She stopped at the bottom of the steps and looked up. Alex was framed in the doorway, looking like the epitome of softness in a loose gray sweater and black leggings. She was wearing her glasses, and her hair was pulled back in a bun held together with a pen. Sam could no longer deny it. Alex took her breath away.
“Sam?” Alex’s face scrunched up in confusion. She peered out over Sam’s shoulder as if she were trying to see what was going on. “What are you doing here?”
“Hey,” Sam stammered out.Hey? Really? That’s the best you can come up with?she asked herself, mentally face-palming.
Alex tilted her head expectantly, crossed her arms in front of her, and raised an eyebrow—again with the one eyebrow—silently waiting for Sam to explain herself.
Sam looked down at her feet and shook her head. She deserved that less than warm welcome, she guessed. She took another deep breath and looked back up, meeting Alex’s steady gaze with one of her own. Sam, remembering the white box in her hands, thrust it toward her. “Here. It’s cannoli from Giulia’s. Your favorite.” She paused and scratched her head. This whole interaction was making her doubt her life choices right now.
“Or at least they used to be. I don’t know if they still are. You could have another favorite now…” She stammered, stepping back. “I thought you all could have them with Sunday dinner.”
Alex reached out to take the box and lifted the lid for a peek.
Sam blushed. “Yeah, I was in the city, and you used to love them so much, so I thought…” She let her voice trail off. Not knowing what to do, she nervously stuffed her hands in her pockets.
Alex continued to regard her with an unflinching gaze. After several long moments, she stepped aside and pushed the door the rest of the way open. “Do you want to come in?” She gestured to the open hallway behind her.
“No, no, no,” Sam said hastily, feeling a blush spread across her cheeks. Why was she blushing? This was going so well. “I don’t want to impose. I mean, I just showed up unannounced. You probably have things going on.” She moved to turn back down the steps.
“Wait.” Alex reached out and stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. She gently turned Sam back around to face her. “I have no plans,” she assured her. “Come in. I just made some coffee.”
Sam bounced on her feet, considering. She had a lot of things to do at the house, but then again, she always did. They would still be waiting for her when she returned home. It wouldn’t hurt to hang out for a bit. In fact, it might be good to clear the air from their last conversation and maybe finally start to get to know this Alex a bit more. She nodded her assent. “I would love a cup of coffee.”
Alex softened, cracking a smile. She reached down, grabbed Sam’s hand, and tugged her into the house. Sam let herself be led, savoring the feel of Alex’s hand on her own. But Alex dropped it all too soon once she crossed the threshold. She rubbed her hands together, missing the warmth of the contact. She stopped to shrug off her jacket and shoes while Alex continued into the kitchen.
“Where is everyone?” Sam looked around, just then noticing how quiet the house was. She made her way to the kitchen, where Alex filled up a mug for her.
“Mom and Dad took Soph to the movies,” Alex explained. She handed over the mug and pulled the maple syrup from the cabinet. “They’re grabbing pizza after.” She took a seat on a stool and tilted her head at Sam.
“And you didn’t want to go?”
“I felt like I could use a little time to myself.” Alex placed a mug in front of Sam and sat at the table. She leaned back in her chair, arms folded across her chest. Her eyes studied Sam’s face, and Sam felt herself blushing under her steady gaze. “What were you doing in the city?”
Sam finished fixing her coffee and sat down across from her. “I was visiting Jordan. He wanted to go out. And he wanted me to meet a colleague of his.”
“Oh?” Alex’s tone was soft, questioning. “A colleague?”
Sam swirled her coffee. This wasn’t part of the plan, but she was just being honest. “Dallis. A new professor in the English department.” Sam shrugged, not knowing what else to say. “It wasn’t a date,” she added hastily. “They’ve been spending a lot of time together, and I guess he wanted his two besties to meet.”
Alex continued to regard her with arms folded across her chest. Several awkward moments passed before she spoke. “Not that I don’t appreciate the cannoli,” she began, leaning forward to take a sip from her cup. Sam noticed a slight shake in her hands and wondered if it was because of her. “But what are you doing here, Sam?”
Sam shrugged and took a sip of her drink. “I was in the city,” Sam said again. “I thought you’d enjoy dessert.”
Alex continued to study her, arms once again crossed over her chest.
“And I wanted to do something to thank you,” Sam finally continued. “For everything you’ve done over the past several weeks. The food, helping with the house, all of it. I really couldn’t have done this without you.” She paused, looked down at the table, and fiddled with the place mat. She felt her cheeks flush but couldn’t bring herself to look up. “I’ve also enjoyed getting to know you again.” She shrugged again and looked up sheepishly. “And I’d like to keep doing so.”
Alex continued regarding Sam silently for what felt like forever, pursing her lips and squinting slightly. After several long moments, she broke eye contact and shifted her attention to the white bakery box between them.
“Want one?” she asked, gesturing to Sam.
Sam knew it was a peace offering, and she eagerly took it. “Of course,” she said enthusiastically. “Though…I may have already had one in the car. Or maybe two.” She had the sense to look sheepish at Alex’s shocked expression. “How often do I get to Giulia’s?”
“Okay, fine, fair enough,” Alex conceded. She took out a traditional cannoli and cut it in half. She slid one half across the table to Sam and dunked the other half into her coffee.
“You still do that?” Sam asked. Alex had always had an odd way of eating sweets, choosing to dunk them into coffee, milk,or sometimes even tea. One time, in a pinch, she had dunked her strawberry donut in orange juice. Sam smiled at the memory.
“Of course.” Alex grinned and took a large bite. “Why would I mess with a good thing?”
