Begin Again | Sam Wilson

Chapter Eighteen

Brianna was not one to take breaks from work, but taking a week off after her mother's funeral was the best decision she had ever made. She had needed the time alone badly. She needed time to grieve, to think, to process everything that had happened. Not only that, but she had to help her step father arrange some finalizations. The only times she had really left her apartment in the week was to meet her brothers for lunch. That was it.

Days after her mother's funeral, the flowers started arriving. Some from work, from friends and even some on behalf of the Air Force. However, the one that surprised her most of all was from Sam. It wasn't exactly flowers. It had been an Edible Arrangement. She couldn't help, but laugh the day she received them. He knew that Brianna had a love for food and instead of getting her something to stare at, he got her something to eat.

That was what was causing her to pace around her room all day. The arrangement had caused thoughts about Sam that she had put on the back burner to re-emerge. He had been so kind, so good to her. He had held her hand. Hugged her when she cried. He had not left her side once. It made two questions appear in her mind. Was she ready for a relationship? And did Sam have the same feelings about her? She did not have an answer to either one of the questions.

She sat on the edge of her bed and raked her hand through her hair for the thousandth time. She needed to make a decision and stop torturing herself. Yes, she could call him and ask him to go to dinner with her. However, she felt like this was a conversation that needed to be had in person. She stood up from her bed and walked into her bathroom to look at her appearance before she even attempted to make a decision.

Her bags were not as noticeable anymore. She had actually managed to make herself shower. She was still in her pajamas though and she could not confess her feelings to Sam in pajamas. She pulled on a pair of black skinny jeans and tucked a white t shirt into them before pulling a denim jacket on. She sprayed a little dry shampoo in her hair and shook out her waves. Her appearance was as good as it was going to get it. Besides, Sam had seen her in a much worse state before.

She just had to find the courage to drive out of the parking deck. She had been sitting in her car for close to twenty minutes and she still hadn't left.

"Get it together, Bri." She told herself. "You are a grown ass woman who is capable of taking rejection if that happens. If he doesn't have the same feelings, you leave and never see him again. Easy as that."

Brianna probably looked crazy pep talking herself in her car, but she didn't care. She needed it. Part of her thought she should have asked Sam if she could come over. He might not have even been home. She couldn't muster up the strength to do so. At that point, she had driven to his house many times and she had the route memorized. She just wished he lived a little closer.

When she pulled into his driveway, she sat again and waited. She couldn't wait too long or otherwise Sam might have wondered what the hell she was doing parked outside his house. She turned her car off and got out. She eyed the stairs while she took a deep breath and walked up the stairs slowly. She reached forward to knock, but stopped for a split second. She could do this. She knocked once and took a small step back. It only took Sam a few minutes to come to the door.

"Brianna?" He asked confused. "Everything okay?"

"Uhhh, yeah. I was just in the area and wanted to stop by. I'm sorry. I should have called." She lied.

"Just in the area? Okay. Um, come in." He moved to the side and let her walk inside his house. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay. I'm doing the best I can be. Taking a week off of work really helped. Thank you for the edible arrangement by the way. The inside of my apartment is starting to look like a florist shop. It was a nice change." She told him.