Rocco nodded as if he understood. “You going to suggest that to her?”

“I should, don’t you think?”

“Well, yeah, but I’m wondering …”

“What?” Sam demanded when his friend didn’t continue his thought.

“You still want to continue to date her yourself, though, right?”

Sam needed to think that through. Going cold turkey would be hard. Beth had become an important part of his day, of his life. Too important, which is what prompted this entire debate. She was the reason for his crappy mood all week. Well, not Beth personally, but the way he felt about her.

“Yeah, I would like to continue seeing her.” He hesitated to use the word date. Sam didn’t date. He’d made certain she understood that weeks earlier. If she wanted to call their occasional dinners out dates, then that was on her.

No way would anyone refer to their music sessions as dates. That was nothing more than entertaining a few people a couple times a week. Most definitely that wasn’t dating. Okay, fine, he was willing to admit he stopped by her place once or twice a week and they’d watched television together. He’d seen more movies in the last three weeks than he had in the last three years. Chick flicks, even. Stuff like that should have knocked some sense into him. This relationship continued much longer and he’d be watching the Hallmark Channel.

“Are you thinking to suggest the two of you be friends?” Rocco asked.

“Yeah, friends.” Sam brightened, relieved. Telling Beth they should be friends was the perfect solution. It wouldn’t be that much different. He already considered Beth a friend.

Rocco snickered into his beer.

“What?” Sam demanded.

“Good luck with that.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You tell Beth that you want to be just friends and see what happens.”

Frowning, Sam studied Rocco. “Why do I feel like this is a joke and no one is letting me in on it?”

“Don’t go the friends route,” Rocco suggested.

“Why not?”

“She won’t take it well.”

“But I mean it.”

Rocco shook his head as if pitying Sam. “All I’m saying is that trying to friend-zone this isn’t the best idea. Trust me.”

“Okay.” Rocco would know better, although Sam didn’t understand why.

Rocco slid off the stool. “Time I headed home. Nichole’s waiting.”

“Appreciate the talk.”

“Let me know what happens,” Rocco said and slapped him across the back.

Sam nodded. He sat for several minutes, then decided the sooner he had this conversation with Beth the better. He reached for his phone.

She answered before the end of the first ring, as if she’d been expecting his call.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey,” she returned enthusiastically. “You in a better mood?”

“Yeah.”

“Great, because I’ve got all kinds of things to tell you.”

She sounded like she was taking a stroll on cloud nine. Sam hated the thought of bursting this bubble.

“I’m hungry.”

“Want me to fix us something?”

He bristled. She was already acting like a wife. “No. Want to meet me at Red Robin for a burger?” he asked. This wasn’t a date. If he was asking her out on a date he’d go and pick her up.

“Sure.”

His shoulders sagged with relief. “Give me thirty.”

“Sounds great. I’ve missed you this week.”

Chapter 24

Beth

Beth was in a great mood. She’d had a defining conversation with her mother in which she’d made herself crystal clear.

“You stepped over the line, Mom,” Beth had told her mother.

“What do you mean?” Her tone was defensive.

“Kier.” All it took was one word to explain what she meant.

“Well, Sweetie—”

“You don’t need to say anything. I know why he was in town. You’re concerned about Sam and me.”

“Yes, S-a-m,” her mother drawled out his name. “Sweetie, surely you recognize—”

Beth cut her off again. “What I recognize is that you’re trying, once again, to manipulate my life, and Mom, as much as I love you, I’m not going to allow you to do that.”

“I’m only doing what I think is best for you.”

“What you think is best,” Beth said pointedly. “You.”

“I’m older and wiser. No one knows you better than me.”

“Mom, listen, because I’m only going to say this once. This is my life. I will date who I want. I will make my own decisions. I will make my own choices. If you can’t let me do that, then there’s nothing more for us to say.”

Her mother gasped softly. “You don’t mean that.”

“Yes, Mom, I do. With every fiber of my being I mean it.”

Her words were followed by a long pause.

“Are we clear, Mom?”

Her question was followed by a deep, reluctant sigh. “Yes, we’re clear.”

“Good.”

After she disconnected, Beth felt like standing on her balcony and pounding her chest like Tarzan. She had taken control of her life. No more Kier. No more control issues. Beth had made it clear. THIS WAS HER LIFE.

Sam had been in a pissy mood all week, not really wanting to talk or spend much time together. But maybe he was over it, since they were having dinner together. She’d missed him. And she had news to share with him. Good news. Exciting news.

By the time she arrived at the restaurant, Sam had their name on the list, and no more than five minutes later they were escorted to a booth. Sam liked hamburgers and she did, too. She considered them comfort food because she’d so rarely eaten them while living at home. Actually, she and Sam shared a lot in common when it came to tastes.

Once seated, the waiter took orders for their drinks and their meal as well. As soon as he left the table, Beth, who was all but bursting with excitement, said, “I had a conversation with my mother this morning.”

Sam arched his thick brows. “I thought you weren’t talking to your mother.”

That was true. Beth had been upset about Kier’s visit and wanted to make sure her mother understood she wasn’t going to allow her to manipulate her life choices. Ellie Prudhomme had phoned countless times and Beth had refused to answer.

“I’ve been ignoring her calls ever since she sent Kier to check up on me. But then she sent several texts, threatening to fly to Portland if I didn’t take her call.” Beth had been surprised. She didn’t think her mother even knew how to text.

“Guess she took the option away from you.”

“Well, I certainly didn’t want her visiting me again.”

“So how’d it go?”

Sam leaned back and crossed his arms. Beth read that as a defensive measure, certain she was about to tell him how much her mother disliked the fact she was dating him.

“Actually, it went great—better than great.” Beth resisted the urge to pump her fists in the air. “I told her I wasn’t her pawn and if she sent anyone else out to visit that I would cut off all communication with her.”

Sam blinked hard. “Did you mean it, Beth?”

“Every word.” She was serious and wasn’t willing to compromise. The taste of freedom, the ability to make her own choices, choose her own friends, teach and date whomever she pleased, was an elixir and she wasn’t about to risk losing it.

“I’m glad you were able to get your point across, but I don’t imagine your mother took it sitting down.”

“She didn’t,” Beth confirmed. “Mom insisted I was ruining my life.”

“By associating with me?”

“No, Sam, don’t even think that. I surprised her, though. I told her she was right; I was ruining my life.”

His frown deepened.

“And I am. I’m ruining the life she planned for me. I insisted that I am going to live the way I want and she could flush her expectations down the toilet.” Not exactly in those words, but close enough. Beth beamed him a huge smile, expecting him to congratulate her. “Aren’t you going to say anything? This is big for me. Huge.”