by Diana Gardin
His football coach in high school valued him, but only for what he could do on the field. Sam had learned to think of himself as a means to an end. A tool to be used to win games on the field. A route Ever could use to escape the horror that was her father.
“You’re right. It’s an amazing opportunity. You sure you’ll have enough help without me, though? I could still probably come down at dawn or something if you need me, or help brush the horses down after office hours.”
“Ach, I’ll be fine. Got two new guys starting tomorrow, thanks to that ad you put online. You should let Mr. Hopewell know today. I happen to know he’s only working a half day in the office in Charleston, and he’ll be home around lunchtime.”
After eating the peanut butter sandwich and apple he’d packed in his cooler for lunch, Sam headed up the back of the property toward the main house. As he strolled around the slanted-brick pathway rounding the thick green hedges that lined the entire area, he caught a glimpse of long tan legs crossed on a lounge chair adjacent to the path. He stopped short and peeked around the hedge.
Aston was lying poolside, giant aviator sunglasses covering the top half of her face. He crept closer, a grin tugging the corners of his lips. He grabbed a pool noodle and dipped it silently into the water as he approached. He raised it in his arms, ready to attack. The idea of surprising her with the gentle slap of a wet pool noodle was just too tempting to ignore. He knew, judging from her reaction to him the other night, that she’d be absolutely furious. And he couldn’t wait to see the look on her face. The girl clearly needed to lighten up.
“Go ahead and hit me with that, Waters, as long as you’ve written your last will and testament.” Her lazy drawl penetrated Sam’s offensive as she pushed her glasses up onto her head.
He froze, stunned. “How’d you know?”
“Just count on me always knowing more than anyone else in the room,” she answered wryly.
She sat up, adjusting the top of the tiny royal blue bikini she wore.
Sam wasn’t blind. Aston was ridiculously gorgeous. He knew that the guys he’d grown up with would shit themselves just to stand next to her.
“Man.” Sam replaced the noodle, grinning. “You’re no fun, Aston.”
She arched an eyebrow. “You have no idea what fun is, Sam Waters. What the hell are you doing here, anyway? Stalking me?”
“Not on my list of things to do today.” He chuckled. “I was on my way around to talk to your dad.”
Aston sat up a little straighter in her seat. “Oh, really? It wouldn’t happen to be about the bogus offer he made you the other night, would it?”
Now it was Sam’s turn to raise a brow.
“Bogus? You know something I don’t?”
She smirked. “Want to hand over your résumé?”
Sam shifted uncomfortably. The subtle reminder that he wasn’t good enough sank painfully into his chest. He left because you weren’t good enough. His mother’s voice echoed in his ears as if she were standing right beside him.
“Your dad seems to think actions count more than any piece of paper.”
“Just remember, no one gets something for nothing in this life,” Aston answered, rolling her eyes.
Sam sat down on the lounger next to Aston’s and leaned forward, placing his forearms on his knees. He took off his cap and let it play in his hands while looking Aston directly in the eye. He swallowed, surprised by the fire burning in those eyes and his speech faltered. He tried to identify the emotion he noticed brewing in the azure depths and failed.
“Did I do something to offend you the other night?” he asked bluntly. “Because you don’t seem to like me very much. And other than my mother, everyone likes me.”
Her controlled expression faltered. “Your own mother doesn’t like you? How is that possible?”
“Doesn’t matter.” He shook his head. “We’re talking about you right now. Why don’t you like me?”
She studied him. “I thought I had you all figured out, Waters. It’s rare that I’m ever wrong about people. But maybe you’ll surprise me. If you take my dad’s offer, I’ll be seeing a lot more of you. So then we’ll know what you’re really made of.”
She slipped her glasses back down over her eyes.
On impulse, Sam reached out and plucked them off her face. She opened her mouth, genuine surprise registering all over her features.
He leaned in close, lining his face up with hers. “You definitely don’t have me figured out, Princess. Not even a little bit.”
