Page 26 of Learning to Love

Everyone's attention focuses on Sam.

He smiles. "We met at some mutual friends' house. We liked each other … maybe a bit more. I didn't call." He picks up my hand.

Tom mock gasps. "You ratbag. My younger brother, the player, ladies and gentlemen." Everyone laughs, because it's obvious Sam is anything but a player.

He puts his arm around my shoulder. "But then I saw sense, and here we are." He pulls me closer and places a small kiss on my forehead.

Tom leans across the table, tapping his knife against his plate. "How about we go diving for some Kai Moana tomorrow, Sam? You, me, and dad on the boat, like the old times."

Sam looks at me, checking if Tom’s plan is alright.

I nod. "You guys go, I'll stay behind with Joan and Sophie. Maybe have a look around. Looking forward to some yummy scallops and mussels tomorrow. I love seafood."

Sam seems relieved.

We finish the food, and help Joan with the tidy up, then I see Sam getting fidgety. I move close to him and whisper. "I've eaten too much delicious food, I think. It's time to walk it off a bit."

Sam grabs my hand and starts walking so fast, I can barely keep up with him. Once we're past the corner, and his pace still hasn't let up, it dawns on me he's more wound up than I realized.

I pull on his arm, trying to slow him down. "Hey. Hey. I love you."

He stops in his tracks. "I'm sorry. I love you too. It was getting too much in there." He wraps his arms around me and kisses me in full view of the street.

"That's ok. We're a team, you and I. No man left behind." He laughs at my sailing joke.

"You and I should go out on a boat together at some point." He raises an eyebrow, knowing what I'm thinking. "No, the ferry to Waiheke Island for half an hour doesn't count. A sailboat." He pulls me closer as we walk together around the block and back towards his parents' house.

"You can see the wind on the ocean, did you know that?" Sam's voice seems to come from far away.

"I had no idea. Is it in the waves or how the boat moves?" I sense this is one of his sailing secrets.

"I can't explain it, but some of us see it, and some of us don't." His gray eyes look at me intently.

"It's good you can see it. It means you can go faster than those who don't." I wink at him, and he seems pleased. "If you'd lived 400 years ago, you'd be Captain Samuel Northcroft, going round the world exploring for five years at a time, and I'd be left at home, weaving and raising the children."

He looks towards the rose bushes. “Five years away from you. You know, some sailors are still gone for long stretches of time. You’d be surprised. I’ve never done it, but … I did enter a Round the World race. Would be gone for a year. It’s not five years, but …” He shakes his head. “Haven’t been selected yet.”

What?

I must have said it in my head, because he’s still looking away. Damn right I’m surprised. And delighted it didn’t come to pass.

Sam turns towards me again, picking up my hand and squeezing it. "Just like that, in a few minutes, you took away all the anxiety of being home. What am I going to do without you?"

That’s a strange thing to say, and I don’t grasp the meaning. I file it away for later and lead him towards the door of his childhood home. "You don't need to do anything. I'm not going anywhere." I kiss him quickly before we enter, and he pulls me closer, deepening the kiss.

He pulls away from the kiss too soon and we enter the house. Tom calls us into the living room. "You're in time for a treat, some board games, followed byDie Hardon TV." Tom knows how to keep the party going.

We play board games for a couple of hours, have some leftovers from lunch for dinner, then we settle on the sofas to watchDie Hard. Sam pulls me closer in an embrace, and I rest my head on his shoulder for a while.

Half-an-hour into the movie, Tom and Sophie excuse themselves. "We've got a big day tomorrow on the boat, need to get my energy levels up." Tom teases.

Sam rolls his eyes.

Joan waves them goodbye. "We don't mind, love. See you tomorrow."

"In that case, we're going as well. See you tomorrow, mum. Dad." Sam makes a beeline to escape, holding my hand.

"These young'uns, eh, Joan?"

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