Love Me Back (Amelia and Daniel) novel Chapter 30

Not far from the commotion, two men lurked by the entrance, casting sidelong glances into the restaurant. The manager, standing awkwardly beside them, couldn’t fathom why his boss was so interested in the drama, but he didn’t dare ask.

“Why are there more and more people gathering over there, Finley? Are you sure we shouldn’t go check it out?” one of them whispered.

Finley shrugged. “Couple’s restaurants attract drama all the time. If we walk into that war zone and a fight breaks out, are you going to help Daniel or Charles?”

He had a point, but—

“It’s just, it’s hard to eavesdrop from way over here.”

Finley, ever the practical restaurateur, pointed to the discreet security camera above their heads. “Relax. The footage is high-def. We can catch the replay later.”

His friend shot him a thumbs-up in admiration.

Inside, Daniel’s gaze toward Sophia was icy cold. If it weren’t for Amelia sitting between them, Sophia would have been put in her place already.

Holding back his frustration, Daniel tapped the table with restrained fingers. “Just a reminder—this is my wife. Please find another seat.”

Sophia shot him a fake, saccharine smile. “Oh, sorry. But soon she won’t be—ow!”

Amelia had pinched her under the table.

Daniel gave Amelia a look, as if worried she was entertaining a lunatic. “Amelia, are you sure she’s sane? Why did she just howl like a wolf mid-sentence?”

“She’s still more stable than you,” Amelia retorted, reaching for her purse. “Sophia, grab the wine. Let’s go.”

Before Amelia could stand, Daniel caught her slender wrist, his thumb tracing gentle circles on her inner arm. “Stop running from me. Come home with me.”

Home?

Amelia stared into his deep, dark eyes. She wanted to ask—did that cold, distant place, the one he came and went from as he pleased, really count as a home?

The words caught in her throat, but suddenly she didn’t want to ask anymore. Enough. She was done humiliating herself over and over.

She pulled her hand free. “Sophia, let’s go.”

Of course, Daniel wasn’t about to let her leave. He knew that if she made it back to the base, he’d have no way to get to her. Sophia pressed the half-empty bottle of red wine against Daniel’s chest. “Sir, control yourself. This is a public place. Keep your hands to yourself.”

—

Later that night, Amelia drove Sophia home. Before getting out of the car, Sophia cupped Amelia’s face with both hands, suddenly serious. “Babe, listen—no matter how good-looking or ridiculously hot Scumbag Daniel is, he’s still a bastard. You’re not seriously wavering, are you?”

Amelia matched her sincerity. “Not a chance. There are plenty of handsome, well-built guys in the world. Daniel’s not the only catch out there.”

Satisfied, Sophia hugged her half-finished bottle of wine—charged to Daniel’s card, no less—and hopped out.

Amelia had meant every word, yet after she drove back to her base dorm, she couldn’t bring herself to move for a long time.

She sat behind the wheel, gazing into the thick darkness.

It’s not easy to scrape someone out of your heart—especially when that person had once made you believe in love at first sight, had given you the illusion of a whirlwind romance.

Even if Daniel’s heart still belonged to his first love, the sweet memories they’d shared were real.

Sometimes, Amelia wished he was just cold and heartless. That way, she could finally give up—walk away, and never look back.