15. Sam

SAM

October 2022 - Sam is 28, Annie is 26

I nearly run into an older woman who's calmly walking through the airport in my haste to get a taxi. "Sorry," I yell as I run past, not waiting to hear her response.

I have to get to Annie.

It's been several months since I last saw her, when we stayed up all night and she told me all about her relationship with that vile man and then in the morning she went back to him. I begged her to quit, but she told me she couldn't quit and that she had to ease him out of the relationship again before she could be done for good. I told her that was a crappy reason, but I couldn't convince her before I had to leave again. Because of a contract, I was only in town for three days before I started a backpacking trip all around South America, which is where I was until Noah called me yesterday and told me that I needed to come home.

He needed to be back in Utah, working at his grandma's bookstore and fixing things with Tally. But I needed to come home, to Annie.

Because the boyfriend she couldn't leave hit her—badly. Noah told me to prepare myself and I spent my entire thirteen-hour flight imagining the worst. I haven't been able to eat or sleep. According to my best friend, Annie is staying at my apartment and she's officially done with the man I begged her to leave months ago. Thank goodness though.

My taxi driver is chatty, but I can't seem to focus on any of his words. I won't be able to focus on anything until I see Annie until I know that she's okay, that she's alive. I tip extra as I grab my bag from the trunk and sprint up the stairs to my apartment.

I force myself to breathe slowly as I turn the lock on the door. The apartment is dark and quiet and I'm nearly afraid that I won't find her. That my worst fear will be true and she won't be here. I drop my bag before moving into the apartment and stop short when I see her fast asleep on the couch. The right side of her face is black and purple. I fall to my knees and cradle her face in my hands. She stirs but doesn't wake.

"Oh, sunshine," I whisper as I lean my forehead against hers.

Her eyes flutter open. "Sam?"

"I'm here." I move and cradle her against my chest, her arms going around me in an awkward hug as I kneel before her. I'm gentle, unsure of how many unseen injuries she has.

"Thank you for coming," she whispers.

I nod. "Let's get you to bed, it's late."

She nods against my chest and I scoop her up in my arms, bypassing her room and carrying her straight to mine. After she had moved out originally, I'd replaced the twin beds in my room with a queen since Noah had taken her room.

I place her gently on the bed. "I'll be right back," I say as she leans against the pillow and closes her eyes. I hurry to the bathroom and splash cool water on my face. I'd prefer a shower like I generally do after such a long flight, but I don't want to leave her alone for that long. I grab my gray sweats that I keep in the bathroom, slide out of my jeans, and put on something more comfortable. My mind is racing. Noah said that she was fine, other than the obvious injuries. She'd told him she'd reported Mitch for what he did and that she had assured him she was fine and so he left.

I send Noah a text, letting him know that I've made it home and I'm with Annie. I want to get back to her, but I know he was waiting for an update. Even though it's late in Utah, he replies immediately.

Noah: Thanks, man. I wish I could have stayed. But I don't have a ton of time off here at the Book Shop, and if I don't work all my days here, I'll lose the shop. And Tally.

Me: I get it. I'm with her now.

Noah: Take care of her for me. She seemed to be doing fine when I left.

I sake my head as I look down at my phone. Noah has always been a protective older brother, always wanting to take care of Annie, but she must have put on one hell of a show for him because he didn't describe the Annie I came home too. And if she had acted the way she is now, he wouldn't have left her alone, not for a minute.

The woman who is lying in my bed? That woman does not seem fine. She seems like a ghost, a shell of who Annie once was. I set my phone on the bathroom counter because I want to give her all of my attention. My hands are shaking as I walk back to my bedroom. Her eyes snap to mine as I pause in the doorway.

"I can sleep on the couch if you're more comfortable…" I say.

She shakes her head. "I don't want to be alone," she whispers, and that's all it takes before I'm crossing the room and crawling onto the other side of the bed. I wrap my arms around her gently as we lie together in silence.

