Page 78

“She doesn’t want to talk to you.”

“Oh, I know that. Very well. But she hasn’t even let metryto talk to her yet. She just left.”

“You’re leaving, Sam. You know what Liz did to her.”

Sam dropped her head, then looked back with determination. “Please, Jess. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think this could work. Iwantus to work.” She willed her words with everything she had, hoping that Jess would believe her. “Please.”

She really didn’t want to beg.

They stared at each other until Jess blew out a breath and opened the door wider. “She’s going to kill me,” she muttered under her breath.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Sam said, stepping into their house.

“Don’t thank me yet,” Jess replied as she walked Sam to Taylor’s bedroom door. Jess knocked twice and opened the door. Taylor looked up.

“Who was tha—oh.” Taylor’s eyes narrowed as they landed on Sam.

“I’m just gonna…” Jess trailed off as she retreated back off towards the lounge.

Belle leapt off the bed where she’d been snuggled next to Taylor, and ran to Sam as she closed the door to give them more privacy. She bent down to greet Belle, Sam swearing she heard Taylor whispering “traitor”under her breath.

She straightened up as Belle sat at her feet, wagging her tail. Taylor was still looking at the dog, trying to pretend Sam wasn’t standing right there.

She took in the room. It was messy, like the state of Taylor right now. She looked as bad as Sam felt and her heart ached to see her that way. She wanted to close the gap, wrap her up in her arms and tell her they’d sort everything out. But nothing was ever that easy.

“Can we talk?” she asked tentatively.

All she got was a half-hearted shrug in return.

“Taylor.”

“What? What do you want me to say?”

“How about we have a conversation like grown adults? I want you to talk to me. Tell me what you’re thinking. What’s going on in that head of yours?” She widened her eyes, pleading.

Taylor frowned down at her hands, fiddling with one of her nails. Belle lay at Sam’s feet, her nose resting on Sam’s toes. At least someone had some sense.

“What’s the point? This isn’t going to work.”

“Not with that bloody attitude. If you don’t want to talk, fine. Sit there, sulk. I don’t care.” She wanted to stamp her feet, but god damn it, she couldn’t upset the dog.

She sighed. “No, that’s not true. I do care. That’s why I’m here, and that’s why I want to talk, so ifyou’renot going to, you can just sit there and listen.”

She paused to take a breath as Taylor finally looked at her.

“I like you. A lot. I’ve never been with someone like you, and this is new and scary for me too, but I want to try. Yes, I am leaving, but I’m telling you right now, Taylor, I amnotLiz. I’m just following my dream, and I did not expect to meet you amongst it all. You’ve been one of the best things to ever happen to me, but I’m not going to wait around for you to find your voice to work this out with me.”

Carefully, she moved her foot out from under Belle and, without waiting for a response, turned on her heel and opened the door—almost smacking into Jess, who had the decency to look sheepish as Sam stepped past her.

“I’ll see myself out.”

She wasn’t surprised when no one came running after her, though it didn’t hurt any less, an errant tear escaping as she made it to her car. She sniffed, wiping her eyes hastily as she got in and drove off.

Well, she’d done all she could. She’d wanted a conversation, to be able to talk with Taylor instead of a brick wall, but now all she could hope is that the wall had listened and maybe loosened a brick or two. Time would tell.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Jess stared at Taylor from the doorway.