Explosion of Love (The Armstrongs Book 6)
Read Explosion of Love (The Armstrongs Book 6) Online
Authors: Jessica Gray
This is a work of fiction. All characters, names, and places in this book exist only within the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons or locations is purely coincidental.
Explosion of Love – The Armstrongs Book 6
All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2015 Jessica Gray
This book is copyrighted and protected by copyright laws.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without prior written permission from the author.
All characters, names, and places in this book exist only within the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons or locations is purely coincidental.
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able of Contents
Samantha Armstrong grabbed another handful of tissues from the box in a futile attempt to get a grip on her running nose and her streaming eyes. The box fell to the floor with a bang, and she left it lying there. She had bigger problems to worry about than a stupid tissue box. Her world had just turned upside down, in more areas than one.
At the age of twenty-four, the world should be her oyster. She was a highly sought-after top model in New York, but today, she’d probably lost it all because of her temper, and the underhanded dealings of someone who’d said he cared about her. A
fter today’s debacle, you’ll be lucky if you can land a job advertising dog food.
She gave in to her tears for another few minutes and wallowed in self-pity. But if she was honest, she had to blame herself and her lack of self-control for what had happened. She pushed away that insight and dug through the pile of magazines, receipts, and other contents that had spilled from her purse, in search of her cell phone. Why did that stupid cell phone always have to hide somewhere?
The whole imbecile world is conspiring against me!
When she located it, she scrolled through her contacts until she found the one she wanted, her best friend Grant Paxton.
“Hello, Sammie. Long time no talk.” Grant answered the phone with a smile in his voice.
He was the only person in the world she let get away with calling her
Sammie.
Not even her brothers were allowed to do that. But with Grant, she actually liked the way he pronounced it, sweet and fun at the same time. Just like him.
“Hi, Grant.” Samantha heard his cheerful tone, but it didn’t penetrate though her sadness and despair. Not today. She struggled not to unload her sorrow on him right then and there. He’d take it in stride, but it wouldn’t make her feel any better. She needed a hug in the worst way.
Making a rash decision, she told him, “I’m coming to Chicago. Can you pick me up at the airport?”
After a slight pause Grant replied, “Sure, Sammie. When do you arrive?”
Sam mumbled something into the phone, while opening her laptop to search for a flight, and trying to dry her tears at the same time.
“I didn’t catch that. What time does your flight arrive?”
“I’m working on it.”
“What do you mean? You haven’t scheduled your flight yet?” Grant asked in disbelief.
As he spoke, she booked the last remaining seat on a flight leaving in over an hour. “I’ll be there around 6:40 tonight.”
“Say that again. Sorry, I dropped the phone and only caught the last word.”
Samantha repeated the time of her arrival, a little louder this time, but there was no way to disguise the huskiness in her voice, left behind by her tears. She’d just given herself away.
Grant’s sigh echoed over the phone line. “What is it this time?”
Damn, I can’t hide anything from him.
Sam blew her nose and answered his question on the verge of breaking out into tears: “I broke up with Craig.”
And I need you to make me feel better.
“Again?” Grant asked.
This wasn’t the first time she’d called him after breaking up with the slime bag, but it would definitely be the last one. She felt stupid because she hadn’t seen through Craig before. How stupid could a girl be and go back to the same unworthy guy time and again?
“Yes. But this time it’s for good.”
Grant said nothing, but she envisioned the eye-roll her comment produced.
He might not believe me right now, but I’m serious this time.
“So, how long are you staying?” Grant asked, moving away from the subject of her breakup. He’d made his opinion of the man known a time or two, and now she wished she’d listened to him – or to her brothers. If she wasn’t so stubborn, she might have taken their advice and kicked that guy to the curb years ago.
“I’m not sure…”
“You’re not sure.” Grant repeated her words as if there was a mystery he needed to solve. “Aren’t you a busy supermodel, who’s booked out for weeks in advance?”
“Yeah, but not right now.”
And maybe never again. I more than likely ruined my career. After my temper tantrum today, nobody will want to work with me ever again.
