Roni smiled when the call ended. “I’m glad you’re going. I’ll admit I was a little worried when you went out with him the first time. I thought for sure Abel seemed upset the night Sam dropped you off, but it’s not fair that Abel gets to date and you stay home, faithfully waiting for his visits. But that’s all I’m gonna say about it.” She zipped her lips again and smiled. “I promise.”

Glad that Roni kept her promise and didn’t say much more, Nellie didn’t comment any further either. She still wasn’t feeling entirely sure that this was a good idea, but her heart needed to start moving on. It felt so impossibly stuck where it was now. Maybe going out and trying to enjoy another man’s company would start to dislodge it. At the very least, it could do what her first date with Sam had managed to do: make her feel attractive in more than just a sexual way.

***

Less than fifteen minutes into her visit with Sam, Nellie was beginning to regret it. For starters, when he’d mentioned the private beach they’d be watching the sunset from, she’d foolishly assumed they’d walk out the back of his lavish hotel through the lobby. Instead they’d gone straight to his room. He explained that his beach-front room had a private patio, which led out into a walkway if she wanted to get closer to the water. But they’d spent some time in his room as he poured them each a glass of chilled wine.

Sam had also taken it upon himself to hold her hand the whole way to their room and again when walking her out onto his patio. It had its own private fire pit and its own private pool and Jacuzzi. Sam turned the fire on as soon as they walked out. The ocean breeze was just picking up, so the warmth of the fire felt perfect. It was a very romantic setting and one she would’ve definitely enjoyed—with someone else.

Even with her reservations and knowing there’d be only one very specific someone she’d prefer doing this with, Nellie forced herself to enjoy the time but casually reminded Sam that she couldn’t stay long. She’d have a glass or two at most and then she had to head out. The sun was just setting as they sat down on one of the plush patio sofas. She had to admit it was breathtaking.

“This is my favorite hotel to stay at when I’m out here in California,” Sam said, staring at the sunset.

He’d sat next to her a bit too closely, but Nellie refrained from moving over, allowing their thighs to touch.

“I request this room specifically because of this patio. I only wish you had more time to help me enjoy it. We could take a dip in the pool. It’s heated.”

“You always travel alone?” she asked curiously.

Surely a man who looked as good as Sam could find someone else to help him enjoy this room. His eyes alone were really something else. And now seeing him in jeans and t-shirt, she could see she’d been right about his physique the first time she met him. He wasn’t nearly as muscular as Abel, but his arms and chest were more than impressive.

“For the most part,” he said, sipping his wine glass, “if it’s business, I usually do. For pleasure trips, I get together with friends and family. But there are exceptions like next week, for example. I’ll be in Vegas partly for business and partly for pleasure, so I’ll be meeting with friends.”

“Really?” She tilted her head, smiling about the coincidence. “I’ll be in Vegas next week too. What kind of business are you doing out there?”

There was a noticeable gleam in his eye that she wasn’t sure what to make of, but then he smiled big. “The cable channel I work at used to be just local, but they were recently bought out by a subsidiary of CNN, so my role as a commentator has branched out a bit. I’m now covering stories all over, not just the Detroit area. This is why I’m here now and why I’ll be in Vegas next week. Will you be out there just for pleasure?” he asked, eyeing her playfully.

She smiled, feeling a bittersweet emotion wash over her. A few weeks ago she might’ve said both. How fast things had changed. While she knew all too well that Vegas could be as pleasurable as her times with Abel had always been, ever since the morning she first saw the photos, Nellie knew she was in danger of serious damage to her heart if she continued with their arrangement as is. “Business,” she sipped her wine. It went down a bit rougher than she expected.

“Maybe we can get together while you’re out there. How long will you be there?”

She was about to explain about the fight and her role in it when his phone rang and he frowned, glancing at the screen. “I’m sorry. This is so rude,” he said apologetically, “but I have to take this. Will you give me a few minutes?”

“Take your time,” she assured him as he stood up and began walking back into the room.

Her own phone had lit up a few times since she’d been there, so she decided to check it. She had a missed call from her mother and a text from Logan. The text caught her attention. She hadn’t heard from him since his email informing her he was resigning. He hadn’t once bothered to return her calls, and she’d left him a voicemail over a week ago, asking him to please call her. His departure had been so abrupt, and even though he’d fulfilled the last tasks he’d been asked to do, she still had questions on a few things. She clicked on the little envelope now curiously.

Give me a call when you get a chance, please. I need to talk to you.

The irritation was immediate, especially after she read it a second time to make sure she hadn’t misread it. The nerve of him! Now he wanted her to call him? First, he just up and left her hanging, knowing how much work this mixer was, then he didn’t bother to return her calls, even when she mentioned she needed some things clarified. Did he need a letter of recommendation now or something?