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I didn’t answer Samantha. Instead, I spoke to Bob. “I don’t know if this is another one of your games, but I’m not amused. You’re a liar and a manipulator. I don’t want you near me or my sister again,” I snapped.
Sam stepped in and said, “Easy Randi. I don’t think Bob means any harm to Samantha. Flirting is just his way.”
I turned to Sam, pissed that he was taking Bob’s side. Couldn’t he see that his friend was still playing games with him? Even if I had used the tickets and asked Sam to go with me, this would’ve all been orchestrated by Bob. I hated that. I don’t trust him.
“Sam, stay out of this. It has nothing to do with you,” I said.
“Of course it does. He’s my friend,” Sam said. “And I think you’re blowing this out of proportion.”
Wrong words to say.
“He might be your friend but she’s my sister and I don’t want him anywhere near her,” I barked.
“Hey, will you two please stop fighting? We can hear you and so can everyone around us. This is embarrassing. I mean, I’m forty and Bob is… well he is older than that,” Samantha said.
“I’m fifty-eight,” Bob replied.
“See. He’s old enough not to need to ask permission either. I get it. You don’t like the man. But Randi, you don’t have to. Only I do,” she said firmly. “Besides, it’s not like we’re going to date or anything. He’s way too old for me and not my type at all. You know that.”
Then why are we having this discussion?
“So, you’re not going out for drinks with him?” I asked and silently prayed she understood where I was coming from and saw what a huge mistake it would be.
“Of course, I am. And you’re going to mind your business or next time I tell you nothing,” Samantha said firmly. “I love you but, Bob and I are going to grab a beer before the show starts. You two go and enjoy dinner. Bye.”
She ended the call before I could say another word. I turned to Sam and said, “I can’t believe you defended him.”
“I didn’t. But you’re making him out to be some sort of creep and he’s not. He’s a player and not very mature, but he’d never hurt anyone,” he said.
I shook my head. “Yet he risked my business and if you weren’t so nice, I could’ve been arrested. Your friend sounds like a creep to me.”
Sam said, “Why don’t we go inside and eat. Let’s forget all about those two for tonight.”
“How can I. I have no idea what Bob’s intentions are,” I said.
“From what you’ve told me and what I’ve witnessed, I have a feeling Samantha can take care of herself. Maybe it’s Bob we should be worried about,” he said in a joking tone.
I wasn’t amused. “I’m not hungry. I think I’d like to go home.”
He nodded. “Okay. Maybe we can order something and watch a movie tonight.”
“No. I want to go back to my house. Alone if you don’t mind,” I stated.
He reached out and I pulled away. “Randi, let’s go to my place and talk about this.”
I shook my head. “I’ve heard enough. I’m not going to relax until I know my sister is home safe and sound.” There was nothing he could say that would make me feel any better. It wasn’t just Bob that had me concerned. Samantha refused to listen to me, to see that going off with a stranger is…dangerous. Was I angry at Sam for not siding with me? Yes. But I was angry with Samantha, Bob and most of all, myself. I’m twelve years older than her and it was my responsibility to guide her, show her how to be…smarter than this. I felt like I failed not just myself, but her as well. And Bob is such a smooth talker, he even got one over on me.
I had so many different emotions running through me and I so badly wanted to tell Sam that everything was going to be okay. But if we talk about this now, I had a feeling I’d start to cry out of frustration over it all and that wasn’t going to help this situation.
Sam didn’t argue or try to get me to change my mind. Was he respecting my wishes, or could tell that my wall was up, and I wasn’t giving in either? Whichever it was, we didn’t even speak on the way to my house. When I got out of the car he finally spoke. “Randi, I’m sorry Bob ruined our night.”
I hope that’s all he ruined.
I nodded and went inside. I had a lot of thinking to do. Just hoped I could do it through all my worrying. As I plopped down on the couch, the tears started to flow. This had been the best week of my life. I thought I found someone who I was meant to share my life with, someone who had my back no matter what. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe what we had was amazing sex that made everything else seem like it was so much more.
Maybe we’re not meant for each other, and this is all there ever will be.
That one thought hurt my heart more than anything else. Could this be over as fast as it started? More tears streamed down my cheeks.
