She walked slowly to her suitcase on the bed and sat down beside it, mulling over Cane’s theory. “What do you think?”
I shrugged. “I don’t want to believe it. I see why Cane thinks it’s a possibility, but I don’t know.”
“Cane’s usually right.”
“You sound like him,” I laughed. “But I’ll just run by there and see what’s going on. She does help me a lot, but if she did overhear something and wants to quit, it’ll just make my life easier.”
She nodded and chewed on her lip in thought before standing up and walking to me. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed me on the cheek. “Go do what you have to do and get home so we can go. I’m excited to get away with you.”
I pulled her in close, nestling my nose in her hair and breathing her in. “Me, too, sweetheart. Me, too.”
MAX
I knocked on the door, remembering the first time I’d ever been there. Kari had stayed with me the first night we’d met and snuck out the next morning. She’d ignored my calls for nearly a week, just giving me a quick text here and there. I finally just showed up at her door.
I smiled at the memory and knocked again.
A few minutes passed and I checked my watch and knocked for the third time.
If she doesn’t answer this time, I’m going home.
The door opened slowly. Sam stood on the other side and smiled hesitantly. She had changed from work and was wearing a pair of black tights and a blue strapless shirt. She smelled all fruity and obnoxious.
“Hey, Max,” she smiled, opening the door wider so I could walk in.
I took a few steps in the house and looked around. She changed the way the living room was organized from when Kari had it. It looked more cluttered, things laying haphazardly everywhere. Dishes and shoes and papers were tossed on every surface; Kari’s OCD would’ve gone crazy and the thought made me chuckle.
“You want a drink or something?” she asked, batting her eyelashes.
“Nah, thanks though. I need to see what’s going on with you and then get back home. Like I told ya earlier, Kari and I are going to Payson.”
She turned her back to me and walked into the kitchen, leaving me standing inside the door. Shrugging, I followed her a moment later. She was filling a glass with water at the refrigerator. “Sure you don’t want a drink?”
“Nope. What did you need, Sam?” I eyed her curiously. She seemed pretty laid back and unrushed, not at all the near panic-stricken Sam I had heard on the phone.
She grinned. “I’m good. I just, um, wanted to talk to you, that’s all.”
My jaw began to twitch. She wanted to talk to me? We couldn’t have talked on the phone? Or at work an hour ago?
“Okay. Something bothering you or what?”
She watched me as she took a drink of her water, licking her lips slowly. “I just . . . can’t figure you out, that’s all.”
I twisted my hat around backwards then shoved my hands in my pockets. Confused, I shot her a look. “You can’t figure what out?”
“Let me ask you a question. Why are you going to Payson this weekend?”
“To spend time with Kari.”
She rolled her eyes and sat the glass down with a thud. “Don’t you think this is getting a little played out, Max?”
“I’m sorry. What’s getting played out?” I watched her fight to keep a calm look on her face, but I could see anger twisting its way out.
“This thing with Kari, whatever it is. She’s manipulating you. She doesn’t love you. Blaine told me—”
“Look,” I said, my voice thick with annoyance, “I don’t give a rat’s ass what Blaine told you or what you think.”
Her jaw dropped wide open, her eyes wild. “Max! Why are you talking to me like that?”
“I’m just a little bothered that you had me come over here and now ya don’t seem to want anything.”
“So we can’t just, you know, hang out?” She shrugged her shoulders, like us “hanging out” was the most common thing in the world.
“I . . . we . . .” I fought back a laugh. “No, we can’t just ‘hang out.’ When have we ever done that? What’s going on with you?”
An eerie calm came over her as she leaned against the island, her arms crossing in front of her. “You’re making the biggest mistake of your life.”