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I nod. "Oh yeah."
He grins. "Good."
I gape at him for a second, fluttering my eyelashes. He takes advantage of the moment and lays a passionate kiss on my lips, and I lean into him, desperate for his touch.
But we've got family to meet up with--a homecooked meal to eat.
This rendezvous will have to wait.
Chapter nine
Evan
Thisiscasual.
Or at least…that's what I keep reminding myself as we approach my mom's house in Fern Hollow.
Even so, I feel like I'm bringing someone home to meet my family--like Sam and I are actually doing this. Maybe I'm just getting comfortable because I appreciate the reprieve from traveling, or maybe...
I don't know. I'm in my mid-thirties, I've been on the road for my whole adult life.
Maybe it's time to set down Hopeful Hearts for a while. Put down roots.
Sam's face is still flushed when we pull into the driveway, a bunch of cars parked in front of my mother's house. She looks over to say something to me, her lips pink and pouting,beggingto be kissed, but before she can speak, a loud voice reaches us through the open car windows.
"Mom!"
We both look toward the front of the house to find a little boy hurtling through the front door and racing down the steps, instantly recognizable as Sam's kid. He's got the same black hair, tan skin, and rich brown eyes, and he's wearing a tie-dye t-shirt that's a little too big for him. Sam's attention is instantly on her child, her eyes lighting up as she opens the door and kneels to pick him up.
"Alex!" she says, squeezing him hard. "I missed you, buddy."
"I missed you too, mom," he says, his voice muffled in her shoulder. "I was so worried you wouldn't come home."
She closes her eyes and they just stand like that for a second, a mother rocking her son back and forth. I tugs at my heart to see them like that--to know that he's worried because there was a time when his dad never came home.
There's a lot to unpack there.
So I occupy myself unpacking the car.
I step out and walk around to the trunk, taking out my backpack and Sam's and slinging them over my shoulder. Next, I go around to the back seat, where the puppy--still without a name--is wagging her tail excitedly. She's a cute little terrier mix with brown ears and a black smudge on her pink nose, and I'm sure Alex is going to love her. I take her out and she trots over to sniff at Sam's feet before scratching at her legs.
Alex's attention is immediately captured by the dog, and he wiggles to be put down.
"Oh my gosh, mom!" he shouts. "You got me a puppy!"
"I sure did," she says, laughing. "What do you want to name her?"
"Hm...." Alex peers at the dog, holding her still for a second. "She looks like a...like a Fred."
Sam snorts. "Fred, huh?"
I give her a very serious look. "I don't know; I think Fred is a great name for a little dog."
It's only then that Alex notices me, his eyes narrowed. "Who are you?"
I kneel down in front of him and extend my hand. "I'm Evan. Nice to meet you."
Alex cocks his head. "You look like Uncle Chance."
