Page 94 of Please Don't Leave Me

"More dessert?"

"Well, this was the original plan, but you were so excited when you saw tiramisu on the menu that I wanted you to have that too. So now we get a second dessert."

"I'm stuffed. But I'm sure I can find some room in here." I pat my stomach, pushing it out to look bigger.

"Good, because this is the best ice cream you'll ever have."

"That's a bold statement, Sam Carlyle. Are you prepared for me to disagree with you?"

"You won't, trust me." He takes my hand, and we cross the street.

"Doubling down, so confident! I guess we'll just have to see."

It wasthe best ice cream I have ever eaten. I want to punch Sam in his adorably smug face when I admit it to him.

I watch the muscles on his arm flex as he turns the steering wheel. Why is that so hot? I tilt my head and lean into him, resting my head on his upper arm. He reaches hishand across his chest and strokes my hair. I take in a deep breath and let it out.

This is joy. This is bliss. Simple, attainable happiness.

On the drive home, Sam gets cut off and has to slam on his breaks. I hear something clunk off the back seat onto the floor. Looking back, I see the cooler that I forgot was back there.

"What was the cooler for?"

By the look on his face, I can tell he's been waiting for me to ask. "It was just to throw you off since I knew you were going to try to figure it out.

"That is cruel!" I let my jaw drop, mouth hanging open in disbelief.

"I did what I had to do. Sorry if I got your hopes up for a picnic."

"That's okay, we can do that next time." I squeeze his hand, and he squeezes mine right back.

We pull into the driveway and park the car. Sam goes into the back seat and grabs the cooler. We walk through the door, and Pepin immediately greets us. That's strange because usually he's passed out on the couch, and when we get home, it takes him a second to wake up.

"Hey Lou, I think I left the porch light on." He points to the back door, which has a faint glow behind it. "Would you mind running over and shutting it off?"

I walk over to the back door and look out to see which light was left on. I'm shocked by what I see. Sam comes up behind me and puts his hands on my arms.

"Do you like it?"

I turn around and give him a big hug. "I love it."

He grabs the cooler off of the counter and walks back with Pepin by his side, eager to get to the backyard. I openthe back door and step outside to where Sam's surprise is waiting for us.

Strings of twinkle lights are strung from the fence to the gutters on the house. There's a sheet stretched out over a metal frame, and a projector shines on it with an image of Sam and me, a picture I took the other day. In front of the screen is a large, cushy loveseat with pillows and blankets strewn all over it. Flameless candles line the path to the setup.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

SAM

She steps onto the back patio and looks around. Pepin runs out right past her legs.

Without looking at me, she asks, "When did you do all this? I let Pepin out before we left, and I'm pretty sure none of this was here."

"I may have had a little help."

She starts walking down the path to the loveseat. "Who?"

"B and Quinn."

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