He leaned back, dragging sparks of electricity with him. What the hell? What kind of static cling was this girl holding on to? He’d never experienced such a physical connection from just sitting so close to someone before. It freaked him out. But damn if he was going to let her see it.
“What do you do there? At your dad’s company, I mean.” Sam watched her expression change back to guarded.
Aston grabbed her glasses back and placed them on her nose. “I’ve been interning with Hopewell Enterprises since I was eighteen, every summer. I’ve worked mostly in the finance department. I have a weird thing for numbers. I like them.”
“I don’t think that’s weird,” said Sam. He tipped his head to the side as he studied her. “This corporate thing is going to be new for me, but I like a challenge.”
She nodded, assessing him more fully. “Then we have that in common. All my father does is challenge me.”
Sam’s eyebrows rose. “And Reed?”
She laughed. “I think he wrote Reed off awhile ago. It’s always been me asking him questions about the business. So he’s been teaching me for a long time.”
“It sounds like you work a lot. Between school and working with your dad in the summers. Reed said you don’t get home much during the school year.”
Aston was quiet a minute. Sam couldn’t tell which direction she aimed her gaze, her glasses were so darkly tinted. Finally, she lifted one slim shoulder in a half shrug. “I’m used to taking care of things around here. It’s what I’ve always done.”
Sam opened his mouth to say more just as the back door swung open and Reed stepped out. He had a towel thrown over his shoulder and he sported red-and-white-striped board shorts.
“Sam!” he called. “Good to see you, buddy! Slacking off today, huh? Nice! Grab a suit and come hang out.”
Sam threw a look at Aston and stood up. “No, I’m not slacking off. I’m actually getting ready to head inside to take your dad up on his job offer.”
“That’s amazing, man! Congrats. We should celebrate. Tonight, we party!”
“Uh…” Sam wasn’t quite sure how to respond, especially since partying wasn’t part of the plan in being here. He needed to save money for Ever.
Reed continued, undaunted. “I’ll come down and get you around ten. We’ll head over to that bar and grill down at the pier. Sunny’s.”
Sam nodded reluctantly, knowing Reed wouldn’t take no for an answer. He glanced at Aston for a reaction. She was lying on her lounge chair again, eyes lost behind her glasses. She tilted her head in his direction, though, when he spoke.
“All right. I guess I’m riding with you, then. Unless you want to sit on the back of my bike.”
Aston snorted.
“As awesome as that sounds, Sam, you can ride with A and me. We’ll see you later tonight.” With that, Reed did a running cannonball into the pool, very deliberately soaking his sister in the process. Aston squealed, vowing vengeance. Sam shook his head and grinned, their banter ringing in his ears as he opened the French door to his new future.
Sam’s feet pounded against the highway. Mr. Hopewell had been thrilled to have him accept the new position. Tomorrow would be his official first day. Right now, he had a lot to think about. It was way too hot to be running with the afternoon sun blazing, but it was the only way he knew to clear his mind. He owed Hunter a phone call, and he had no idea what to say.
He’d chosen the same route he’d run the night he’d met Aston a
t the dinner in the main house. He chugged up the state highway for three miles, then turned to jog back.
Sam was close to a mile into his return when he zeroed in on a car pulled over to the side of the road. As he approached, the little silver convertible and its driver came into clear view.
“Aston?” His voice was ragged as he drew deep breaths and slowed his run to a walk beside her motionless car. “What the hell are you doing?”
Aston stood from where she was crouched by the rear tire. Sam’s breath hitched and his body went completely still. Her form-fitting black dress and strappy red sandals screamed business-sexy.
He allowed himself about five seconds to rake her appearance from head to toe, before focusing on her eyes.
She smiled. “What does it look like I’m doing?”
She squatted back down next to a small doughnut tire and a shiny tire jack.
