Outback Hearts (Beyond Reality Book 1) (18 page)

Sam arrived at work early the next day. She eagerly opened her email. As she’d hoped, she had an email from [email protected].

It was an invitation to talk over an instant messaging program. Sam already had the program on her computer since the company used it to talk to each other. She quickly added Xander’s email. As soon as it was added she heard a “ping.” She’d received a message from Xander.

Did you watch it?
Was all it said.

Sam responded,
Yes. What part are you referring to?

The Love in the Outback Section.

I saw it.

What did you think?
Xander replied.

I thought it was a smart thing to do,
Sam responded, not knowing who she was really talking to. It could be a reporter looking for more information, or it could be a producer trying to get her to break her contract somehow.

Why?
Xander asked.

Look...
Sam typed,
I don’t know who you are or what you want. How did you get my email anyway? Why are you sending me things? This is getting a little creepy.
She was getting a little freaked out by the whole thing. She wasn’t sure what Xander wanted and how he’d gotten her information.

I’m sorry.
Xander typed,
I mean you no harm, I was just curious as to what you thought about the situation. Would you feel more comfortable if we met in person?

Sam paused. She was interested, but she was also a bit scared. She must have paused too long.

I don’t mean to scare you.
Xander typed.
We can meet wherever and whenever you want. It can be at a fast food restaurant for all I care, but I’d like to meet with you. I think it’ll clear up a lot of confusion on your part. I know it’s not fair of me, but I ask you to trust me.

Sam thought she must be crazy because she typed back.
Okay, this weekend? I’m not sure where…

Xander quickly typed back.
Great! You won’t regret it, I promise. How about the tram?

The tram?
Sam asked.

Yeah, why don’t we say Friday night, at the top of the tram off of Tramway Blvd, 8pm. Then once you hear what I have to say, we can either have dinner or you can leave.

Sam had always loved the tram. She didn’t like the trip to the top in the tram car much, but it was so beautiful at the top of Sandia Peak. Looking over the city it almost made up for the scary ride up there.
Okay, how will I know who you are?
she asked.

You’ll know,
Xander responded.
Until then.

With that Xander logged off of the messaging program. Sam immediately called Beth to tell her what she’d done. Now that she’d agreed to meet whoever this Xander was, she was scared to death. Beth, however, was thrilled. She was sure it had to be a man, someone who’d seen her on the show and was in love with her and finally got up the guts to ask her out. Sam wasn’t sure. The entire situation was odd, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to get into a relationship with anyone. It was hard enough getting over Alex, and they didn’t even really have a relationship in the first place!

Later that day Sam received another package. This one was from one of the local department stores. When she opened it, it was a pair of princess cut solitaire diamond earrings. They weren’t that big, maybe half a carat, but Sam was still shocked. Like usual there was a note, but it didn’t say who it was from.

Please wear these this weekend. It would please me to no end.

Sam had never received anything so beautiful in all her life. She wasn’t sure she should accept them, but she didn’t know who to return them to. She’d always wanted a pair of diamond earrings, but figured it was too big of an expense to splurge on for herself. Figuring she’d be meeting a man that weekend rather than a female was now almost a certainty.

Friday night came pretty fast. Sam had made a plan with Christina to call her about eight-thirty on her cell. It was a typical ploy that they came up with when going on a blind date. Christina would pretend to be a neighbor and say that one of her dogs had gotten out and that she had her at her house and would Sam please come and get her. That would give Sam a chance to leave if she wanted to.

Sam looked around the parking lot at the tram station. She didn’t recognize any of the other cars. She didn’t like coming alone, but there were plenty of other people around. She bought her ticket, then hung out in the small gift shop until her tram arrived. She got on with the other passengers. As the car started its slow ascent, Sam wondered for the hundredth time what she was doing. She had worn the earrings. They were beautiful and she couldn’t imagine not wearing them. In fact, she’d been wearing them all week. They’d most likely become her new “everyday” pair. Sam had taken great pains to dress up tonight. She wanted to look nice, but not
too
nice considering she wasn’t sure about Xander’s motives. She wore a black pair of pants and a lime green turtleneck sweater.

After about twenty minutes the tram finally docked at the top of Sandia Peak. Sam let the other passengers push their way out of the car while she tried to look around to see if she recognized anyone. She slowly made her way out of the car and toward the small building. She didn’t see anyone who looked like they were looking for her, so she entered the building. Most of the other passengers obviously had reservations at the restaurant and were making their way toward it. Sam stepped in and looked around. There were two children with their mother and some other people waiting for the return trip down to the tram station. Sam walked further into the building. Around the corner, she saw a man standing by the windows on the north side, looking out. Sam looked around. She didn’t see anyone else around. When she turned back toward the man he’d turned so he was facing her.

Sam couldn’t believe her eyes. It was Alex! What was he doing here? All she could do was stare at him in confusion as he walked toward her.

Alex approached Sammi. She looked beautiful. He couldn’t believe it’d been so long since he’d seen and talked to her. It was almost as if it was the same as the day they parted. Alex thought the confused look on her face was cute. He reached out to take her hands.

“Sit with me?” he asked with some trepidation.

Sam could only nod. Alex led her over to one of the benches alongside the windows. Sam sat down and Alex took the seat next to her.

“What are you doing here?” Sam asked with her brow furrowed.

“Sammi,” Alex started “I—”

Sam interrupted him. “Actually, my name is Sam,” she told him, blushing lightly.

Alex smiled. “I’d wondered about that. I knew your email said that was your name, but I thought maybe you went by Sammi. I should’ve known. My name isn’t Al either. It’s Alexander David Sanders the third.”

