Page 10 of Lily
"She's tied up with the last week of the production she and Tash are doing together. When she happened to mention you to me, I told her I knew where you were. Since she's been running ragged with all the shows, I offered to come since I had business here tonight anyhow."
"Tash?" Lily asked in confusion. Though she and Ashley had been roommates for the better part of a year, she still didn't know much about the other woman. Their living situation hadn't been conducive to all the niceties necessary for friendship. Primarily, because of the need to be on guard against their drunk roommates. She shuddered thinking about them and looked back at Sam with renewed energy.
"Can I see her? Do you think that, ah…that she would have somewhere for me to stay tonight?" she asked hopefully.
"Something happened at your place," Sam said. It wasn't a question, but a statement. It was also true. She looked down at her feet and bit her lip.
"I mean, I guess…" her voice trailed off, and when she didn't speak again, Sam cleared his throat.
"You can tell me. It's okay, Lily. I'm a friend."
"Not mine," she told him, eyes still on her feet. He stepped closer, reclaiming the space she'd put between them, his black boots coming into her field of vision.
"Not, but I could be."
She could tell he wasn't lying. He could be her friend. His voice was sincere, and he had the gift of seeing her as she was, not as she intended for others to see her. Lily wanted a friend like Sam. She was silent for another second before she lifted her eyes to his.
"Do you promise not to knock my phone into your pool?"
His eyes softened, and a wide and welcoming smile lit up his features. "I can do my best, but I would like to remind you that I am human and therefore prone to making mistakes, but I'll make you a deal."
"What's the deal?"
"If I send your phone to a watery grave, I'll buy you a new one," he said, raising his hand in mimic of a scout's honor, though Lily wasn't sure it was correct given that he was wiggling all of his fingers as he did so.
She smiled in spite of herself. It was hard not to smile around Sam. His playfulness was infectious, and Lily giggled. "That is a tempting offer, but I don't know."
"What don't you know?"
"I don't want to," she waved her hands around, "put you out."
Sam scoffed. "You wouldn't be putting me out. I have a big house."
Lily's mouth fell open. "You have a house?"
"I do, right outside the city. I told Ashley I'd take you there if you wanted. She mentioned that your old apartment wasn't exactly safe."
Lily gave a shake of her head. "It's terrible," she told him. "I was just scouting places to crash tonight because I need to sleep."
He pursed his lips at hearing that. "You shouldn't feel that way about a place where you're paying to be."
"Life doesn't always go according to plan," she told him, trying for nonchalant and failing miserably if the crack in her voice was anything to go by.
Sam nodded and stepped back then. "You have somewhere to go if you want."
"How do I know you aren't a serial killer?"
"If I was, what are the chances I know Ashley?"
He had a good point there, but that didn't wipe away the dozens of unsolved mystery documentaries Lily had binge-watched before now. She was wary of the man no matter how attractive he was.
"Do you have proof?"
"Smart girl." Sam pulled out his phone and flicked through a few apps until he held it up, showing her a social media feed. "Take a look here. I know her and her man."
"She has a man?" Lily asked in surprise as she took his phone. "I didn't know she was dating anyone."
Sam cleared his throat. "It's new, but rock solid."
