Chapter 17 Sabrina
SAbrINA
What the hell had I agreed to? Why had I put myself into this situation? This was not how I saw my morning going. I had every intention of slipping out of the hotel room and spending the day alone in Chicago with Samuel when I opened that bedroom door.
It was breaking my heart, listening to Liam and Katie discuss her sudden appearance.
It hurt when Katie talked about Ana and how she wanted her mom and dad to be together.
I was trying not to listen but, for a fancy hotel, the walls were ridiculously thin.
All of my attempts to distract myself were in vain.
I heard every word, and I knew what those words meant.
Liam and I could never be together. Not if being together meant that he could lose his daughter or break her heart.
That realization crushed me. It was why I needed to leave that hotel room.
I needed some time by myself to lick my wounds and find the strength to get over my stupid crush and be professional.
My own child needed me to be strong, even if I felt like crumbling.
I was done with being broken. I’d been there before, and I’d almost hurt Samuel.
There was no way I was going to go through that again.
Apparently, all it took was Liam’s wide eyes and desperate pleas to make me abandon my plans. Suddenly, I was throwing out my resolve and climbing into the limo with Samuel, Liam, and his ex, like a woman with no dignity.
I was in trouble.
“I’m starving,” Katie said as she shifted on her seat. She turned her attention out the window as if hoping to catch sight of a restaurant. “I haven’t had breakfast.”
I was tired of feeling confused, so I decided the best course of action was to just do my job. That would give me the distraction I was desperate for. “Do you want me to set up a reservation?” I asked as I started digging around in my purse for my phone.
Katie’s gaze landed on me, and I could feel her appraise me for a moment before she nodded. “That would be great. Besides, I doubt any stores will be open this early.”
“Great,” I said, turning my focus to my phone so I didn’t have to look at her or Liam. I hoped it would dissuade them from engaging me in conversation.
It took me exactly three minutes to locate a restaurant and get us a reservation. Liam’s name was gold and got us right in. I kept my focus on my phone as the limo driver rerouted us in the direction of the restaurant.
Ten minutes after the initial conversation, we were climbing out of the limo and onto the sidewalk.
The Toasted Egg’s doors were open, and the ma?tre d’ greeted us with a wide smile.
I kept to the back while Liam carried Samuel through the door and Katie followed after him.
I wanted to fight Liam on him helping with Samuel.
Even though I’d finally gotten to a place where I was okay with his assistance, that was prior to Katie’s arrival.
Now his eagerness to help me take care of Samuel felt strange, especially in front of his ex.
Katie’s presence was the stark reminder that I was in desperate need of.
Liam was not mine. We were never going to be the family I wanted so badly.
He was not my husband, and Samuel was not his son.
Maybe when we were alone, I could dabble in that fantasy, but now, reality had come crashing down on me like a ton of bricks.
He was Katie’s ex and Ana’s dad. They were more his family than Samuel and I would ever be.
We got seated in the back. Liam was right; I was getting used to the cameras, stares, and whispers. I’d barely noticed the hush that fell over the patrons as we weaved between the tables. It was nice, not stressing out about what other people thought. Especially when I knew the truth.
I was only his assistant. With Katie around, the focus would be on her and Liam and if they were getting back together. The stories about me begin Liam’s baby momma would be overshadowed by speculations on their relationship. I could go back to being the unknown assistant hidden in the shadows.
That was where I belonged.
The waiter came by and introduced himself to us. After he handed out menus, he took our drink orders. I asked for a water and Katie got a diet Coke. I don’t know what came over me, but, when he got to Liam, I decided the best thing an assistant could do was order for him.
“He’ll have a cold brew concentrate,” I said just as Katie said, “He’ll have a hot chocolate with whipped cream and mini marshmallows.”
I stopped and looked at her, and she did the same. I frowned, and she frowned back.
Katie leaned in. “Liam hates coffee,” she whispered.
Now I was confused. “He does? You do?” I asked turning to face him.
“He doesn’t drink the stuff. He always gets hot chocolate with whipped cream and mini marshmallows.” Katie made a face. “I have no idea how he drinks it. It’s so sweet. But that’s his order.” She blinked a few times. “I thought you were his assistant. Aren’t you supposed to know these things?”
