Nick had scheduled meetings throughout the afternoon with the potential investors. Apparently the deal his father couldn’t close was pretty huge. They were proposing to build luxurious high-rise apartments, along with an upscale outlet mall, in hopes to clean up the downtown Seattle’s waterfront. Meeting with these hotshot investors, it was clear for Nick to see why his father had needed his assistance. They were just as cocky and arrogant as his father, and Nick knew how to take their ego’s down a notch without them even noticing.
He forgot how grueling it was to kiss the asses of millionaires, but he had been successful and that only brought him closer to going home. He stepped into his hotel suite and quickly shed his suit jacket, throwing it over the back of the sofa. He cracked his neck, relieving the tension as he loosened the knot in his tie. The emptiness of the hotel room engulfed him, and he wished there was someone there to greet him after a long day, that someone being Sam.
He slipped the tie from his neck and draped it over the sofa, like he did the jacket. He still hadn’t spoken to her. He was too busy today to get a free moment, and besides, he didn’t want to be on a time limit when he did finally talk to her. He unbuttoned the top few buttons of his shirt and then the buttons on his sleeves. When they were undone, he rolled his sleeves up to his elbows and poured himself a drink. He promised himself only one. There was no need to reach for a bottle when this was only a temporary situation. He didn’t even fill the glass up all the way. He took the tumbler of amber liquid and walked over to the floor length window. He stared out the window and at the city that claimed six years of his life.
He took the first sip of his drink as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He searched for Sam’s number as he took a seat and when he hit send he hoped to God, she answered the phone, at least it was ringing and not going to voicemail.
“Hello?” Sam’s soft voice filled his ears and he closed his eyes for a moment, leaning back in his chair.
“You answered.” He said relieved.
Sam lay in her bed reading “What to Expect When You’re Expecting”. She closed the book and sat up when she heard Nick’s voice.
“Yeah, I did.” She said softly and her teeth bit down on her lower lip. Since she had found out she was pregnant all she wanted was to hear his voice.
“Are you about ready to hear what I have to say?” Nick asked as he leaned forward, his forearms resting on his knees.
“Shoot.” She said, giving him the floor. She leaned back against the pillows and absent-mindedly let her free hand rest on her belly.
“First of all, I’m coming home Sam. It’s not like the last time.” He said his voice sincere. “I tried to stop by your apartment to tell you in person, before I left but you weren’t home.”
“Why did you have to go back?” She asked. “Is that why Erica showed up?”
“My father’s been calling me for a while, trying to get me to come back. I’ve been ignoring his calls because he won’t take no for an answer. He threatened to fire Erica if she didn’t bring me back to Seattle to close this deal of his that’s worth millions of dollars to him.” Nick explained and put his drink down. He didn’t want it anymore, he just wanted her.
“Do you still keep in touch with her? I mean there has to be something there that would lead your father to believe that you would help her.” She hoped she didn’t come off accusingly, that wasn’t her intention. She genuinely wanted to know the answers, instead of guessing them like she had for so long.
“No, but she did try calling me too before she came to Riverdale. I ignored her calls to because I wanted nothing to do with anything associated with Seattle and my father.” He admitted before he let out a deep breath. “I was the one who got Erica the job at the firm. I know you don’t want to hear this and I don’t even want to say it, but you need to know the truth.” He swallowed and gathered his thoughts, trying to figure out the right way to tell her.
“Sam, when I came here I was a mess. I had left everything and everyone I loved behind. There was no one here. I was here three years, without a familiar face before Erica showed up. I was lonely and when I bumped into her… well, I took advantage of the situation. I latched onto the fact that she was familiar and she reminded me of back home.” He shrugged his shoulders. It was as simple as that, there were never any feelings there. “I never felt a thing for her other than comfort, but I am the reason she was hired, and she probably wouldn’t have stayed in Seattle if I hadn’t offered her the job. So I’ll close the deal, this one time, and she’ll be able to keep her job and if not, well then I tried helping her out.”
Sam was silent on her end, not sure what to say, because she wasn’t sure what she felt. Could she really blame him for reaching out to Erica? She shrugged, maybe not, but still the image of him and her hurt her every time she allowed herself to relive that heart wrenching moment.
“I was never expecting you to show up, Sam. Hell, I didn’t even think you still cared. Anytime I spoke to Luke he made it like you were off living the good life. And I was happy for you, so fucking happy for you, regardless if the good life didn’t include me.” He sighed. “If I had known otherwise, I wouldn’t have done what I did.”
“You don’t know that.” Sam said. “It was a long time ago. I was wrong to hold onto it and judge you for it. You didn’t owe me anything, and you still don’t really owe me an explanation, but thank you for giving me one.” She paused and then sighed. “I miss you.” She whispered and bit the inside of her cheek hoping she wouldn’t cry. “I’m sorry I ran out on you before we could talk.”
Nick hung his head in relief. “I miss you too baby.” He said hoarsely.
“I want to believe you that you’re coming back.” She said and he could tell her voice was cracking.
“Then believe me. I’ll be back on Saturday.” He said firmly and then he softened his tone a touch. “And Sam?”
