Alex glanced at her, eyebrow raised, but Sam brushed it off. “Not like that,” she chastised. “But yeah, I guess that too.” She tilted her head in acknowledgment. “But that came much later. And I seem to recall you having some ideas of your own.”
Alex smiled smugly.
“Remember that time we went to that Quiz Bowl tournament?” Sam asked.
Alex nodded. “And you just decided that wehadto go swimming?”
“Well, we did. It was hot! There was no AC in the dorms where we were staying.”
Alex laughed, her eyes sparkling at the memory. “I don’t think that meant we had to go swimming in our underwear,” she pointed out.
“Well, I wasn’t going to get my clothes all wet,” Sam argued. “It was the only logical option.”
Sophie’s eyes were wide. “You went swimming in your underwear?” she asked.
“More or less,” Alex acknowledged. She pointed a doughy hand at Sophie. “Don’t go getting any ideas, you hear?”
“Yes, Mommy.” Sophie nodded solemnly. “Hey,” she said, her voice turning eager. “Can we watch a movie later?” Her eyes were wide and hopeful as she looked between Alex and Sam. “Please? I bet Sam hasn’t seenLEGO Monsters 3.”
“I didn’t know there was aLEGO Monsters 1,” Sam admitted. “Or two, for that matter.”
“Then we have to watch themall!” Sophie exclaimed.
She kept chatting as she colored, trying to give Sam a rundown of the many plot twists in her three favorite animated films. Sam and Alex shared a look, their smiles mirroring each other’s. A movie night seemed like the perfect way to end their evening together. “Why don’t we make it a whole movie night?” Sam suggested.
Sophie’s eyebrows shot up. “With popcorn?” she asked with an innocent smile.
Sam pretended to think about it. “You drive a hard bargain,”she finally said. “It’s a deal.” She reached out her hand to Sophie so they could shake.
“Deal,” Sophie affirmed.
“Okay, you two,” Alex interrupted. “How about we start on dinner? The dough is just about ready. Sophie, run upstairs and wash your hands.”
When Sophie scurried from the room, Alex quickly moved around the counter to stand in front of Sam. She reached up, cupped Sam’s cheeks, and pulled her in for a long, slow kiss. “Hi,” she whispered.
“Hi,” Sam whispered back. “I’ve missed you.”
“I missed you, too.” Alex briefly rested her forehead against Sam’s. “I like the three of us together.”
Sam could hear the vulnerability in Alex’s voice. She leaned back and gently tipped Alex’s chin up with her finger so she could meet her eyes. “Ilovethe three of us together,” she replied. “I love us.” She kissed Alex’s lips again, hoping to convey all of the love and promise that she felt in her heart.
They stepped back quickly at the thundering sound of Sophie’s footsteps down the stairs. “Later,” Sam whispered the promise to Alex, who nodded at her, smiling shyly.
“Is dinner ready yet?” Sophie asked, rounding the corner. “I’m starving!”
Alex rolled her eyes at Sam, then focused her attention on Sophie. “Nearly, Soph.” She pulled out the dough that had been rising in the oven. “It’s time for your favorite part. Want to help add the toppings?”
Sam stood and sipped her beer while watching them work. A warm wave of contentment washed over her at the sight of Alex and Sophie in her kitchen. The nostalgia of hours spent in that same kitchen with Alex, combined with the cozy domesticity of the present moment, gave her a sense of peace that she hadn’t felt in a long time.
After they ate, they snuggled up on the couch, covered by one of Sam’s grandmother’s quilts. Alex smiled fondly at her daughter, who was nestled between them. She had her arm wrapped around Sophie, but her hand rested gently on Sam’s shoulders. Sam leanedinto the touch as closely as she could. The simple gesture felt like an intimate, silent acknowledgment of the growing connection between them. Sam was sure now that this was what she wanted, that this was where she belonged. She just needed to figure out how to make that happen.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The end of the two-week deadline Stephanie had given her loomed. Sam needed a distraction, but she also needed help processing all of the thoughts swirling in her head. She had texted Jordan and Dallis, and in a little over an hour, they had driven down from the city. Once again, Sam felt gratitude for her friends. She wouldn’t have been able to survive these tumultuous few weeks without them. Now they were all sitting around the well-worn kitchen table, holding bottles of beer, with two open pizza boxes in front of them.
“Ugh,” Jordan said, tossing a leftover pizza crust back into the box. “I can’t eat another bite.” He leaned back in his chair and rubbed both hands over his stomach.
“That’s probably because you ate anentirepizza,” Sam teased. She wasn’t wrong. She and Dallis shared similar tastes in toppings, so they split a large pizza. Jordan wanted weird things like ham, pineapple, and jalapeños, so he had a whole pie to himself. And he definitely made the most of it.
