Read Online Sammy in Italy (Single Wide Female Travels #2) by Lillianna Blake - Free Book Online
Authors: Lillianna Blake
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just that, Isabella. I’m all about stepping outside of my comfort zone, but maybe I’ve stepped out too far this time. I’m in over my head, and the last thing I want to do is draw ridicule to Alistair.” I sighed and looked away. “Maybe this is all just too much.”
“I find that hard to believe. I know I don’t know you that well, Samantha, but to me it feels like we share many traits. I can tell you that never once did I doubt that you’d be able to handle all this. Maybe it’s you that needs to have more faith in yourself?”
“Maybe. I can’t believe Alistair still wants me in the show.”
“Just do the best you can. Let this incident roll off your back. Things happen in life. If we don’t dwell on them, they can’t control us. Let me know if there’s anything I can do.” She gave my hand a light shake. “You’ll do well.”
“Thanks, Isabella.” My smile was genuine, but I wished I could believe her. She spoke every word that I, myself, might have spoken to a friend, but they failed to cross through the dark cloud that was hanging over me. I couldn’t recall a time when I felt more lost.
As confusion overwhelmed me, I pulled out my phone to call Max. He didn’t answer so I waited for his voicemail.
“Max, you really should have been here.” I pressed the phone against my ear. “I needed you.”
Just as I hung up I heard his voice.
Chapter 17
“I was here, Sammy. I saw everything.” Max walked over to me.
Relief flooded me. At least he hadn’t truly abandoned me. Maybe his presence in the audience meant that I hadn’t been alone.
“I’m sorry that happened.”
“I told you—I told all of you, but no one believed me.” I lowered my eyes to hide the tears that threatened to fall.
“Hey, it’s okay.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “You fell. It’s not the first time.”
“Thanks for the reminder.” I laughed and wiped at my eyes. “That just makes my point even more clear. I knew this was a risk, I knew that there was a good chance I’d end up making a fool of myself, and instead of trusting my instincts, I listened to everyone else.”
“Did you know it, or did you make it happen?” He sat down next to me.
“Max! Of course I didn’t make this happen. You think I enjoy feeling mortified? I may not be perfectly balanced, but I certainly wouldn’t do that to myself.”
He took my hand and gave it a squeeze. “I don’t mean on purpose. I just mean, maybe if you weren’t so nervous it wouldn’t have happened. In case you haven’t noticed, most of your accidents happen when you’re feeling anxious.”
I never treasured a hand more than his in that moment. I clung to it as if it could keep me afloat even though we weren’t in the water.
“Max. What is wrong with me?” I looked into his eyes. “Can you tell me?”
“Nothing is wrong with you, Sammy. You’re perfect just the way you are.” He trailed his fingertips along my cheek. “I’m not sure what has you so rattled, but I know that if you take the time to think about it, you’ll be able to figure it out. Let’s go back to the hotel for a bit.”
“Oh, I don’t think I can come back and do this again tonight.” I closed my eyes. “In fact, I don’t want to.”
“Sammy, you don’t give up on things.” He caught my chin with a light squeeze. “You’re going to make it through this. Let’s just go back to the hotel. You can have a nice bath and I’ll give you a massage.”
“Wow, you’re right.” I stared at him.
“I know, it’s rare.” He grinned. “Remember?”
“No, I mean you’re right that I depend on you. You’re so ready to pamper me, when I should be able to handle this myself.” I shook my head. “I never realized what a position I put you in.”
“I don’t mind. I love taking care of you. I just don’t like to see you struggle.” He sighed and rested his forehead against mine. “I want the whole world to be
“I find that hard to believe. I know I don’t know you that well, Samantha, but to me it feels like we share many traits. I can tell you that never once did I doubt that you’d be able to handle all this. Maybe it’s you that needs to have more faith in yourself?”
“Maybe. I can’t believe Alistair still wants me in the show.”
“Just do the best you can. Let this incident roll off your back. Things happen in life. If we don’t dwell on them, they can’t control us. Let me know if there’s anything I can do.” She gave my hand a light shake. “You’ll do well.”
“Thanks, Isabella.” My smile was genuine, but I wished I could believe her. She spoke every word that I, myself, might have spoken to a friend, but they failed to cross through the dark cloud that was hanging over me. I couldn’t recall a time when I felt more lost.
As confusion overwhelmed me, I pulled out my phone to call Max. He didn’t answer so I waited for his voicemail.
“Max, you really should have been here.” I pressed the phone against my ear. “I needed you.”
Just as I hung up I heard his voice.
Chapter 17
“I was here, Sammy. I saw everything.” Max walked over to me.
Relief flooded me. At least he hadn’t truly abandoned me. Maybe his presence in the audience meant that I hadn’t been alone.
“I’m sorry that happened.”
“I told you—I told all of you, but no one believed me.” I lowered my eyes to hide the tears that threatened to fall.
“Hey, it’s okay.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “You fell. It’s not the first time.”
“Thanks for the reminder.” I laughed and wiped at my eyes. “That just makes my point even more clear. I knew this was a risk, I knew that there was a good chance I’d end up making a fool of myself, and instead of trusting my instincts, I listened to everyone else.”
“Did you know it, or did you make it happen?” He sat down next to me.
“Max! Of course I didn’t make this happen. You think I enjoy feeling mortified? I may not be perfectly balanced, but I certainly wouldn’t do that to myself.”
He took my hand and gave it a squeeze. “I don’t mean on purpose. I just mean, maybe if you weren’t so nervous it wouldn’t have happened. In case you haven’t noticed, most of your accidents happen when you’re feeling anxious.”
I never treasured a hand more than his in that moment. I clung to it as if it could keep me afloat even though we weren’t in the water.
“Max. What is wrong with me?” I looked into his eyes. “Can you tell me?”
“Nothing is wrong with you, Sammy. You’re perfect just the way you are.” He trailed his fingertips along my cheek. “I’m not sure what has you so rattled, but I know that if you take the time to think about it, you’ll be able to figure it out. Let’s go back to the hotel for a bit.”
“Oh, I don’t think I can come back and do this again tonight.” I closed my eyes. “In fact, I don’t want to.”
“Sammy, you don’t give up on things.” He caught my chin with a light squeeze. “You’re going to make it through this. Let’s just go back to the hotel. You can have a nice bath and I’ll give you a massage.”
“Wow, you’re right.” I stared at him.
“I know, it’s rare.” He grinned. “Remember?”
“No, I mean you’re right that I depend on you. You’re so ready to pamper me, when I should be able to handle this myself.” I shook my head. “I never realized what a position I put you in.”
“I don’t mind. I love taking care of you. I just don’t like to see you struggle.” He sighed and rested his forehead against mine. “I want the whole world to be
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