But that was before. Nadine had made it clear that Sam would never be welcome there again. Sam found it hard to believe that Nadine Weaver would willingly let her back in. “Your mom is inviting me to Sunday dinner?”
Alex seemed to know what she was thinking. “Things are different now,” she said softly. “I promise.” Alex turned to face her, leaning back in her seat. She looked more relaxed now, almost confident. With the talk of Sophie, the tension between them seemed to have thawed slightly. Sam liked this version of Alex. She wanted more of it. Alex’s voice broke her out of her thoughts. “At least think about it.”
“I don’t know if that’s the best idea.”
Alex folded her arms over her chest and waited.
“Sunday dinner.” Sam shook her head. “No promises, but I’ll think about it.”
Chapter Six
“You’re doing what, now?” Jordan was sitting on the counter, watching Sam move around the kitchen.
“You could actually help, you know.” Sam was finally working on clearing out the kitchen. She had the entire contents of the pantry emptied onto the countertops and the kitchen table. Most of the items were no good, but she still had a few that she could donate. She placed several cans of condensed soup into a box for the food shelf. Jordan was supposed to be helping her with the house, but so far, his version of helping consisted of watching her and providing color commentary.
“I could,” Jordan agreed. “But I’d much rather hear about your bout of temporary insanity.”
“I know.” Sam shook her head, leaning back against the counter. “I don’t know what I was thinking when I agreed to this.”
“You weren’t thinking.” Jordan began opening various jars of spices, sniffing the contents before replacing the lids. “Do I really have to remind you what happened the last time you were at the Weavers’ house?”
“I’m pretty sure that’ll be ingrained in my memory for the rest of my life.” Against her better judgment, Sam allowed herself to flash briefly back to the last time she had been at Alex’s house. The horror on Nadine’s face. The ashen shade that had come over Alex’s. Sam’s heart had broken that night in so many ways. She shook her head at the memory and wiped at her eyes. Alex said that thingswere different, but maybe Jordan was right. What was she thinking about going back there?
Jordan put down the jar he was sniffing and made his way over to Sam. “Oh, sweetie.” He took her into his arms. Sam relaxed and laid her head on his shoulder. “You don’t have to go, you know.” He rubbed soothing circles on her back.
“Weren’t you the one telling me to give her a chance the other day?”
“GiveAlexa chance,” he clarified. “You don’t owe Nadine Weaver a goddamn thing.”
“She was like a second mother to me,” Sam protested, pulling out of the hug.
“Until she threw you out,” Jordan shot back. He shook his head. “What mother does that?” There was no love lost between him and Nadine Weaver. After she had thrown Sam out and after outing her to the people in church, Jordan had made it his personal mission to make Nadine’s life hell. Unlike Sam, Jordan had been out and proud in high school. And that hadn’t been easy on him. He’d taken Nadine’s behavior as a personal affront. He, therefore, refused to wait on her when she came into the grocery store where he worked and had loudly exclaimed that “someone else should wait on the bigot.” He was a great and loyal friend, and Sam loved him for that. “Why are you even defending her?”
“I don’t know, Jordan.” She absently put more canned goods into the box. “I’m just so tired, you know.” She finished the box she was working on, taped it up, and grabbed another. “Maybe people can change.”
“Are we talking about Nadine Weaver? Or are we talking about Alex?”
Sam sighed and put the box down. She thought back to yesterday. Even though it had been a dozen years, it felt like no time had passed between them. Talking with Alex had mostly been so easy. She was warm, comfortable, and familiar. She felt like home. Other than Jordan, Alex probably knew her better than anyone. And that hadn’t changed. After all, they had been friends before anything had happened between them.
But they were nothing to each other now, were they? Alex hadn’t just ended them as a couple—she’d ended their friendship. She had walked away from both and never looked back. Sam now had an explanation for that, but maybe Jordan was right. Could she really trust someone who just left her like that? What did Sam owe Alex? What if she let her in, and Alex cut her off again when things got hard? Combine that possibility with the other feelings that she felt simmering just beneath the surface, and she was a mess.
She sat down at the counter and buried her head in her hands. “I don’t know what to do here,” she said mournfully.
“Sam.” Jordan walked up behind her and placed his palms on her shoulders. “I’m just looking out for you. The last six months have been hell with your mom, the house, and Tegan.” He grimaced. “You’re back home in bum-fuck. Your first love and the person who broke your heart for the first time has just walked back into your life. The last thing you need to deal with is her mother.”
“I get that, Jordan. I really do. But maybe this is what needs to happen.” Jordan looked doubtful. “This entire situation has haunted me for a dozen years. Don’t you think it’s time for closure?”
Jordan thought for a moment, resting his chin on her head as he hugged her from behind. “I mean, yeah, I guess I do.” After a moment, he pulled back slightly. “But I don’t want to see you hurt again.”
“Thank you.” Sam swiveled her stool so she could face him. “I’m glad I have your support.” She gestured around the room. “For everything, you know. You’ve been my rock.”
“Sam, please.” He shrugged it off. “You’d do the same for me.”
“I would.”
“And you will call me the minute that bitch gets out of line?”
“I will do that.” Sam laughed.
