Fighting for More

Sammy was having one hell of a bad afternoon.

She’d taken her car to the shop, and Adam, their mechanic and a good friend of Derek’s, had told her it was a goner. He knew it was her dad’s old jeep and she was attached to it, but it was time to let go.

“Sammy, it’s all worn out.

“I don’t want you to keep throwing money at this thing every few weeks, because that’s where we’re headed. It’s going to bleed you dry, and I know you’ve got better things to spend your money on.”

She sighed, knowing he was right. He told her she could leave it there while she figured out what to do next. One of the other mechanics gave her a lift home and she was stuck using the ranch truck until she found a replacement.

She picked up Gracie and dropped her off at ballet class. She had an hour to run errands before she had to pick her up again.

She collected her dry cleaning and then swung by the bakery to pick up a pie that Lynn had asked her to deliver to Mike. She checked the dress she’d had cleaned and it looked good.

She had another date with Brett, a guy from the gym she’d been friendly with for the past few months. Tomorrow night would be their fourth date. She was nervous, but he seemed like a good guy.

Her relationships never seemed to last past this point because the guys either wanted sex or she found herself comparing them to Jake. She sighed as she headed over to the bakery, just down the street from the dry cleaners.

Lynn waved her over. “Thanks for taking this to Mike. I know it’s his favorite, and when the customer canceled, I didn’t want it to go to waste.”

Sammy laughed. “He’ll probably eat it for dinner. Thanks, Lynn.” She dashed out of the shop and over to Mike’s before she had to pick up Gracie.

She was driving along, not really paying attention, when a great song came on the radio. She pulled into the driveway, grabbed the box, and ran up to the back kitchen door, not even noticing the unfamiliar car parked by the garage.

She burst through the door, calling out, “Hey Mike, I brought your dinner. Plus, you’ll be happy to know that I have to get a new car—”

She stopped mid-sentence as she turned and saw the man standing in the kitchen. Not just any man, but the man who still held her heart.

Oh shit, there he is!

Jake’s heart was pounding in his chest. Mike looked shocked to see them in the same room together and seemed unsure of what was about to happen.

Kevin was standing off to the side, intrigued by the unfolding drama. He had to admit, she was as beautiful as the pictures.

Sammy stood there, frozen, just staring at him. God, he was still so incredibly sexy, and well, hot.

She was overwhelmed by a rush of emotions. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes and didn’t know which emotion would come out on top. After what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke.

“Hi Samantha…”

She looked at him as he said her name and felt a wave of love, pain, and anger hit her like a punch to the gut. She took a step toward him and then stopped.

Anger won out, and she walked up to him as he gave her a shy smile. She punched him as hard as she could in the face. The tears started to fall as she turned and ran out of the house. She jumped back in the truck and drove away.

Mike and Kevin’s jaws dropped as they watched Jake’s head snap back. He touched his cheek where she’d hit him and winced. She had a good punch and he’d actually seen stars when she hit him.

“Well, my friend, I think it’s safe to say that she is royally pissed at you,” Kevin said cheerfully as he guided his friend into a kitchen chair.

Mike tried not to laugh as he handed his son an ice pack.

Jake was stunned, but it only made him more determined to talk to her, to make things right, to tell her he loved her and only her.

He looked at his best friend and his father. “It’s a small setback, but I know her, and I will make her see that she still loves me.”

“You are one stubborn son of a bitch, Jake, but I admire your taste. And her right hook,” Kevin said with a laugh.

Mike just shook his head as he went into his office and called her, leaving a message, “Sammy, I’m sorry that’s how you found out he was back in town.

“I was actually going to call you tomorrow and let you know. He doesn’t know anything about Gracie. Just call if you need anything.”

Sammy pulled over a few miles down the road and had a good cry.

She wasn’t sure why she was crying. Was it anger or was it pain? Her hand was throbbing and she flexed her fingers to try to ease the tightness.

But at least the pain in her hand helped distract from the pain in her heart. She felt like she’d been blindsided, betrayed by Mike.

But why? It was his son. He had every right to have him in his home.

She just wished she’d been given a heads up so she could have been prepared. She calmed down a bit and looked at her knuckles. They were red and a little swollen. He always did have a hard head.

She noticed a missed call and voicemail and realized she hadn’t even heard her phone ring in all the chaos. She picked it up and listened to Mike’s apology and explanation.

