“Where are you going?” She reluctantly asked.
Phillip gazed over his shoulder at her with a gleam in his eyes. “I’m going to see if Nick is aware of the secret you’re hiding. I think he’d be concerned…”
“Phillip!” Sam screeched. “You wouldn’t dare.” She narrowed her eyes and silently dared him.
“Oh, wouldn’t I!” He said devilishly and Sam scowled at him, her shoulders slumping in defeat.
“You know I’m revoking your best friend card right?” He rolled his eyes and tapped his foot impatiently waiting for her to spill the beans. “Okay, so maybe Nick and I have been…” She paused and chewed on her bottom lip as she tried to figure out what exactly one could label what they have been doing.
“Screwing like rabbits, I knew it! I told Mallory you definitely were shagging the panty dropper.”
Sam went from outraged to confused, in less than a second. She frowned and looked at him. “Shagging? Who even uses that term anymore?”
“I knew it!” He said as he shook his head grinning at her. He was so proud of himself it made her sick. “I want all the details.”
“I’ll pass. Besides, you seem to have yourself a pretty good mental picture of what’s been going on, wouldn’t want to alter it in anyway.” She reached for her tote bag, pulling with a little extra force to ensure she pried it from his hands.
“Okay, fine, so you don’t want to kiss and tell.” Phillip rolled his eyes. “May I point out that your timing to grow a conscience sucks? The details of Nick doing all kinds of sexy things would have fueled my libido for eons.” He said so dramatically that even though Sam wanted to smack him silly she had to laugh. “Just throw me a bone, a sliver of info, please. You would if you loved me.”
“Fine, there isn’t much to tell. Nick and I are just having casual sex. Hell, it’s more likely we are just fulfilling each other’s needs until the next best thing comes along.” She shrugged her shoulders as if it was as easy as that. The truth was she had no idea what they were doing. She told herself that she was using him to forget. Some people turned to alcohol. She turned to sex with Nick. As long as she reminded her heart every once in a while that he wasn’t hers, that what they had was just physical, she would be okay. So far so good. She chanced a glance at Phillip, who was looking at her as if she had six heads.
“You believe that?” He asked incredulously.
“Yes, of course.” She said adamantly. “Besides, before Jake’s cancer took a turn for the worse, I overheard him on the phone while we were still in Atlantic City.” She looked down at her nails, making a mental note to make a manicure appointment. “I think it’s only a matter of time before he goes back to Seattle.”
“What makes you think that?” Phillip questioned.
She shrugged. “By the phone conversation I overheard it just seemed like he has some unfinished business in Seattle.” She swallowed and turned away. She didn’t want Phillip to read right through her and see the fear in her eyes. Fear that the unfinished business had to do with her former best friend. Phillip shook his head and placed his hands on Sam’s shoulders.
“Girlfriend, you are playing with fire.” Yeah, she was and without a fire extinguisher. She turned around and mustered up her best smile.
“Stop worrying! I’m only living a little.” It wasn’t necessarily a lie, she did feel the most alive when she was with Nick. Still, she knew eventually this would blow up in her face. It always did when it came to Nick.
Nick parked his truck behind Rudy’s. He reached over the passenger seat and grabbed the brown paper bag. It felt like it had been years since he stopped at a liquor store but in reality it hadn’t been that long. Back in Seattle he would treat himself to a bottle of Jack every night on his way home from the office. He’d sit in his hotel suite and drown himself in liquor and think of the life he missed.
He kicked close the door of his truck and started for the iron staircase that led to his apartment. He thought it was ironic. Now here he was in the life he longed for and he was still drowning himself. He couldn’t wait to crack the bottle open, but first he needed a shower. He needed to wash away the conversation he had with his mother. He reached into his back pocket to pull out his keys when he lifted his head he almost fell backwards on the steps. Sam was sitting on the landing, her back against the door of his apartment. She looked up at him and offered him a half of a smile. Nick wondered what kind of joke the man upstairs was playing with him.
Sam nodded towards the brown bag that Nick clutched in his hands. “What’s in the bag?”
He ignored her question and instead of answering her, he asked one of his own. “What do you want?”
She slowly rose to her feet. “Is this a bad time?” She asked, obviously catching the harshness in his tone.