“Yeah?” She asked and cleared her throat because her voice sounded as if a frog was caught in her throat.
“You came to me and told me I was the only constant in your life. Don’t forget that, because I haven’t. When I get home you and I will sit down and figure out this relationship of ours because I don’t want to be just a constant in your life. I’m, shooting more for the forever kind of thing.” He said huskily.
Sam’s heart fluttered at his words and she debated at that moment whether or not she should tell him about the baby. “Forever is a long time.” She said roughly and reached for the sonogram that she had already framed and put on her nightstand.
“Yeah, it is.” He whispered as he said the words he realized he had never been more sure of anything in his life. There was no one he wanted to spend forever with other than her. He wanted it all with her, and he didn’t want to wait anymore. “I want to make all your dreams come true, baby. You just have to share them with me, so I can.”
She closed her eyes and stopped herself from telling him he had already made her dreams come true. She decided not to tell him over the phone about the baby. “Nick?”
“Yeah?”
“Hurry home.” She whispered and set the framed photo back in its rightful spot. She would tell him in person when he came home, when he came home to her. She reached for the switch on her lamp and turned it off, settling into her bed, she pressed her phone to her ear.
“I’ll be home as soon as I can.” He promised. Knowing she was waiting for him was all the incentive in the world he needed. He let out a breath and glanced at his watch. “It’s late there. I forgot about the time difference. Get some rest and I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Okay.” She closed her eyes. “Goodnight Nick.”
“Goodnight Samantha.” He said softly. He lingered a moment before ending the call. He stood up and brought the tumbler glass to the sink. He turned the glass over and watched the amber liquid swirl down the drain. He no longer needed to escape his life. He set the empty glass down in the sink and turned around and headed towards his be
droom, one night down, one day closer to going home.
Chapter Twenty
Nick stepped out of the company car that drove him to the high rise corporate offices, dressed in a sleek fitting pinstripe suit. He radiated a certain confidence as he buttoned the jacket of his suit and strode towards the building. His phone rang inside his jacket as he caught the door the man before him held open. Reaching inside the inner pocket, he pulled out his phone. He mouthed thank you to the man who held the door as he answered the call.
“Hello?” He said as he tucked the phone between his shoulder and his ear walking towards the elevators that would take him to the fiftieth floor. He was ahead of schedule, but he would bet that the investors would be waiting in the boardroom despite his best efforts to beat them to it.
“Good morning.” Sam said, smiling as she sat in her car.
Nick stopped mid stride and his lips curved at the sound of her voice. “Good morning, beautiful.” He wasn’t expecting to hear from her and was pleasantly surprised.
“Am I interrupting any meetings or anything? I wasn’t sure what time you started your day.” She bit her lip slightly as she ran her hands up and down the steering wheel in a nervous gesture.
“No, I’m just heading into the office.” He hit the button for the elevator and leaned against the wall. “How is your day going over there?”
She stared out the window at the apartment complex she sat in front of. She hadn’t been there since Jake had passed away, but her concern for Cara was what brought her there today. “I’m actually sitting in front of Jake’s apartment trying to muster up the courage to go inside.” She frowned at herself. “You know after dinner at my parent’s things got carried away and I forgot about Cara and Luke’s little outburst.”
“Have you spoken to either of them?”
“No. That’s why I thought it would be best if I just showed up. I don’t think she could avoid me if I’m standing in front of her.” She sighed. “Luke has been avoiding me like the plague.”
Nick shook his head. Luckily for him, he didn’t need Luke to convince Sam he’d return. His friend was in a world of his own, and he couldn’t really blame him for not making good on his promise. For so long he had been the man who had everything under control. Now, he seemed to be in a downward spiral completely out of his comfort zone.
“He’ll come around.” Nick said, hoping he would. He made a mental note that once he was back in Riverdale, he needed to sit down with Luke and try to get inside his head.
“I hope so. Anyway, maybe I can get somewhere with Cara. From the little I overheard, Leah stormed out on Luke because she thinks he’s obsessed with taking care of Cara.” She paused and pondered if that could be the case. “I think he’s more obsessed with the promise he made to Jake.”
“What promise?” She asked softly.
“Jake asked him to take care of Cara, to make sure she went on with her life.”
Sam grew silent. Sounds about right, she thought, Jake would trust Luke to make sure Cara was living life for the both of them. She smiled slightly as she thought of her brother, the ache in her heart evident. “Sam?”
“Sorry…” She said shutting down her grief. “I’m here.”
“You miss him.” Nick stated, understanding the silence that fell upon them.
“I do.” She waited a beat and then spoke softly into the phone. “I miss you too.”
His lips curved with the slightest hint of a smile. “I miss you too.” The elevator doors opened. “I’m stepping into the elevator. I might lose you.”
“Go. I just wanted to hear your voice.” She took a deep breath. There was so much she wanted to say. She wanted so badly to tell him that their future now had so much waiting for them. “You’ll be home soon right?” She asked, needing the reassurance.
“Soon, baby.” He didn’t want to tell her, he may be home sooner than he thought. It all depended on how things went in, the board meeting this morning. He didn’t want to make a promise he might not be able to keep. He would just surprise her if he could.
