“Because she hugged him and invited him inside Zeke’s place.”
Daniel whistled.
“Yeah. It’s happening again. I’m second place to her ex. Just like I was second place to you, bro.”
Daniel pulled off to the side of the road and turned to face him. “What are you talking about?”
“The only reason I’m the Wranglers quarterback is because you got one too many concussions.”
“Get over yourself.”
That brought Sam up short. “What?”
“I said get over yourself. You’re the quarterback because you’re good enough to do the job. It was only a matter of time before I would have had to retire, concussions or no concussions. Just like you won’t be able to go on forever. You know as well as I do that football players don’t play very long before they age out.” Daniel shrugged. “I would have been out of the game soon anyway. Go win some games for the Wranglers. No guilt, no second place, no nothing.”
Then Daniel gave a laugh. “I’d been worried for two years that you’d bump me out as quarterback because you’re a fantastic ball handler. You’re not second place, you’re first string.”
Sam said, “I’ve never said it, but I’m sorry. I’m sorry this happened.”
“Seriously, bro. It sucks what happened to me, but I have a nice nest egg.” He pulled back into traffic. “Now tell me about the girl. Could there be any other reason for her inviting her ex in than what you think it is?”
“Come on, man, don’t give me crap. She invited him in. I walked her to the door and she did not invite me in. Her abusive ex walks up to her door and she does invite him in. That doesn’t require a lot of deep analysis.”
They were quiet for a few minutes.
Finally, Daniel sighed. “No, it doesn’t.”
Sam felt a little better knowing his brother was there for him.
Daniel pulled into the parking lot of Jasper’s Bar-B-Q. “Let’s go drown your sorrows with some root beer.”
Sam laughed. “Thanks, bro.”
Savannah was keeping herself distracted from thinking about Sam by working as hard as she could. Even her parents had commented that she might want to scale back a little.
But ... Sam. She was so sure he was a good guy. Until he’d ghosted her. He’d promised to call, and then hadn’t. He hadn’t texted, or called, or anything.
When had she fallen for him so much that she would feel this kind of hurt? He’d apparently snuck in past her defenses and claimed her heart. This hurt worse than when Rylan had betrayed her. What on earth did that tell her?
That you choose poorly in men.
There was a knock on her office door. “Come in,” she called out.
Zeke peeked in. “Hey, wanna go to lunch?”
“It’s one in the afternoon.”
“Mom said you need to get out and also that you need to eat.”
She paused. “I guess I forgot.”
“Grab your purse, Short Stuff. I’ll take you to Butter My Biscuit Café or Taqueria El Crucero. Your choice. My treat.”
“They both close at two.”
“Then you’d better haul butt. Grab your purse.”
“Okay, okay. I’m grabbing. And I choose Taqueria El Crucero. Fajitas, chips and salsa, and a Coke.”
He grinned and said, “Come on. Let’s go.”
Fifteen minutes later, they were seated in the Mexican restaurant, eating chips and salsa.
When her phone rang, Savannah groaned. “I guess I’ve got to answer that, right?”
“Only if you want to be a successful real estate person.”
She pulled out her phone. It was Virginia Wainwright. She would definitely take this call. “Hello, Mrs. Wainwright.”
“I have some good news.”
“I’d be glad to hear it.”
“I’m accepting your young man’s offer.”
“That’s wonderful,” Savannah said. “I can get the papers worked up tomorrow and give the title company a call.”
“You take care of all those details for me, sweetie. Call me when you’re ready for me to sign papers. And remember I’ll pay him rent for a month until I make the move to my new place.”
“I will. Thank you, Mrs. Wainwright.”
Maybe she should let her mother handle this deal so she didn’t have to speak with Sam again. But, no, she wasn’t a child. This was her deal. She’d handle it. Besides, she wasn’t going to let him know that he’d hurt her by making her fall in love with him.
And then ghosting her.
