Page 83 of The Runaway Bride of Blitzen Bay (Blitzen Bay)

Chapter Thirty-Six

NOELLE

December 25

Blitzen Bay, California

“Sam, will you show me pictures of Holly and your kids after we finish cleaning up?”

I’m desperate to get my mind on anything else but the way Nash’s hand felt on my thigh all through dinner. It was distracting enough when his hand was resting near my knee, but as the wine kept flowing, his hand got more active. While we were eating dessert, he started rubbing his hand gently up and down my leg until he finally let it rest in the fold between my thigh and stomach. I genuinely thought I was going to pass out.

“We’ll do the dishes,” Izzy says, pointing at Gabi and Nash. “You two look at pictures.”

Sam takes my hand and leads me to the couch where he grabs a well-worn photo album from under the table. He spends the next twenty minutes leafing through the pages—pointing out every member of his lovely family.

Nash makes it over to us after the dishes are done and sits on the other side of me—his hand going back on my leg. We’re just getting to a section that looks like Sam’s days in the military.

“Who’s that?” I point to a picture of a very young Sam with his arm around another soldier. They both have rifles slung over their shoulders and big, cheesy grins on their faces.

“That was my best friend,” Sam says, smiling as he touches the picture gently.

“He’s gone now?” I reach out and hold Sam’s hand.

“He’s been gone for a long time. He died in the war.”

Nash’s leg tenses against mine. I put my hand on top of his. It’s shaking. I squeeze it as I hear him take a long, labored breath. I keep my eyes on Sam.

“I’m sorry, Sam. What was his name?”

“Jack.”

“He was very handsome,” I say, looking back down at the picture.

Nash squeezes my leg hard—too hard. I pat his hand a few times without looking at him. He releases my leg and pulls his hand away.

“Yeah, he was,” Sam laughs. “The ladies flocked around him. And he was so funny—always had some ridiculous story to tell. I was his best audience. I couldn’t quit laughing when we were together.”

Nash stands up suddenly. “I need to get some fresh air.”

I look up at him. His face is pale. His eyes are shifting around the room.

“Are you okay?” I say, reaching for his hand, but he takes a step back.

He looks away quickly. “Yeah, yeah, I’m good. I’ll be right back.”

I start to follow him, but Sam takes my arm.

“Give him a second,” he says, smiling at me.

Gabi and Izzy come into the room. Their eyes follow Nash outside. They exchange concerned looks.

“Sam, we need to head out,” Izzy says. “We’ve got some stuff to do to get the bar ready for breakfast in the morning. Thank you so much for dinner. The paella was amazing. We’re going to have to hire you as a cook in the bar.”

“Any time. I loved spending my Christmas with you.”

Gabi puts her hand on Izzy’s shoulder. “Sam, I checked her pockets to make sure she didn’t steal any of Holly’s jewelry.”

“I’ve told you before, you’re welcome to any of it, Isabelle.” Sam closes the photo album and pushes himself slowly up from the couch. “I think you enjoy it as much as Holly did.”

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