His eyes glazed over momentarily before he reached down and grabbed both of her elbows, pulling her back up to her feet.
“It looks like you’re about to change a tire.”
She smirked, her elbows still held firmly in his grasp. “I see why my father has such faith in your big brains.”
He laughed, letting go of her elbow to run a hand through his hair. “Don’t you have Triple A?”
She glanced down the road, and then back up into Sam’s eyes. “Sam, my house is two miles up the road. It would take Triple A longer to get here than it would for me to change the damn thing and drive on home. Hell, I could probably walk it.”
“Yeah, but…why didn’t you call your dad? Or Reed?”
She sucked on the corner of her bottom lip, and his stomach flipped. “Because I know how to change a tire. Why would I?”
Her eyes finally left his, and she took in the fact that he was shirtless and wearing running shorts. “Didn’t I tell you it was suicide running on this road?”
“You’re gonna lecture me? Step aside, I’m changing your tire.”
She shook her head, staying firmly planted beside the vehicle. “Nuh-huh, Waters. I can change my own damn tire.”
He let her go, reaching both hands behind his head and barking a laugh up at the clear, blue sky. The evening was approaching, and they both needed to get home if they were going to be ready to go out later with Reed.
“Wow, you’re stubborn. Okay, Princess. We can change your tire together. I’m sure as hell not leaving you out here to do it by yourself.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Fine.”
She squatted down again, and Sam muttered a curse into the sky.
He could do this job in his sleep. In fact, he’d changed the tire on Ever’s truck for her plenty of times. Taking care of people was what he did.
But he’d never come across anyone like Aston Hopewell, and he was sure he hadn’t even scratched the surface yet.
He knelt down next to her, firmly moving her hands out of the way as he jacked the car up a little higher.
“Always jack the car up higher than you think you need to,” he said gruffly as he worked.
Aston set her mouth in a firm line but nodded.
He glanced at her. “Can I have that wrench you’re holding in a death grip?”
She handed it over. He caught her eyes on his bare biceps as he removed the lug nuts from the ruined tire. “Hold these.”
She held out her hands, and he dropped the lug nuts into them. Then he exchanged the flat tire for her smaller spare.
“When do you think you’ll have this replaced?”
Her face was no longer irritated, and she shrugged a shoulder as she thought. “My dad has a mechanic he uses regularly. He’ll probably have him bring me a new tire in the morning.”
Sam nodded. “At-home service? Nice. Lug nuts?”
She handed them over, and he replaced them. When he was all done, he stood, reaching out to pull her to her feet beside him.
“See? We make a good team,” he said.
“You did all the heavy lifting,” she pointed out.
“You need to learn to let someone help you out every once in awhile. Are you going to make me run back, or can I have a ride?”
She walked around to the driver’s side and climbed inside. “Get in, Waters. And thanks for helping me.”
He chuckled as he got into the car. “Anytime, Aston.”
Three
When he arrived back at the tack house, Sam jumped into the shower. After rinsing off the sweat from the run and helping Aston change her tire, he toweled off and put on a clean pair of jeans and a T-shirt with his night at the bar in mind.
Anxiously pacing the circular driveway, waiting for Aston and Reed, Sam recalled his conversation with Hunter. Hunter had been at Ever’s house. Being able to hear her voice made the tension he was constantly holding in his stomach melt away. However, he clenched up again when he heard the catch in her tone after he told them what he was doing that night.
“You’re going out?” Ever had asked tersely.
Sam could tell she didn’t like the idea. He thought she might be right. He wasn’t in South Carolina to make new friends and spend nights out on the town. He was here to work, save money, and lie low until he was able to reunite with his girl and his brother.
“I’ll talk to her, Sam,” Hunter had said when Ever was out of earshot. “This is hard on her.”
So he’d hung up, showered, and dressed. He was now wearing clean jeans and a fitted white tee. He felt comfortable and laid-back on the outside, but the knots trying up his insides were pulling tighter.
