Wiley… married,” she whispered once her bedroom door was shut firmly behind her.
Samantha flopped onto her bed and held the envelope in her hands. She didn’t bother to look at the invitation; those technicalities would matter later. Tears began to flow down her cheeks. Memories of the engaged couple flashed in her mind.
Samantha and Jackie had been sixteen when Samantha first started dating Wiley. Jackie had been the one with a crush on the high school’s football star.
The girls were sitting at the table in the cafeteria finishing lunch when Wiley sauntered over. Jackie had thought he’d be asking her out for sure, since the whole school knew of her crush.
“Hey, Sammy, could we talk a minute?” Wiley had asked.
She’d always found Wiley to be somewhat attractive but not as handsome as everyone seemed to think. The one thing he had going for him was that he was nice to everyone, so she’d gotten up from the table and went along. She shrugged her shoulders and followed him to a deserted corner of the cafeteria.
“What would you like to talk about, Wiley?” She put her hands in her jean short pockets and looked up at him.
“Wanna go with me to see a movie tonight?”
Shocked, she darted her eyes over to her best friend. She could care less if she dated Wiley Day. What mattered to her was Jackie’s feelings. “But Jackie likes you.”
He frowned and looked down at her. “I like you, Sammy, but I understand if you won’t because of your friend.”
“Just a minute.” She walked back to the table. Jackie’s feelings had meant more than a date to Samantha. But Jackie didn’t say no. Jackie had cried out with excitement, “At least one of us gets him!”
Jackie never showed any jealous feelings and seemed to welcome the addition to the twosome. The three of them became inseparable best friends.
Samantha knew in her heart she wanted to leave Alban, to go off on her own and get away from her mother. Getting accepted into the highly ranked West Coast University was a surprise. She’d held onto the letter of acceptance, not sharing it with anyone. She was scared to reveal she had gotten in to the college.
A month later, she finally made the announcement.
“Please don’t go,” Wiley whispered in her ear the night she revealed the glorious news.
She said she would think about it, even though she was already deciding on what to pack.
The goodbyes had been just as hard. Samantha had stood beside her overstuffed car with her best friends. Wiley had wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tight as if he never wanted to let her go.
“Please write to me every day,” Wiley had said as he pushed back the tears.
“I’ll write to you both as often as I can. I love you guys.” And she did. At that time, she really had loved them with her whole heart. Her heart had broken in her chest as she left her two favorite people behind. She needed to do it. She had to spread her wings and fly without the help of her friends or the dictates of her mother.
When Samantha had returned to the farm, Jackie had been busy and Wiley was nowhere to be found. One thing about small towns was that rumors spread like dandelion seeds in the spring wind. It was the first thing Samantha had heard as soon as she stepped foot in Alban city limits.
Wiley had spent large amounts of his time with Jackie. That was expected, since they were such good friends. What concerned the newly independent Samantha was the rumor that Wiley was cheating on her. She had seen them together, but didn’t feel a confrontation was necessary. She cut the visit short and it was the last time she had seen Jackie or kissed Wiley. It was a goodbye kiss that lasted forever. As soon as she arrived back at school, Samantha severed the ties.
Chapter 10
Damn it! So much for his self control when he was with Samantha. Noah had always taken pride in the amount of willpower he possessed. He’d given in to temptation in the past. When he had sex with a woman, he made sure
Samantha flopped onto her bed and held the envelope in her hands. She didn’t bother to look at the invitation; those technicalities would matter later. Tears began to flow down her cheeks. Memories of the engaged couple flashed in her mind.
Samantha and Jackie had been sixteen when Samantha first started dating Wiley. Jackie had been the one with a crush on the high school’s football star.
The girls were sitting at the table in the cafeteria finishing lunch when Wiley sauntered over. Jackie had thought he’d be asking her out for sure, since the whole school knew of her crush.
“Hey, Sammy, could we talk a minute?” Wiley had asked.
She’d always found Wiley to be somewhat attractive but not as handsome as everyone seemed to think. The one thing he had going for him was that he was nice to everyone, so she’d gotten up from the table and went along. She shrugged her shoulders and followed him to a deserted corner of the cafeteria.
“What would you like to talk about, Wiley?” She put her hands in her jean short pockets and looked up at him.
“Wanna go with me to see a movie tonight?”
Shocked, she darted her eyes over to her best friend. She could care less if she dated Wiley Day. What mattered to her was Jackie’s feelings. “But Jackie likes you.”
He frowned and looked down at her. “I like you, Sammy, but I understand if you won’t because of your friend.”
“Just a minute.” She walked back to the table. Jackie’s feelings had meant more than a date to Samantha. But Jackie didn’t say no. Jackie had cried out with excitement, “At least one of us gets him!”
Jackie never showed any jealous feelings and seemed to welcome the addition to the twosome. The three of them became inseparable best friends.
Samantha knew in her heart she wanted to leave Alban, to go off on her own and get away from her mother. Getting accepted into the highly ranked West Coast University was a surprise. She’d held onto the letter of acceptance, not sharing it with anyone. She was scared to reveal she had gotten in to the college.
A month later, she finally made the announcement.
“Please don’t go,” Wiley whispered in her ear the night she revealed the glorious news.
She said she would think about it, even though she was already deciding on what to pack.
The goodbyes had been just as hard. Samantha had stood beside her overstuffed car with her best friends. Wiley had wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tight as if he never wanted to let her go.
“Please write to me every day,” Wiley had said as he pushed back the tears.
“I’ll write to you both as often as I can. I love you guys.” And she did. At that time, she really had loved them with her whole heart. Her heart had broken in her chest as she left her two favorite people behind. She needed to do it. She had to spread her wings and fly without the help of her friends or the dictates of her mother.
When Samantha had returned to the farm, Jackie had been busy and Wiley was nowhere to be found. One thing about small towns was that rumors spread like dandelion seeds in the spring wind. It was the first thing Samantha had heard as soon as she stepped foot in Alban city limits.
Wiley had spent large amounts of his time with Jackie. That was expected, since they were such good friends. What concerned the newly independent Samantha was the rumor that Wiley was cheating on her. She had seen them together, but didn’t feel a confrontation was necessary. She cut the visit short and it was the last time she had seen Jackie or kissed Wiley. It was a goodbye kiss that lasted forever. As soon as she arrived back at school, Samantha severed the ties.
Chapter 10
Damn it! So much for his self control when he was with Samantha. Noah had always taken pride in the amount of willpower he possessed. He’d given in to temptation in the past. When he had sex with a woman, he made sure
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