She was exhausted as she realized she only had five minutes to get to the dance studio to pick up Gracie. She pulled back onto the road and drove faster than she normally would, just making it in time.

Gracie didn’t seem to notice anything was wrong on the ride home as she chatted away, telling Sammy all about her class.

“Hey Mommy, when do we go see that doctor person to test me? I forgot what you told me,” she asked with her impressive vocabulary.

She still amazed Sammy with the things she said, so mature for her age. “Well, babe, you go tomorrow. Is that still okay?”

“Do I miss school tomorrow?”

“Yes, Love, you won’t go tomorrow, but I’ll get you something special for dinner after. How does that sound?”

“Oh, can I pick anything?” she asked eagerly.

“Well, like what?”

“Well, how about that macaroni and cheese that you have to cook in the oven?”

“That’s what you want?”

“Oh yes. I love that.”

And I know someone else who loves it too. I just punched him.

“Alright, sweetheart, I’ll let Uncle Derek and Auntie Lynn know. Don’t forget, you’re having dinner with them tomorrow.”

“I know. You’re going on a date. Boys are gross.”

Sammy chuckled. “Yes, darling, some of them are.”

The drive home was filled with radio tunes and Sammy’s silent thoughts. She didn’t share what was on her mind until after Gracie was tucked in for the night.

“Alright, she’s asleep. Spill it, Sis,” Derek urged.

Sammy let out a sigh. “Well, Adam confirmed it. I need a new car.”

“That’s not what’s bothering you, Sammy!” Lynn chided.

Sammy glanced at her sister-in-law, who was seated on the couch, gently rubbing her pregnant belly.

She was thrilled that they were finally expecting. Derek was ecstatic. In just three more months, they’d welcome their son.

She adored Lynn, and they were the best of friends.

Lynn and Derek’s love story began when Sammy and Jake were in their junior year of college. Lynn had just opened her bakery in town, and Derek became a daily customer, buying pastries until he mustered the courage to ask her out.

After what felt like twenty dozen frosted sugar cookies, he finally took the plunge. They tied the knot when Gracie was three months old, and they’d just celebrated their anniversary.

Sammy smiled at Lynn, thinking about how well she knew her. Lynn was a nurturing soul, fiercely loyal and protective of those she loved.

She was a godsend when Gracie was born and when Sammy and Derek’s mom fell ill.

She made sure everyone was fed and functioning during the chaotic six months from when Sally Hills received her cancer diagnosis to her passing. Gracie was only eleven months old when she died.

There were times when the pain was so intense for Sammy that it knocked her flat on her ass. But Lynn was always there, and along with Sammy’s best friend, Kate, she managed to keep her head above water.

“Well?” Derek prodded.

“I dropped off the banana cream pie at Mike’s like Lynn asked me to, and Jake was there…”

“Jake? As in Jacob Doogan? The football player? That jerk?” Derek jumped up from the couch.

She nodded, her gaze fixed on the floor.

“Oh, Sammy, sweetheart, are you okay?” Lynn asked softly, moving to sit beside her on the couch.

“I punched him.”

Lynn and Derek exchanged glances, then turned back to Sammy.

“How exactly did you punch him?” Lynn asked.

Sammy stood up and demonstrated.

Derek burst into laughter, hugging his little sister. “God, you really are a fiery redhead.”

Lynn tried to suppress her laughter with a cough. Derek walked into the kitchen, and once he was out of earshot, Lynn asked again how she was doing.

Sammy looked at Lynn, tears welling in her eyes. “I don’t know... He looked so good, even better than before.”

“My heart started pounding... Part of me wanted to scream at him, tell him how much he hurt me, part of me wanted to leap into his arms and kiss him until we were both breathless.

And another part of me wanted to punch him and tell him that I hate him.”

“So, you went with the punch? Did you say anything to him?”

“No, I couldn’t find the words.”

“I know what your head is telling you, but what about your heart? What does it say?”

“That I love him and I desperately want to kiss him.”

“And what about Gracie?”

“I have no fucking clue... I don’t know how long he’s staying or what I should do.”

“So, is it a good thing that you have a date tomorrow night or not?”

“Good, I could use a distraction.”

Lynn patted her hand, letting Sammy believe that it was a good idea.

The poor guy didn’t stand a chance tomorrow night, not with Jake Doogan back in town, and Lynn knew it. Whether Sammy realized it or not was another story.