Only in Dreams (Road Trip Romance Book 9)

by A. K. Evans

  “A little bit. Thank you, Cal,” she answered.

  “Anytime, Sam. Anything for you,” I promised.

  At the sincerity in my tone, her lips parted, and she stared up at me through hooded eyes. I couldn’t resist any longer. This was going to be the moment.

  Ours.

  I started to lower my head toward hers when I heard, “Why is the line for the women’s bathroom always so long?”

  Demi.

  Shit.

  I pulled myself back and twisted my neck to look back at her. She didn’t even seem to notice she’d just ruined the moment.

  “It feels like the temperature has dropped another ten degrees since I walked away,” Demi went on. “We should get to the car. Are you two ready?”

  “Yeah,” Sam rasped. She cleared her throat and agreed, “I’m freezing, too.”

  “Well, it’s good Cal was doing his best to try to keep you warm,” Demi retorted, a bit of a devious edge in her tone.

  Okay. So maybe she did know what she interrupted.

  Maybe I was going to have to talk to her about this.

  With my mind made up, I put my hand to the small of Sam’s back and urged her forward. At that, the three of us took off.

  Once again, I felt frustrated that my plan to take things with Sam to the next level was ruined.

  Four months later

  “This is for you.”

  I took the gift bag from Sam and said, “You didn’t need to get me anything.”

  “But this is the first anniversary of opening your bar,” she reminded me. “It’s clearly been successful, which is why you’re having this party. Parties deserve presents.”

  I smiled at her. “Thanks, Sam.”

  “Open it,” she urged.

  “Now?” I asked.

  She nodded, and the last thing I’d ever want to do would be to disappoint her, so I set the bag on the counter and started pulling out the tissue paper.

  A moment later, I was holding three different styles of Granite-branded T-shirts in my hands.

  “These are awesome,” I marveled. “I can’t believe you did this.”

  Sam shrugged her shoulders and acted indifferently. “It wasn’t a big deal, Cal. Really. I just… well, I realized you had a dress code of sorts, what with everyone wearing all black, but I thought since you’re the owner, you might be able to deviate from that and wear something that promotes this place even more.”

  I stared at her in awe. Why hadn’t this woman been found by everyone else who wore T-shirts? Her shirts needed to be everywhere.

  My silence as I had considered these thoughts must have stretched for too long because Sam spoke again.

  “That’s not… I mean, I’m not saying that you need to wear the shirts here when you’re working. I’m sorry. You don’t have to—”

  “Sam, I love them,” I assured her, cutting her off.

  “You do?”

  I nodded. “I do,” I promised.

  “Sam!” Demi called out as she approached us from where she’d been dancing.

  Sam turned and replied, “Hey, Demi.”

  “I didn’t see you come in,” Demi declared as she walked up and hugged Sam. “Are you ready to dance?”

  Sam looked back at me, smiled, and returned her attention to Demi. “I’ll be right there,” she told her.

  Demi took off while Sam returned her attention to me.

  It was a Tuesday night, and I’d shut the bar down for a private celebration. One year in, I thought it was worth celebrating the success of the bar with the people who had made it possible. So, all of my staff was here with either their families, significant others, or friends.

  I had invited Sam.

  And she didn’t hesitate to show up.

  “I better get out there,” Sam remarked. “But a word of advice before I go?”

  I dipped my chin. “Sure,” I responded, feeling intrigued.

  “What you’ve done here in the first year is unbelievable, Cal,” she started. “I’m really proud of you, and if you kept everything the way it is now, it would continue to be nothing less than spectacular.”

  “Okay?” I replied, unsure where she was going with this.

  “But I think if you really wanted to take this place to the next level, you should consider the possibility of hiring some live bands.”

  I tipped my head to the side. I hadn’t been expecting that. “Really?” I asked.

  Nodding, she confirmed, “Yes, I think it would give Granite an incredible vibe, and people love seeing live bands play. You just have to make sure you get some good ones here.”

  “That’s a fantastic idea, Sam. Maybe I’ll start looking into that.”

  “It would be really great for business, and you’ve got the space,” she went on. “Though, if you’re not looking to have me here more frequently, then you should probably hold off.”

  I let out a laugh. She couldn’t be serious with that statement. “Seems like you like the idea of some live bands.”

  “I do.”

  I leaned a little closer to her, and my voice dipped low when I said, “Then it looks like that’s the first thing I’m going to work on after this party is over.”

  Sam bit her lip.

  Fuck, I wanted to kiss her.

  And judging by the look in her eyes, she wanted me to kiss her.

  But before I could make my move, Sam rasped, “I’m going to go dance. I’ll be back.”

  “Okay.”

  With that, she took off. Suffice it to say, I had to find ways to distract myself so I didn’t spend the entire night fighting a hard-on as I watched Sam dancing. For the next few hours, I mingled with everyone who’d come tonight to celebrate. It was nice to have the chance to meet the people in the lives of those who worked hard for Granite. They were the ones who helped make it possible for me to live my dream of running a successful business.

  If I took Sam’s advice and started hiring live bands, I’d be able to give back a little extra to my staff.

