Page 78 of The Man I Love

This was not the plan.

This was not the ideal situation.

At that moment, she knew it was too soon to be here like this. Too soon, and a million emotions were buzzing throughout their bodies while everyone watched. Tears sprang into her eyes, and she looked to the ground, suddenly unable to face him. She hated the pain she saw in his eyes, and hated the fact that she was, in part, responsible for it. All the doubts she’d been struggling with for weeks tumbled into her subconscious.

People continued to yell and scream all around them, and she became hyper-aware of their presence. She had to get a hold of herself because she didn’t want to cause a scene—not here, not now, in front of all of them, in front of all the people who had watched them grow up.

He seemed to read her mind because he took hold of her hand and squeezed it. Then he lowered the umbrella, and her chin lifted with the help of his finger which forced her to look up at him again.

All the emotion she’d seen earlier was there, but now a little sideways grin played at the corner of his mouth.

He winked at her, letting her know that she wasn’t alone. She could do this.Theycould do this. Then his head bent lower still, until his face was by her ear. “I’m just glad we’re not having a Barkley,” he whispered.

A laugh exploded from her insides. So deep and honest that she knew he was the only one who could evoke that reaction. Her legs weakened and she fell into his arms. He hugged her fiercely, but for some reason, she didn’t resist the comfort and love his embrace offered. He always knew how to turn things around for her. He knew the exact words to say, so she didn’t take life too seriously. “You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”

He rested his chin on the top of her head. “Never.”

All the guests were standing around them waiting, and Samantha finally pulled away when a line began to form for each of them.

Samantha’s father was at the front, pulling her into a hug that almost crushed her. “Congratulations, honey.” He kissed her forehead and cried into her hair.

Then Tristan’s old football buddies came and slapped him on the shoulder, pulling him into a hug that lifted him off the ground. “You know what they say about daughters, man. They’re God’s punishment for the hearts we broke when we were young.”

Everyone laughed in unison, and the lines flowed.

After at least twenty minutes, Sam went to get a drink at the juice bar. There were a dozen different bottles to choose from, but she settled on a peach lemonade that reminded her of summer. Tristan’s father was standing behind her when she turned around.

“Excuse me,” she said, stepping around him. It had been over six months since The Gallery opening, but his presence still triggered a fight-or-flight response in her chest.

“I hoped we could talk,” he sputtered out, his voice low and hesitant, making her freeze. Liam was held in his arms and smears of chocolate still covered his cheek from the chocolate fountain.

Sam’s eyes flicked to Tristan, who was still talking to guests across the lawn.

“Is a baby willy in dare?”

Liam’s raspy voice made Samantha take a deep breath and shift her attention in his direction. “Yes,” she said, finding him staring at her belly suspiciously. “Isn’t that crazy?”

He scrunched up his face and nodded, then squirmed out of his father’s arms and ran across the yard, launching himself at the life-sized teddy bear at the gift table.

Sam let out a strained laugh, then glanced back at Mr. Montgomery. He looked so different than he had at the gallery. His face was clean-shaven, making him appear at least ten years younger. He’d even put on a few pounds, which rounded out his face and wrinkles.

“How is he?” she asked, shifting her attention to what mattered most. Liam. The little boy who was fighting for his life, and now made Samantha believe in miracles.

Mr. Montgomery shifted his attention to his son, who was gleefully bouncing on the bear’s belly. “He’s great. As you can see, he has more energy than we know what to do with.” Then his gaze met Samantha’s, and all the emotion of a father who had fought for his son’s life flickered in his eyes. “He’s wonderful.”

Samantha’s vision blurred as her eyes drifted to Liam on the other side of the yard. If she hadn’t known better, she never would have guessed he had ever been sick. He was so vibrant, so full of life, that watching him now felt almost like a dream.

Mr. Montgomery then went on to tell her how lucky they’d been that Tristan had been a match, and how quickly Liam had responded after the surgery. “His battle isn’t over just yet. Thereare still lots of tests, and we’ll monitor him for years, but he’s overcome the worst of it now, and he’s doing better than anyone expected.”

For so long, she had imagined that the next time she was face-to-face with Tristan’s father, she would confront him about what happened at The Gallery. She would tell him everything he’d cost her—the torment she’d endured for months afterward. But as she watched Liam run across the yard, the weight of the past seemed to fade.

The pain, the anger—it didn’t matter anymore. There was nothing she could do to change what had happened, and in some inexplicable way, the events of that night had led to a kind of healing she never thought possible.

“Yes,” she whispered to herself, her voice soft with conviction. “The worst is behind us now.”

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CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

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