A Mess of a Man (Cruel & Beautiful #2)(103)

“I’m too tired to think about this now. I’m going to rest some.”

“Okay. I’m here if you need me,” Lauren says.

When I crawl in bed, it’s difficult to get the image of Ben out of my head. He looked so awful. That couldn’t have been a fa?ade. No one does that for shits and giggles. He is proving something, but I don’t know if it’s to himself or to me. I drift off and I’m not sure how long I sleep, but when I wake up, I hear voices. Female voices, so I know someone is here with Lauren. I get up and wander into the living room. Lauren sees me and gives me a wink.

“Sam, you need to meet Sadie.”

“Sadie?” I ask, confused.

“Yeah. Sadie is going to be cleaning and cooking for us until you’re able to do it yourself. Like for the next two to three weeks, courtesy of Ben Rhoades.”

“Hi, Ms. Calhoun. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ll come late in the morning so I’m here to make you breakfast or lunch, or both if you want. And then I’ll leave after I have your dinner prepared. And I’ll do your housekeeping while here.”

“Oh, but I …”

“Sadie will only be here for two or three weeks. Just until you can do these things for yourself. It’s a gift from Ben, Sam.” Lauren’s grin is so large, it’s almost obscene.

“Thank you, Sadie.”

I walk into my room and call Lauren in.

“I can’t do this,” I whisper.

“Why not?”

“You know why. It’s ridiculous.”

“So what? Make him pay, Sam. It’s nothing more than he deserves.”

“But I feel guilty.” And I do. More than I can tell her, but I don’t know why.

“Just shut the hell up and let Sadie do her job.”

“Okay. Okay, I will. But I don’t like it.” Only I change my mind after day one. Sadie is amazing. Her meals are excellent, and I wish I could afford to keep her forever.

In the two weeks that Sadie is here, I feel extremely spoiled and pampered. I wake up to the smell of coffee and homemade bread every morning. I get a full breakfast, then a made to order lunch and a dinner that’s out of this world every day. Not to mention Sadie does all our laundry, including sheets and towels. This is the life. On her last day, I’m practically in tears. I don’t want her to leave and I tell her how much I will miss her.

“I’ve enjoyed being here very much, too, Ms. Sam. Maybe we’ll see each other again.”

I seriously doubt that, but I nod anyway. Because it would be rude to do otherwise, I send Ben a note thanking him for Sadie. It’s brief and to the point.



Ben,

Thank you for sending me Sadie.

She was a big help and was wonderful.

I appreciated her very much.

Sam



The next day, I go to my surgeon for my first follow up visit. When he examines me, he’s very pleased with my healing. Laney was right. My new boobs look great. The only things different are the scars and the nipple sensations are diminished. They are still reactive, but not as much. But it sure beats dying.

When I get home, there’s a card in the mail from one of the local spas. Apparently I have a home massage coming tomorrow, courtesy of Ben. It’s one of the hot stone massages, and it will be an hour and a half long. He also sprung for a facial. Boy, he’s totally going for brownie points. I can’t say that I’m not happy about this. A massage is just what the doctor ordered.

The masseuse arrives on time with her table and supplies. The only problem is I can’t lay on my stomach yet with my new boobs, but she is able to work around that by concentrating on other areas with me on my back. I feel like a new woman. When I tell her what happened to me, she gives me a gift certificate to come to the spa when I’m healed and can lie on my stomach, so I can get a full massage. I tip her fifty bucks.

Lauren and the rest of the girls come over that night. Berkeley brings pizza and we sit around and discuss Ben.

Berkeley wants me to call him. Not to see him but to hear him out. Britt is on the fence. Carrie and Hayley are on the hell no team. And Lauren is quiet for a long time. She finally says, “He loves you, Sam. Like has it for you in the worst way. You’re going to have to do something because he’ll continue until …”

“Until what?” I ask.

“I don’t know, honestly. He’s trying hard, for sure.”

“Why have you changed your mind about him, Lauren?” I ask.

She taps her finger against her chin. “I’m not sure I have. He totally feels remorse for what he did or he wouldn’t be going to these lengths. And like I’ve said, he’s crazy, head over heels for you. I’m just sayin’, you know?”

Berkeley adds, “Give it a few days to mull over, Sam. There’s nothing that says you have to act now.”

“There’s nothing that says I have to act at all. After what he did, I’m not sure I have the nerve to take the first step.”

“You do. You’re the strongest person I know.” Lauren smiles when she says it.

The next day, I’m watching TV and wondering when I’m going to go back to work. The doctor said three weeks, minimum. Work is super busy with a stacked schedule. Jenna’s help in finding Nick’s replacement was a miracle. Laney has put all her charities on hold for me and is basically filling in full-time. But that can’t last forever because she holds some high ranking positions and they need her to fulfill her role. Mom has even pitched in a time or two. There are a few things coming up this weekend that Berkeley and Carrie are helping out with, but my doctor is adamant about me not doing anything for three weeks, so that leaves me out.