as well have jabbed a knife in her heart. In all the years I’ve known Lola I’ve never seen that 79
Regina Carlysle
look on her face. She never loved me. At least not like that.” Nick stood and looked down at him. “This is the way I see it. I treated her like shit the entire time we were together. I cheated on her. I treated her like she was a stupid doll who couldn’t think for herself. It wasn’t until I lost her that I realized that she’s one in a million. She’s sweet and funny. She’s beautiful and kind. I threw her away like garbage. Lola didn’t deserve that. That’s all I’m going to say on the matter. I knew the minute she looked at you that I’d lost her forever.”
With that, Nick Mantucci turned and left the room.
Rocked by emotion, Sam sat there like he’d been sucker punched. “What the hell have I done? I’ve lost her.”
Cliff bent down and picked up the Stetson that had fallen to the floor and handed it over. “Not yet you haven’t.”
Wyatt gave him a calm and steady look. “Go get her, Sam. Maybe it’s not too late.”
Sam raced from the club and fired up his truck, hoping against hope that he hadn’t ruined things with Lola.
Damn it! He loved her. Everything Nick had said about her was true. She was sweet, funny, beautiful and kind. Shit! He was such a fucking ass! Gunning the truck he pulled up near the entrance to the alley leading to Lola’s place. She seemed perfectly happy in that awful dump. Why had he insisted on believing her some kind of gold-digger? He was a fool. That was why.
Tromping through the alley, eager to apologize and even grovel if need be, he lifted his hand to knock when he heard the sounds of female voices. He knew Roxie and Emily were with her for their infernal “girls night”. Sam went still, caught his breath and turned the knob.
Unlocked.
Figured.
Opening the door, he stepped inside. “Lola I need to talk to you.”
80
Trouble in a Stetson
Three pairs of startled eyes looked up at him from their position on the floor. Emily and Roxie jumped to their feet but he only had eyes for Lola. Devoid of makeup, her eyes were swollen and her face was blotchy from tears. He’d never seen her look more beautiful. She slowly stood to glare at him.
But then out of left field, Sam felt himself under attack.
A wad of marshmallows hit him in the face and he stared, open mouthed at sweet little Emily, who yelled like a banshee. “You rat! You scum! Asshole!” She tossed another handful of marshmallows and then Roxie was yelling at him too.
“You frickin’ creep! I ought to kick your butt.” Roxie dug into a bag and flung cheesy doodles at his head. The yellow mess rained down on him but it didn’t satisfy Roxie’s need for vengeance. “You made Lola cry ! Shame on you!” Roxie went for a bigger impact and waved the cheesy doodle bag until they fell everywhere. They hit him in the mouth, his eyes. Crap.
“Yeah, shame, shame,” Emily flung more marshmallows until she was pitching them at him with both hands. “Bastard!”
“Stop it! Stop it! Okay, I am. I’m an asshole. The biggest creep alive.” Sam fisted his hands at his sides and looked at both of them. It dawned on him how lucky Lola was to have them in her life. Their pretty faces were fiery red with anger. Flags of bright color burned on Lola’s cheeks too. “Damn it, Lola. I love you.”
Emily and Roxie halted mid-attack and gazed at each other. “We’re getting out of here, honey. Right now,” Em stated with finality.
Roxie slipped into her boots and gave her a lopsided grin. “Yeah, we’ll come back tomorrow and clean this mess up.”
“Forget the mess,” Lola whispered.
“Yeah. Just leave and don’t come back until we call you,” Sam added. Roxie sauntered out the door and as Emily turned to close it, he looked at her. “Thank you for being her friends.”
81
Regina Carlysle
Emily grinned. “Don’t mention it.”
Silence fell when the door snicked
Regina Carlysle
look on her face. She never loved me. At least not like that.” Nick stood and looked down at him. “This is the way I see it. I treated her like shit the entire time we were together. I cheated on her. I treated her like she was a stupid doll who couldn’t think for herself. It wasn’t until I lost her that I realized that she’s one in a million. She’s sweet and funny. She’s beautiful and kind. I threw her away like garbage. Lola didn’t deserve that. That’s all I’m going to say on the matter. I knew the minute she looked at you that I’d lost her forever.”
With that, Nick Mantucci turned and left the room.
Rocked by emotion, Sam sat there like he’d been sucker punched. “What the hell have I done? I’ve lost her.”
Cliff bent down and picked up the Stetson that had fallen to the floor and handed it over. “Not yet you haven’t.”
Wyatt gave him a calm and steady look. “Go get her, Sam. Maybe it’s not too late.”
Sam raced from the club and fired up his truck, hoping against hope that he hadn’t ruined things with Lola.
Damn it! He loved her. Everything Nick had said about her was true. She was sweet, funny, beautiful and kind. Shit! He was such a fucking ass! Gunning the truck he pulled up near the entrance to the alley leading to Lola’s place. She seemed perfectly happy in that awful dump. Why had he insisted on believing her some kind of gold-digger? He was a fool. That was why.
Tromping through the alley, eager to apologize and even grovel if need be, he lifted his hand to knock when he heard the sounds of female voices. He knew Roxie and Emily were with her for their infernal “girls night”. Sam went still, caught his breath and turned the knob.
Unlocked.
Figured.
Opening the door, he stepped inside. “Lola I need to talk to you.”
80
Trouble in a Stetson
Three pairs of startled eyes looked up at him from their position on the floor. Emily and Roxie jumped to their feet but he only had eyes for Lola. Devoid of makeup, her eyes were swollen and her face was blotchy from tears. He’d never seen her look more beautiful. She slowly stood to glare at him.
But then out of left field, Sam felt himself under attack.
A wad of marshmallows hit him in the face and he stared, open mouthed at sweet little Emily, who yelled like a banshee. “You rat! You scum! Asshole!” She tossed another handful of marshmallows and then Roxie was yelling at him too.
“You frickin’ creep! I ought to kick your butt.” Roxie dug into a bag and flung cheesy doodles at his head. The yellow mess rained down on him but it didn’t satisfy Roxie’s need for vengeance. “You made Lola cry ! Shame on you!” Roxie went for a bigger impact and waved the cheesy doodle bag until they fell everywhere. They hit him in the mouth, his eyes. Crap.
“Yeah, shame, shame,” Emily flung more marshmallows until she was pitching them at him with both hands. “Bastard!”
“Stop it! Stop it! Okay, I am. I’m an asshole. The biggest creep alive.” Sam fisted his hands at his sides and looked at both of them. It dawned on him how lucky Lola was to have them in her life. Their pretty faces were fiery red with anger. Flags of bright color burned on Lola’s cheeks too. “Damn it, Lola. I love you.”
Emily and Roxie halted mid-attack and gazed at each other. “We’re getting out of here, honey. Right now,” Em stated with finality.
Roxie slipped into her boots and gave her a lopsided grin. “Yeah, we’ll come back tomorrow and clean this mess up.”
“Forget the mess,” Lola whispered.
“Yeah. Just leave and don’t come back until we call you,” Sam added. Roxie sauntered out the door and as Emily turned to close it, he looked at her. “Thank you for being her friends.”
81
Regina Carlysle
Emily grinned. “Don’t mention it.”
Silence fell when the door snicked
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