The coin weighed heavy in her pocket. “So are you.” She couldn’t look at him.
Sam shrugged. “Yeah, well. I’ll deal with that later.” He glanced back at the door. “Mind if I wait it out a bit?”
“Sure.” Maya slid down the wall on the side of the door and sat on the floor. “Get comfy.”
Sam took off his suit jacket and slid down his wall, and they sat on either side of the closed door. He loosened his tie and rolled up his shirtsleeves, all the while avoiding Maya’s gaze.
“It was nice to see your dad.” Maya grinned at Sam. One beat too many passed before she hastily added, “And your mom.”
This did not go unnoticed. “It’s okay. I know she wasn’t as kind to you as she should’ve been.”
Her whole body tensed.What did he know?What had his mother said to him?“What do you mean?”
Sam just stared at her, a question on his face. “You know... I never liked the way she talked to you—even though I told her—” Sam broke eye contact. “Anyway, seems as though sixteen years didn’t change anything. But not to worry, I will be having a chat with her. Samantha is her grandchild. She’ll have to accept that.” He threw his head back against the wall. “Assuming our daughter ever speaks to me again.”
At the wordsour daughter, a thrill blazed through Maya before she could stop it. There was no need to get excited about Sam sharing something with her—even if it wastheir daughter. Shit. She couldn’t help it.
“I always thought she just didn’t like the fact that you tried to change your life plans while we were together.” But Maya knew that, in truth, Hema-auntie had never thought Maya was good enough for Sam.
Sam remained silent.
“But you must’ve really wanted the politics, since here you are.”
“It’s been a long time. Things change. People change.” Sam’s voice roughened. “She was diagnosed with cancer.”
“What? When?” Maya sat upright. She might not have been a fan of Hema’s, but she certainly didn’t wish her ill.
“Right at the end of...” His voice trailed off, but Maya heard him. “Right after you left.” He paused and cleared his throat. “She’s fine now.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Maya paused. “I mean I’m sorry she had cancer, not that she’s fine now.”
Sam chuckled, an unexpected low rumble that released the tension building in the air around them. “I know what you meant.”
Maya met his eyes and for the first time, she saw something other than pain and anger. She was drawn into him and was startled at the sound of the door opening. Before she could say anything, Sam was on his feet.
Samantha opened the door, but then stomped back into her room. She grunted as she turned and plopped down on her bed. She folded her arms across her chest and pointedly faced away from Sam, looking out the window.
Sam glanced at Maya, wide-eyed, eyebrows raised, clearly out of his element, his experiences with Niki notwithstanding. She jutted her chin toward Samantha in encouragement. He pressed his lips together and stepped into the room, as wary as if he were stepping into an unfriendly courtroom.
The room was small, and he instantly filled it with his broad shoulders and long legs. He straddled the desk chair and rested his arms on its back, facing her. Maya took her spot again, seated outside the door.
Silence. Then both father and daughter spoke at the same time.
“I’m really sorry.”
“Why didn’t you go afterher?”
“After who?” Sam asked.
“Paige. The redhead—you know, your fiancée?” Sarcasm ran thick through her voice.
Sam refused to take the bait. “I came after you.”
Maya smiled, impressed. Maybe he had learned something from Niki’s teenage years. She pulled the coin from her pocket.
Maya heard the smirk in her daughter’s voice. “You’ve been sitting here all this time because I was mad at you?”
Sam sighed, his voice calm, almost tender. “I’ve been sitting here all this time because I hurt you, and that’s the last thing I wanted to do.”
