Page 13 of Fourth Down Forever
I can't help it nor could I stop it even if I wanted to, a smile spreads across my face at those words. The waitress doesn't seem to enjoy it as much as I do though, because she stutters, "Sorry." Then runs off to the kitchen, leaving Sam and I alone.
"So you don't want people checking out your husband?" I ask, grinning at her.
"Shut up. I just didn't want to sit here and watch her stare at you," she sasses.
"It's okay. I wouldn't want anyone checking my wife out in front of me either," I tell her.
Sam just rolls her eyes at me, and I find myself laughing again. Since she brought up our marriage, I take this moment to approach the subject, sobering up real quick. "I talked with my coach this morning."
She nods then mumbles, "I remember."
"He wasn't very happy about us getting married."
Sam's face softens with my words. "I'm sure he wasn't."
"So here's the deal—I can't get a divorce or an annulment right now."
I watch as Sam stiffens and begins to wring her hands in her lap but doesn't say anything. She just stares but not quite at me, just right behind me. I take this moment to keep explaining, hoping that she can understand where I'm coming from. "I'm thinking we could stay married for a year, going out to a few public events, convince everyone that we are in love."
"What?" she whisper-yells at me, leaning over the table.
"We could stay married and then people will think that I'm not just a playboy loser," I tell her.
"No. No. No," she barks, each 'no' getting louder and louder.
It would be comical if this wasn’t so important. Before she gets too far off, I place my hand on top of hers. "I know this is a lot to ask, but I'm willing to help you with anything you need if you do this for me."
Sam is still shaking her head, then mutters, "I'm not sure I could do that."
"Why not if it could benefit both of us?"
"When I was a little girl, I just always imagined I would get married to someone I liked, not just someone I slept with."
Placing a hand on top of hers, I whisper, "I get it. I never thought I would marry…ever. Especially after what I had to deal with as a kid. But this is important."
Sam closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and lets it out slowly. When she opens her eyes, I see that she has made a decision. I hope it's one that leans toward helping me. She stays silent, but keeps looking at me as if she is reading me. I try to sit as still as possible, hoping that I'm showing her that I mean business. My heart beats as if it’s pounding out of my chest while I wait for her response.
Then she opens her mouth and I have to hold my breath when she says, "I have a few conditions."
That’s when, for another time tonight, Sam is able to make me smile. "Okay, let me hear your conditions."
"First, no sex. Se—"
"Wait, no sex?" I interrupt, and the smile on my face drops.
"Yeah, we can't confuse this as being something real by mixing our emotions with the physical," she says, giving me a look that tells me she is not letting that one go.
I take a deep breath and grit my teeth. "Fine."
That’s when she raises her brow. "Second, no being with other people."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean you can't be seen canoodling with other women when you're supposed to be married to me," she snaps.
"Of course. That's a given," I tell her.
"I mean it, Kade," she grits out.
