Page 39 (1/2)

She could lie and say she felt the same, but she didn’t The best she had to offer was a weak sain"

Not if she could find a way out of it "Give my mother my best," she said

"Will do," Kier promised Then, when she least expected it, he leaned forward and gave her a moist, openmouthed kiss

It took every bit of restraint she possessed not to wipe her hand across her lips The evening was even worse than she’d anticipated As soon as she was inside her apartrabbed her phone, praying Sae or called

He hadn’t, and it felt as if her heart had sunk to the level of her ankles

After a sleepless night, Beth one out with Kier Her heart had been with Saht As ridiculous as it sounded, she’d gone because she’d wanted to please her mother What was she, five years old? Beth’s life was her own and it was ti it Deep down there was a s to make her mother happy Well, nothe umbilical cord

Now all she had to do was tell Sam how sorry she was Before her first piano student arrived, she called Sas right between them

Her call went immediately to voicemail, which told her he’d turned off his phone

Beth had three piano students from nine until noon When the last one left, a twelve-year-old who showed real talent, Beth couldn’t stand it any longer She grabbed her phone and tried Sa to make this easy

Beth left her apart on one of his old cars He was bent over the engine, and if he noticed when she parked at the curb, he gave no indication She walked up his driveway

Salanced up, saas her, and then returned to whatever he was doing as if she wasn’t there

Beth knew that she’d hurt hi to do was address it head-on "I came so you’d know I’m not ashamed of who you are or what you do, Sa

"It’s true Please don’t be like this"

"Like what? Like a mechanic?"

Frustrated now, she wanted to stamp her foot "I had no idea you could be this stubborn"

"Don’t think you know ued

"I kneas going to regret getting involved with you"

"Would you stop? You’re being ridiculous I’hts ago Nothing has changed except that I had this stupid obligatory dinner I felt I had to attend I hated every le minute Why do you find that so hard to believe?"

"Then why did you?" he demanded

"My htened andhis hands into his back pockets

"Did you have a good tiive her soranite wall he’d erected that she couldn’t seeate

"Peachy," he told her

"Did … did you take anyone else?"

Sam didn’t answer Instead, his face broke into an easy smile "Don’t think you’re the only wouys …"

"One guy who I don’t even like"

"Whatever"

"So … you?" She couldn’t finish the question when he’d basically told her he’d gone with another woman For a wildShe sed hard, and when she could breathe again she soed to s he would stop her He didn’t She turned and started toward her car when she changed herup on hi around, she saw that he atching her She walked straight back to hi hirease or anything else on her clothes He stu to hi off a cliff

"I can’t bear to fight with you This is killing ainst hiht I should never have gone with Kier I did it because I was looking to appease h Done with it Finished"

Sam kissed the top of her head and rubbed his chin over her crown "I was so jealous I hated ht of you with anyone else"

He snickered softly "I stayed hoh to be able to look him in the eyes "You stayed home?"