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Samantha
Tonight has been extremely busy, but I love it. The hustle and bustle of this place. This is what I’ve always wanted to do, and I’m well on my way to becoming one of the best, working alongside one of the best.
“Grab that cream out of the cooler for me, honey.” Vivian, the head chef, says to me hurriedly.
“Sure thing Viv.”
Since the first day that I met her, she’s always treated me like family. She says what’s on her mind and doesn’t apologize for it. I love that about her. She takes charge and commands without being harsh. She knows this kitchen like the back of her hand, and she’s a wonderful teacher. Her teaching is not conventional, but she’s great at it. I’ve picked up on so much working beside her, things that they never taught me at TVI, the culinary school I attended previously.
I grab the cream and give it to her. She’s working on a new recipe and hasn’t quite perfected it yet. She said as soon as she gets it right, she’ll share it with me, and only me.
“Thank you. Jeff just closed up shop, and I won’t be here much longer. So, I’ll leave with him. You can go on home. Get out of here before your plans make other plans.” She winks at me and continues stirring up her concoction.
I’ve been waiting to hear those words all day. Since I found out about the apartment, my anxiety has been extreme. I haven’t seen Brad in a few days, and I can’t wait to see what the place looks like. On top of that, his friends will be there. So, I’ll be meeting them for the first time. It’s a lot to take in all at once, but I have to start somewhere. The way I see it, if I can get through this introduction with his friends, then maybe meeting his family won’t be as hard. I’ll think of this as a trial run.
I help her clean up a little bit before I grab my belongings and start towards the door.
“See you tomorrow, Viv!” I yell over my shoulder.
Jeff, the manager, walks me out to my car and says goodbye. I pull out my phone to check the message Brad sent me with directions before I drive away.
My mind is in a constant state of play the entire ride over to the apartment. Even after I pull into the parking lot, it doesn’t stop. Guys don’t introduce any and every girl to their circle of friends. So, I know this is important to Brad. It’s a huge deal. I turn off the engine and give myself a pep talk.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Put on your grown-up shoes and walk in there.
It’s just like riding a bike.
They’re going to love you.
And if they don’t, who cares.
You’ve got this.
“You’ve got this,” I say to myself.
I rub my hands down the front of my black pants and brush at a lingering patch of flour once I reach the front door. I hadn’t even thought about the way I look until now.
I close my eyes and breathe out again.
It doesn’t matter.
Brad knows where I’m coming from. He could care less about what my clothes look like. That’s good enough for me.
I ring the doorbell and wait. I immediately relax when the door swings open, and Brad’s face is staring back at me.
“Hey, baby.”
He doesn’t give me a chance to respond. He pulls me to him, and in seconds, his lips are on mine. His tongue explores my mouth like it’s the first time. When he pulls away, we’re both breathing heavily.
“Hi.” I finally say.
“I’ve been waiting to do that all day. Welcome home, baby.”
Home.
My heart beats wildly in my chest. Home is such a strong word, and for him to want that with me is overwhelming, but I love his sentiment.
I let him pull me inside and close the door. The apartment opens up into the living room. So, there’s a wall directly in front of the door. It’s a nice sized room and big enough for the two of us to move around comfortably.
Brad traps me against the front door; his hands circled loosely around my neck. There’s a longing in his eyes, but his words say the opposite of what I see.
“Are you okay with meeting the guys tonight?”
His thumbs rub the contours of my cheeks. It’s hard to think with his hands on me. He could get me to agree to anything right now, given the amount of time since the last time I’ve seen him.
“Yes. It’s fine. If we’re going to be together, I need to get to know the people that are important to you.”
“They won’t be here much longer. Just a short meet and greet. I promise. Just give me a sign, and they’re gone.” His eyes roam over my lips, and my whole body burns from the invisible contact. He clears his throat, then kisses my forehead and steps back a fraction. “By the way, you look lovely tonight.”
I smile at his comment. The way he says it makes me want to believe. I know I don’t look my best, but to Brad, I always do. I could be wearing a trash bag, and he would still say the same. It makes me love him even more.
He takes my hand and leads me into the kitchen just around the corner. Two sets of eyes are staring when we walk in; one a deep shade of brown and the other a little lighter. I look around to fend off the uncomfortable feeling coursing through me.
There’s a hallway leading out of the kitchen that was only slightly visible from the living room. The kitchen has a single-window facing out to the parking lot. It’s a cozy space. I can see myself here with Brad. The more I see of this place, the homier it feels.
“Sam, this is Nate, my old roommate,” Brad says, motioning to the one with the dark eyes. “And Phil,” he continues, pointing to the other guy. I move closer and shake each of their hands when they rise from their spots at the bar to greet me.
“Nice to meet you both,” I say. I’m slightly confused. Brad said there were three of them. I shrug it off, thinking maybe that’s a good thing. The less, the merrier.
