Page 5 of Sam's Forever
Tilly’s gaze softens when she looks at Colm. Changing the subject, she turns to Abby and asks, “How’s things going with your Zambia lot?”
Abby takes up and tells Tilly about the recent goings-on with our other chapter. Soon Colm is laughing along with them. I know Sam just had a come-to-Jesus moment with us about not interfering, but I’d be asking him to make sure Andy got an invite. We’d have to wait and see if he’d accept, but at least we’d have done what we could.
Slipping my phone from my pocket, I type a message.
Me – I know we’ve just been told to butt out of wedding prep, but could I make one request? Make sure Andy O’Shea gets an invite.
Sam – Already done. Ally and Jeanie insisted.
Me – Thanks, son.
Sam – No worries.
Adam catches my eye, and I nod. He looks relieved. Abby and I spend the rest of the afternoon with the O’Sheas, and as the rest trickle in, I’m reminded again why I like this family so much, and I can’t help but be happy that we’ll be tied to them again.
CHAPTER 3
CASH & LIZZIE
I’m sitting with Maestro shooting the shit in his office when there’s a knock on the door.
“Come in,” he calls out.
Lizzie pokes her head around, and I smile. My wife is still as gorgeous today as she was the day we met; she’s also grinning a little manically and is gripping a large cream-coloured envelope.
“Hi, babe, what are you doing here?” I ask. As far as I was aware, she and Stacey would be going to the salon today for mani-pedis.
Stacey pushes her from behind, “Jesus, woman, would you stop hovering in the doorway and get in there so we can see what you’ve been sent?”
“Fuck’s sake. Okay, nosy.” Lizzie slaps at the woman behind her. Maestro and I are laughing. These two keep us on our toes. It makes me happy that Lizzie and Stacey get on like a house on fire. My wife hadn’t had that ever. Even though they’d known each other over twenty years, Stacey had kept away from the clubhouse because of her fuckhead ex. Now that Stacey and Maestro are together, it makes everything so much easier, and our lives are much richer for having her in them.
Lizzie comes right to me and settles on my lap. Maestro pushes his chair away from his desk, making room for Stacey. Once ourladies are settled, well, as settled as Lizzie can get, she’s fairly vibrating with whatever it is that she has to tell us.
Now I’m curious. It’s not often I see her like this. “What’s going on, babe?”
“Look,” she holds up a thick envelope with the Crow Manor address on the back.
“I’m confused,” I tell her, not sure why this envelope has her all excited. “It’s not the first time we’ve had mail from there. Mum and Thor are back home in the UK.”
“I think it’s wedding invitations,” she whispers excitedly.
“Babe,” I caution. Lizzie was convinced that we’d get invited to Sam’s wedding; I wasn’t so sure. It’s not as if he owed it to us. I know he speaks to Lizzie and our kids on the regular, and he has a good relationship with my mum, but he and I hardly speak. Even when he was staying here those six months, we’d spoken, but it had all been generic. I’d wanted to offer comfort when he’d had his heart broken but didn’t feel like I had that right. My feelings for Sam are so fucking complicated. I love him but don’t know him, and I don’t know how to go about getting to know him.
I know I’d let him and Abby down. I’d had good reasons, and I don’t blame him for resenting me. I resented me for what I’d done, but it had been to keep him and Abby safe. He has a good stepdad who loves him and had stepped up when I didn’t.
I’m sure it doesn’t help that I’m close to my half-brother, Alec, who is Sam’s best friend. But with Alec, I don’t feel guilty, whereas with Sam, I’m drowning in it.
“Hush, Cash,” Lizzie grumbles. “I know Sam. And his Old Lady is lovely. She’s perfect for him. Of course, they’d invite you. You need to have more faith in him.”
Wincing at her comment,‘Well, that hurt,’I think as she rips open the envelope. Maestro catches my eye and shakes his head at Lizzie’s offhand comment. He knows the guilt that I feel about Sam; his advice has been to take him out, get him drunk, and have it out. Yeah, I’m not taking that advice.
I’m brought back to the moment by Lizzie shouting, “Yes,” and waving her hands in the air. She looks at the writing on the one envelope and tosses it across the desk to Maestro and Stacey, “That one’s for you.”
Stacey picks it up, looking surprised, but opens it up and takes out a thick cream-coloured invite. Lizzie’s torn into ours and quickly grabs a piece of paper that flutters out. She scans it before handing it to me with a smile.
Hi Lizzie and Cash,
Ally and I would love it if you and the kids can make it to our wedding. We have accommodations for all of you, as well as Maestro and Stacey. Let us know your arrival date, and we’ll pick you up unless you’re going to have Coal or someone from the Queens Wraiths pick you up.
