He popped a fry into his mouth and grinned. “Why not?”
“Because it’s like dangling a carrot in front of a starving person.”
He paused with a fry halfway to his mouth, seeming amused. “And you’re the starving person?” he asked. But he said it in a hushed tone. One that sent a shiver down her spine.
She swallowed hard, trying without success to recover, but then he pushed his plate to the side, and leaned forward in his seat, as though what he was going to say held great meaning. “What I was going to say was that you looked hungry. Either that, or you haven’t been fucked well in a really long time.”
Her breath caught in her throat, because she’d never been talked to like that in her life. She looked over her shoulder, to make sure no one had heard him. “My sex life is none of your business,” she whispered back.
He leaned back in his seat and took a bite of burger. “You’re absolutely right,” he said then. “Absolutely.”
“I can’t believe you just said that.”
“You told me to.”
“I never thought you’d be so crude.”
He shrugged. “I never promised to be a gentleman.”
She paused briefly, a fry halfway to her mouth.
He met her eyes, too, as though something had sparked inside him, but then he looked away.
She recovered a second later, stuffing her mouth with handful of fries to end the conversation. His words had struck a chord. One that was fresher than she thought it would be. Because once upon a time, he had promised to be a gentleman. And she had believed in him. For a moment too long.
The rest of their meal had gone on without much conversation. They ate their food quietly, not even making eye contact until the server brought the bill. Samantha insisted on paying, she didn’t have the money to spare; it was simply out of principle that she couldn’t let Tristan pay. In the end, he’d slapped down a couple of twenties in the middle of the table and walked out of the restaurant, leaving her with a choice.
A choice to either take the money and pay with her card, hoping to sneak the twenties back into Tristan’s wallet without notice. Or swallow down her long resentment for the man who’d taken her first kiss, and let him win. She chose the latter, because in the end, she knew she needed to pick her battles with Tristan. They had a long journey ahead of them, and she had an inkling this wouldn’t be the last disagreement they shared.
Back in the Mustang, she climbed into the passenger seat and fetched her ear buds out of her bag. She’d loaded a dozen audiobooks onto her iPod before she’d left, and now she started one of them. One she’d been itching to listen to for months but never had the time. It was a story about a woman returning to her best friend’s wedding. Which was ironic considering that was exactly what Samantha was doing. But it comforted her like any good story always had. Giving her the distraction she needed from the man who sat beside her.
Eventually, she took one of her pillows from the back seat and let herself fall asleep, only to wake sometime later, parked in a Motel 6 parking lot.
Tristan handed her a key, and they both went to their separate rooms, where Samantha sat now, the phone to her ear, listening to it ringing as she called her best friend.
“Sam! Thank God it’s you, I’m so freaking stressed.”
She laughed sleepily into the receiver, so happy to hear Renee’s voice, and lay back on the bed. “Now that’s a greeting. What’s up? Why are you so stressed?”
Her friend let out an audible breath. “I should have never tried to pull off a wedding so close to a show. People are calling me left and right, and there are rehearsals and performances. I feel like I don’t have any time to breathe.”
Samantha frowned, hating the fact all this was happening so close to the wedding, but at the same time felt helpless. “Is there anything I can do?”
“Nothing. Well, except get here faster.”
Samantha closed her eyes, because she wanted nothing more. “I’m working on it. Believe me.”
“How’s everything with Tristan…? Are you guys getting along?”
“Everything’s fiiiine,” Samantha said, drawing out the vowels to make the question sound needless. “Why do you ask?”
“I don’t know. I talked to him earlier. He was weird. I thought maybe it had something to do with you.”
Samantha pulled in a deep breath and picked at her fingernail. She wished she knew what he’d said, but asking that sort of question would only make her sound guilty. So she shook her head, stuffing down the frustration for Renee’s benefit. She wouldn’t add to her best friend’s stress by complaining about Tristan. She didn’t have to share what a cocky bastard he was. Not now, anyway. She would save that for later.
“Things are fine, Renee. Better than fine. We’re making good time, and I’m mostly listening to audiobooks.” Which was true. It was all the times in between that felt like hell.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
Renee took a deep breath, as though some huge weight was lifted from her chest. “Okay, good. Where are you guys? How much longer until you get here?”
Samantha’s eyes fluttered with exhaustion, but a curve pulled at her lips as she glanced around the room. “Motel 6. I have no idea where though. I fell asleep.”
“Ahh… Well, go to sleep, Sam. It sounds like you need it.”
Samantha nodded, agreeing completely. “When I get to NY, let’s have a spa day. Just me and you: massages, facials, the works.”
Renee sighed. “Sounds like heaven.”
“It will be.” Samantha let go of the phone, anchoring it in place between her face and the mattress, feeling herself start to doze again. “We should get off the phone and get some sleep. I’ll call you tomorrow?”
“Sounds good.”
“Night Ren.”
“Night Sam.”
11
Chapter Eleven
Present day
Bright, blinding light streamed into Samantha’s motel room as she sat on the edge of the bed. It was just past nine in the morning, yet a chill lingered in the room, reminding her they were no longer in California. She wrapped her hoodie around her shoulders and zipped it shut. She was in a bad mood.
Not because of the cold, but because she’d been awake for hours, and they were no closer to their destination. Which left her listening, waiting for any indication he was awake. A floorboard creaking, the sound of running water to indicate a shower had started, but there was nothing. All morning, which left her patience incredibly thin.
She inched to the edge of the bed, trying to ease the stiffness in her neck that had gathered there during sleep. She was anxious to be on the road already, to get this trip over with, and be with Renee, but nothing at all seemed to be helping.