Until I Met You

Chapter Thirty-Two

The terrace overlooking the sea was the ideal spot. The bar was closed and the lounge beds were free to use. With the hotel staff busy with the wedding, there was no one to enforce the two-drink minimum. The sky wasn’t as clear as the first night they’d come out here. Then again, nothing was.

They bypassed the lounge beds and stood at the rail. Roman said he was too restless to sit still. This was fine with Samantha. Her dress was too restrictive for lounging. Roman shrugged off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. His scent quickly enveloped her, the same fresh scent that clung to his bed sheets. Could she smuggle his jacket out of the country and crawl beneath it on nights she missed him? As hurt as Samantha was, she would still miss him, no question.

They stood side by side, facing the night. Roman dropped his elbows onto the rail and pushed out a breath. His neck was stiff. His clenched jaw sharpened his profile. He resembled the man she’d first met, hard, unapproachable.

‘This has been one long day.’

‘True.’ Samantha stifled a yawn. ‘I think Naomi stopped time.’

‘I wouldn’t put it past her.’

His gaze flicked to her face. She shifted uncomfortably. The distance between them wasn’t great, but it was significant. It showed how far apart they’d drifted. They didn’t say much after that. The slow rolling surf softened the silence.

‘Samantha,’ he said, at last. ‘How badly did I mess this up?’

‘Pretty bad.’

He bit his lower lip and of course it made her want to kiss him. ‘Before I say anything, I have to make this clear. I don’t want to lose your friendship.’

The word friendship stung. Were they back to being just friends? Deep inside, she’d hoped he would make things right and put them back on track in the same efficient way he’d taken Tara to her hotel. That was a fantasy. They’d come here to settle things and end things all in one fell swoop, nice and neat.

She opened her arms, inviting him into a friendly hug. He’d helped her through a dark time and would always have her friendship.

Roman stared at her. ‘What are you up to?’

‘I’m not up to anything. I thought we could hug it out.’

‘That’s a pity hug.’

‘Call it what you want, but that’s all you’re getting from me tonight.’ She folded her arms across her chest, withdrawing the invitation. ‘Maybe Tara is up for more.’

‘This is a clean fight, Samantha,’ he cautioned. ‘No hitting below the belt. If your ex had showed up—’

She interrupted him. ‘He didn’t show up, did he? That was your ex.’

Whatever argument he was about to make was pointless. For one thing, her ex would never show up. Unlike Tara, Timothy wouldn’t crash a wedding reception just to get her attention. Grand gestures weren’t his thing and he’d never attempt one of this scale. Most reasonable people wouldn’t, Samantha among them. Grand gestures were stupid, risky, and embarrassing for everyone involved. To put herself out there like that, to put the other person on the spot, she couldn’t do it. Even so, the thought of never being on the receiving end of one made her sad.

‘Besides,’ she drilled on. ‘You knew about my ex and how I felt about him. If for some strange reason he showed up here tonight, you wouldn’t need a personal briefing from a team of experts to get you up to speed, all the while looking and very much feeling like a fool.’

‘I told you about my past.’

‘You told me about some past break-up. I had no idea—’

‘OK, OK.’

‘Roman, we can’t stay out here all night. Now would be a good time to start talking.’

They were shoulder-to-shoulder now, but still worlds apart.

‘How much do you know already?’ he asked.

‘Never mind that.’ She hadn’t come here to compare notes. She wanted him to open up to her, to trust her with his secrets. Even the most basic friendship required trust.

‘Here goes,’ he said. ‘Tara, Anthony and I met in business school.’

‘College buddies,’ she supplied.