Page 47 of Samuel's Heart

This guy seems to be the one meddling in everyone’s affairs. Mark and Zane are at the door; they seem to be attached at the hip and look so in love. Same as Martin and Keegan. The taller man doesn’t seem capable of leaving the smaller man alone. They all look so good together. The room is full of love.

“Nothing much. Just having a bit of a conversation with Rory here.”

“Why were you laughing?” This time the question is coming from Samuel, his face blank, and his gaze serious.

I stare at Jason, afraid he’ll share what I just asked with everyone. Panic is setting in because I don’t know these people and don’t want to lose Samuel—or for Samuel to know. I’m not even going to investigate the reasons behind this fear. I’ll settle for the chance of finding and saying goodbye to John.

Jason looks at me and then smiles, another gentle smile that gives me hope but doesn’t settle my nerves. What’s he going to say to them? My mind is blank and if they were asking me something right now, I wouldn’t be able to lie . . . Not that I would be able to in any other situation.

I refuse to lie. I’ve been lied to my entire life and I can’t even fathom doing something like that to others. Most of the problems John and I had came from my need to always speak the truth. But sometimes the truth is not what people want or are willing to listen to.

I glance at Samuel, and he’s looking at me. I avoid his gaze, ashamed of what I asked, of having asked someone else and not him.

“I asked him why he was here, and he told me to mind my own business. So difficult to meddle in other people’s business these days. I should take lessons from Martin. He does it so well or he really doesn’t understand when he should stop.” After the blow, Jason sends a wink his way and everyone laughs.

I mouth a ‘thank you,’ because I would have been ashamed if he had shared my stupid question with everyone else. I glance atSamuel, and his gaze moves between me and Jason, as if trying to determine if what he said was true.

“Stop telling me off. You’re just as bad as me. The only difference is you’re better. But your CFO training counts in these situations,” Martin says, making everyone laugh.

I join in because he’s right. Jason didn’t even have to ask anything for me to spill about where my feelings for Samuel are going. I’m only glad he wasn’t there to witness it.

“Okay, who wants a tea, or a coffee?” Jason asks, trying to defuse the situation.

A chorus of‘coffee for me’or‘tea for me’fills the room, and I join in with a coffee request followed by Samuel’s.

My stomach chooses that moment to rumble again, and I blush under the eyes of everyone when they turn on me.

“Didn’t you feed your guest?” Jason asks Samuel, and he blushes under the not-so-veiled accusation.

“We were doing other things.”

“Oh, do tell,” Martin and Jason say at the same time, then look at each other and laugh out loud.

“Nothing to tell,” Samuel says to both of them, but his cheeks get red again and everyone hollers as if they caught him red-handed.

“Aww, he’s blushing.” This time it comes from Keegan.

Everyone looks at him as if he’s gone crazy. He laughs and pulls Martin against his chest.

“What? I was only stating the truth.” And then he looks down at the man in his arms and winks at him.

Martin turns around in his arms, goes up on tiptoes, and plants a heated kiss on his lips.

“Oh, come on. Get a room.” Everyone says to them.

Mark blushes and Zane pulls him close, then leans in and whispers something, making the older man go red like a tomato. No one seems to notice but me, and I move my gaze away, wanting to give them privacy. My eyes, as if possessing a will of their own, once again land on Samuel. This time, when our eyes lock, I don’t look away.

“What are we having for dinner?” Jason asks.

“P—” Samuel tries to say, but Jason stops him before he can finish.

“No pizza,” Jason says, with a look of disdain in Samuel’s direction. “You need to do something about this craving of yours. Maybe it’s time for you to deliver the baby.” Laughter fills the room and I relax.

I really enjoy the banter between these men. Anyone can see how much they love each other from a mile away.

“Chinese?” Mark says, talking for the first time. His face is back to normal, but I smirk when I notice Zane has been pushed away, and he’s now leaning against the doorframe.

“Yes. Finally, someone with a good idea.”

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