She hung up and looked up to find Zeke staring at her. She shrugged. “Mrs. Wainwright accepted Sam’s offer. I guess I should text him and let him know.”
Zeke tipped his head. “What’s going on with you and Sam?”
She sighed, and admitted, “He ghosted me.”
Zeke’s face turned thunderous. “Are you kidding me?”
“I wish I were.”
“I’m gonna kill him.”
“No killing.” She took his hand. “I’m an adult.”
“Then I’ll smash him on the football field.” He snorted. “I know. Leave a message on his phone that he’s got the house. Maybe that’ll shake him up. Or, better yet, tell him he needs to respond immediately or another family will get it.”
“You want me to lie to him?”
“Lie is such a harsh word. More like you’re motivating him to move quickly.”
She wouldn’t lie. She might lose out on a large commission, but she wouldn’t lie. Even though she’d like to hurt him back for ghosting her. As she’d told Zeke, she was an adult. Adults acted like adults, not children.
So why did she have this overwhelming urge to throw things and yell?
No. She would act like a mature adult. She wouldn’t say a thing to Sam about being ghosted. She wouldn’t show him how much he’d hurt her. She would be cool as ice. An ice queen. She’d go to the closing, see him one last time, and then never have to interact with him again.
She’d make sure she looked fantastic, so maybe he’d wish he hadn’t rejected her.
And, after Zeke left, maybe she could throw just one little thing.
12
Can I Be Sarcastic?
Three days after he received the text from Savannah that his offer had been accepted, she texted him again: Tomorrow is the closing. Do you still want the Wainwright home? And does one o’clock work for you at the title company? He’d said yes and yes, so she’d sent him the title company’s address. And today was the official day.
He was going to own a fabulous house, but he’d lost the fabulous girl. At least he’d thought she was fabulous. It was going to be hard to see her today. Because he’d fallen for her. Fallen in like, maybe even a little in love with her. Something he’d never experienced with any other woman, ever. He hadn’t even felt this strongly for the girlfriend he’d thought had broken his heart. That was nothing compared to this.
He parked, turned off the engine, and drew in a deep breath, just sitting in the now silent vehicle. It could have been so different, if she just hadn’t gotten back together with her ex. And pain ripped through him. Had she gotten back together with him? Was she maybe planning on moving back to Lubbock? That would make it easier on Sam, as he wouldn’t have to accidentally run into her around town, but he just couldn’t figure out why she’d go back to the man who’d abused her.
Or maybe the jerk had left town and Savannah needed comforting. Maybe she’d be open to an invitation from Sam.
Get out of the vehicle, Reid, and go face her one last time.
When he opened the door, he found a brunette woman behind a counter talking with Savannah, who stood on the other side of the counter. She looked amazing in a curve-clinging dress. Her ex was one lucky jerk.
The smile she’d worn for the title lady faded into a cool thing that almost made him shiver. “Hello, Mr. Reid. Jane and I have your paperwork ready.”
Mr. Reid? Was she freaking kidding him?
T
he woman behind the counter stood and held out her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Reid. I’m Jane Isaakson, and I am an avid Wranglers fan. I can’t tell you how much I love watching you on the field.”
Ha. Take that, Savannah. He shook Jane’s hand. Was it his imagination or did Jane hold on a few seconds too long? Not the first time he’d gotten a clear signal from a woman that she wouldn’t mind dating him. “Pleased to meet you, Ms. Isaakson.”
“Oh, call me Jane, honey.”
He nodded. “It’s good to see you again, too, Ms. Jackson.” Right back at cha.
She narrowed her eyes, but immediately opened them again, so quickly he wasn’t sure if he’d imagined that, either.
With a smile that he couldn’t tell was forced or not, Savannah motioned around the desk. “Come this way.”
He followed her as she walked down the hallway, her hips swinging slightly as she walked. And that dress. He just wanted to reach out and touch her. Even just her hand. But that was no longer possible. She was giving him definite signals about that. Did that mean she was back with her ex?
