“Just go with it.”
She stood limply, me wrapped around her. “I will never leave you,” I said. “You will never lose me.”
And I wasn’t in love with Grace Astor.
Chapter Fifteen
Grace
I kept glancing at the doorway to the Four Seasons, hoping to find Sam. I’d asked him to bring Angie and her husband. Apparently her husband was busy but Sam and Angie were going to make it. It would be the first time I’d meet her, and I was nervous. I knew how much he valued her opinion. How she seemed to be the only person he listened to. If she didn’t like me, then what? Would it affect Sam and me? It had been a little over a week since he’d told me about his parents’ deaths, but I’d seen or spoken to him every day since and things were going so well, I just wanted Angie to give us her seal of approval.
“Is he here yet?” Harper asked from behind me.
I peeled my gaze away from the entrance. “No. You’ll know when you see him. How’s the baby?”
“The baby’s a baby. She doesn’t do much. I want to hear about Sam. Is he the first man you’ve dated with a real job? Does he know what to do with his tongue?”
“You know we’re in public, right?” I asked.
She shrugged as her husband, Max, and her sister-in-law, Scarlett, joined us. “Happy birthday,” Max said, kissing me on the cheek.
“Thank you.”
“Happy birthday,” Sam said from behind me. I shivered. Had I ever known a man whose voice could make my whole body react? With just four syllables, Sam had made my nipples hard and my knees weak. I looked over my shoulder just as his hand slipped around my waist. He grinned at me and kissed me on the lips.
We were really doing this.
And for the first time I wasn’t making sure my boyfriend wasn’t checking out other girls or annoying my friends.
He broke our kiss and pulled back. “You look beautiful.” He grazed his thumb across my cheekbone, not even glancing at what I was wearing, just pulling me toward him so we were thigh against hip. “I’m Sam,” he said to the group, “and this is Angie Jenkins.” I hadn’t seen the blonde girl next to him—when Sam was around, all I could focus on was him.
“Angie, hi,” I said and tried to pull away to greet her, but Sam kept me pressed firmly against his side.
After everyone introduced themselves, we made our way to the long dinner table. I’d invited forty-two people. Some family. Some friends. I hadn’t wanted a big party, just a quiet dinner. I sat in the middle. The table split quite easily into family at one end, starting with my dad next to me on my left and my mother the other side of him, and then my friends to my right. I hadn’t seated Sam next to me, but as I sat down and the heat of his hand left my hip, I wanted to quickly switch the name cards.
Harper didn’t even try to hide her delight with Sam and as soon as they sat down, she peppered him with questions.
“So, your husband’s working tonight? What does he do?” I asked Angie.
“He has a small construction company in Jersey.” Her gaze scanned the room, taking in the restaurant and then settled on me. “He’s working all hours at the moment on an office building they can’t touch during the day.”
“Oh, that’s tough, but I’m really pleased you could make it. I’m just sorry it’s for something like this and not somewhere where it’s just us. I can’t wait to get to know you better.” I held my breath, hoping she’d feel the same.#p#分页标题#e#
“Don’t be, it was nice of you to invite me. Sam really wanted me to come.” She shifted a little to allow the waiter to fill her water glass.
“So, you live in New Jersey?” I asked.
She laughed. “Yeah, my whole life. Thought it would be the last place I’d want to spend married life but Chas will never leave, so I guess I’m stuck.”
I knew she and Sam had been to high school together, and I wanted to ask her questions about him. Did he talk to her about his parents?
“I heard you grew up in his building?” Angie asked.
I nodded. “Yeah, I’m sure he refers to me as the Park Avenue princess.”
Angie smiled and said, “I haven’t noticed him say that, but then, as I’m sure you’re finding out, he only says a fraction of what goes on in that big brain of his.”
“That’s for sure. I have to stop myself from asking him what he’s thinking eleven times an hour.” The waiters began serving our food and a murmur went around the table as plates were put in front of people.