They talked for a few more minutes. It was obvious that Gabby was really lonely. Before hanging up, they made tentative plans for dinner the following evening with Sam promising to call her back as soon as she talked to Lee.
On her way back down to the pool, Sam had a crazy idea. Not just any crazy old idea but a really great, maybe-I-should-be-a-matchmaker-idea. She couldn’t wait to talk to Lee!
She settled back down in her lounge chair, pleased-as-punch with herself.
Brianna hopped out of the pool and ran over to Sam. “Travis and Luke can meet us for dinner. I told them 7 tonight at the International Grille – just down the road.” Pleading eyes stared down at Sam.
“Yes, of course. That sounds perfect!”
Lee texted her shortly after with a two-word message. “Mission Accomplished.” Sam let out an audible sigh of relief. She was so glad the map was gone and she didn’t have to worry about it anymore. Maybe their lives could get back to normal now – whatever that was!
She relayed the message on the dinner plans for 7. She no more than hit send when her phone rang. It was Lee letting her know he was wrapping things up and should be back to the hotel earlier than he thought - somewhere around 5.
Hmm, he would be back early! Sam had an idea. “Since we’re not meeting the kids for dinner until 7:00, why don’t we meet out by the pool bar around 6 for a little alone-time?”
Lee laughed. “Great minds think alike. I was just going to suggest the exact same thing.”
Sam smiled slyly to herself as she hung up. This would give her a chance to casually mention dinner tomorrow night with Gabby!
Later that afternoon, Sam left the girls fussing over themselves in the bathroom. She rehearsed in her head how she was going to pitch the dinner-thing as she headed down to the meeting place.
Lee was already waiting for her. Sam’s eyes lit up when she spotted him. Such a good looking guy – what is he doing with me?
Lee stood when he saw her coming. He took Sam’s hand as he pulled her forward and gave her a tender kiss. “Hey beautiful lady. I missed you today.”
Sam blushed and glanced down at her outfit. The girls had talked her into wearing one of Bri’s cute little summer skirts and sleeveless blouses. The colors were bright and tropical – not something Sam would normally pick out for herself.
She wrinkled her nose and twirled around. “These are Brianna’s clothes. You don’t think they look too young …” she trailed off.
Lee grabbed her waist and pulled her close. His eyes crinkled into a smile. “I think you look breathtaking!”
He bent down and kissed her hard, his arms closing around her. For a minute, Sam completely forgot they were in a very public place.
“Ahem. Can I get you two lovebirds something to drink?” Lee reluctantly pulled away and glanced over Sam’s head at the bartender. “I think my beautiful girlfriend will have a glass of Chardonnay. I’ll take a light beer.”
He just called her his girlfriend! Sam’s heart skipped a beat, a bright smile lighting her face.
“So you don’t think the outfit is too much?” She didn’t give him a chance to answer before she continued. “I was just thinking how handsome you look. Every time I see you, you look different somehow.”
Tonight he had on a pair of khaki dress shorts and a short sleeve polo shirt that were the exact same color as his mesmerizing green eyes. He finished the look with a pair of casual Teva sandals.
Just then, the bartender returned with their drinks. Lee lifted his beer in a toast. “Here’s to the end of another great adventure!”
Sam lightly tapped his mug with her wine glass and cleared her throat. “Great adventure for you, maybe. Another nail biter for me. I think I’ll take a break from danger and excitement for a while!”
Lee leaned back in his chair and laughed. “Well, if you hang around me long enough, it will happen again! Probably sooner than later,” he admitted.
He leaned in closer and looked around to see if anyone was listening. “I turned in the map but before I did, I took a few pictures of it.” He patted the phone in his pants pocket.
“Don’t you think it would be exciting to search for the treasure? I’ve always wanted to do that.”
Sam could see the wheels spinning in his head. “I did some digging. Whatever we find would be ours to keep. As a Navy Seal, I have extensive dive experience. This would be a great adventure!”
