Page 64 of Come Apart
"You can stay in the spare room. It's not like I want to get you into bed." She shuffles the cards. Her voice rises until it's confident. "I could have done that a long time ago."
"Is that right?"
She nods. I try to read her expression, but I can't place it.
"You probably forgot how good I am."
She rolls her eyes, then stares at me like I'm an idiot. That's the Samantha I know.
"Luke, I remember perfectly." Her voice is matter-of-fact, like she couldn't be less impressed if she tried.
I may not have been the world's best boyfriend, but I sure as hell left her impressed.
"And?" I ask.
"Let it go." She looks down at the cards.
I tap her hand. "Sam."
She refuses to meet my gaze. "This isn't a fruitful area of conversation."
"You seemed satisfied."
She squeezes her cards. "I'm not discussing this."
"Because you don't want to tell me how much you preferred Edward?" The ache in my head is back.
I don't know why I'm pushing this.
"I'm not comparing your sexual abilities to your father’s."
I sigh. "When you put it like that, it sounds insane."
"It is insane." She pushes my hand away from hers and deals the cards on the tiny table. "Besides, I'm the one in the hospital. I'm the one who gets to decide the conversation topics."
I nod.
"Fair enough."
"Besides... it wasn't about the sex." She tries to turn her attention back to the game, but it doesn't hold. She brings her eyes back to mine. Keeps her voice steady. "I feel bad enough about the whole thing, okay?"
I nod.
She taps her fingers, watching me.
"What if he was better? Would knowing that help you in any way?"
I stay silent. I don't even know how to answer that.
I really don't think that's the kind of fucking question a son should think about.
Literally.
"You're so full of it." She sighs, furrowing her brow and pressing her back against the bed.
"Sam..."
She throws me a curt look. "Maybe you should step outside and get some coffee. Call Alyssa."
