Page 54 of Love Medley
Then I turn towards Sam, having no idea what I’m in for. “What’s up?”
Sam’s gnawing on her bottom lip, not a good sign. “You’re dating Lucy, that med student, right? Why didn’t you tell me about her when I told you about Sterling?”
I shrug. “I guess I didn’t think it was a big deal.” Of course, the truth is that I wasn’t fake dating Lucy yet, but I can’t tell Sam that.
Sam narrows her eyes. “I felt terrible about coming to you about Sterling, and you made me feel like an asshole for telling you. But the whole time, you were also dating someone new! God, Jake, this is the same shit you pulled when we were dating!”
My shoulders tense—did Sam always make me feel this stressed? “What are you talking about, Sam?”
Sam huffs in frustration. “We were dating for an entire year, and you never talked about your family. What was I, some sort of embarrassing secret?! And now, you’re parading this new girlfriend around town already so proud of her, what, because she’s a med student, not a lowly secretary?”
Shame pours through me when I realize how Sam felt—like she didn’t measure up. I know that feeling intimately, after all, and I wouldn't wish that experience on my worst enemy. While I don’t want to date her again, I also don’t want to hurt her.
Although…it might not be a bad idea forSterlingto experience that—once or twice.
Still, this is too much to deal with during an ER shift. “Look, Sam, my feelings about my family are complicated, and I’m just not close to them the way you are with yours. I’ve never been ashamed of you, but I can see how you might have interpreted it that way. I’m really sorry.”
Tearsspring to Sam’s eyes, and she swipes at them furiously.
I hate it’s my fault she’s upset, but that doesn’t mean we’re meant to be together either. “I’m not trying to excuse my behavior, but can you truly say that this was our only issue?”
Sam glares at me, but finally relents, shaking her head. “I guess not. We don’t really have that much in common.”
I laugh, relief crashing over me like a wave. “I’m sure you’re glad not to deal with me playing video games and pounding on a keyboard anymore.”
She sends me a sheepish grin. “Maybe you’re right. I’m sorry about Sterling too. It must have been a shock to discover we were dating. I hope you realize it wasn’t on purpose; I had no idea he was your brother.”
I can’t help myself—maybe I have a little bit of Sterling inside me after all. “I guess you have a type.”
“Oh my God! Jake!” Sam pretends to be outraged, but her watery smile gives her away.
“Hey, you left yourself open for that one.”
“True. Also, Sterling was a total ass at the dinner Tuesday night. We had a talk about it.”
I raise my eyebrows. Maybe Sam’s innate assertiveness could be good for my brother.
“Who knows if he’ll listen to me. Time will only tell.”
“I think it’s great that you’re talking to him about this so early on,” I say honestly. “I know you and I could have communicated better as a couple, and I was probably the biggest part of that problem.”
Sam offers me a wry smile. “To be fair, I didn’t really want to broach the topic either after that first time,” she admits. “Sometimes it’s just easier to stay with the status quo instead of making a change.”
She’s not wrong. “Yeah, that’s for sure.”
The break room door swings open and in walks Lucy with a couple of greasy brown paper bags.
Stunned speechless, I stare at Lucy for a few beats in confusion. “Is…is that what I think it is?” I ask, my mouth finally catching up to my brain. Part of me still thinks she’s a daydream, because she can’t actually be here…for me.
Can she?
Sam glances between me and Lucy. “I’m gonna head back to work. Bye, guys.”
After she leaves, Lucy raises her eyebrows at me. “What was that about?”
“Just dealing with some unresolved issues,” I say, not wanting to talk about Sam. I just want to focus on this vision in front of me. She’s here. She’s really here. “Don’t tell me you brought me Bill’s burgers, you wonderful woman.”
Lucy seems preoccupied. “I dreamt about them after you took me there on Tuesday. But maybe you just want to eat your chicken and broccoli instead.” She sends me a half-teasing smile, but something is off about it.
