Ink's Second Chance - Carol Dawn Page 0,10

life’s mission is to put that smile on her face every moment of every day.

What the fuck is happening to me?

“Trunk?” I ask.

“Yep. Do you know how to fold it?”

I nod my head and push her chair to the back of the car. Truthfully, I have no fucking idea what I’m doing. But how hard can it be? Five minutes go by and I can hear Rachel laughing.

She explains how to fold the damn chair through her giggles which brings a smile to my face.

Damn it all to hell. I feel the domestication taking root.

***Rachel***

The car ride over to the restaurant was done in silence. Not the type of silence that makes you shift in your seat but the type that lets you completely relax in comfort instead.

Which is weird, considering every time I thought about Sammy in the past, I was shoved back to that high school day.

“Where do you want to sit?” Sammy asks as we make our way into a popular Mom and Pop restaurant.

“It doesn’t matter,” I say. “As long as the table is low enough for me to actually reach my food.”

Sammy laughs and guides me to a booth near the back of the dining room.

We get settled in and a waitress comes to take our orders.

I’m stuck in this fantasy with Sammy that I don’t want to escape from. Maybe he really is different. Maybe Laura overexaggerated when she would tell me stories about his sexcapades.

I mean, no one could really sleep with that many people, right? Not that I’m judging him. I guess it always bothered me because I’ve never gotten over the man. I fell in love with Sammy when I was a teenager and I never stopped loving him.

Or rather, I never stopped loving the person I knew he could be.

“Ink, is that you?”

I’m brought out of my daydream by a high-pitched squeal as a long-legged blondie jumps right into Sammy’s lap.

“My goodness, it’s been ages,” she giggles.

“Get the fuck off of me, woman,” Sammy grunts. “Can’t you see I’m on a date?”

Did he just date?

“You don’t date,” the woman laughs. “Everyone knows that. You must be his newest conquest,” she says, looking down at my chair. “Although, I don’t see why. You won’t be able to do much but lay there. What fun would that be?”

“Woman, you better fucking apologize right fucking now.”

I hear Sammy and the woman bicker back and forth, but I pay them no attention. Mainly because the woman’s right. I’ve always blamed what Sammy did to me on the reason why I’ve never slept with another man but that isn’t the whole truth.

What the woman said is another huge part of it. I can’t do anything but lay there. What man would want to be with a woman who can only lay in bed like a freaking potato while he does all the work?

I’m still zoned out when the woman says something and storms off.

Sammy grips my chin and forces me to look at him which brings my focus back to reality.

“Did you hear what I said?” he asks.

I shake my head, too afraid to talk.

“I said, don’t listen to a fucking word that bitch says. You’re absolutely perfect the way you are. Any man would be lucky to have you as his woman.”

“Except you, right?” I think.

Except, Sammy’s eyes grow wide and I realize that I didn’t just think those words.

“I d…di..”

I’m saved from my stuttering mess when the waitress places our food on the table.

“Is there anything else I can get for you?” she asks. Her eyes and flirtatious smile glued to Sammy’s face.

“No thank you,” I answer, much to her disappointment.

I start shoving my cheeseburger into my mouth to keep it from spouting off any more stupid crap.

What the hell is wrong with me? I despise this man. Right?

Right?

“You’re wrong, you know?” Sammy says.

“About what?” I ask with a mouth full of food.

He smiles.

“About me not bei…”

“Hey, Ink.”

“For fuck’s sake,” Sammy sighs.

I look over and, sure enough, another woman is standing by his side.

“Are you busy later?” she asks.

“Yes, I am,” he growls. “Now fuck off. Come on, baby. We’re leaving.”

“But my friends are here,” the woman whines. “The same ones from last time.”

I try to hold back my smile as I continue eating my lunch. It doesn’t look like Sammy likes his past conquests barging into his life while he’s trying to enjoy his lunch.

Sure, I’m jealous. I’m not afraid to admit it. But Sammy is who he is. He’s not going