Benson handed Trent his refilled glass and raised his own.“Hear, hear.”
* * *
Samantha stayed in bed until her full bladder and empty stomach finally forced her out of it.The sun had long since risen, and by the time she entered the dining room, Trent and Maggie had already eaten and gone about their daily activities.
She was still processing everything.And not just Norman and what she’d done to him, and what seeing him had brought back up from the darkness within her.There was also Trent, and the light he gave her to vanquish that darkness.
Right now, the feelings she had for him were more terrifying than anything else.She’d never been drawn to a man before.Except for Norman.For a long time, he had fooled her into thinking he cared for her.He was always so sweet to her when she came home after being with those other men.
You gave me entre to their world.
She let out a long sigh and took a bite of toast.She was more than drawn to Trent.She trusted him, and that’s what scared her.She’d already proven she wasn’t capable of knowing if someone was actually good for her or not.And then there was the fact that she was beyond sullied.Not to mention, her inability to bear children.He deserved better than her.
She needed to walk.Moving her body always made it easier to sort through her thoughts.She retrieved a light shawl, just in case there was a breeze, and left through the front door.Eventually, her thoughts circled back to where they’d been.Trent did deserve better than her, but perhaps that was irrelevant.It wasn’t as if he was going to marry her.He was only twenty.Not nearly old enough to settle down.He’d want more time to sow his oats before taking a wife.
Perhaps that was all he wanted with her.She stopped walking and turned her face to the sky to allow the sun to warm her skin.Perhaps she should let him.He’d be gentle with her, of that much she was certain.And maybe he could give her some happier memories to block out the worst ones that still haunted her.
“Miss Allister?”
Samantha opened her eyes to see Anthony studying her from ten feet away.She smiled at him.“Good afternoon, Anthony.”
“Are you alright?”He took a hesitant step nearer.
She nodded.“I’m just out enjoying some sunshine and working through a jumble of thoughts.”
“Would you like to talk?”he asked.“I know it used to help me figure things out when I would talk to my dad.”
She held out an arm and he rushed to offer his own for her to rest it on.“Do you miss him?”
His sigh was heavy with grief.“So much.”
“Was he a good dad?”
“The best.”
Samantha squeezed his arm gently.“You’ll be a good dad one day.”
He stopped and looked at her.“Do you really think so?”
“I know so.You have a kind soul, Anthony.”
He ducked his head and pink infused his cheeks.“What is it that’s bothering you, Miss Allister?”
She shrugged.“Things I probably shouldn’t speak of.”
“Things that involve Mr.Gibson?”
“Perhaps.”
“Forgive me if it’s impertinent to say, but I think he cares for you.”
“Perhaps,” she said again.
“And I think you care for him.”
“There’s the rub.”
His brow furrowed.“But I don’t understand.He’s a good man.”
