Page 50 of In a Pinch

“Then you should have told us to come earlier,” Regina chimes in, holding out a coffee. Her brown hair is piled on top of her head in a perfect messy bun. She probably knows good and well moving should count as a workout, hence the leggings and hoodie she’s sporting.

“Your tardiness is excused on the account of caffeine.” Grabbing the coffee, I hold it tight as it warms my hands. “Regina, this is Sam, and it looks like you already met his partner in crime, Theo.”

“Sam Greene. Nice to meet you.”

It’s the first time I’ve heard him introduce himself with his mother’s maiden name. I wasn’t quite sure if he was going to do it when he threatened at family dinner. Somehow, I manage to keep the shock off my face and just smile at him instead. Because, right now, I’m feeling really freaking proud of him.

Theo waves toward Regina. “Hey! How come she gets off so easily? She was just as late as I was.”

“Work smarter, not harder, Theo. If you would like a get out of jail free card, feel free to supply our first round of drinks on our next girl’s night,” Regina says as she puts her hand on her hip.

“Yeah, that sounds like a wonderful idea. You all about drank me out of tequila your last go around,” he mumbles.

I shake my head at the two of them as the first warm sip drops down. I take a peek out the window and thank our lucky stars that the weather stayed clear. We are hedging our way into late spring, and I’m just glad it isn’t foggy or raining.

“Grab a box. We still get to hike all this shit up three flights of stairs at the new place.” Sam takes the lead and starts carrying out the boxes.

Regina wags her eyebrows at me, and I drive an elbow into her ribs. “That is the opposite of being cool.”

“Oh, please. I’ve been here for all of, like, three minutes, and that man watches everything you do with big ole hearts for eyeballs. I don’t have to make it obvious; the random eye contact is ruining your cover for you.”

Shaking my head, I reply, “He does not.”

“He does, too,” both Regina and Theo chime in at the same time.

“Aren’t you supposed to be on Sam’s side?”

“Getting you two together is being on Sam’s side. Before you, I’d seen that man smile, like, four times since I’ve met him.”

“I feel like you’re maybe being a smidge dramatic.” Pulling my hand back, I start to pinch my fingers together.

Theo walks over to a box on the other side of the room. “Please. You remember the grumpy asshole he was before this whole thing started snowballing?”

Thinking that over, I have had the exact same thoughts. It feels like things with us changed with the flick of a switch.

Shooing them with my hands, I say, “Less gossiping, more moving. Y’all are stressing me out.”

“Sounds like someone is avoiding the truth.”

“No, I’m not,” I mutter mostly to myself. They have a point; I’ve never really been the shy and beat around the bush type.

For some reason, I am almost afraid of where Sam’s head is at. If I am being honest, I’m afraid that he doesn’t feel it, too. The strange draw to one another. Literally, my body lights up like the Fourth of July when he is in the room. It’s really annoying, considering I wasn’t supposed to like him. Or want him this way. But here we are. Seriously, can my life just get it together for, like, a millisecond?

Looking around my room, there is only a handful of boxes left. I head down to the kitchen to grab my lonely box there, and I’m excited to get my Kitchen-Aid unpacked. I can’t wait to make some emotional support cinnamon rolls. Plus, if I make cinnamon rolls, the house will be doused with the smell of sugar and cinnamon, and who doesn’t want that as a “welcome home” smell?

Chapter Twenty-Five

Sam

Trying to catch my breath, I drop the last box of Addie’s stuff in the middle of the room. The open window lights the room up, letting all the warm, light oak wood floors really shine. This place was a steal of a deal. Watching her head tip back in a laugh at whatever wild shit is coming out of Regina’s mouth brings a smile to my lips.

“You’ve got it bad, huh?” Theo’s voice from beside me startles me out of my haze.

“Got what bad?” My head whips back in his direction.

“A crush on a girl you supposedly hated two months ago.”

“I never said I hated her. She just has something to her that makes me a little crazy.” I scrunch up my shoulders in a shrug. “It just took a minute to realize I like the crazy.” Unable to helpmyself, I take another peek at her. Even in her comfy moving clothes, the girl begs for my attention.

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