“And this is Garrett,” I hear Brad say behind my back.
I freeze at the familiar name. I’m reluctant to turn around. It can’t be him. What are the odds? There have to be tons of guys with that name. Although, I’ve only ever known one.
I close my eyes and turn around, praying that it’s not him.
There are times when I feel like laughing out loud and times when my heart feels so full of love that I fear it will burst. There are times when I feel invincible, and nothing can defeat me.
When I open my eyes, I know that this is not one of those times. I want to laugh because I feel it’s the only thing that will keep me from crying. My heart is full, but at this moment, it’s not because of love. It’s a mix of emotions that I can’t describe. My breath hitches, and my throat runs dry.
Garrett! No! This can’t be happening.
My mind screams his name. I blink in quick succession, willing him to go away, wishing this was all a dream.
He appears just as shocked as I am, but only for a second. “So, this is your Sam?” Garrett smirks at Brad before his gaze locks onto me again.
Everyone around us is oblivious to the true meaning of his question, but not me. I heard him loud and clear. I don’t know what’s worse; the fact that he had the nerve to ask the question, or him thinking that I still belong to him. Both ideas are disturbing and completely insane. I’ll never be his again. I made that perfectly clear the last time I spoke to him.
Garrett looks the same, except he’s all grown up now. He still has those boyish curls that I used to love, but his body had filled out even more than I remembered. And I can tell by that smirk on his face that his cockiness has grown right along with him. If I were any other girl and I didn’t loathe everything he stands for, I could probably appreciate his stature and good looks. None of that matters to me now because I know the real Garrett. I know what he’s capable of, and I know exactly who he’s not.
I look at him and give a slight shake of my head, silently asking him to keep quiet. I don’t know how Brad would react, knowing that his friend is the one who broke my heart years ago. As much as I would like to see his fist connect with Garrett’s face, I can’t chance it. I should be the one to tell Brad.
Brad.
He’s so happy looking between the two of us. I hate that my dislike for Garrett will drive a wedge between them, or worse, drive a wedge between us. I’ll tell him once we’re alone, and he can think before reacts.
“Yeah, this is my Sam,” Brad replies, pulling my back flush against his chest, so we’re both facing Garrett. He places a lingering kiss on my temple, and I hate that I can’t enjoy it.
Garrett flinches slightly but quickly recovers. I don’t know if it’s because I know him so well, but I notice every minute move that he makes. I hope no one else notices. He holds out his hand, and I reluctantly place my hand in his. Bile rises in my throat when he pulls my hand to his lips. He stares at me like I’m a prize to be won, not caring who our audience is. How could Brad ever be friends with someone like him? It takes everything in me to not pull away and punch his lights out.
Garrett tilts his head to the side in thought. “Sam,” he says smugly. “Short for Samantha, right?”
“Yes,” I say with a forced smile.
“You look familiar,” Garrett continues.
“Alright, man. Give her a break. She’s had a long day.”
I’m relieved when Brad cuts in. Who knows what going through Garrett’s screwed up mind and what will come out of his mouth next. I follow his eyes to Brad’s hands holding my waist, and this time when I look at him, I smirk. I knew I shouldn’t, but I couldn’t resist. His hand forms a fist at his side before opening up again.
“It’s good to finally meet Brad’s friends,” I say, looking at each of the guys. “I wish he had told me more about you before today. Maybe one day we can all sit down and talk; get to know each other better.”
I was hoping we could do that tonight, but after seeing Garrett, I feel drained. I feel like I’ve been thrown back in time. All of those old feelings from the last time I saw him are creeping up inside of me again. How could I be this unlucky?
“I’m afraid Brad is right. I’m a little tired. I think I’m going to turn in early, but if Brad wants, you guys can stay.” I turn to Brad and smile up at him, praying that he can see through my false statement.
Brad pulls me in for a not so quick kiss. The kind of kiss that makes me wonder. The kind of kiss that forces him to hold me just a little bit tighter, to keep me from falling. The kind of kiss that lets everyone around us know how he feels about me.
Even if Brad knew who Garrett really was, his feelings for me would never be about revenge or karma. This is who he is, regardless of the audience. I will never forget his words to me for as long as I live, “I don’t care who knows you’re my girl. Let them watch.”
Brad only pulls away when one of the guys clears their throat loudly.
And still, one more kiss to my temple.
My skin has to be the shade of an apple, but I don’t care. Brad gave me a little bit of relief in just a few seconds.
“Okay baby. Rooms down the hall to the left. See you soon.”
I turn to leave, and Brad smacks my behind. Garrett’s glare hits me like a freight train as I pass him. I know it’s a risk leaving my fate in his hands, but I’m confident that he won’t say anything. If Garrett has never been good at anything else, he’s good at keeping secrets. He knows that Brad can’t find out like this. Not tonight.
