Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 58253 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 291(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58253 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 291(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
“Stop. Better before than after the wedding, or after you’ve stayed so long you set a bad example for your children, or waste your younger years with the wrong man.” Emma blinked back the tears in her eyes.
“Oh, Mom. You didn’t set a bad example for us. If anything, you showed us strength of character. Loyalty. I admire you so much.”
“And I admire you. You’re a smart businesswoman and you think before you jump. Which is why you won’t fully commit to your feelings for Dex. And that’s okay. Take your time. If he’s the right one, he’ll wait.”
“That’s exactly what I needed to hear.” Samantha hugged her mom tight before sitting back in her seat and taking her first sip of the tart but refreshing drink.
Her mother did the same. “Now, what do you say about me inviting the family over for an impromptu dinner? I’ll order in and we’ll all get together.”
“I’d love that.”
“Great! Then let’s start making phone calls.”
And just like that, she put her concerns away for the night and focused on having a good time with the family she loved.
* * *
Dex spent a good amount of time talking to Emma’s husband, Michael, who owned an insurance company downtown. He was a smart man and from what Dex could sense, a decent one who, though he’d only been married to Emma for a handful of years, cared about her children.
The backyard was huge, with large ceramic pots, a cactus planted in each, all surrounding the outer perimeter of the property in front of the screen that protected the pool.
They were mid-deep in conversation about this year’s Thunder players when Dex’s cell rang. “Excuse me,” he said, pulling the phone from his pocket and taking the call from Austin.
“Hello?” Dex asked.
“Where are you?” His agent spoke without preamble.
Dex smiled at Michael before replying. “Hello to you too. And I just so happen to be in Miami.”
“With Samantha.”
“Yes.” He had no intention of lying or hiding the fact that he cared about her and would be by her side for as long as she needed him.
Austin let out a host of expletives. “You don’t listen, do you?”
Shaking his head, Dex asked, “Why should I? I’m single, she’s single, this whole it’s unseemly thing is a crock of shit and you know it.”
“I do but that doesn’t matter. Jeremy Rollins is doing interviews that make Samantha sound like a cheating whore and you like a home-wrecking asshole, and the reason for his called-off wedding. Peter Morgan called and wants to know why his newest analyst is getting bad press,” he said of the president of FSN. How’s Samantha?” he asked, changing the subject, and Dex knew it was a temporary reprieve.
“Shaky. She fainted yesterday and was in the hospital. I took her to Florida because I need to check in on my house, but mostly because I wanted her to spend time with her family.”
Austin let out a long breath, followed by a curse. “You love her.”
Dex glanced at Michael and pushed himself up from his chair, stepping away to take the call in private. “Is this my agent asking?”
“No. I’m asking as Samantha’s cousin and your friend.”
Dex stood by the screen and looked out at a lake in the distance. Wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, he groaned, because he couldn’t stay mad at this man.
“Yes, I love her.” Saying the words aloud released the pressure he’d been feeling in his chest. “I love her and I am not walking away. Not when she needs me and not at all. If you want me to sit down with Morgan and ease his mind, I’ll do that when I get back to New York. But she comes first.”
Austin barked out a laugh. “You have never made life easy.”
Dex shrugged. “That’s why you’re paid the big bucks. One more thing.”
“What?”
Dex glanced at Michael, who was busy on his phone. Lowering his voice, he said, “I still don’t want Samantha to know there’s trouble with my job. She has enough on her mind.” And she didn’t need a reason to run from him.
“I’ll do what I can to keep the people at FSN calm, but the media cycle has to focus on something else and quick.”
Dex understood. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll try and keep things with Samantha under the radar until things blow over.” It wasn’t like either of them were looking to be photographed or be the focus of the paparazzi’s cameras.
“Thank you,” Austin said, clearly relieved.
“Talk soon and say hello to Quinn.”
“Will do.” He disconnected the call and Dex headed back to Michael, only to find Samantha and her mother had joined them.
Samantha’s eyes were red but she seemed more relaxed and was smiling.
“Is everything okay?” she asked, as he joined them.