calling to tell you I left for New York thismorning.”

“What?” he questioned, a littleshocked.

“Yeah… You see, Renee’s brother was leaving today, and she thought it would be a good idea for us to drivetogether.”

“And this was so important you called meatwork?”

She frowned. “You’re notangry?”

He hesitated a moment, as though contemplating the question. “Are you a big girl,Samantha?”

She picked at her fingernail, then scrunched her shoulders nervously. “I don’t know? You’re not jealous because I’m withanotherguy?”

“ShouldIbe?”

She shook her head, looking down to herlap. “No.”

“Honey, I trust you. You’ve never given me any reason not to. You make your decisions, and I make mine. That’s what I love about us. I don’t want to be one of those couples that can’t make decisions without the other. I’m secure enough in my manhood to trust the womanIlove.”

Samantha closed her eyes, pulling in her first real breath in the last five minutes. “You’re right.” She sighed. “I don’t know what I wasthinking.”

He chuckled. “I really have to get back to work now. Arewegood?”

She nodded. “Yes, ofcourse.”

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