“Filthy sleaze bucket.” Phillip grunted. “Where does the little bitch live? I’ll claw her eyes out.”
Sam laughed as she hugged herself, turning around to face Phillip. His face was full of anger, and she knew that she had a true friend in him. He would never betray her, nor would Mallory. She had finally found two people in her life she could trust. She smiled miserably towards him. “Last time I stalked her Facebook page, she was living in Seattle and employed by Nick.”
“Wait, you didn’t know she had moved to Seattle before you went to see him?” Phillip asked, clearly confused.
“No. I thought she was away at college in California. See part of my graduation gift was not only to see my Uncle, but to visit with my best friend who I hadn’t seen in two years. It’s funny because she never lost contact with me. We’d text and speak on the phone all the time. I still wonder how she was going to dodge me if I called her and said I was in California.”
“She knew you were going to see her then?”
“Yes, and the last time I spoke to her was the day before I switched my flight. She never tried to contact me.” Sam shrugged her shoulders, sometimes she speculated if Erica knew that Sam had walked in on them. She never confronted Erica, because she was too proud. In her mind, it was easier to let Erica believe that Sam was the one who wanted nothing to do with her. Call it a defense mechanism, call it na?ve, whatever it was, it helped. She never wanted Erica to know what kind of pain she had inflicted on her.
“So this bitch basically knew how much you cared about Nick.” Phillip said disgusted.
“She knew everything. She knew the promises that were made before he left. She knew that I had been in love with him for years. She knew how desperate I was for him and in the end she was the one who got him.”
“So what’s your plan? He obviously isn’t going anywhere.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that. The minute things become too real for Nick, I’m sure he’ll find an excuse to run the hell out of Riverdale. Besides, it’s only a matter of time before he has to get back to Erica. She is still employed with his father’s company.” She covered the remaining leftovers and placed them in the refrigerator.
“Does it get any more real than your brother being diagnosed with Stage four Cancer?” He asked, softly. He stood up and walked behind Samantha and placed his hands over her shoulders. She turned around and faced him. “From what you’ve told me, he’s been nothing but a stand-up guy when it’s come to Jake.”
She couldn’t deny that. Since Jake had been diagnosed, Nick had been there for him. When Jake began to lose his hair, he took the buzzer to his own hair. No one fights alone, and he made sure Jake didn’t. Emotions coursed through her as she remembered the day she walked in on Nick and Jake after they had both shaved their heads. She felt as if her heart was stuck in her throat, staring at them, much like she did now, just reminiscing that day.
“He has been. He loves Jake.” She looked down and remembered how she threw in his face that he was her brother not his. She knew very well that Nick loved Jake just as much as she did. She wished she could take back those harsh words. But in the back of her mind, she couldn’t help but think Nick was just sticking around until Jake’s health was back to normal.
“My point is he hasn’t left. He’s been right there by your family’s side throughout this entire ordeal.” He shrugged his shoulders, driving his point home. “Maybe it’s time you realize he’s not the same person he was seven years ago. Maybe it’s time you accept that he is home and he’s not leaving this time.” His mouth curved and he smiled at her. “Or at least allow yourself a roll in the hay! Even if he is tied to that bitch, which you don’t know for sure, get the hussy back!” He lightened the mood with his little innuendo.
Sam sighed and then reluctantly she laughed. “Sure, that’s the answer. I’ll just have my way with him and cut him loose.”
Phillip pressed his lips to her cheek and then his smile widened. “Now, you’re getting it.”
She wished it was that simple. That she could be satisfied with just a taste of Nick. That she could have one night, and not allow her heart to get involved. It would be great if her heart had an on and off switch. Her phone rang and disrupted her thoughts. She looked around her kitchen and saw it vibrating along the table. She walked over and picked it up. Staring at the caller I.D. her heart began to thump wildly. She held her phone in her hand and turned around to face Phillip. Her eyes were wide as she stared at him, unsure what to do.
“It’s him!” She said as she showed him the caller I.D.
“Well, answer it!!” Phillip urged, motioning with his hands for her to pick up the phone.
She took a deep breath and tried to erase the fact that the last half hour she had done absolutely nothing but profess her undying love for Nick. She hit answer on her iPhone and brought the phone to her ear.