Lee sobered. “Sam, knowing the location of the sunken ship, we could be millionaires. We would never have to worry about money!”
Sam gazed thoughtfully at Lee. “But don’t you think the government will be hot on it if they think the map is legit?”
Lee shook his head, laughing. “Have you ever seen the government do anything in a big hurry?”
Sam had to admit he was probably right. “Yeah, you’re right.” Her brows furrowed. “You won’t be in any danger…?”
He looked at her with a serious expression on his face. “Everything is dangerous. Walking out of here and crossing the street could be dangerous.”
He paused. His voice grew excited. “I just think this would be the opportunity of a lifetime.”
He went on to explain that his great-grandfather had been a gold miner in Alaska and when he was young, he heard the stories of how much money could be made digging for gold.
Sam didn’t have the heart to burst his bubble so she stayed quiet. Worried but quiet.
He went on, “I already talked to Donovan. He’s up for an adventure and agreed to go with me.”
Donovan! With all the talk of treasure, she almost forgot and now was the perfect time to ask!
Sam tried to sound casual as she glanced down at her drink. “So, is Donovan in town now?”
Lee nodded. “Yeah. He’s back. We’re going to get together and start planning the dive.”
Sam looked up at Lee expectantly. “I was just thinking… it would be nice to have dinner with him – you know – thank him for all his help and see him one last time before I have to fly back to Michigan. Maybe we could invite him to have dinner with us tomorrow night?” she added hopefully.
Lee studied the expression on Sam’s face. Why was she so anxious to see Donovan again? He shrugged. “OK, let me send him a text.”
A couple texts went back and forth between the two. Sam didn’t want to seem too overly-anxious. She didn’t realize she was chewing on her lip but Lee noticed.
He finally looked up from his phone. “I don’t know what this is all about other than you look as nervous as a tic. Donovan said he’d meet us for dinner tomorrow night.”
A huge smile crossed Sam’s face as her eyes lit up. “Sweet!”
Lee grabbed her hand. “I know you well enough to know you’re up to something! Spill it – what’s going on?”
Sam almost looked guilty – maybe she shouldn’t invite Gabby – but no, there was no harm in inviting both of them to dinner. It’s not like they would be going on a date or anything, she reasoned.
She took a deep breath, hoping he wouldn’t get mad then she blurted out. “I invited Gabby to dinner tomorrow night! I think she and Donovan might really hit it off.”
Lee’s face clouded over. Before he could say anything she started talking faster. “She just moved down here. She doesn’t have any friends. And she’s lonely.” She added for good measure.
Lee let out a sigh as he looked at her skeptically.
“Don’t look at me like that! It’s only dinner!” Her eyes begging him to understand and praying he wouldn’t say no.
He studied her face thoughtfully. “How can I be upset with you? You’re trying to do something good. I just hope it doesn’t backfire on you,” he warned.
Sam let out a sigh of relief. She just had a feeling about these two. Just wait and see she thought.
The girls suddenly appeared and their conversation was interrupted. Bri was looking at her watch. “Mom, we’re late. You were supposed to meet us in the lobby 10 minutes ago.”
<
br /> Sam looked sheepishly at her daughter. “I’m sorry, Bri. We were having a conversation and I lost track of time…”
She looked at Lee and sighed, remembering the first part of their conversation about the treasure. “I got a little sidetracked with the dinner plans but I’d like to talk more later about the other – you and Donovan’s plan.”
A few minutes later they were standing at the restaurant entrance. The girls quickly glanced around and then pointed to a table nearby. When they reached the table, both boys immediately stood, introduced themselves and shook hands with Sam and Lee. At least they were starting off on the right foot!
After a couple minutes small talk, they all picked a seat and started to sit down. The boys pulled out the chairs for the girls before seating themselves. So far, so good!
Lee looked at Sam, eyebrows raised. Yes, these two had definitely passed the initial test.