Liam’s apologetic expression confirmed what Katie was saying. In that moment, all I wanted was for a hole to open up and swallow me. How had that article gotten things so wrong? Why hadn’t he corrected me? Why did he drink the coffee if he hated it?
My lips were parted to ask him all of these questions, but no words came out of my mouth.
“I did enjoy what you brought me,” Liam said, his gaze desperate as his smile emerged.
I wanted to believe his words, but I was so embarrassed. I was supposed to be his assistant. It was my job to know what he liked. And he lied to me? He let me believe that I’d gotten it right?
I knew logically that he was trying to be nice.
After all, we’d just met. I doubted he’d wanted to correct me after I’d gone out of my way to get him some breakfast. But that didn’t matter.
Not when I was trying to be the best assistant that I could.
I needed the truth, not for him to make me feel better.
“Is a sausage, egg, and cheese croissant your favorite breakfast?”
“Croissant sandwich?” Katie laughed. “Liam hates those.” She turned and smiled at him. “His favorite breakfast food is French toast slathered in maple syrup.” She glanced over at me. “The breakfast of champions.”
I didn’t even get that right. Yet another thing he hadn’t corrected me on. My cheeks were on fire now. I knew I had to look like a mess. I pushed my chair out and began to unbuckle Samuel. I needed a moment to compose myself, and then I’d come back to the table.
I needed a moment to shove my heart into a lockbox and throw away the key.
I’d stupidly allowed myself to fall for my boss, and I’d made a huge mistake.
I was the idiot in this situation, and I would own that.
I just needed a minute to mask my broken heart, and then I would come back to the table as the best assistant I could be.
“Excuse me,” I murmured as I wrapped my arms around Samuel and hurried away from the table. I didn’t know where the bathroom was, and I didn’t care. I just needed some distance from Liam and Katie to compose myself.
“Did I say something wrong?” Katie’s voice faded the further I got from the table.
Thankfully, a kind waitress guessed what I was looking for and pointed toward the far left of the restaurant, where the sign for the restroom hung. I gave her a quick nod as a thank you and hurried over.
I spent five minutes locked in a stall. I allowed my tears to flow for only a moment before I forced myself to get it together.
This was not the end of the world. Liam and I weren’t even anything to cry over.
I’d made up our relationship in my mind, and now I was being smacked with the cold, hard truth.
The only person I had to blame was myself.
Thankfully, Samuel was content hanging out in the stall with me.
I held onto him, hugging and kissing him to help relieve my stress.
Once again, the world felt like it was falling down around me, and he was here to pick me up.
I’d made a promise to him that I was going to get my life together so we could finally be a little family. But I continued to mess everything up.
I needed to get my crap together and be stronger.
After fixing my makeup in the mirror and washing my hands, I pulled open the bathroom door and froze.
Liam was leaning against the wall across from the bathroom with his legs extended out in front of him and his arms folded across his chest. As soon as his gaze met mine, I could feel my tears start to form again.
Get it together, Sabrina, I commanded myself.
“Sorry, had to pee,” I blurted out and then stopped myself. That was probably inappropriate to tell my boss.
Liam straightened, which brought him closer to me. “I’m so sorry I didn’t say anything to you sooner.”
I feigned confusion as I stared at him. After a few seconds, I scoffed and shook my head. “About the breakfast foods you like? Pssh.” I shook my head and waved my hand like I was trying to dispel his worry. “Don’t even think about it. The article I read got it wrong, that’s all.”
Deep down, I hoped that he was buying this lie. The words felt foreign on my tongue, but I had to keep going. We were never, ever going to be together. I needed this schoolgirl crush to stop, or I wasn’t going to survive working for him.
“Sometimes, Bonnie takes care of these interviews for me. She probably just told them what she’d had for breakfast that day.
” He pressed his hand to his chest. “I wanted to tell you, but you seemed so happy with what you’d got me.
” He paused. “I had no intention of hurting you.” His gaze was earnest as he studied me. “You have to believe me.”