Page 2 of Sam
Shaking my head, I reply, “I’ve got a business to run, and I need to sort shit with Bella.”
Alec studies me for a minute, and I can see he wants to say more, but in the end, he nods, “Okay, but know the offer is there.”
Draining my coffee, I place my mug in the sink and turn to leave, smirking as Alec huffs. I hear the sink going, and I know he’s rinsing it out. “Fuck you, Sam, you do that shit on purpose. You know I can’t stand shit in the sink,” Alec grumbles.
“You make such a good wife,” I snort with laughter and grab my jacket and helmet, walking towards the door. “See you later, honey,” I call out, blowing Alec a kiss, sniggering as he holds up his middle finger. My laughter is short-lived when I get to the garage and note that Bella’s car is gone. Settling on my bike, I put my helmet on and ride down the drive and onto the main road. Not even the ride is calming my roiling stomach.
Slowing down when I get to the village, I pull into the parking space reserved for us behind Crow Investments and see both her car and Beau’s bike there. Maybe they had a meeting. She could have told me or left me a note; I’d have understood.
We all knew the codes to get into each other’s businesses. I didn’t hesitate to enter theirs. Opening the door, I walk in, ensuring that the door closes behind me. I can hear hushed voices, and Istop and listen for a while, but I can’t make out what is being said. I don’t want to interrupt if they are in a meeting. Walking towards Bella’s office, I hear Beau say, “I don’t think this is a good idea, Bells.”
“There’s no other choice, though, is there?” Bella answers him.
He’s silent for a minute, and Bella presses, “Is there, Beau? If you have another suggestion, I’ll listen.”
“No,” he replies, and I’m not sure what the tone is in his voice, but I don’t like it, especially when he continues, “there’s no other choice.”
Once I’m in the doorway, I can see that the two of them are in a standoff. Bella’s behind her desk, looking stressed, and Beau’s facing her with a resigned look on his face. Knocking on the doorframe, the two of them swing their gazes at me. “Everything okay?” I ask.
“Everything’s fine,” Beau gives me a tight smile. Clasping my shoulder as he leaves, he says, “I’ll leave you two to talk.”
“What’s going on?” I ask Bella. Not that she answers me, but instead asks me, “How much did you hear?”
Shoving my hands in my pockets, I lean against the doorframe, “Not much, only that Beau doesn’t think whatever you were discussing was a good idea and you telling him there’s no choice.”
Bella’s lips tighten, and something flashes through her eyes.
“Want to tell me what’s going on, Bella? You snuck out early this morning.”
She’s quiet for a minute as she studies me, and I don’t like the way her face blanks nor the casual way in which she tells me, “I had shit to do, Sam. I didn’t know that you made the women you slept with inform you of their every move.”
Pushing away from the door, I walk closer. “What’s with the attitude, Bells? I thought we were on the same page. I’m not the one who pushed for sex yesterday; that was all you.”
Bella shrugs casually, looking bored. “I wanted to see if it was worth all the hours we were spending together. If taking my attention away from my business was worth it.”
With her next words, I’m left wondering who this woman is and if I even know her. At least I don’t know this version of her—the cold, hard, number-driven woman.
“Turns out,” she continues, “it’s not. The sex was mediocre at best, and honestly, I don’t have the time or the inclination to spend time showing you how to make it better. I’ve got a big project coming up that needs all my attention. It’s best if we end this now before you get hurt.”
“Before I get hurt,” I grind out in disbelief. I’m ignoring the comment about sex because I may not be as experienced as Alec, but I know when a woman is enjoying herself, and Bella had.
No, what has my heart pounding and the nausea rising is that she’s breaking us up before we’ve even started.
“Yes, before you get hurt,” she repeats coldly. “I don’t feel for you what you feel for me, Sam. I never have, which is why I’ve been putting you off for years, hoping you’d get over your infatuation. When you told me what you wanted, I thought to myself, why the hell not? Your blatant desire for me meant I wouldn’t have to work hard. I tried, I honestly did, over the last few weeks, but there’s nothing there. I’m just not that into you.”
“You enjoyed last night,” I grit out. “I know you did. You can say it was mediocre all you want, but you enjoyed yourself.”
Bella shrugs again and looks down at her computer as if dismissing me. “Pure biology, I’m afraid. I get the same reaction when I use a vibrator. Now, if that’s all, I have work to do.”
My heart is shattered as I look at the woman whom I’ve loved since I was fourteen years old. My brain can’t seem to catch up with what she’s telling me. I’d thought that with time and patience, she’d feel the same. I guess I wasn’t worth it.
The hard part will be seeing her every day as we live on the same property.
“Oh, and Sam, let’s keep it civil, shall we? We’ll put this down to an experiment that didn’t work out.”
“Jesus, Bella. Do I even know you?” I’m having a hard time breathing, let alone thinking. I’m not sure where he came from, but suddenly Alec is there, walking me away from Bella. I don’t notice Beau passing us and entering Bella’s office.
I’m still trying to make sense of everything she’s said. I’m missing something, I’m sure of it. But what, I have no idea. The next few days go by in a blur.
