Page 41 of Accidentally Wed to My Enemy

“We’re dating,” I said. “It’s new — we’re brand new. We don’t need the scandal—”

“You and Lacey? You’re dating?” Sam massaged his temples. “I don’t get how this happened. One second you hate her, the next you’re married. Then I find out it’s some drunken mistake, but you’re somehow still dating, and throughout all of this, I’ve been in the dark.” He slapped himself twice, between his eyes. “What’s going on with you? You aren’t like this.”

“I never hated her,” I said. “That whole feud between us was tabloid bullshit. Annoying as hell, but hate’s a strong word. And once we got talking, I liked her a lot. She might come across feisty, but underneath that, she’s sweet. She’s warm and open and she makes me feel good.”

Sam studied me narrowly, his lips a tight line. “Those are reasons to date her, but not to stay married. You get that, don’t you? You’re legally married. At some point, you’ll have to deal with the fallout. Have you given any thought to protecting your assets? Or even looked into her financial affairs? For all you know, she’s up to her eyeballs in debt, and now so are you. Have you thought about that?”

I hadn’t, and I doubted that was the case. And now wasn’t the time for this, with Lacey waiting next door.

“We’ll talk later,” I said. “I’m late to meet her.” I stood and straightened my jacket and headed for the door. I’d made it halfway when Sam called out.

“Wait.”

I paused for the second time with my hand on the doorknob. “We’ll talk tomorrow, okay? But this is a good thing. I know how it looks, but we have something great here. Maybe we stumbled into it by mistake, but that doesn’t mean—”

“Have you told her about your past?”

I went cold all over, frozen in place. Had Sam gone digging? What had he found? How long had he known and not breathed a word?

“Eric. Have you told her?”

I swallowed. “Told her what?”

“Whatever you’ve spent the last twenty years hiding from me.” Sam leaned on the hall table and his lips spasmed down. “It’s like you popped into being the day we met. I don’t know a thing about your life before that, even who your parents are or where you were born. And it’s fine if we don’t have that kind of friendship, but if you’re serious, if this is real with Lacey, don’t you think she deserves to know who you are?”

I couldn’t look at Sam, at the pain in his eyes. It wasn’t a blip, then, his outburst at the Rio. He’d been nursing this hurt for a while now, maybe all through our friendship. Gazing over the distance, wondering why—

“I’ve respected your privacy. I’ve never gone snooping. But whatever you’re hiding, it’s made you hard. It’s put up a wall in you that’s like banging on concrete, and sooner or later, she’s going to hit that. Are you going to build a door for her or shut her out?”

My head had gone fuzzy, all dizzy with panic. I shook it to clear it and anger rushed in.

“You know me,” I said. “You act like you don’t, like I’ve shut you out, but haven’t we gone through our whole lives together? When I got my first part and you said ‘hey, let me manage you,’ wasn’t that the big break for both our careers? Wasn’t I there for you through your divorce? Am I not here right now, when Lacey’s there waiting?”

“That’s not what I mean, and I think you know that.”

I let out a snort. “I don’t knowwhatyou mean, but here’s what I do know: Lacey’s next door in a gorgeous new dress, waiting for me to come take her on a date. And you know what a date’s for? So she can get to know me. Not who I was a long time ago, but who I am now. Because that’s all that matters, Sam. Maybe you need to dwell on the past, but that’s not who I am, or who Lacey is either.”

Sam didn’t look at me, or say any more. I scowled at him a moment, then turned away.Hewas the one who’d come in guns blazing, picking on Lacey, on our arrangement. He’d brought up my past like it wasanyof his business. He didn’t get to act hurt when I set limits.

“I never pried when you got your divorce.” I spoke to the door, but I heard Sam’s breath hitch. “I heard the rumors, same as everyone else, but I never once asked if you cheated.”

“I didn’t,” said Sam. “And I wish youhadasked. I’ve wondered this whole time, did you think it was true?”

“Of course not. I know you. And you could’ve just told me.”

“Well, I didn’t,” said Sam.

I stood there, awkward, my hand on the door. My anger was fading, and I felt like a jerk.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I never thought you cheated, and I should’ve said so. I’m on your side, man. You’ve got to know that. The things I don’t talk about, I wish you’d believe me. They’re over and done with, and they don’t matter. There’s no wall between us, or between me and Lacey.”

Sam sighed. “If you say so.”

“I’m saying so right now.”

Sam took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. He clapped me on the arm on his way out the door.

“Have a great night,” he said. “And you’re right, she’s a good one, so treat her well. She deserves it.”

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