LITMIR.BIZ

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notebook out of her purse. “That’s old for Sam. He usually dates women at least four years younger than him.”

      “And how old is that?”

      “Don’t you know how old he is?” Diane asked.

      Julia met Annabeth’s shrewd gaze. Calculated error on her part. “Of course. What I don’t understand is why you carry a notebook with Sam’s dating stats in it.”

      Annabeth snapped the notebook shut. “I don’t have his dating stats, just a few pertinent facts. He and Diane seemed closer than any of the other women he dated. I want my sister to be happy. She had a chance before you came into the picture.”

      Julia studied Diane and couldn’t begin to picture the dainty woman and Sam as a couple. “Did Sam break your heart?”

      Diane scrunched up her nose. “No,” she admitted after a moment. “Don’t get me wrong, he’s supercute and such a gentleman. But he’s a little um...big...for me.”

      Julia’s mouth dropped open. “Big?”

      “Not like that,” Diane amended. “He’s just...with the uniform, all those muscles and he’s so tall. It’s kind of intimidating.”

      “I know what you mean,” Julia agreed, although Sam’s size appealed to her. She was five-nine, so it took a lot of guy to make Julia feel petite, but Sam did it in a way that also made her feel safe.

      “You have real feelings for him.” Annabeth interrupted her musings.

      “I... We’re engaged. I’d better have real feelings.”

      “Frankly, I thought this was another one of your stunts to show up the other single women in town. Prove that you’re still the leader of the pack and all that.” She glanced at Diane. “I didn’t want my sister to fall prey to you the way I did.”

      “I’m not the same person I was. I can apologize but you’ll need to choose whether to forgive me. I don’t blame you if the answer is no, but it’s your decision. My priority is Charlie. I want to live a life that will make him proud. I don’t intend to re-create the past. You’re married now, right?”

      The other woman nodded. “Five years to my college sweetheart. He’s my best friend.”

      “Why is it so strange to believe that I might want that for myself? My parents had a great marriage and you probably remember my sister recently married the love of her life, who just happened to be my high-school sweetheart. They’re happy and I want to be happy. Last time I checked, that wasn’t a crime in this town.”

      Julia pointed a finger at Diane. “If your sister wants to find a man, she will without you hunting down potential suitors for her or tallying lists of how far ahead of other women she is in the dating pool. Sam is a real person, too. I don’t think he intended to become such a hot topic of gossip. He’s living his life the best way he can. We both are.” She stopped for breath and noticed Annabeth and Diane staring at her, eyebrows raised.

      She realized how much she’d revealed with her little tirade and tried to calm her panic. Maybe she didn’t want to be known as the town’s head mean girl anymore, but she had a reputation to protect. She made people think she didn’t take things seriously so that they’d never notice when she got hurt. She plastered a smile on her face. “What? Was that a little too mama grizzly for you?”

      Annabeth shook her head, looking dazed. “I didn’t realize that’s how you felt about things. Sam is lucky to have you.”

      “I’m not sure—”

      “I’m sure.”

      The three women turned to see Sam standing in the doorway. Julia’s face burned. “How much did you hear?”

      “Enough to know that I agree with Annabeth. I’m damned lucky to have you.”

      Annabeth and Diane scooted toward the front door. “If you’ll excuse us. We’ll leave you two alone.”

      He didn’t move. “Is this going to hit the gossip train or however it works?”

      Diane shook her head. “We weren’t the ones who started analyzing you. It was—”

      Annabeth gave her sister a hard pinch on the arm. “It doesn’t matter anymore. It’s clear you’re not the person everyone thought.”

      Sam eased to the side of the doorway. “I think that could be said for more than just me.”

      Annabeth threw a glance at Julia and nodded.

      “Maybe you should spread that news around.”

      “I’ll get on it, Chief.” The two women hurried out of the salon, and Sam pulled the door shut behind them.

      “I’m a real man?” he said, repeating Julia’s earlier comment. “I’m glad you think so, Ms. Morgan.”

      Julia slumped into a chair, breathing as if she’d just finished a marathon run. Her eyes were bleak as they met his. “It’s pointless, Sam. This is never going to work.”

       Chapter Five

      Sam stared at Julia. Her blond hair curled around her shoulders and fell forward, covering one high cheekbone. His fingers itched to smooth it back from her face, to touch her skin and wipe the pain from those large gray eyes. She looked so alone sitting in the oversized stylist’s chair.

      Sam knew what it felt like to be alone. Hell, he’d courted solitude for most of his life. He’d learned early on only to depend on himself, because when he relied on other people for his happiness he got hurt. First when his mother died and his dad had almost lost it. Then, later, in the relationship that had ended with his fiancée cheating on him.

      He’d come to believe that happiness was overrated. He wanted to work hard and make a difference—the only way he knew to chase the demons away for a little peace.

      When he’d heard Julia defending his character, something tight in his gut unwound. He was used to making things happen and having people depend on him. He prided himself on not needing anyone. It bothered him to know that women were spreading rumors about him, but he would have soldiered through with his head held high. Hearing Julia take on those ladies had made him realize he liked not feeling totally alone.

      Her declaration that they couldn’t make it work made no sense. “Why the change of heart?” He moved closer to her. “You convinced Annabeth and Diane.”

      “How old are you?”

      “Thirty-three.”

      “Why do you only date younger women?”

      He stopped short. “I don’t.”

      “Are you sure? I’ve heard you average women at least four years younger. I’m thirty-two. My birthday’s in two months.”

      “I don’t ask a woman about her age before we go out. If there’s a connection, that’s what I go on.”

      “You never asked me out.”

      “I asked you to marry me,” he said, blowing out a frustrated breath. “Doesn’t that count?”

      She shook her head. “I mean when you first came to town. When you were making the rounds.”

      “I didn’t make the rounds. Besides, you were pregnant.”

      “I haven’t been pregnant for a while.”

      “Did you want me to ask you out?” The attraction he’d denied since the first time he saw her roared to life again.

      She shook her head again. “I’m just curious, like most of the town is now. We’ve barely spoken to each other in the last two years.”

      “I thought the idea was that we were

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