She opened a door and stepped inside, holding it open for him, then pointed at a chair. “I have the paperwork ready here.”
It was a tall stack of papers, too. It took about twenty minutes to go through them all and get his signature and initials everywhere they were needed. During that entire twenty minutes, Savannah was all business and ultra-politeness.
If he’d hoped that she might need comfort, he’d been horribly wrong. She barely looked him in the eyes. She’d never been this cool to him, and he didn’t like it. But he also couldn’t do anything about it.
Afterward, they walked out to their vehicles together.
He reached into his Jeep and pulled out the compact. “You forgot this the other night.”
She paused, then hesitantly moved toward him. “What is it?”
He held up the tiny circle, and she took it. “Thanks.”
Before she could turn away, he gave her one last chance to tell him the truth. “How’s your ex?”
She didn’t look flustered or guilty or anything, but narrowed her eyes a little and shrugged. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen him since you tossed him out on his butt.”
He nodded, absorbing the lie. “Well, goodbye, then. Thanks for helping me find a house.” He had to be polite because he’d probably see her at Zeke’s house. He couldn’t yell at her like he wanted to, he couldn’t call her a liar. None of that. He just had to use the good manners his southern mama had instilled in him.
They climbed in their respective vehicles and she drove off first.
Feeling helpless to do anything else, he hit his steering wheel. Ow. Well, that was stupid, but the betrayal hit him hard.
She’d lied to him about her ex. And she obviously didn’t want Sam.
He pulled out his phone and stared at it. Finally, he called his brother, Frank. “Hey, want to go play football? I need to hit somebody.”
Frank just laughed. “Sure. I’ll get a few other guys together. Meet me at the field in an hour.”
Savannah sat, cross-legged, on her bed in Zeke’s house.
Even meditation wasn’t helping her release the hurt. Sam had ghosted her, and then acted as if they’d never, ever, been interested in each other.
“Savannah,” Zeke called out from the front of the house. “Dinner’s just been delivered.”
She sighed. She didn’t feel like eating. Half the time she’d been here, she’d fixed dinner for them, and the other half Zeke ordered in food. Sometimes good, sometimes not as good.
She wanted to call Sam and ask why he’d asked about her ex, then demand that he explain why he’d ghosted her, but that would just make her look pathetic. She had an irrational urge to hurt him back, and that wasn’t like her at all.
She closed her eyes, pressing her fingers to her temples to ease the headache forming there.
A knock on the door.
Opening her eyes, she said, “Yes...?”
Zeke edged open the door and peered in. “Food’s here.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“You need to eat, baby sister. Come on. And you can tell me what’s making you look like your dog died.”
She sighed. “I don’t feel like talking.”
He crossed to her and knelt down by the side of the bed. Speaking softly, he said, “Vannah, I know you don’t, but you need the food and you need to talk.”
She sighed again.
He shrugged. “Okay. I asked nicely.”
“Don’t you dare,” she warned him.
He stood and reached out for her. As she scrambled across the bed, he caught her foot, pulling her back toward him and slinging her over his shoulder.
“I hate you,” she said.
“I know. That’s okay. Because when you see that I ordered food from George’s, you’re going to love me again.”
George’s did sound amazing. “Fine, I’ll eat, but put me down. I can walk.”
“I don’t think you can.” He carried her all the way to the dining room and set her down in a chair.
“I would leave the room if this food didn’t smell so darned amazing. You cheated, using my favorite food.”
“Yup, I did.” He sat across from her. “Bless the food, little sister.”
She did, and then breathed in all the scents.
“Crazy Tails?” Her mouth started watering.
“One order for you and one for me.”
Her favorite appetizer from George’s consisted of six shrimp, stuffed with pepper jack cheese and what the restaurant called crybaby jalapeños, then wrapped in bacon and fried. He handed her one order, along with cocktail sauce.
