Something In Between: Sequel to On The Edge of Tomorrow

Chapter 22

Sam didn't seem to notice anything. He was too focused on texting the picture. "I'll send it to you, too, so you can send it to your mom." He lifted his eyes to mine and tucked his phone into his pocket. "What did you think of Kel?"

I felt myself wince as he shortened her name. "She seemed..." I tentatively began.

"I know she can be a lot, but she's been a huge help since I started. She's always willing to show me around or point me in the right direction."

"I'm glad. These things are awkward; it's hard to get to know people from thirty-second conversations." I pulled my phone from my purse.

Tess had texted back a fire emoji, and I responded with the photo of Sam and me before also sending it to my mom. With a sigh, I tucked my phone back in my pocket and lifted my gaze back to Sam. He was inspecting me.

"What?" I wasn't fond of the look on his face.

He stifled an emotion that danced dangerously close to annoyance and added with a sigh, "just try to keep an opened mind."

"I'm sorry. Maybe I'm just a little jealous. You're looking dangerously handsome tonight." I smiled as I straightened Sam's tie.

"Dangerously handsome. I like the sound of that." His broad smile filled his face as he sunk into my neck, peppering me with kisses. "I'll go get us some drinks."

"Sounds good. I'm going to find the bathroom."

"Ok, meet me at the big tree," he pointed to a giant Christmas tree in the corner before giving me one last kiss goodbye.

I didn't need to use the restroom; I just wanted a moment to breathe. I gazed at myself in the mirror, wishing I could splash water on my face to rid myself of the lingering jealousy. This was precisely why I avoided makeup. I wasn't fond of the feeling that Sam and Kelly gave me. She seemed false, and her smile looked more like a sneer. Still, she had been good to Sam, and I couldn't discredit that.

I pulled my phone from my pocket to see texts from my mom and Tess.

"Wow, you two look amazing!" Tess wrote. "I'm jealous; I want a fancy party and to dance the night away!"

As I typed back, I smiled at her enthusiasm. "Thanks; I have to make it through the cocktail hour and dinner before dancing. Sam has a 'work-wife.'" I added, eager to see how she responded.

"What the fuck is a work-wife?" Tess quickly sent back.

"I do not know, but I don't like her or that she gave the title to herself. And Sam could tell. Is jealousy an adult thing?" I sighed and hit send.

"Jealousy is a human thing, and who calls themselves a work-wife?" Before I could finish reading, she added, "from the picture, Sam only sees you."

I scrolled up to look at the picture again. Sam was gazing down at me with a serene smile on his face. The knot in my chest unwound as I stared at the photo.

"Thanks, Tess; I needed that!" I tucked my phone back in my purse and headed out to find Sam.

Suddenly, the distance between us was unbearable. I bobbed and weaved through the crowd until I got through the mass separating me from the tree. Sam was sitting at a piano just to the left of the tree.

"Hey," I smiled as I approached.

"Hey, you," he smiled at me and scooted over as an invitation to sit. Two glasses of champagne sat bubbling on the piano. The familiarity of sliding onto the piano bench caused a knot to form in my stomach, and once again, I found myself shoving down the memory of Billy.

"Do you play?"

"A little." His fingers danced across the keys.

"Will you play something for me?"

"Has anyone ever told you that you're nearly impossible to say no to?" He kissed my forehead before turning his attention to the piano.

I had expected a holiday song, but he played a charmingly simple song about a boy desperately trying to woo a girl with promises of an idyllic life of love. It was as though the words were plucked straight from my life wish list. I had never heard it before, but it was so gently beautiful that tears pricked my eyes.

"That was beautiful. I've never heard that song before." I sighed as I leaned into his shoulder.

He let out a laugh. "You must have; it's been everywhere all year."

"Has it? I guess I don't listen to the radio too much." My words absently came as my thoughts lingered on the warmth of Sam's proximity.

"You're so funny." He kissed my temple. "I should've pretended it was mine, but I think Billy Collins would have a few words for me."

"What?" I shot up straight.

"That was the first solo single from Billy Collins; it came out last summer. The poor guy had it bad for someone. I heard a rumor it was for some TV actress, Ella something..." Sam's voice continued, but the words didn't connect with me.

I was tumbling into my head as the lingering words of the song bit at every thought.

"Hey, earth to Lil..."

I lifted my face to see Sam peering down at me. "Sorry," I shook Billy and the song from my head. "Is there dancing yet?"

"No, but I bet the food is out. We should find our seats. I think Kel was going to save us a couple at her table." As he spoke, he stood from the bench and held out a hand to me. I took it, and he pulled me to his side with one swift movement. "Did I mention how utterly beautiful you are? I think you're the talk of the party."

The rush of being pulled to Sam's side and his charming allure knocked Billy from my mind. "You have, but I can never hear it too much."

The rest of the party passed in a blur of chatter and dancing. Sam spun me around the dance floor to my heart's content. He wasn't the best dancer, but being in his arms was all I needed.

"Did you have fun tonight?" He asked as he flung his tie on the living room couch.

"So much fun," I smiled as I could finally release my aching feet from my heels.

"One more dance?" There was a teasing plea in his eyes.

"I can't say no to that face," I smiled as he flicked through his phone.

"I'll hold you to that," as he spoke, he flicked on a song.

The style was unmistakable, and I remembered the melody from earlier. In my haste to stop Billy from souring the evening, I tripped to the stereo, slapping the button harder than needed.

"I thought you might want to hear the original," Sam's voice clouded with confusion.

"I had a different song in mind," I covered. I flicked on my record player and set the needle down on Nina Simone's Feeling Good.

"Mmhmm, this works too," Sam murmured as I slipped back into his arms and rested my head on his shoulder. "I love you," he whispered into my ear as he spun me.

As the song's crescendo ended, he lifted me seamlessly into his arms and carried me to bed.