Oh, hell.
“Kari doesn’t want to wait to get married,” he said with a smile.
Sam’s eyes grew wider before she recovered her composure. “Well, I’m sure that as soon as she finds someone that wants to marry her, it’ll happen fast.” She took a couple of steps towards my desk before Cane’s words rooted her in place.
“She did. Max and Kari are getting married.”
You could almost taste the pleasure Cane got from telling her that. He leaned back in his chair, enjoying the show.
Sam looked at me, her jaw dropping. “You what?”
“Kari and I are gettin’ married, Sam.” I gauged her reaction. Her lips had a smile that didn’t quite touch her eyes. Her eyes twinkled, but not with anything that appeared to be good. Her eyes met mine and she studied me for a minute before standing straight and letting loose.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” she exclaimed, anger seeping through her words.
Cane let out a laugh and I shot him a look that he pretended not to see.
“No, not joking,” he said, his attention focused squarely on Sam. “Kari is so fucking excited and Max,” he winked at me before looking back at what appeared to be his opponent, “well, Max here has been waiting on this for a long time.”
Sam appeared to be in shock, still taking in the little bit of news she apparently wasn’t expecting. “I can’t believe this,” she muttered, turning to face me. “Is that why you ignored all of my calls this weekend? Is that why you sent me to voicemail every time I called you?” She narrowed her eyes, the shock wearingoff.
“After the first four voicemails, yeah—I got tired of listening to your bullshit,” I said, taking a deep breath. “What’s gotten into you?”
“What’s gotten intome?” she all but shouted. “After everything I told you the other night and you walked away, like you always do, Blaine broke up with me.” Her voice quieted, tension simmering in the air at his name. “He broke up with me because he’s in love with Kari. Said he’d go to all lengths to get her back. Nothing would stop him.”
“You’re so full of shit,” Cane laughed.
She whirled around. “Me?”
“Yes, you, little Samantha West. Full. Of. Shit.”
She gasped in offense.
“Sam,” I started, trying to wrap my brain around her actions, “I’m not worried about Blaine trying to take Kari away. We’re getting married soon. Relax.”
“I’m not going to relax! What if he does something to me?”
Cane stood quickly, taking us all by surprise. “Even if this vomit running from that mouth of yours is true, which I highly doubt, it isn’t about you. Blaine doesn’t want you—he’s not going to do anything to you. Stop being the fucking victim and stop trying to manipulate everyone.”
“I’m not,” she breathed out, her bottom lip quivering. “I’m scared for all of us.”
Cane and I exchanged a look and I stood, too. “Then you should get some distance between you and me and this whole situation.”
Her eyebrows arched at my suggestion, definitely not what she was looking for.
“I really can’t justify having you work here anymore, anyway. We were gonna talk about that this afternoon. I’ll have Hilah get your checks together and we can mail them or I’ll have them couriered to you.”
“You’re firing me? Max, please. You need me...”
“You’ve done a great job and I’ll give you a reference. But you’re gonna need to find another job,okay?”
Running her hands down her dress and looking from Cane to me and back to Cane again, she looked like a little lost girl. It made me remember the moments of our childhood, a set of memories that would always include her.
“No, it’s not okay! You are being ridiculous, thinking you can just run off with that bitch.”
I took a step towards her, feeling more violent towards a lady than I cared to feel. I clenched my hands at my side, feeling Cane watch me, ready to step in.
“Listen, Sam. I’ve tried to be nice and if I’m bein’ honest, that’s probably part of your problem. But enough’s enough. Get out. Now.”