“Well, you know I love seeing you. Text me your flight number and I’ll pick you up. Take care.”
Samantha hung up the phone with a small sense of relief. Grant always had that special way of making her feel good. Secure. She didn’t spend much time analyzing it, but given the choice between running home to her family, or to Grant, she would always choose Grant.
The thought of her family had her trying to remember where all of her siblings were, and she sighed in relief at the realization that only one or two of them were in Chicago at the moment.
Whew! I don’t need them breathing down my neck right now.
Sure, they’d be sympathetic to her plight, threaten bodily harm to Craig for his actions, but it wouldn’t stop there. No, it would continue, becoming more than she was willing to put up with in her frame of mind.
She wasn’t up for the lectures she would more than likely receive from her brothers. They had never liked her ex-boyfriend, and as much as she hated to admit it, they’d been right all along. She just hadn’t wanted to see it or to listen to anyone. But today, she couldn’t handle even one “I told you so” from them. Getting her nose rubbed in her failures was the last thing she needed.
I need a shoulder to cry on and someone to make me feel good about myself. I need Grant.
Before rushing off to the airport, she tossed a few clothes into her suitcase, packing the essentials and nothing else. She needed out of New York, and away from the possibility of running into her ex. Fast. That douche bag had just officially ruined her career. As far as the fashion world was concerned, she was as good as dead now.
Samantha put on her huge sunglasses and hailed the first taxi to pass by her building, instructing the driver to take her straight to the airport. She’d been lucky enough to secure a seat on the last flight to Chicago this afternoon, and hoped it wouldn’t take her too long to get through airport security. With one carry-on bag, and already checked in online, she should be able to make it in time for boarding.
It’s not like you’re prepared for any instant photos anyway. If the media gets wind of what went down today, you’ll be sought after, but for the wrong reasons.
That unpleasant notion had her rehashing recent events in her mind. Again. It seemed that was all she’d done for the last few hours: replay the events of earlier today over and over in her mind. No matter how many times she rehashed things, they didn’t make her actions look any better the twentieth time around.
It hadn’t been enough for Craig to put his needs before hers. No. He’d had to destroy her in the process.
Lying piece of…
Samantha started sobbing again, drawing the attention of the taxi driver. Thankfully the driver was too occupied with rush-hour traffic, navigating the numerous cars trying to get out of the city and home for the evening, to start a conversation with her.
When the taxi arrived at the airport, she attempted to mop up her face with the soggy tissues in her hand. She swallowed several times before she stepped out of the taxi, taking the suitcase the driver was holding for her and handing him a roll of cash. “Thanks.”
She entered the terminal, eager to get on the plane and home to Grant.
Grant would know what to do. He always knew.
They had been friends for as long as she could remember. As they grew up and became adults, their friendship had stayed strong. She trusted him. He’d always had her best interests at heart, even though his brutal honesty was often a lot to cope with. Especially when he pointed out things she knew but didn’t want to admit. Like her lack of self-control, or that Craig wasn’t the right guy for her.
Their close friendship had been one of the things she’d missed most in New York. Since she’s left the Windy City four years earlier, they’d seen each other once or twice a year, at the most, and she’d missed him. A lot.
Grant hung up the phone and attempted to go back to work. He needed to finish up the schematic for the building he’d take down next week. But instead of focusing on where the charges had to go, his mind kept drifting to Samantha.
She had been crying before she called him, and if one thing got to him, it was seeing – or hearing – a woman cry. Samantha was his best friend; nobody was allowed to make her cry.
His fists clenched and he envisioned punching her ex in the stomach. That would serve him right. Grant wasn’t the aggressive type, but when one of his sisters or Sam were concerned…
He pushed the blueprints in front of him away and steepled his hands. It was fruitless in his current state of mind to continue working on a plan to blow up an entire building in a compact row of houses without damaging the neighboring structures.
His job as demolition expert in the construction business demanded absolute coolness, not only on-site when he had to set up the dynamite for the controlled detonation, but also when making the blueprints and calculating the necessary amount of explosives. One mistake and an entire district would be damaged.
Samantha is coming home.
