Page 107 of All In
Not wanting to prolong this goodbye any longer than necessary, I pull her in for a heartfelt hug. She hums as soon as her chin rests on my shoulder. “I wish you the best, Cara. You deserve everything,” I whisper into her ear. As we pull apart, she calmly places her hand on my cheek, her palm soft against my skin. Her touch lingers for a moment before she lowers her hand, then takes a step around me and walks away.
I watch her leave out the exit door and observe her from the window. She gets into the Kia Optima that was waiting for her and drives away. Gone from my life, for the last time.
As I take a step to leave this godforsaken place, my attention immediately shifts to a flash of a bare back, long legs, a blue dress, and golden blonde hair outside. Maria’s waiting on the steps of the entrance, tapping her foot impatiently.
Holy crap!What is she still doing here? And where is Geoffrey?
I bolt out of the restaurant as if it’s engulfed in flames. Within five seconds flat, I’m right beside her, my hands in my pocket. She turns to see who is standing next to her and flinches before quickly refocusing on the road ahead.
“I just saw Cara leave. Alone. Trouble in paradise?” she asks.
I hold my breath, knowing I have to accept whatever she is prepared to serve up.
“Well, truthfully, we broke up tonight. Right before you and Geoffrey came over to the table.”
Her head snaps to meet mine as I catch her eye. I raise my eyebrows and shrug. A few more seconds pass, and I turn away, roaming the busy street, looking for her perfect lawyer boyfriend. “So, why are you out here alone? Where’sGeoffthe lawyer?” I ask.
She clears her throat, trying to shake off the nervousness. “Um …Geoffrey’scar won’t start. So he’s with the tow truck guy while I wait for an Uber.”
“I can take you wherever you need to go.” I offer this up faster than I intended. But man, I hope she says yes.
She turns away from me. “Yeah, okay. That wouldn’t be the best idea,” she laughs out.
She’s probably right.
We both stand there, taking in the chaos of car horns and bustling footsteps in the busy street. A burning need to know more about Channing ‘Geoffrey’ Tatum consumes me. So I ask. “Are you guys serious?”
I try to will her to look at me, but she doesn’t glance in my direction, busy searching for her ride among the traffic. “Not that it’s any of your business, but we have been seeing each other for about a year now. We have plans for him to meet the kids next week.”
Not good.That means it’s very serious. Maria wouldn’t introduce just anyone to her kids.
I try to keep my cool, even though my heart is drowning in disappointment. “Wow. That does sound serious.”
“What happened with you and Cara?” I swear I heard a touch of happiness in her voice.
“You. You happened.” The confession hangs in the air, as she slowly turns her head and her eyes meet mine, brimmed with unease. A massive shot of adrenaline shoots through me, a reminder of the intense connection we share.Her lip's part to say something, and my eyes zero in on their perfect shape and pinkish color. With each passing moment, her breath becomes more rapid. Then she blinks, checks herself, and averts her attention while shifting her feet.
I can’t tear my eyes away from the mesmerizing curve of her spine in that stunning dress. With an impulsive urge too strong to control, I pull my hand from my pocket. With a featherlight touch, I lightly skim down the surface of her spine, ending on her lower back. Goosebumps erupt on her skin. It’s the same spot where I had seen Geoffrey’s hand earlier as he guided them past our table. I want nothing more than to remove the memory of his touch from her head and replace it with my own.
Her breath hitches when my fingers graze her smooth skin. “You can’t say those types of things to me, Sam.”
My thumb rubs in small circles … the way I always used to. Her eyes flutter close.
Tires rolling on pavement breaks up our intimate moment, diverting our attention to a Chevy Blazer pulling alongside the curb.
“That’s my ride.” She takes off down the steps, faster than she should be able to in those heels. I can’t stop staring at the enticing contours of her back and the toned definition of her legs as she walks away. Shaking off my daze, I sprint to catch up as a surge of adrenaline courses through me. My hand reaches around her, grabbing the door handle just seconds before she does.
She looks up at me, and tears brim her eyes as we part ways yet again. Like we always do, “I’m sorry about Cara.” With a quick turn and a duck of her head, she tries to get into the car, but I reach out and take her arm.
This moment isn’t over yet. Not by a long shot.
“Sam, don’t,” she pleads with me, her voice trembling. She sniffles as she turns to face me.
I’m not letting this chance pass by. I need her to have a clear understanding of where I stand. “It turns out some things are forgivable,” I whisper. Her face softens at my confession and the reminder of our conversation in my car.
“You said you didn’t want this.” The words escape her lips so softly, I barely heard them as her eyes search mine and a single tear trails down her cheek. I swipe it away.
Ignoring her statement, I continue. “I know you are with Channing,”—she huffs out a chuckle with a hint of amusement at the use of this name— “but I want you to know something, and I’m not expecting anything from you. I just need you to know.”