"Can I get you anything for the pain?" I whisper.

She shakes her head again. "Just…hold me?"

"Always."

Her breathing slows long before mine does. My jaw is tight and I try to force thoughts of hurting Mitch out of my mind. I'd really love to go beat up the guy, but I know that would hurt her more than it would help this situation. And I just want to be here for her. My arms tighten around her as she settles against me.

While this isn't the first time she's ever slept in my arms, it feels different. I want to hold her and keep her close and safe. I know I won't be able to actually do that. I can't smother her. Moonlight shines down on us from in-between the curtains. She looks so peaceful while she sleeps.

I'm going to do everything I can for her to feel that peace, always.

No matter what it takes.

I force thoughts of hurting him out of my mind and focus on Annie, watching her sleep. I'm just so glad she's okay, at least, kind of okay. I keep my eyes open most of the night, just to reassure myself that she's okay, that she's breathing.

The morning light starts to peek through the curtains before sleep finally claims me.

The other side of the bed is empty when I wake up. The clock on my nightstand tells me it's almost noon.

Something smells delicious though, and when I wander out into the kitchen, I find Annie at the stove, stirring something in the pan.

"Morning." She smiles at me. "I hope it's okay that I'm making your lunch right now. You did sleep through breakfast."

"Sorry," I say. "I didn't sleep much on the plane and it took me a while for my brain to quiet down last night. Did you sleep okay?"

She nods, her cheeks pink. "Better than I have in a while."

That doesn't seem hard to imagine, especially if she was still staying at his house until a few days ago.

"Were you able to get all of your stuff moved in?" I ask as I sit down at the tiny table in the corner of the kitchen.

"Yeah, Noah helped me get all my things while Mitch was working. I don't have a ton of stuff. Just a couple of boxes of books and my suitcase with clothes. And Noah said he'd fill our mom in about everything, so I don't have to talk to her."

"That's good." Annie and her mom haven't ever had the greatest relationship. I imagine everything will go over better if she hears the news from Noah anyway. I also wonder why Annie doesn't have very many things, she never has. But I don't ask because that seems like a question for another day.

"Are you doing okay?" I ask her.

"Better than last night," she tells me, and I can tell by her tone and body language she's being honest. And truthfully, it's really good to see her in the kitchen. If she wasn't cooking, I'd be worried. "I do have to go to work later though. I couldn't get my shift covered."

"But your face…"

"I know I've got a huge bruise, but I'll only be in the kitchen."

"Will…" the words get lodged in my throat. I can't even ask if he'll be there. Because if he's going to be there, it's bring your friend to work today because there's no way I'm letting her go to work alone.

"No," she answers as if she knows what I was going to ask. "He will be out of the state for a couple of weeks. He's meeting with new suppliers for his new restaurant so he won't be around. He left yesterday, I think."

"Are you going to quit?" I know it was her dream to work at Austen's until she could get enough money for her place. But I also know that her grandma left her a nice inheritance when she passed a few months ago, so I don't know what would be stopping her.

"Not yet." She looks away from me as she says it. "I can't."

"If you need money…" I start to say but she shakes her head, which is probably a good thing. I've been kind of reckless with my spending for the past two years, and I don't have a ton left in my bank account. Even with money coming in from sponsors and my channel, I've got a team to pay and I don't bring in a significant income these days.

"I don't need money. I just can't quit yet."

"Why not?" I ask her as she sets a steaming plate in front of me.

"I made you my new chicken recipe I've been testing out. Let me know what you think," she says without answering my question.

"Annie," I grab her hand as she starts to walk away. "Why won't you quit?"

I see something like fear flash in her eyes. "I can't. Not yet, but I will soon."

I want to urge her to quit anyway, but something tells me that now is not the time for this conversation. So I wave my white flag, I'm not going to drop this, but I will today. "Okay."

"Okay."