Sam finally smiled. “I heard that when the show aired. That fits you much better than Al. Do you go by Alexander? I feel like I don’t know you at all.”

Alex smiled. “You know me, Sam. We weren’t together very long, but I think we got to know each other pretty well. I go by Alex.”

“Alex, okay,” Sam told him. Suddenly, a thought struck her. “Xander in your email…short for Alexander, huh?” She smiled at him.

“I wondered when you’d figure that one out,” he told her.

“I don’t understand, Alex.” Sam’s voice trailed off.

“I know, and I’m sorry. I wanted to explain to you,” Alex said. “And I did promise you’d hear from me again, remember?”

Sam nodded, but didn’t say anything. Her head was reeling. She couldn’t believe Alex was here, apparently for her. It blew her mind.

“You know about the contract I was under because you were under the same rules. I wasn’t allowed to contact anyone from the show until after it was over. It said I couldn’t write, call or see anyone, it didn’t say anything about sending things.” Alex smiled. “I’m sorry about the show, Sam. It wasn’t fair what they did in the editing to you. I called and cussed out Eddie after that second show. I don’t think he really cared since the show was doing so well, though. Frankly, I was surprised they were able to do it so well. But I’ll tell you one thing, I’m not sorry for—” He paused.

“For what?” Sam asked him, leaning toward him and putting her hand on his arm. She sighed. It felt so good being able to touch him again.

“I’m not sorry our date wasn’t shown on National TV. That kiss we shared would’ve melted televisions around the country.” He smiled at her.

Sam looked at him sadly. “I felt the same way, Alex, but after seeing you on the finale…” Her voice trailed off. How could she explain to him what it did to her to see him being intimate with Amy and especially Kathi?

Alex looked her straight in the eye. “Sam, if I could, I’d take it back. I was getting a lot of pressure from Eddie to step it up a notch. What you saw was for the cameras. After we went through that bedroom door we went our separate ways. I swear to you what you saw was all we did.” He waited anxiously for her response.

Sam looked at Alex. He looked very earnest. “I believe you. I know how they edited me out of the show, and I’m sure it was easy to make the audience think you did something you didn’t. But honestly? I don’t know why you’re here and what you want from me.”

Alex stood up and took her hand. “Please, I’d like the opportunity to talk to you more. Will you have dinner with me?”

He looked so sincere, Sam stood up and squeezed his hand. “Of course, Alex, I’d love that.”

They walked hand in hand down to the restaurant at the top of the mountain. Alex had already made reservations in the hopes that Sam would agree to stay there with him. As they were waiting to be taken to their table, Sam’s cell phone rang. Knowing exactly who it was, Sam blushed as she answered it.

“Hello? Oh, hi. Uh huh. Yup, no problem. Okay, see you later.” She hung up and looked at Alex, who was smiling from ear to ear.

“Problem?” he asked, laughing. Sam had an idea he knew exactly what had just happened.

“Uh, no, everything’s fine,” she said, trying to act nonchalantly.

Alex threw his head back and laughed some more. “I’m glad you want to stay, and I don’t blame you for coming up with a contingency plan.”

Sam blushed some more. Luckily, right then the hostess came back and led them to their table. It was located right by the windows overlooking the city. Alex held Sam’s chair for her, then unexpectedly sat down next to her rather than across from her.

“Is this okay?” he asked.

“It’s great,” Sam told him earnestly.

The waitress came by and they ordered drinks. Alex turned toward Sam and took her hand in his again. “I don’t know where to start,” he said honestly.

“I know,” Sam began, “it seems as if we just met yesterday, but we know each other better than a usual blind date couple would. I know things were pretty intense in Australia.”

“They were,” Alex agreed, “but there are things you don’t know about our time over there that I feel like I have to tell you.”

Sam started to look and feel nervous.

“Nothing bad, I promise, but I told myself if you agreed to meet with me I’d be honest with you and I want to do that. I feel like there’s something between us. If I’m wrong, please tell me now before I get too far involved in this.”

Now Alex looked nervous. His thumb was smoothing over the back of Sam’s hand absently, sending shivers down her spine, only making her want him more.

“I feel the same, Alex,” Sam told him quietly. “There are things that happened in Australia that I’d like to share with you too.”

“I get to go first.” Alex insisted with a smile.

The waitress came back and they ordered their meals. Sam knew the restaurant was expensive, but Alex didn’t seem to care about the prices. After some more small talk their meals arrived. They took their time eating. Sam seemed to enjoy the meal more than she ever had before eating at the top of the mountain. Perhaps it was the little brushes of her arm against Alex’s, or maybe it was the small talk they engaged in. Whatever it was, it made the meal almost magical.

Finally, after they both finished their meals, Alex said, “I don’t really know where to start, but I did want to tell you that I had nothing to do with you going home or the editing of the show.”

“I know,” Sam reassured him for a second time. “I never thought you did. I figured you were as much in the dark as the rest of us were.”

“The fact is, though,” Alex continued nervously, “I
was
consulted and asked on many occasions who I wanted to leave. I chose the first five or six women who went home. Including the very first one, it wasn’t a random thing.”

“How is that possible?” Sam asked. “We hadn’t even met you yet!”

“I’m assuming you watched the show, right?”

“Some of it. I really only watched the first couple shows and the last one,” Sam admitted reluctantly.

Alex would have teased her, but he was too intent on telling her everything about the show. “Remember, I was the bus driver, I made the decision based on first impressions.”