Dinner was loud and entertaining. For the most part, Sam and Lee sat back, listening to the four of them talk about their adventures so far. They discovered Travis and Luke had steady jobs and promising careers. And, last but not least, both attended a local church regularly. In fact, they volunteered with the youth group in their free time.
Even Brianna and Jasmine were surprised by this bit of information. “You never told us that!”
By the end of the evening, both boys had Lee and Sam’s seal of approval. Sam studied her daughter’s expression. She’d never seen her so enthralled by a guy. She really, really liked this Travis. Hmm…maybe he is the one.
Sam mused to herself. Wouldn’t that be something if both of us found “Mr. Right” at almost the same time? Just the thought of it made her smile.
Lee was looking at Sam. She leaned over and whispered. “Just thinking… after all these years, this might be “the one.”
Lee nodded his head in agreement. He was a pretty good judge of character. In his line of work, you had to be. Both of these young men seemed sincere, hard-working and genuinely cared for Brianna and Jasmine. Before they knew it, the evening was over.
As they stepped out onto the sidewalk, Travis spoke up.
“Mrs. Rite, would it be OK if the girls hung out with us a little while longer tonight? We’re going to meet some of our friends at one of the clubs to go dancing.”
Sam glanced at her daughter’s pleading face. “Yes, of course. But remember, the three of us are in the same hotel room so please don’t make it too late.”
Luke smiled. “Absolutely. We’ll have them back by 12:30 or so.”
As they turned to go, Sam turned back towards the girls. “Brianna and Jasmine, tomorrow is Friday and it’s your last full day here in Florida.”
Brianna looked down. “Don’t remind me.” The downcast face didn’t last long as she glanced slyly at her mother. “Mom and I have been talking about moving to Florida.”
Lee perked up. “Oh really…”
Before her mom could comment, Brianna continued. “Even though we have family in Michigan, there’s nothing holding us there and Mom’s cancer has been in remission for a few years now.”
She turned to Travis. “I’m sure you can recommend some good cancer doctors since you’re in the medical field?”
Sam’s heart skipped a beat. She furtively looked over at Lee out of the corner of her eye. He was staring at her intently. Sam lowered her eyes and looked down at the ground.
She was going to get around to this conversation with Lee - but not like this. She sighed heavily. There probably never would be the “perfect moment.”
Sam finally spoke up. “Actually, I only need to see Oncologists these days. To make sure it doesn’t come back,” she finished weakly.
It looked like the discussion was over. After they got in the car, Sam turned to Lee. “What do you think?”
“I think those are some really nice boys. I got a good feel for them and I like to believe I’m a pretty accurate judge of character.”
Sam nodded her head thoughtfully. “Yes, I think you’re right. Can never be too sure but so far, they get the mom seal-of-approval.”
Lee started the car and reached over to put it in gear when he changed his mind. Instead, he turned and looked at Sam. “Is there something we need to talk about?”
Sam glanced at Lee and then looked at her folded hands in her lap. “You mean what Brianna mentioned a minute ago?” She motioned towards the restaurant.
Sam began to nervously twist the ring on her finger. She hesitated. “I was going to get around to telling you, I just hadn’t found the right moment…”
Lee said nothing. Instead, he put his hand on top of hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
She continued. “You probably don’t want to hear all about it.”
Lee disagreed. “No. You’re wrong. I do want to hear all about it.”
Sam took a deep breath, started to say something and abruptly stopped. She was so afraid this was going to come out all wrong.
At first the words came out haltingly as if it took everything she had just to speak the words.
Lee could tell from the look on her face this was so painful for her to talk about. He spoke softly as he said, “Take all the time you need.”
Sam could hear herself as she talked but it was almost as if it was someone else’s voice. She was stumbling over her words, certain that she was not making the least bit of sense. Lee said nothing as he sat there patiently waiting.
Finally, the dam broke and it all came rushing out. It was as if she was in a hurry to finish. To get it all out as quickly as possible.
Lee nodded a few times and squeezed her hand but not once did he interrupt. As he looked at the woman he was falling in love with, all he could feel was concern and overwhelming compassion.
