Chapter 22

I was helping Mom wash the breakfast dishes when she surprised me.

“Why don’t we call Sam and go shopping for something to wear to the dance?”

After I put the dry plate away, Mom handed me another wet one with a curious smile on her face. My heart raced as I dried the plate quickly, then ran to the house phone. The school was on our speed dial. Seconds after the outgoing message started, I punched in the code for Sam’s room number.

“‘ello?” Sam sounded so sleepy that I wished I was snuggled up next to her.

“Hey,” I breathed. “Did I wake you?”

“Yeah, but what a great way to wake up,” she purred as I heard her stretching noises.

“Mom suggested we go shopping for something to wear to the dance on Friday.”

“Gimme twenty minutes to shower and change,” Sam giggled. She was so adorable. I heard her moving around quickly through the phone.

“We’ll be there to pick you up as soon as we finish the dishes.”

“Steph,” Sam said, suddenly still, her voice overflowing with emotion. “I’m so glad we met.”

“I know. Me, too. I’ll see you in a bit.” I hung up to find Mom smiling at me.

“I know. Me, too?“ she teased.

Mom must have thought Sam told me she loved me! I had to admit I could see falling for her.

“It’s not what you think,” I said with heat rising in my face. “She just said she was glad we met.”

Mom chuckled and shook her head. “So your father and I had a long talk last night. I have to say that we’re both impressed with the way you handled this. We know your brother was just trying to get you in trouble by bringing Sam up. The fact that you trusted us enough not to hide or lie about your relationship with her means a lot to us both.”

Despite my other guilty secrets involving Bethany, Mark, and my IUD, I still felt good about what she was saying. I had made some bad decisions so far. I never expected Bethany to screw Joe. And Mark hooked up with me that last time without ever mentioning he said he’d go with Lydia to the turn-about dance. Cutting them out of my life had hurt, but it was necessary. And Sam felt like my reward.

“We also like Sam. I can’t believe how her parents are treating her. And the way Bethany reacted to all this has disappointed us both. So if Sam wants to stay over with you like Bethany used to, we’ll allow it.”

I jumped over to hug Mom with all my strength. “Thank you!”

After I let go, Mom leaned close. “Just keep the noise down to a dull roar. Your father is having a little harder time with you growing up than I am.”

When we were ready to go, I called Sam back to invite her to pack an overnight bag if she wanted to. Mom heard her excited scream all the way over in the breakfast nook and laughed at us. By the time we got to the school, Sam was already standing in the loop with her bag in one hand.

“Hey,” Sam said as she scooted in the back next to me. I gave her a quick hug as Mom pulled away from the curb.

“You ready for some shopping?” Mom asked with a grin through the rear view mirror.

“Thanks for doing this. It’s been forever since I’ve done more than order clothes online,” Sam said.

She leaned into my shoulder and we clasped hands, squeezing tight at first.

“How about we make a day of it?” Mom asked. “I figured you could find something to wear to the dance, then maybe we’ll drop in for a chair massage or a mani-pedi. Sound like a plan?”

“It sounds like heaven,” Sam chuckled.

“So what were you thinking of wearing to the dance,” I asked. I didn’t want to wear a dress to a country-themed dance. It would end up more like a costume than a dress anyway, so I’d never wear it again.

“How about we go for jeans and gingham tops,” Sam suggested. “Maybe tie up the shirt tails and show a little skin.”

“Ooo, I like that,” Mom said. “What sized shoe do you wear, Sam?”

“I’m a seven.”

“I bet you could fit in a pair of cowgirl boots I got when Bill took me country dancing a few years ago. Steph, do you still fit in your old boots?”

“Probably. They were a little big and it’s only been a year since I took lessons.”

“Dance lessons?” Sam asked.

“No, riding lessons,” I said. “I hate to admit I went through a horse phase.”

“Didn’t we all,” Sam chuckled at me.

