“So you are alive, well that’s good to know.”
Nick rolled his eyes as his shoulders slumped. Apparently not only did his mother have a flair for the dramatics, but his father as well. He was not in the mood for the bellowing voice that belonged to Nick Foti Sr.
“I’m sure you would’ve heard if I died.” Nick said curtly into the phone and walked towards the window that overlooked the ocean.
“I’ve been calling you for weeks, son. I’m starting to get the feeling you are ignoring me.”
“What could I do for you dad?” Nick said, hoping his father would get to the point so he could hang up on him and figure a way to block his calls.
“Well, for starters, you can stop playing grease monkey and get your ass back to the office. I have a major development deal in the works.”
Nick set his jaw, agitated with his father’s derogatory remarks regarding his career.
“I thought I made myself clear, when I left that I wasn’t interested in any future deals.” He ground his teeth as the anger began to settle in.
“You were serious about that?” His father asked incredulously. “You’re going to throw away a million dollar deal so that you can play with cars?”
“Do you like what you do, Dad?” Nick asked his father.
“Of course I do. Who doesn’t like making money? Forget I asked, apparently you don’t.”
“I do just fine for myself and I’m happy where I am. I’m not going back to Seattle.” Nick said firmly. His father had exactly ten seconds before he ended the call.
“What about the tart you left me here with? I’m just supposed to keep her under payroll? She barely knows how to send a fax!” The eldest Foti, roared into the phone.
“Erica? She’ll manage. Do whatever you have to do.” Nick said and shook his head, wishing he could erase the mistakes he made in Seattle. There wasn’t an eraser big enough though. “Look Dad, I’ve got to go. I’ll call you if I change my mind.”
“Just think it over. You were good with the business. You really are a natural. Don’t throw it away.” He paused and Nick was about to hang up the phone when his father began again. “Your mother was right, whatever or whoever is in that town has some hold on you.”
Nick had heard enough, the minute his mother was mentioned, he cringed. He ended the call without saying goodbye. When he turned around Sam was standing in the center of the room. Great, just fucking great.
“Sam…” He started as he swiped his hand over his face. How much had she heard?
“Don’t mind me. I left my charger on the table.” She said as she hurried towards the other end of the room to grab her phone charger.
His patience was running thin and when she started for the bedroom without uttering a word to him, he cracked. “Can you just stop, skirting around every issue that seems to tick at your nerves?” She stopped mid stride but didn’t turn to face him. He let out a strangled breath. “I know you heard part of my conversation. Instead of acting as if you and I didn’t have one of hell of a good time today, and putting on the face of disgust, ask whatever questions you want to ask. Yell if you want, but don’t, fucking pretend like you can’t stand me, not, after today, because I’m not buying it, Sam.”
She turned around slowly to face him. Her eyes bore into his as she lifted her chin.
“The only acting I did today was when I acted as if everything between us was okay. Right now, I’m not acting. Ava’s asleep, there’s no child to put on a show for. I won’t ask any questions, because I’m not interested in the answers. I won’t yell, because quite frankly, there’s no point. Now if we’re done here, I’d like to go to bed.” Her voice cracked with the last sentence, proving to him that she wasn’t as hard as her words. That she was using them to mask the hurt she was feeling, but from what. Why wouldn’t she just tell him what he did to her? She turned around and walked into the bedroom, softly closing the door behind her.
Chapter Eight
Luke propped his foot on the chair beside his hospital bed, and reached over to tie his shoelace. He couldn’t wait to get out of there, he really had no idea how Jake had spent the last year in and out of this place, one night and he felt like his skin was crawling. The door opened quietly, and Leah stepped into his room. She had been checking on him all night, as she worked her shift. He looked over at her. She was still in her scrubs, and so he glanced at his watch. She should be off the clock by now. He looked at her face and saw the traces of fatigue, and something else he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
“Hey, how are you feeling?” She asked, as she walked towards him.