Page 75 of Samuel

“Aw, you two are so cute together!” Emma cooed. “Where is my man? I want him to do that to me!”

“No,” Daisy laughed. “You sit on his lap and we all know how that will end!”

Evie felt her face flush.

Emma rolled her eyes at her best friend. “Oh hush. Like you and Hank haven’t had your share of frisky moments in public?”

“I should have known better than to come over here without the other guys,” Sam groaned.

“So, tell us more about how chivalrous our favorite cowboy is.”

“He has a thing for carrying me.” Evie let her hand rest on Sam’s arm, but he went stiff beneath her touch. When she turned to look at his face, he was staring straight at his sister, who looked ashen all of a sudden.

“Sam…”

“Abby. Don’t say another word,” he growled.

The women all grew quiet.

What in the world was going on? The look on Sam’s face was nothing short of pure fury. She’d never seen him look that angry. Not when his cattle had been killed. Not when she’d showed him the discrepancies in the accounting books. Not just a few minutes before, when Dr. Bowman had cornered her.

“Are you okay?” She asked, covering his hands with hers.

“I’m fine. Mylittle sistersometimes just doesn’t know when to keep her mouth shut.”

“I don’t think you need to speak to her like that.” John stepped up next to Abby. The tension between everyone was almost unbearable.

“What she’s about to say isn’t her story to tell.”

“I was there that damn day, Sam. Remember? And I know for a fact that after everything, you know you’re not supposed to be doing anything too strenuous. Your heart?—”

“Abby. I swear to God, I will walk out of here right now if you don’t quit it.”

“What about your heart?” Evie asked. It felt like the entire bar had gone quiet as she waited for the answer, her own blood whooshing in her ears. Daisy and Grace gave her sympathetic smiles, while Emma sat back and shook her head. “What’s going on? What about his heart, Abby?”

“You haven’t told her?”

“It’s my business to tell her when I’m ready.”

“Knowing you, you’ll never be ready. She works with you all day every day, Sam. You’re saying the two of you are dating! If your heart stops again, you need her to know what to do.”

Your heart stops again.

Your heart stops… again.

The words repeated in her mind so fast she felt dizzy.

His heart stopped beating. His heart stopped beating and it could happen again. He’d told her how his father passed. But Sam was healthy. He’d promised her.

“What does that mean?” she whispered.

“Evie, I’m fine.”

Nausea overwhelmed her. How many times had he put himself at risk when he was helping her? How many times had she felt cherished when his love for carrying her could have put so much strain on his heart that he…what? Died? Died again?

She’d told him about her parents. About the way they kept her dad’s illness hidden from her. How she’d been blindsided when they died. The heat of every eye in the room being on her made her chest painfully tight.

Her mouth went dry, save for the sick feeling making her swallow thickly. She pushed off his chest, hating the way her whole body felt the absence of his touch. “I…will you excuse me, please? I need to use the restroom.”

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