Page 19 of About That Rule

CHAPTER8

AFTER LETTING ONE day pass, time was ticking for Nate to stop messing around and apologize to Samantha. After she’d left, he’d switched heat and ice every twenty minutes on his back, leaving him with plenty of time to sulk about how much of an ass he had been. He was close to labeling himself a five-stage clinger the way he obsessed over her. It was bad.

“Boss, the recessed kitchen vents are mounted,” one of his contractors, Donny, shouted to him from the kitchen. “You were right, the ceiling mount looks sharp and modernizes the kitchen.”

He joined him in the kitchen, along with six others working on the remodel of the latest house he planned to flip. Everyone had worked their asses off. He imagined the house would be done within the next month.

Grabbing the remote control from the marble countertop, he made sure the vents were noiseless as they opened in the ceiling above the stovetop. He had been busy striping the paint off the walls in the living room, so it was the first time he’d checked the kitchen. The electrical outlets were installed, the kitchen sink was wall-mounted, and the cabinets were painted.

“Everyone can go home,” Nate announced, gliding his hand over the newly installed countertops. “Great job today. If we keep up this pace, we can take Friday off.”

His team appreciated this. They cheerfully saluted him as they all left. Standing alone in the house, he pulled out his phone and called Samantha. The longer he delayed the well-deserved apology, the more trouble he was going to be in.

“Hey,” she answered, her voice back to being upbeat. Damn, he loved that about her. Her positive attitude was always there, even if he didn’t deserve it.

“On a scale of one to ten, how much trouble am I in?” Nate decided to get it together and treat her like a friend—what he should’ve been doing the whole time.

Her faint giggle made him smile. When it came to wives, he’d definitely hit a gold mine. There was an authentic air about her, something open and honest and transparent, that was sexy as hell. She’d gotten the short end of the stick since she was stuck with him.

“That depends. Are we only considering your asshole move on how you treated me Saturday or that it took you this long to actually call me?” She put all the cards on the table.

“Oh, wait,” she continued, “or is this about how you canceled the party and gave away all my champagne?”

Before he could interject, she continued, “Or is this about the elephant in the room? Do you want me to forgive you for that mediocre kiss?”

Wait one fucking second. A mediocre kiss?

“Bullshit on the kiss,” he immediately contradicted her, not touching on anything else she’d pointed out.

“Then, please, do tell what this apology is for.” Her words may have been tough, but he swore he could hear the smile in her tone.

Samantha was someone who was all about forgive and forget. She claimed holding a grudge took up too much of her time. She had always been like that, never one to hang something over someone’s head. Even when they were kids, she’d been a badass like that.

“I’m sorry I was an ass.”

“About what?” She was relentless for making him grovel.

“You aren’t going to make this easy?” Not that he deserved it, but he’d been hoping her history of no drama would come into play.

“No way. I want to hear what you have to say for all the bullshit.”

He sat on one of the step ladders in the kitchen.

“Fair. First, I’m sorry I was a dick Saturday. Both for the things I said about our whole situation and for taking this long to call you and apologize. I never should have let you leave without telling you how much you mean to me.”

She didn’t respond, probably because it was so glaringly obvious.

“You were excited to throw the party, and I shouldn’t have ended it the way I did. But I’d like to point out, I didn’t give away all the champagne. Which comes to my next point.”

“And what point is that?”

“Our kiss was not mediocre, and you damn well know it.”

“Debatable,” she returned all too quickly for his liking.

Fuck, his ego was taking a hit right now.

“I’m not going to argue. You and I both know the truth about that kiss. I’m sorry I was an idiot and didn’t treat you like a friend. Sammy, you’ve always been one of my closest friends. I promise not to act like an asshole again.” He was teetering on pleading for her forgiveness.