Page 33 of Justice for Samara

“I don’t think so.”

“By the way, I got this for you.” He handed her the flower. “I figured it was the least I could do since I spent time with a gun in my hand when I should’ve been holding your hand.”

Her smile was gentle, and she leaned over to give him a kiss on the cheek. “That’s so sweet. Thank you. For the record, I saw the long gun back there and I almost grabbed it and went in, but I figured you had it under control.”

“I did. I told you I’d keep you safe. Do you believe me now?”

“I believed you when you said it.”

“Good. Let’s go.”

The drugstore was only a mile from her trailer. He wondered how long it would be before someone saw them together and let it slip to his mother. That wasn’t how he wanted it to go. Talking to his mother first would be the best way. Otherwise, there was no telling what Marjorie would say in front of Samara.

There was no point in rushing. It was still a little early, barely eight o’clock, so he carried the condoms into the bedroom, then came back to the kitchen. She’d already sat down on the sofa and taken her shoes off. Instead of sitting down, he asked, “Want something to drink?”

“Yeah. I think I’ve got some wine coolers in there.”

He opened the door. “Want peach or wild cherry?”

“Wild cherry sounds good.”

“Got it.” He looked around a bit more and found a can of soda. But when he got back to the sofa, she stared at him. “What?”

“You’re not having a beer?”

“Nah. Don’t really feel like one.”

“You do drink, right?”

“Oh, yeah. Remember, I was drinking beer over at Carter and Sharla’s.”

“That’s right. I forgot.”

He sat down beside her and threw his arm over her shoulders. To his delight, she snuggled up against him. “Wanna watch something on TV?”

“Nah. I’d rather just sit here and talk or go to bed.”

“Would you rather sit here and talk, or would you rather go to bed?”

“Honestly, I’d rather go to bed,” she said with a little grin.

“Then drink your wine cooler.”

They sat there side by side, quietly downing their drinks. Finally, Michael asked, “What about your people? You’ve never really said. Except the thing about the tits.”

She laughed. “Yeah, I haven’t, have I?”

“Nope. So what does your dad do?”

“My dad is an electrical engineer. He worked at the TVA steam plant in WestPaducah. That’s why they live in BallardCounty. Mom is a nurse’s aide at a long-term facility over in Cairo. Got a sister, Marita, who’s three years older than me and works in Alabama at a car factory as an analyst, and another sister, Relena, who’s two years older than me. She lives outside Cleveland and she’s married to a doctor. My little sister, Kendra, is eleven years younger than me and she’s finishing up her doctoral degree at University of Tennessee Knoxville. My brother, Kenyan, is four years younger than me. He’s a stockbroker, and he and his husband live in Sausalito.”

“And you’re the kid in the middle.”

“Yep. The one who refused to do anything with her life.”

“Aha. I see. I didn’t even think to ask you earlier… Have you been married?”

“No. Dated a lot. Engaged once.”