Was he doing something wrong?
Then he found his mind pulling him in a completely different direction as he pictured Aston, sexily and professionally clad, bending down beside her car to change her tire.
“Stop it.” Aston’s voice rang out in the darkness as she and Reed stepped into the clear night. “You’re wearing a hole in the asphalt.”
“Yeah, dude, we’re going out. Remember? What’s got your shit twisted up?”
“Nothing,” Sam muttered. “Look, I’m not sure I should be doing this tonight. I think I’m gonna just—”
Reed made a loud buzzer noise. “Don’t even think about pussing out on us, Sam! You’re about to get in my truck, and we’re going out. Period. You clearly need a shot more than anyone on the island right now.”
Sam tugged his ear thoughtfully, and then hung his head in defeat. He heard the doors to Reed’s Silverado unlock, and he pulled himself into the crew cab seat.
Aston climbed into the front and turned around to peer back at him. “Country boy gentleman like you, and you just let me climb my ass up into this truck by myself?”
He stared at her, stricken. “Dammit. Aston, I’m sorry. I’m kinda distracted. I usually would never—”
“Easy, Waters. I was kidding. I’m perfectly capable of climbing up into a vehicle on my own.”
She grinned at him, and then turned back to face the front of the truck.
“Seems like you’re capable of a lot. Doesn’t mean you have to do it all on your own, though.” The words came from somewhere inside of him, the part of him that had really been listening while she had spoken to him beside the pool. The part of him that had watched how doggedly determined she’d been to change her own tire by the side of the road.
She turned again and stared at him with those deep baby blues, her eyes piercing right through the dark. He held her gaze, feeling the electricity begin to shoot through him again. He didn’t want to think about the strange feelings she brought out of him, especially not tonight when he was so torn up about Ever’s feelings.
When Reed climbed behind the wheel and started the ignition, he glanced back at Sam in the rearview. “Ten minutes, man. Then we’re drinking your sorrows away.”
He eased the truck out of the driveway and down the long entry drive. Once at the end, he turned onto the state route and headed east, toward the ocean.
Sam settled back into his seat, staring out the window as Nelson Island’s nightti
me scenery flew by. When he heard Aston address Reed, he turned his attention back to the front of the cab.
“It would make Daddy really happy if you came to work this summer, you know.” The soft glow of the dashboard lights reflected against her profile, and Sam had trouble taking his eyes off of her.
“Yeah, I’m sure he would.” Reed’s answer was clipped.
“You don’t have to keep hating him,” she said softly. “It’s not his fault he is the way he is.”
“It’s not?” asked Reed, his voice rising slightly. “He has a son not interested in the family business, so what does he do? Does he take an interest in that son’s activities? Nope. He decides that son isn’t worth his time, instead.”
Aston watched him for nearly a full minute, then she turned her head back to the front windshield with a sigh.
“I heard you playing today,” she said. “It was good.”
The obvious subject change was welcome to her brother. “Thanks.”
Sam wondered about the rapport between the siblings. Aston was clearly so business-focused, but Reed was as far on the other side of the spectrum as was possible. How could they have been raised by the same father, with such vastly different values?
When they arrived at Sunny’s, the gravel parking lot was teeming. Cars were parked haphazardly in crooked rows outside the building. The bar itself was settled precariously on an old wooden pier looking out over the twinkling lights of Charleston just across Charleston Harbor.
Sam jumped down from his seat and immediately opened Aston’s door.
“When I mess up, I only do it once.” He smirked at her, nodding his head once.
She took his outstretched hand and stepped down, squeezing his hand just before she pulled it away.
“It looks dangerous.” Sam appraised the way the bar leaned toward the water, his head tilted to one side.
Aston laughed. “You’ll live. Just don’t lean too far over the rails.”
Sam nodded seriously and Reed snorted.
“She’s teasing you, Sam. No one has ever fallen over the side. Not sober, anyway.”