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I hatethat it’s been weeks and I’m still looking for Sam every time the bells above the door of Sweet Temptations alert me to new customers. It’s never him. Not anymore. Not since I threw him out of my home and my life.
I wasn’t wrong.
He had no business taking risks with my life without discussing it with me first.
I’m not an object to be managed.
But still, I miss him.
I miss his physical presence in my shop and in my life. Dean and a few of their guys stop in often, so Sam is never far from my mind. Especially on days like today, when Dean orders an extra coffee to go, along with a box of cookies.
I know exactly who that coffee is going to.
Whose lips will be touching that damn cup and eating my cookies.
It’s probably a good thing I haven’t seen him, though, because I’d want to simultaneously strangle him and throw myself into his arms, which leaves me wondering exactly what that says about me.
At the very least, I think I may need to reevaluate my feelings for Sam Beneventi.
Goddamn him for crawling into my heart when I thought I had that door slammed tight and triple-locked it.
I don’t know how many times I’ve considered grabbing my go bag and leaving.
How many times I’ve stood there, ready to say goodbye to Kroydon Hills and all the people in it. Just driving away.
But I can’t. Not yet. I don’t feel finished here yet.
If he’d at least tried to apologize, I could rationalize forgiving him. But I haven’t heard so much as a peep from the jackass. I stare at my phone, willing it to ring. I consider sending him a text, growing more annoyed with myself by the minute.
I’m literally and metaphorically saved by the bell when the bells over the front door of the shop chime. Belle and Nattie walk in, each holding the hand of a tiny little girl. They’re bundled up like little pink snowmen to ward off the frigid chill from the arctic freeze that’s blown into Philly this week.
Who knew it could get this cold this early in the fall?
I adore my friends and love these little girls, but their nosey selves are not who I was hoping to see right now.
Lyla has class, so it’s just me in the shop today. I paste a smile on my face and move to my freshly brewed, French roast decaf that Belles has been craving for the past few weeks, her adorable little baby bump already on full display.
“God, I love you, Amelia. It might not be full-caff, but at least your decaf tastes like coffee. Not the watered-down crap Declan brings home.”
Gracie points a mitten-covered hand at the pink and white kitty cat cupcakes lining the shelves and squeals, “Crap!” She runs over to her mirror image, Evie, and both girls break into a fit of baby girl giggles that brings a smile to my face.
Belles looks over at Nattie with an exasperated look on her face.
“Oh, no. Don’t look at me. This one’s all you.” Nat crosses her arms over her chest and does a lousy job of holding back her smile. “Hey, Amelia. Could I get two pumpkin spice coffees to go, please? I’ve got to get going. I’m meeting Murphy for a study group.”
I stop mid-turn, and make sure I just heard Nattie right. “I’m sorry, did you just say Aiden Murphy is going to willingly drink a pumpkin spice coffee?”
Nattie shrugs. “He’ll never admit it. But if I show up at the library without one, he’ll drink all of mine. And I don’t share my coffee with anyone. Not even Brady, and I share all sorts of things with Brady.” Nattie lives with her boyfriend, Brady, their roommate Murphy, and Sam’s brother, Sebastian.
“Enough,” Belles cuts Nattie off. “It’s bad enough the girls are saying C-R-A-P, I don’t need them repeating anything in front of your brother when we get home about what you and Brady share.”
I hand both coffees to Nattie while Belles tells me to add them to her tab before kissing her sister-in-law on the cheek. “Good luck. Study hard.”
“I always do.” She blows a kiss back as she dances through the door.
I let Gracie and Evie each pick a cupcake while Belle pulls their puffy little coats off. “Ok. Now that Nattie’s gone to study, let’s get these girls fed so you can tell me why you look like someone ran over your cat.”
When I ignore her comment and pull out chocolate milks for the girls, she laughs. “Amelia, you might be fooling everyone else, but not me. You’ve been miserable the last few weeks, and I haven’t seen Sam Beneventi in here once in all that time. Dean, yes. Sam, no. I’m not stupid. I know something’s going on, and there’s not another soul in the shop besides us, so you’re going to sit down right now and tell me what’s up.”