Samantha and Grant had been best friends forever. He was ten when he met her and her brothers for the first time, during their summer vacation at Sandy Beach. Her brother Patrick had soon become his best friend, and somehow Sam had always tagged along with him and Patrick on their teenage shenanigans.
He remembered one summer at the beach, when he’d noticed that Samantha Armstrong was no longer a little girl. She’d been hanging out with friends, wearing a colorful, tiny two-piece bathing suit that showed everyone and anyone looking she was on her way to becoming a woman. She’d filled the top of the bikini well, and the swell of her hips combined with her flat stomach had caused a reaction in Grant’s body like never before.
I’ve loved her since that day. Or even before.
He smiled at the thought of seeing her again, but anger overshadowed the joy. Lots of anger. Samantha had been in an on-and-off relationship with Craig for the last three and a half years
,
despite the fact that all of her family and Grant had voiced their concern.
A wry smile appeared on his face. Knowing Sam, she’d stayed with Craig not despite but because of their concerns. Gosh, that woman was the most stubborn person he knew. Gorgeous, fun, lovable, but stubborn as a mule.
She looked so cute and innocent with her chestnut-colored hair that fell in soft waves down to her waist, and her brilliantly gleaming blue eyes. But beneath that soft and beautiful surface that the world knew lay a strong personality. Growing up with six brothers, she’d never been shy to fight for what she wanted. One more reason he couldn’t fathom why she’d stayed with Craig for such a long time.
I wonder what he did this time?
For as long as he’d known Craig, the guy had come up with the most detestable behavior, and more than once, he’d dumped Samantha in favor of his own needs. Why had she kept going back for more punishment? That wasn’t the Samantha he knew and loved.
Last year when she came to visit for Dean and Melissa’s wedding, he’d hoped to set her head straight, but the timing was never right. Besides, at the time of her visit, she and Craig were getting along well. Well, up until the last day, when a fight had sent her running back to New York, her temper boiling over.
He remembered sharing a glimpse with Patrick as they dropped her off at the airport, hoping she’d gotten rid of Craig for good. But a few weeks later, he’d heard that everything was fine once more. Their yo-yo relationship was as ridiculous as the behavior of Craig himself.
It Samantha weren’t involved, and that fool weren’t such a poor excuse for a human, Grant might have laughed about some of the stunts Craig had pulled over the years.
He sure doesn’t deserve a wonderful woman like Samantha.
Grant looked at the clock; he still had time before he needed to leave for the airport
. I need to get this blueprint done.
He deliberately pushed all thoughts about Samantha to the back of his mind and focused on the problem at hand. When his coolness of mind returned, he worked on the blueprint for blasting an entire building into shreds.
Perhaps not with 100% concentration, because a small part of his mind had put his despicable opponent into the building to be torn into shreds when the dynamite exploded. It was a satisfying way to cope with his emotions and helped him to finish his task in record time.
After forty-five minutes he rolled the papers up and then turned to stare out the window at the Chicago skyline.
A glance at the clock quickened his pulse, and he grabbed his keys to drive to the airport to meet the one woman in the world he wanted but could not have.
He parked in short-term parking, and was walking towards the escalators when he spied her coming down.
“Hi, Firecracker!”
Samantha laughed in sheer joy and launched herself into his arms, hugging him close, the same way she’d done for years. Then she pressed a kiss on his cheek. “Hi, Grant.”
He pressed his lips on her thick hair, and the flowery scent of her shampoo mixed with the sense of her luscious curves pressed against his body stirred thoughts in him that had nothing to do with being best friends.
She backed away and looked at him with such innocent joy in her eyes, it stabbed his heart.
She’s never seen anything different in me than her best friend.
“Grant, I’m so glad to see you…it’s been ages.”
Her eyes glistened and her honest smile made his heart jump and his body warm up. Maybe there would be hope for them? But then he thought she deserved a much better man than himself.
Grant nodded his head and then smiled at her. “Almost a year. Much too long.” He looked her over; that woman was even more beautiful now than when she’d left.
No wonder they pay huge amounts of money to take your picture.