She took a bite of the spicy goodness. “Ummm.”
He grinned at her. “You love me now, don’t you?”
She rolled her eyes, but said, “Yes, I love you.”
“And guess what I got for your entree?”
“Please tell me it’s the Hawaiian Chicken.” She loved George’s blackened chicken breast and grilled pineapple over rice pilaf.
“It is indeed. With a big old baked potato because you can never turn down potatoes.”
He was right. She loved her baked potatoes.
“And you got a big old rib eye steak with a baked potato, right?”
Having polished off his six shrimp, he opened the larger container to reveal that she had guessed correctly on the steak — and it was the biggest one George’s served. He caught her eye and shrugged. “What can I say? I’m still a growing boy.”
“That’s what all you neanderthal football players claim. Maybe you’ll grow yourself right off the team.”
“Whatever. Eat your dinner.”
So, they ate, quiet settling in around them. The Hawaiian chicken was, as usual, delicious. After she took the last bite, she pushed the container back and sighed. “Thanks. I didn’t realize how hungry I was.”
Still working on his steak, Zeke motioned with his fork for her to wait a minute while he chewed. Then he said, “You’re welcome. I’ve got to keep you in good shape so you can fight off advances from other football players.”
“I don’t have other football players making advances.”
He stopped eating. “Sam still hasn’t contacted you?”
She shook her head.
“He’s a dead man.”
“Zeke,” she said, touching his arm. “Mom explained this to us as children. You can’t go around killing people.”
“Unfortunately, she did.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “What do you think happened?”
She shrugged. “He doesn’t want me.”
“Yeah, he does.”
“Zeke, he doesn’t. I don’t know what happened, but apparently the chemistry only went one way.”
That stopped her brother’s rant. “One way? No way.” He tipped his head. “Something’s not right here. I’ve seen the way he looks at you, baby sister. There’s definitely chemistry both ways.”
/>
“Then why...?”
“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.”
He was serious, because he actually left some of his steak uneaten.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to call him.”
“And threaten to beat him up?” She smiled at her brother.
He shook his head. “No. Just to talk with him.”
He stomped out of the room, then poked his head back in. “And just so you know, I’ll be ordering some of your favorite foods every day for the next week, so plan on eating. I want to keep you healthy.”
“Okay, okay,” she said, raising her hands.
“And start parking in the garage. There’s room for your car. I’ll text you the code.”
“Okay,” she repeated.
He disappeared again.
She wouldn’t want to be Sam right now. Which kind of made her feel better, because Sam deserved to get called on ghosting her.
Why hadn’t he said something to her? Told her he knew her ex had been at the house, at least. Let her know that he knew darn well she had lied to him.
Sam closed the box he’d just filled, taped it shut, and wrote Kitchen on it. He might not have a life, but he did have a new house. He couldn’t move in for a month, but he was going to pack the non-essentials as quickly as he could. Make a fresh start. Maybe ask out a woman. Another woman. One who wasn’t caught up in her old abusive relationship.
Why hadn’t he called her on her lie?
Because, apparently, he was an idiot. A. Big. Fat. Idiot.
He moved the box to the hall and added it to the other three he’d put in a line.
He grabbed another empty box and took it into his bedroom. He had most of his stuff at his parents’ house, where he’d lived until Daniel had moved in after his fifth concussion.
Why did Savannah have to be in his mind all the time? He was going crazy with all the thoughts of her. He had to put her and the chance of their relationship behind him. She certainly had.
He sank down on the edge of the bed. Apparently, he was having his own little private pity party. Well, it was said that misery loves company, so maybe he’d go to the gym and use the punching bag. For sure he would hang one in his new house. He’d create a whole gym of his own. But for today, he’d have to go somewhere else. He jumped back up and opened a drawer to pull out his gym shorts.
SAM: A Best Friend's Sister Sweet Romantic Comedy (Waco Wranglers Reid Brothers Book 3) Page 8