  And with any luck, by this time next year, I’d be able to invite Sam here not as my friend but as someone much more significant in my life.

  Four

  Calvin

  Five months later

  Not another day.

  Not one single day longer was I going to allow this charade to continue. Sam was mine, and tonight, she was going to know it.

  It was her birthday. I’d done exactly what I told her I’d have done if I knew on this day last year that it was her birthday before she and Demi just showed up at Granite to celebrate.

  This year, I had a cake for her.

  And now that we had cut and enjoyed that cake, Sam was fully celebrating her birthday. She was dancing, much like she always did when she was here. I’d reached my limit now, and it was time to make my move.

  It had been fifteen months.

  For fifteen long months, I’d dreamed about this woman. I couldn’t continue to just be her friend. She needed to know how I felt about her. I wanted her to know the truth.

  I was in love with her, I had been in love with her for a long time, and I wanted her to be mine.

  So, instead of waiting for the perfect moment to share the truth with her like I’d been doing, I decided the moment I made it happen would be what made it perfect. And that was why I’d just come out from behind the bar and was going out to meet her.

  I didn’t care that she was dancing.

  I didn’t care who was around. All I knew was that I needed her like I hadn’t needed anyone ever before in my life.

  Time just kept passing us by. I had continued to wait because the setting wasn’t perfect or the timing wasn’t right. I didn’t want to do it over the phone. I wasn’t about to send her a text. And every time we were around one another, we either got interrupted before I could say anything, or we never managed to find ourselves alone with one another.

  I started to realize that perhaps I simply needed to just do it and forget about all of my excuses.


  I kept my eyes on her gorgeous figure, a figure that was moving to the music in a dress that rivaled the one she’d worn a year ago for her last birthday. This time, it was even better. Because it was no longer about her being just a gorgeous body and a pretty face. She was Sam. She was the woman I was in love with. She was my best friend.

  “Calvin?”

  I stopped moving at the sound of the familiar voice and turned my head to look to my right. “Amber,” I returned after I saw who had called my name.

  Amber stepped forward and gave me a hug. My body tensed at her action, and luckily, she pulled back quickly.

  “How are you doing?” she asked.

  “I’m doing great,” I answered. “What are you doing here?”

  I wasn’t typically the kind of guy who would ever kick someone out of the bar unless they were being downright unruly, but the idea that my ex-girlfriend had decided to drop by unannounced and completely out of the blue was a little unnerving. I mean, my bar had been opened for nearly a year and a half now, and not once had she ever stopped in for a visit.

  “I was out for lunch with Kara last week, and she told me that she heard about this place and that you were the owner,” Amber explained. “I thought I’d drop by and congratulate you.”

  I lifted my chin slightly in acknowledgment and said, “Thanks.”

  The truth was that I was still a bit leery of her and what she was doing here. I hadn’t seen Amber since we ended things between us more than two years ago. This visit just seemed strange.

  It wasn’t that our relationship had been a tumultuous one, but Amber had been the one who ended it. She claimed it just wasn’t working for her. After being with her for a year and believing that everything was going well, it felt a bit out of left field.

  I wouldn’t say I pined over her after it ended, but beyond a couple of random dates, I didn’t get involved with anyone again. At least, not in a serious manner. And considering I’d thought of nobody other than Sam for the last fifteen months, my dating life had been pretty much nonexistent.

  “I don’t want to keep you,” Amber began again. “I’m sure you’re busy. I just thought I’d stop in to check the place out and wish you the best of luck. I’ve actually been making my rounds the last couple of weeks, meeting up with old friends and acquaintances. I’m going to be moving.”

  “Oh?” I replied. Maybe this wasn’t anything more than just a friendly visit.

  Nodding, Amber smiled and said, “Yeah. I… well, I’m getting married next month, and I’m going to be moving. My fiancé got a job transfer to Boston, so we’re leaving right after the wedding for our honeymoon and will be returning to Massachusetts.”

  My eyes widened in surprise. “Really?” I asked. “That’s great news.”

  She grinned. “It is. We’re very excited about all of it.” She took another look around the bar before bringing her eyes back to mine. Curling her fingers around the back of my arm, she said, “This place looks fantastic. I really am so happy for you. I’m glad you made this happen. It looks like business is doing well.”

  My body fully relaxed, and for the first time since she’d called my name, I shot her a smile. This was a good thing. Amber had moved on and was clearly happy. I had moved on and opened my bar. I was about to make myself very happy with Sam, too. So, it was all good.

  “Thanks. I really appreciate that. And I’m glad you stopped in before taking off,” I told her. “Congratulations on the engagement, upcoming wedding, and the move.”

  “Thank you, Cal,” she returned. “I always thought you were a good guy.”

  That was nice to hear. We hadn’t worked out, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t be civil to one another. The likelihood was that I’d never see her again anyway, so what was the point in making it ugly?

  A moment of silence stretched between us before she waved her hand in front of her face and declared, “Well, I should get going. I just wanted to say hello. It was really great to see you.”

  “Yeah, you too,” I said.

