5

5

Sam

I wrap the cord around the vacuum cleaner and push it into the closet. “You think this is good enough?”

My brother scans the living room. “Looks great in here. I’m so glad you were able to come back and help me with all of this.”

“Of course.” I punch him in the bicep. “It’s actually been good being home. Good seeing you.”

The doorbell rings.

“Here she is,” my brother says as he moves to the front door.

I tidy the pillows on the couch and turn to face the front door.

“Welcome. Come on in.”

The realtor steps into the room and my eyes are immediately drawn to her long hair that’s pulled into a ponytail. She’s wearing a crisp navy-blue skirt and blouse.

“You must be Emily Cavet.”

The beauty with the sparkling eyes seems to hold a familiarity to me.

She laughs. “No, I’m Amelia Abbott.”

Amelia Abbott? My Amelia?

“Oh.” My brother initiates a handshake. “Amelia Abbott?” Steve smirks and shoots me a glance.

Great. I hope the asshole doesn’t tip her off about my crush.

Steve scratches his head. “The woman I spoke to over the phone said she was sending Emily Cabot.”

At least he’s playing it cool and not giving me away.

“No, I’m sorry. Our receptionist gets things mixed up sometimes.”

My head is going back and forth between Amelia and my brother.

“It’s nice to meet you, Stan,” Amelia says.

I laugh out loud which catches Amelia’s attention, and she looks over at me. She studies me for a moment. “Sam?”

“Amelia.”

Her eyes light up. “Oh, my goodness. Sam Spencer? Oh, it’s been a long time. What are you doing here?”

“We’re selling my dad’s house.” I point to my brother. “This is my brother, Steve.”

“Steve?” Amelia looks at her paperwork and back to my brother. She wrinkles her nose and giggles. “My notes say Stan Smith.” She looks between us. “You’re not Stan Smith, are you?”

My brother chuckles softly. “Your poor receptionist.”

“I’m so sorry for the confusion.” She sets her leather satchel on the floor.

“It’s no problem.” Steve reaches out for Amelia’s hand, and she lifts her tiny hand into his for a handshake. “I’m the older brother, by the way.”

I grumble under my breath and wish my brother wasn’t touching Amelia.

Amelia bites her lip. “I don’t think I remember you from school.”

“Held back,” I grumble.

Steve grunts. “I graduated four years ahead of you two.”

Amelia giggles. “Sibling rivalry at its finest.”

“How about we show you around, Amelia?”

When Amelia bends down to pick up her satchel, my brother gives me the bird.

Amelia

Sam Spencer. What are the chances? He moved away from Cedar Springs after high school, and I never heard anything more about him.

I always suspected Sam had a little crush on me. I was never completely sure and if he did, he never acted on it.

Sam leads the way down the hall toward the master bedroom with Steve and I following. When I’m not expecting it, Sam stops and turns to me. I run right into his strong chest.

Something familiar comes over me.

The strong chest.

The dark eyes.

The thick hair.

His scent.

Something so reminiscent.

No, it couldn’t be. Wishing something for more than a month doesn’t make it happen.

Sam is frozen as he stares into my eyes. Everything stops for a moment. Time halts and the world stops spinning on its axis.

“Lady Catherine?” Sam whispers, his eyes never leaving mine.

“Alex,” I confirm.

He nods. “Sir Alexander. Yes.”

“I’ve been looking all—”

“Do you how long I’ve been trying to—”

We cut each other off. “You first,” I say.

“No, you,” he insists as he puts his hands on my shoulders.

“I tried calling and they didn’t have the records.”

“Me too. I found out they were lost in the flood.”

I laugh. “The flood. Yes. Lost.”

“Gone.”

We both laugh and embrace.

“I’ll be in the basement,” Steve mumbles and leaves me alone with his brother.

“I can’t believe this. Not only are you, Amelia Abbott. You are Lady Catherine.”

“And you are Alex.”

Sam straightens his stance and grins. “Sir Alexander.”

I laugh. “Exactly.”

“I’ve done nothing but regret that night— regret that I didn’t get your number. Didn’t get your real name.”

“Me too.” I hug him tightly. “I’ve become obsessed at grocery stores and the mall.”

“And you remember me, right?”

“From school? Of course.” We break our embrace. “I never knew what happened to you. Where have you been?”

“Let’s talk.” Sam wraps his arm around my shoulder and leads me to the living room couch. “Have a seat.”

Once I’m comfortable on the couch, Sam sits down next to me—with hardly room between our legs. He wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me into his embrace.

He smells like heaven. Memories from our evening at the masquerade ball flood my senses.

“So, what about you, Sam?”

“I finished school and moved to New York, got a job there, and I’m working. Keeping busy.”

“New York?” I ask. “How exciting is that? What do you do there?”

“I’m in finance. What about you? A real estate agent, huh?

I’m practically bankrupt and if it weren’t for Mia, I’d be living in my car.

“Yeah, I went away to college and came back home. Graduated from the real estate school and I’ve been doing this gig for about six months now.”

“That’s great.”

“I’ve always wanted to see New York— the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Times Square.”

“Well, it’s all still there.” Sam laughs.

Sam

I don’t share with Amelia that my apartment overlooks Central Park and I live in a penthouse. I also don’t share that by “finance,” I mean I’m the CEO of a multi-million-dollar investment firm in New York.

I can’t believe that Amelia Abbott is not only wrapped in my embrace, but she’s also Lady Catherine from the masquerade ball. How did I not recognize her while we were dancing?

Doesn’t matter. None of it matters except that she’s here. That I’ve found her. Amelia Abbott, my XOXO Valentine is Lady Catherine.