Chapter Twenty-Two

Sam

 

Spending the afternoon making out, listening to music, and talking with Kate… I imagined this is what it would’ve been like if we hooked up in our youth.

Currently, she’d drifted off, so I was watching her sleep again. Her hand was on my chest. Her face perfectly relaxed, she reminded me of that girl I used to dream about, before circumstances and time got in the way.

I would always regret not being there for her when her world fell apart. If I had any say, she’d never face a crisis alone again. Never again.

People say men think with their heads too much and women their hearts. Funny that since Kate and I reconnected, I’d been running with my heart and she her head. Balance lay somewhere in the middle. My head had chosen Mandy and we know where that ended up.

Now, I’d discovered that my heart had been with Kate all along. Waiting. When it got the chance, it went full throttle and I scared her off for six months.

But I did want it all.

I wanted to wake up and fall asleep to that gorgeous face. I wanted her smiles, her snark, her desire, to hear her humming around the house and catch her dancing when she thought no one was watching. I wanted her to fall in love with my kids.

Yes, I was leaving with boyfriend status, but I still didn’t know what she felt, and I wouldn’t stop having an anxious pit in the bottom of my stomach until she told me.

So that whole patience thing?

Biggest test of my life.

Picking up her hand, I kissed the palm, and her eyes fluttered open.

“When did I fall asleep?”

“Maybe a half hour ago.”

She rolled onto her back and lifted her left arm to look at her watch. “Almost seven.” She sat up. “I should go get dinner.” She crawled to the edge to look for her shoes.

“What’s at seven?”

“Central Time.” She laced on one short boot. “Primetime starts at seven instead of eight.”

Ah. I stood. “I’ll come with you.”

She glanced up from tying the other shoe. “No, I got it. We had a plan, remember?” Boots on, she disappeared into my bathroom, shutting the door.

Chinese, pajamas, and TV.

“Then I guess I’ll get comfortable while you’re out.”

The door opened. “Uh-huh.” A peck, then she was exiting the room. “Turn on the TV at seven.”

“Yes, dear.”

And she was gone.

She got a bit funny when she woke up with me around. I was learning to roll with it.

Okay, focus…two tasks—be packed for tomorrow except what I needed in the morning and change into clothes to lounge in. I didn’t know how far she was going or how long the errand would take, so I got to cleaning. And anticipating.