“When did you have time to roast a chicken?”

“The grocery store did the roasting. I just bought it and brought it home.”

“Which is the most important part of the equation. Smells great.”

He led her to the dining room, held her chair and poured her a glass of wine.

Sam couldn’t remember the last time one of them had cooked a meal at home. Lately they’d been grabbing meals here and there on the fly. There’d been none of the quality time she’d grown accustomed to since they’d been together.

The meal he’d prepared was tasty and filling, and they lingered over the bottle of white wine.

“Didn’t you have a campaign event tonight?”

“I postponed it. Told them I felt the flu coming on.”

“Why?”

“Because I had more important things to do tonight.”

“What things?”

“Dinner with you, for one.”

“Nick,” she said, touched by the gesture. “You’re in the middle of a campaign. You can’t be skipping important events.”

“If one missed cocktail party costs me the election, then it was never mine to begin with.” He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips, a gesture so uniquely his that it never failed to set her heart to racing. “I’ve missed you. Things have been so hectic that we’ve barely seen each other. I hate that.”

“I’ve missed you too.” She linked their fingers. “It’s my fault.” Swallowing hard to fight back the swell of emotion that threatened to derail her, Sam forced herself to look at him, to face him. “I have this bad habit of retreating into myself after… You know.”

“It’s not entirely your fault, babe. I buried myself in work so I wouldn’t have time to think about it.”

“I hate that you’re hurting. And I hate that I couldn’t give you—”

“Don’t. Please don’t say that.” He tugged on her hand and drew her onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her. “You’ve given me so much, Samantha.” He released the clip that held her hair for work and let it rain down around them. “So, so much. More than I ever dreamed of having.”

She rested her head on his shoulder, surrounded by the clean, fresh scent of him. “I know how much you want a family of your own.”

“You’re the family I’ve never had. You’re far more than enough. I’ve told you that.”

“Still…”

“I’m worried about you, babe. I know it rocked you, and I should’ve been there for you rather than caught up in how it affected me. I’m sorry I wasn’t there the way I should’ve been.”