The last words out of her mouth were the most telling. “I think that’s why Anthony cheated on me.”
Sam’s eyes were shining brightly with unshed tears as she looked over at him. Her voice was now a whisper. “I’m damaged goods, Lee. It’s OK if you don’t want to see me again. I completely understand.”
Lee’s expression was unreadable. His eyes were dark as he shook his head. “We’ll talk about this when we get back to the hotel.”
Without saying another word, he put the car in reverse and backed out of the parking space.
The short ride to the hotel was spent in uncomfortable silence. Sam chewed her lip as she started twisting the ring on her finger again.
She thought about trying to say something but what was there to say? She’d spilled it all. Even gave him an out. Whatever he decided to do – she would have to make peace with it.
The hotel parking lot was full and it took them a few minutes of circling to find an open spot. As soon as the car was parked, Lee quickly jumped out of the driver’s seat. For a split second, Sam thought he bolted. Just then, the passenger door swung open. Lee reached down and grabbed Sam’s hand, pulling her from her seat.
Without saying a word, he shut the door behind her and headed toward the entrance, still holding onto her hand. He made it to the door within seconds. Sam had to practically run to keep up with his pace.
The night clerk nodded in their direction but Lee was so focused on getting to the elevator, he barely glanced at the guy. He punched the elevator button for the 2nd floor. Thank goodness no one was in the elevator when it opened. She glanced at Lee a couple times but his expression never changed from the dark one he had in the car.
Sam freed her hair from the pony tail and nervously ran her fingers through the long strands. This was not looking good! She swallowed hard and opened her mouth to say something. Nothing came out so she quickly shut it.
When the elevator reached their floor, Lee stepped out first. He was still holding onto her and soon they were on a quick trip to Lee’s room.
He fished his room key from his pocket and finally spoke. “Normally, I wouldn’t be bringing you back to my room but I think we need some privacy and this is the best I can do.”
Once inside, Lee shut the door and switched on a lamp. Sam sheepishly glanced at his face. Yep - the same expression. Hadn’t changed one little bit.
He motioned for her to sit on the small sofa next to the bed. As she sat down, Lee started pacing the floor. Back and forth. Back and forth. Not saying a word.
The look on his face told her now would not be a good time to speak up so she kept quiet.
It looked like he would be wearing a nice spot in the carpet when he abruptly stopped, turned to Sam and said, “Stay right here. Don’t move. I’ll be back.”
With that, he opened the slider door that led out to the balcony. He slowly closed the door and stepped out of sight.
Lee walked to the edge of the balcony, put both hands on the railing and stared straight out at absolutely nothing. He took a deep breath and shut his eyes. The second they were closed, Annie’s face appeared. There were days it seemed so long ago – where she was nothing but a distant memory. And there were moments when the pain came rushing back, like a jagged knife stabbing him in the chest. He shook his head and opened his eyes. Was he really ready for this? To love someone and take a chance that once again, they would be taken away by this cruel, unforgiving disease …
By now, Sam was really starting to worry. Tears welled up in her eyes and threatened to spill over without warning. This is going even worse than I thought. Maybe I should’ve just ended it.
Sam glanced at the clock on the nightstand. Five minutes. Ten minutes. It seemed like an eternity before the slider door opened. Sam looked up. The expression on his face wasn’t that dark, brooding stare. Instead, his look was very thoughtful – and very sad.
He walked over, sat down beside Sam and reached for her hand. He didn’t waste any time before he started to speak. “My wife, Annie, died of cancer. Pancreatic cancer.”
He had a catch in his voice as he continued. “Sam, it was a horrible death. To lose someone you love, someone I loved as much as I did Annie, to cancer - was almost unbearable.”
He unconsciously squeezed her hand as he continued. “I swore I would never love again – or at least never love someone as much as I loved Annie and open myself up to that kind of pain.”
Winds of Deception (Samantha Rite Series Book 2) Page 9