Free The Girlfriend (Single Wide Female in Love, Book 2) by Lillianna Blake, P. Seymour

reason to worry, since I could not bring myself to be honest with him.  
    “I guess I should get going.”  
    The last thread of hope in my heart that he might surprise me with a proposal snapped. There was no special night planned. Whatever he had been talking to Stephanie about didn’t pertain to our dessert.  
    “I guess.”  
    I sat back and stared at the empty styrofoam cup on the table.  
    “Why does it feel like you’re not telling me something?” There was clear frustration in Max’s voice.  
    My stomach twisted with conflict. I knew that Max wanted me to tell him how I was feeling, and in the past when we were best friends, I never would have hesitated to. Now I felt like if I told him the truth he would see the crazy I was trying to hide from him and want nothing to do with me. How could I tell him that I didn’t understand why he hadn’t proposed?  
    “I just overheard something tonight that I probably shouldn’t have.”  
    “What do you mean?”  
    “I mean why were you and Stephanie together tonight, when neither of you told me you would be?”  
    I might have imagined it, but it seemed to me Max’s skin grew pale.  
    “Oh, you saw us?”  
    “I heard you.”  
    “Why didn’t you say something?”  
    “I don’t know.”  
    “We just ran into each other. I stopped in to pick something up and Stephanie happened to be there.”  
    I frowned. I could see that happening. Stephanie was on her way to meet me, so she had stopped at the shop. Why Max was there? That, I didn’t know.  
    “It just seems odd to me that the two of you would run into each other that way.”  
    “You think we planned it?”  
    “I don’t know what to think.”  
    “Sammy, there’s nothing between Stephanie and me. You know that, don’t you?”  
    I nodded.  
    “Are you sure?” He cupped my cheeks with his hands. “I would never do anything to hurt you.”  
    “I’m okay. I promise.” I kissed him again. Then I walked him toward the door. “Hey, I was thinking about learning to surf. Is that something you’d like to do with me?”  
    “Sure, I guess.” He scratched his head. “It could be fun.”  
    “Great.” I smiled. “I’ll let you know when I set up the lessons.”  
    He looked into my eyes one last time. “I love you, Sammy.”  
    “I love you too, Max. Thanks for the dessert.”

Chapter 19

    That night I found it very difficult to sleep. All I could think of was the bottom of that container. I’d worked myself up yet again. I believed that Max was going to propose. Why else had he and Stephanie been whispering and sneaking around? I thought I’d put my suspicions about them to rest, but now I wasn’t so sure. What if Max and Stephanie were talking about me because they were worried about me? The more I went over in my head the reasons why Max might not want to marry me, the worse I felt.
    He had a stable career with a good income. I was a writer. Sure, I was doing pretty well for myself, but that didn’t change the fact that it wasn’t exactly a stable career. Maybe Max was waiting for me to grow up a little? It hurt my heart to think that he didn’t believe in my writing. Then I realized that I was inventing Max’s feelings. I had no idea how he really felt abut my writing. He had never been anything but supportive about it.
    So why no ring?
    I turned over and punched my pillow. I hated feeling so anxious. I was worried that I didn’t trust Max, and I was worried that the proposal I’d expected was never going to happen. Maybe that was the problem. Max had never told me that he would propose by a certain time. So why was I stuck on the idea that he was going to now? I was waiting and waiting only to be disappointed. But whose fault was that?
    I sighed and buried my face into the pillow. I decided I would turn over a new leaf in the morning. I didn’t want Max to think I was clingy or demanding. I’d let my emotions and worry distract me from making any