“Okay.” She waited her voice just above a whisper. “Have a good day.”
“You too, sweetheart.” He said as he held the doors open. He waited a moment to see if she said anything else. When she didn’t, he ended the call and stepped into the elevator. He stood in the center as the door closed. He rode the elevator up to the office and all the while he smiled at the thought that he had someone waiting for him back home. He never thought it would be a comforting feeling, yet alone one that warmed him.
* * * * * *
Sam knocked on the door and for a second she pictured her brother swinging open the door and grinning at her. God, she missed him. She smiled and thought about how happy he would be that she and Nick were having a baby. He always supported them as a couple. Sure, he teased her mercilessly over her crush on him, but he saw beneath that crush, and knew Nick had always been something more than just a silly crush to his sister. Cara pulled open the door; it took her a minute to focus her eyes. “Sam? What’re you doing here?”
Sam’s eyes widened as she took in Cara’s appearance. She looked as if she had been up all night. Her hair was wild; her eyes looked as they were struggling to stay open. Suddenly her expression changed and she peered at Sam suspiciously.
“He sent you here didn’t he?” She clenched her fists. Shaking her head, she bellowed, “I can’t believe him!”
Sam held up her hands defensively. “Who are you talking about? Luke?”
Cara placed a hand on her hip her body trembled slightly as she looked at Sam expectantly. “Who else?”
“No one sent me Cara. I’ve been trying to call you.” She watched as Cara’s guard came down slowly, relaxing a bit she opened the door wider. She stepped aside, inviting Sam inside.
“I’m sorry.” She muttered and ran her hands through her tangled hair.
Sam looked around inside the apartment. Everything looked the same as it had when Jake lived there except for the couch that was full of his clothes. She chose not to question it, instead she turned around and looked at Cara.
“No need for apologies.” She watched as Cara closed the door, leaning her back against it her arms folded over her chest. Sam looked her over and noticed her eyes held no life in them. They were blank, much like her expression. “Has Luke been giving you a hard time?” Sam threaded softly.
Cara pushed off the door and walked passed her into the kitchen. “Luke thinks I’m his responsibility now that Jake is gone.” She said flatly. “Do you want something to drink?”
“No, I’m good thanks.” Sam said as she pulled up a stool at the kitchen island and sat down. “That’s just Luke’s nature, he’s always been the protective brother. He needs to be helping someone or thinking that he is.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I think it’s what gets him by.”
Cara braced arms on the countertop of the island pinning Sam with a glare. “I don’t care what he needs to get by.” She sighed. “I’m not his charity case Sam. I have enough to deal with without having him on my back.”
“Losing Jake is a lot to deal with.” Sam agreed, knowing that Cara was having a hard time coping, and probably was worse off than anyone else when it came to that.
“Living without Jake is a lot to deal with.” Cara conceded. She closed her eyes, the words slipped out of her mouth before she could stop them. “I just want to sleep. I never want to wake up because, in my dreams he’s alive.” The tears slid down her cheeks and then she opened her eyes and stared into Sam’s, so similar to Jakes, she thought.
“I don’t know how I can make it better for you.” Sam said honestly, her heart breaking for Cara.
“You can’t.”
“No, I probably can’t.” She reached out and placed her hand over Cara’s. Suddenly she was hit with a wave of nausea. She stilled and hoped she could will it to pass. Cara drew her eyebrows together as she looked at Sam’s face change.
“Are you okay?” Cara asked with con
cern evident in her voice. “Sam?”
She couldn’t answer as the bile rose in her throat. She jumped off the stool hurrying as quickly as she could to the bathroom, praying she didn’t toss her cookies before she made it to the toilet bowl. She kneeled before it and pulled the lid up just in time as she began to vomit violently. She hated throwing up more than anything. She hated the smell, the heaving, absolutely everything. Sam felt Cara lift her hair on top of her head and heard the running water. Moments later Cara was patting her down with a damp cloth.
The torture went on for about five minutes, but it felt like an hour. She was certain she had cleared her system of everything she had digested in the last week as well as whatever bile her stomach created. So this was morning sickness, she thought. Great. She rocked back and sat on her heels.
“Here, drink this.” Cara said, holding out a bottle of water to her. Sam took the bottle and chugged it down as if it was her salvation. Her mouth tasted disgusting and she hoped the water washed down the taste. When she felt hydrated she risked a glance at Cara, knowing very well she would be asking questions. Cara crouched down beside her.
“I’m sorry this is the first time that’s happened.” Sam said and looked down at her hands that were clutching the half empty bottle of water.
“The first time you threw up?” She asked incredulously and then shook her head. She had seen Sam throw up at least a dozen times that she could remember after they all had gone out.
“Can you keep a secret?” Sam asked softly as she lifted her gaze to meet Cara’s. She saw the change in her eyes and recognized it as fear. Cara nodded slowly and Sam just blurted out her secret. “I’m pregnant.”
Cara’s eyes widened for a moment as Sam’s words sunk in. “You’re pregnant.” She whispered more to herself than to Sam. She glanced at her flat stomach and then back up at her face.
Broken Pieces (Riverdale #2) Page 24