Getting Chased

Chapter 20

The smile on Sam's face grows every second we get closer to his sister's house. I look at him in wonder. This is his happy place.

I've been staring at him the whole time, and I'm surprised he hasn't called me out on it. It's just that I'm nervous and he's not, and that calms me down. He calms me down in general.

I observe the color of his eyes in his side profile as he looks ahead at the road. Sam's eyes are normally a light blue, but from the side, they're completely gray. I decide to point this out.

"You have really beautiful eyes."

Pink splotches dot his cheeks, blushing. "Thank you."

My eyes travel down the slick line of his jaw, up the smooth bridge of his nose. "And jaw. And nose. Just a perfect face, all in all."

This gets him. His cheeks are rosy red and flattered. He looks away from the road for a millisecond to check if I'm joking or not. "Thank you," he says, pulling at his shirt.

I grin at my work, pink cheeks and nervous hands. He's starting to get downright uncomfortable under my stare, so I direct it out the window at the rolling green grass, the man-made lake that announces we're about to enter Harmony Elite Housing Track.

I gawk at the houses, wide two stories on acre expanses of land. "Your sister lives here?"

Sam nods in affirmation. "Yep, that's why we're in this neighborhood, Ava."

I roll my eyes. "Wait. If you're a foster kid, then are she and Ian actually your siblings?"

Sam smiles at me, pulling into the long driveway of a house with a periwinkle front door. "I was wondering when you would ask that."

I blush, disappointed in myself for being too concerned about myself to ask about his family. "Sorry."

Sam looks at me like I don't have to apologize. "We aren't related. I was an only child. We spent two years in the same house. Kind of made our own family, you know?"

Sam exits the car and opens my door. I can hear a conversation floating from an open window.

"Baby, stop washing the pan."

"No, it's not clean yet!"

"You've washed it four times now."

"I'll stop washing it when the soap quits turning brown, Eli."

I feel myself smile at their banter. I'd been nervous the entire drive because I need one family to at least like me, and if it can't be my own, maybe this one will be my saving grace. 

Sam knocks on the door, and the voice in the kitchen says something about "Sam and his girlfriend". A petite brunette opens the door with a million dollar smile, revealing her house. She's wearing skinny jeans and a flowy blouse that makes my simple dress seem too much.

She pulls me and Sam each into one arm, squeezing us both against her. She smells like cranberry sauce, and I know it's because she made it. Sam laughs, patting her back and pulling away. Her gaze flits to me, and her smile is beautiful.

"Ava, hi! Happy Thanksgiving! You look absolutely gorgeous. I'm Ellie, it's great to finally meet you." She locks her arm in mine, pulling me into the house. A livingroom stretches out to the left, the kitchen to the right of the foyer. I'm not sure I've ever been in a house this spacious.

I toss a look at Sam over my shoulder; he's grinning brightly at me, knowing that I'm enjoying the positive attention. Ellie sits me down on the couch where a man sits, blond buzzcut and muscular to an extreme. She gives me the remote and tells me to choose whatever I'd like. Ian introduces himself politely.