Page 22 of All In
“I want a relationship just like you guys have.”
“I wish I had someone that loves me like Nate loves you.”
If they only knew how profoundly sad I am.
Nate and his buddies left to play poker while I wait for the girls to arrive. I hope once they get here, I can convince them to leave because this place is not my scene.
I glance down at my watch. A quarter after ten.Ugh.They were supposed to have been here fifteen minutes ago. I’m standing here alone in this dive, hoping no one approaches me. Out of the corner of my eye, my gold link watch catches a ray of light from the lamp at my table, and it looks just as beautiful as the daySam gave it to me.
When I glance at this watch, memories of him flood my mind. I broke him, so I don’t deserve to have any feelings for him. I know I shouldn’t. But I do, and I always will. The guilt I harbor in destroying his life will always stay with me.
On instinct, I cover the watch with my hand after I look at it to get the time. It’s almost like covering it holds in place the time we spent together. I never want him to escape my memory, so I cover the watch. To protect what we had and hold it close. It’s comforting. Almost like he’s here with me as I wait alone.
A Shania Twain song plays as couples slow down and hold each other on the dance floor.
“May I have this dance?” a deep voice asks, and a calloused hand appears under my nose as I stare down at my drink.
I knew it!Now I have to tell some drunk dude ‘No, thank you. I have a boyfriend.’ There is no way I’m dancing with some stranger. I turn my eyes up to this man to give him the death glare. “No, thanks, I’m wait—”
My breath hitches in my throat.
It’s Sam.
I’m frozen in place. My heart drops, and heat rises to my head as I’m met with the brown eyes that I know so well. Eyes that I could stare at for hours.
This can’t be happening.
I look around the bar frantically, praying that Nate is gone and not seeing this. My girlfriends aren’t here yet either. He knows about Sam, but he doesn’t know it all.
“Sam, what are you doing here?” I ask, as if this is my bar and he’s on my turf. I have a feeling it’s the other way around.
He doesn’t answer my question as he takes my hand in his. This is the first time we have touched in two years. An instant spark pierces through me from his touch. He leans down and whispers in my ear, his lips grazing my hair. “Please, Maria, dance with me?” My knees wobble at the sound of his plea, and I have no clue how I’m going to move.
But I can’t resist.
I never could.
“Okay.” The word comes out in a whisper as I struggle to catch my breath.
Before I know it—or control it—my feet are moving, and I’m following him to the dance floor.
God, he looks incredible.The same, yet different. Older, perhaps. We dodge the swaying couples as we make our way to the middle of the floor. He pulls me to him, resting his left hand on my lower back while grasping my other hand. I place my palm on his shoulder, which feels broader. The moment I’m in his arms, a sense of comfort and familiarity washes over me, as if I’ve returned to where I belong. We fit together like a puzzle. We always have.
With Shania singing from the speakers, our bodies naturally sway to the music. I take a step back, keeping a distance between us.
“So, was that Chad?”His eyes are practically burning a hole into me with his stare, waiting for an answer, but I can’t look at him, so I glance around the room.
“Um … no. That was Nate.” I pause before I tell him the truth. “My boyfriend.”
Now it’s his turn to look away from me. We continue to sway in tune to the music. With his hand touching my back, it ignites a burning sensation thatspreads like a fire through my whole body. A fire that was non-existent with Chad or Nate.
“What happened to Chad? Or are you seeing both of them?” My eyes dart up to his as he grimaces at his attempt to hurt me.
“Chad and I didn’t work out.”
“Shocker.” He huffs out.
I survey the room, looking for Jennifer Freaking Snow. She’s nowhere. “Things didn’t work out with Jennifer?” I squeeze my eyes shut, shocked the question poured out of my mouth.