“Oh, God, I did, too,” Mom said. “Unfortunately, I didn’t get lessons. I had to experience my phase through literature.”

“Yeah, I never got to ride, either. But I always loved Black Beauty and My Friend Flicka,” Sam said.

We arrived at the mall and went shopping. Sam found us matching red and white gingham shirts. She was a little broader in the shoulders than I was and needed a larger size, but I had to admit I liked the look when I tied off the shirt tails under my puffies. From the way Sam followed me into the changing room and closed the door, she liked them too.

“Need any help?” Sam asked as she untied my shirt. The hungry look in her eyes as she unbuttoned the top few buttons gave me chills.

She kissed me as she pushed the shirt off my shoulders and cupped my breasts through the soft bra I wore. I pushed into her hands and deepened the kiss. My own hands moved down to cup her ass and pull her into me. It didn’t take long until my nipples were steel and my underwear was soaked.

“Did you decide on the shirt?” Mom asked through the slatted door.

“We liked the red one,” I said, but my voice was rough. Sam had pulled down the cup of my bra to suckle me. “I’ll be out after I get dressed.”

“I’m gonna go down to the book store for a coffee. I already know you want a hot chocolate. If I see Sam out here I’ll ask her if she wants something.”

“Oh, Sam wants something all right,” she whispered against my wet nipple.

I had to cover my mouth to keep from laughing out loud and giving us away. Sam moved back up to my lips, but we were smiling too hard to kiss. “Did I mention you get to sleep with me in my bed tonight?”

Sam’s eyes flickered with amusement. “You’re gonna cum so hard.”

“Promises, promises,” I said and grabbed my t-shirt. I got my puffies back in it my bra and slipped on the shirt. “Come on, let me buy these shirts for us and we’ll go find Mom.”

The rest of the afternoon passed in an odd mixture of relaxation and sexual tension. Mom seemed oblivious to us sneaking kisses and I reveled in Sam’s constant attention. When we got a mani-pedi, I secretly bought a dark blue nail polish that matched the splash of color on Sam’s bangs. After a full day of shopping, we picked up Chinese take-out on the way home for dinner.

The five of us had a dinner full of laughter. Dad was clearly uncomfortable at first, but Sam and I kept our displays of affection to a minimum and he soon warmed up. Mom, Sam, and I regaled the boys with tales of our day spending money. Joe didn’t have much to talk about, since he was still grounded for another week. He begged to get off a day early so he could go to the dance, but Dad didn’t budge an inch. Too bad for the next what’s-her-name.

After the meal, Sam and I retreated upstairs to get comfortable. I showed her the bathroom and my bedroom, then left her to shower and change. When I walked by, Joe was lying in his bed with the door open, staring up at the ceiling in an uncharacteristic moment of reflection.

“You okay?” I asked. I hate to admit it, but I’d never have asked before we had our talk the other day.

He blew out his cheeks and let out the air slowly. “She really messed me up, Steph.”

I walked in and sat next to him on the bed. “Who did?”

He let out a sad sniff and shook his head. “Bethany.”

Okay, that nearly knocked me off the bed. My brother had been doing the love ‘em and leave ‘em dance since the fall. No one stuck, and believe me they tried. Joe wasn’t an asshole about it, but when the gloss wore off he was gone without an apology. And while I’m sure his ego was bruised that Collen was getting what he’d gotten, I couldn’t imagine him actually liking Bethany that much. He must have seen something in my expression, because he avoided my eyes.

“Pussy,” I muttered to him and pushed his shoulder.

“I am what I eat.” His half-smile response lacked the usual spit and fire.

“What could you possibly see in Bethany?” I asked. “I mean, I’ve been her friend for years and love her to death, even now. But you?”

Joe looked at me again. “When I was grounded that first week, she really talked to me. I’ve known her as long as you have, but we’d never really... talked. And she got me. She got my weird sense of humor and fear of clingy girlfriends. Just the opposite, in fact, she only smiled at me at school.”