Part 9 (1/2)

Laughing, Samantha handed over her not-so-healthy smoothie.

Ahhh. Now tell me about the kiss. Have there been more?

Samantha shook her head. Strictly business.

Why?

It felt good to trust her sister with this, to lean on her. Maybe it was the emotional whiplash of firing and rehiring him in the s.p.a.ce of seven seconds or something, but I needed him as an attacker.

And youre scared it might be more than just business?

Samantha scanned the very light freckles across Graces nose, knowing she had the same kind across her own. What if I dontwhat if I cant stay?

Her voice suddenly tight, Grace said, When?

No, as far as I know, Im not going anywhere. But The world was big. Samantha had seen so little of it. Her mother had seen even less.

You dont want to hurt him again.

Samantha just nodded, feeling sick to her stomach.

But you want to kiss him again.

Sighing, Samantha leaned on her elbows. Have you seen him? Of course I do. And hes wonderful. The other day he brought me six extension cords.

And thatsthe wonderful part?

He noticed the extension cords in my apartment werent surge protectors, so he brought me better ones.

Grace twisted in her chair.

What? Samantha knew her sister was trying not to say something.

What would you have said if Id given you six extension cords?

Huh. If Grace had tried to upgrade something in her apartment, she would have accused her sister of meddling. I would have called you bossy.

So why dont you think that about him?

I do, a little. I was a tiny bit annoyed that he thought I wouldnt buy the cords for myself.

But you hadnt.

Samantha said, I concede that I hadnt. Dont ask if Ive installed them yet because you dont want to know.

Grace shook her head, but her smile bordered on admiring. Youre the most stubborn person in the world.

Not stubborn. More bull-headed. And not that much sense. Samantha sighed. But I still want to kiss him, and Im really trying to get over that.

Or you could just go for it.

Surprised, Samantha said, Youre the one whos supposed to talk me out of it.

Why?

Because hes bossy. He thinks he can fix people, and as you can attest, thats not my favorite trait in a person. Because he and I are oil and water. Hes already figured out his dream, and hes living it, right here in the same small town he grew up in. Im still chasing my dream, and Im not going to stay here forever.

Then have right now.

It was the last thing she expected to hear from her sister, the cautious one. Are you serious?

Grace nodded. Grab right now. Its all we have. Dont worry about whats going to happen tomorrow.

What if I hurt him?

Tilting her head to the side, Grace said, You know youre talking about a grown man, right?

But I hurt him once When he was a boy. You were both practically children. You were pretending to be grown up, thats what we all did at that age. Im pretty darn sure Hank has made his own decisions for a long time now, and if it makes you feel better, then just be honest with him.

And tell him what? That Id like to kiss him”

Thats all you want?

Thats all Im going to admit to my sister, said Samantha, kicking Graces sneaker lightly with her own. I should just kiss him and tell him that Im going to leave at some point and that I cant be held liable for his heart?

Why not? Its honest.

Should I get him to put it in writing? To get it notarized. To make it all legal?

How does he make you feel?

Kissing him had felt like drinking a gla.s.s of wine and wanting the rest of the bottle. One gulp, and shed wanted all of him. Maybe that was why it felt so dangerous. Shed had the one sip, and now he was all she could think about, day and night. He makes me feel like Im addicted to him or something. Thats a bad thing in addict-world.

Love is bad?

Well, no, its a good thing, butwhat? This isnt love. I cant believe you said that. What Samantha couldnt believe was that for one second, shed gone along with the word without kneeing it and wrestling it to the ground.

Grace just smiled. Keep me posted. Im not going to ask. But tell me about it when you want to. Okay?

Jeez.

What?

Its like youre my friend or something.

Grace grinned, and Samantha felt happiness flood her. Sorry, said Grace. Should I pinch you?