  Amber took a step forward, gave me another hug, and pressed a kiss to my cheek. “Take care, Cal.”

  “You do the same.”

  With that, she turned and walked away. I kept my eyes on the space where she had been for a couple seconds longer, thinking about what had just happened.

  And though I had initially felt good about the conversation that had transpired between Amber and me, it wasn’t until I turned so I could continue making my way to Sam that all the good vibes flew out the window.

  I hadn’t taken more than two steps in her direction when I froze on the spot.

  No.

  No.

  This couldn’t be happening.

  There was a decent crowd in the bar, but that didn’t mean my eyes couldn’t find her. They always had; I’d just been drawn to her like that.

  And what I saw had me feeling sick to my stomach.

  Sam was still right where she’d been before I got stopped. But now, she wasn’t alone. Or, at least, she wasn’t alone with Demi.

  Nope.

  It seemed as though Demi had taken off, perhaps to the bathroom or to get another round of drinks, and Sam was there with someone.

  A man.

  The bigger problem was that the man had his arms around her, the front of her beautiful body pressed against the front of his, and his mouth was on hers.

  Sam was kissing him.

  Sam was kissing another man in my bar.

  Only seconds before I was about to tell her how much she meant to me, she was kissing someone else.

  Yeah, I was going to be sick.

  Unable to stand the sight of it, I turned on my boot and walked outside. I needed to get some air.

  Unfortunately, no matter that the night air had a bit of a chill to it, nothing was going to stop the burning I felt in my gut and my lungs. Nothing was going to fix the pain I felt in my chest.

  I’d waited too long, and now, I’d lost her.

  Samantha

  “You’re sure you won’t let me take you home?”

  I dipped my chin. “I’m sure,” I answered.

  “Well, I’ve got your number, so you can expect a call from me.”

  I offered a friendly smile, even though I felt like I was dying inside, and said, “That sounds great, Mitch. It was really nice to meet you.”

  With that, I got inside the car, and Mitch closed my door.

  For the next ten minutes, I didn’t do anything but watch as everything passed by in the window. I refused to allow myself to think about any of it here.

  No.

  I would wait until I was home. Then I’d allow myself to think and break down.

  That’s precisely what happened.

  The moment I walked inside and closed my door, I walked over and fell onto my couch. My shoes fell off my feet as I lifted my legs and curled into a ball.

  How had it all gone so wrong?

  Tonight was supposed to be my last-ditch effort.

  For more than a year, I’d been waiting.

  Waiting and hoping.

  Hoping that Cal was going to act on the obvious attraction between us. We’d had so many close calls. I lived for those moments. I recalled them frequently.

  Growing frustrated by the wait, I decided it was time I took matters into my own hands. I started to think that maybe Cal just needed some reassurances that I was a sure thing. Maybe he was worried about rejection.

  There was no denying the attraction between us. But the simple fact was that we’d become great friends over the last fifteen months. Perhaps he was worried that taking things to the next level would ruin that. I didn’t see how it could.

  He was everything I never knew I wanted in a man.

  And the kind of guy he was—laid back, easygoing, funny, supportive, and so very handsome—it was no surprise it took me almost no time to fall for him.

  So I had planned to do something about it.

  Today was my birthday, and I th
ought there was no better time to go after what I wanted. It would be the greatest gift.

  I wrapped my arms around my legs and curled up into a tighter ball recalling the horrific scenario that had played out and broken my heart.

  We’d just celebrated with some cake, and Demi had dragged me back out to dance. I loved dancing and having a good time, so it was no hardship. But before the night was over, I had every intention of making Cal mine.

  Or, at least, that had been the plan.

  Unfortunately, that plan was quickly squashed.

  This was it. It was done. Over. He’d made it clear.

  If the fact that I’d put myself out there and made myself available to him without any action on his part to pursue me hadn’t been an indication of how he felt, what I saw then would have been.

  It figured that at the very moment I finally worked up the courage to approach him, it would be the moment he proved that I’d read it all wrong.

  Maybe it was better this way. At least I’d saved myself the humiliation of being rejected by Cal while possibly losing my best friend—next to Demi—in the process.

  Cal had been standing across the room from where I was, but he wasn’t alone. He was looking adoringly at a woman. He was looking at her with a softness in his face I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen aimed my way. And that’s when I really took a moment to take her in.

  She was the opposite of me, physically speaking. It suddenly made sense. Cal never pursued me because I didn’t look like that.

  That didn’t mean I was ugly. I knew that and had always been confident in the way I looked. But it was clear to see that I wasn’t Cal’s type.

  The worst of it all happened moments later. It was as though I’d been socked in the gut when I saw that woman put her hand on Cal’s arm and say something to him before something washed over him. He smiled at her like I’d never seen before and said something back to her. There was a bit of a verbal exchange between them, and the next thing I knew, his arms were around her, and she had her mouth on him.

  I couldn’t watch it any longer.

  Demi had taken off to the bathroom a few minutes prior, so I had been alone when the crushing reality hit me full force. I wasn’t thinking straight, turned around, and saw a good-looking man approaching me.