When he pulls up in front of my house, the front door is open and my mother is standing in the open doorway. She may trust Sam to drive me home, but she isn't going to give him time alone with me in a parked car, that's for sure.
Sam stops me before I open the passenger door. "I'm sorry, Rory. I don't mean to pry, I just... You know you can talk to me right? If you want to, I mean. You can tell me anything, I won't repeat it, I swear. I just want to be here for you, okay? I care about you."
He stares at me intently as I process his words. They've surprised me, and I don't know why, because I think I already know them to be true. The thing is, Ihavetalked to him. Idotalk to him. More than anyone else who isn't my mother or paid to listen to me. And I know I can trust him; I know he hasn't repeated anything I've told him. I know this without him having had to tell me.
I think it's hearing him say he cares about me that's gotten to me. I remember hearing Robin say those same words. I remember wondering exactly what they meant, and believing them simply because he'd spoken them. I'd believed a lot of things simply because Robin said them, not only about his feelings, but about my own. But I'm not the same naive girl I was a year ago. Not even close.
And yet with Sam, the words seem extraneous. His actions have already proven he cares about me - that he's a good friend. And I realize I care about him, too. Very much.
"I know," I finally whisper.
Sam nods once and then I follow his gaze behind me where my mother is waving from the doorway, obviously wondering what's holding us up. Before I know what's happening, Sam has gotten out of the car and walked around to open the passenger door for me. I climb out and am about to tell him goodnight when he starts leading me up the walkway to my house.
"What are you doing?" I breathe.
Sam smiles wryly. "Walking you to your door, of course. You got to meetmymom..."
Oh, Jesus.
Sam holds out his hand to my mother and introduces himself.
"Hi, Mrs. Pine. I'm Sam Caplan, Rory's friend, it's nice to meet you," he says politely. I roll my eyes at his formality.
"Oh, hi. It'sMs. Pine, but you can call me Amy, anyway." She seems a little flustered and I narrow my eyes at her. If I'm not mistaken... is my motherblushing?I look back at Sam and allow myself to really take him in. He really is gorgeous. His midnight blues sparkle in the dim evening light, that incredible dimple ever present with his charming smile. Okay, fine, I don't blame her.
"I hope you consider letting Rory come with us on spring Break," he says, and I throw him a death glare. I haven't even brought this up to my mother yet. My mom's eyebrows practically shoot into her hairline and she turns her gaze on me.Great, here goes nothing...
"I'd be going with Carl and Tina. Sam and his friends are just going too," I explain. My mom doesn't say anything, I can see her turning this over in her head and imagining all of the awful things that could happen, none of them any more awful than the things that have already happened.
"My uncle works in hospitality. He's getting us a great deal on the hotel. Flight, too. It'd be no trouble to include Rory," Sam offers, but my mother is glaring at him with open hostility, any effect of his charm having been obliterated by her concern for her daughter. Sam's smile falters. "She'll be fine. I'll look out for her. I, uh, won't let anything happen," he murmurs, his voice turning hesitant.
My mother's eyes narrow. "With all due respect, Sam, the last boy who made such promises to my daughter wasn't exactly sincere."
"Mom!" I admonish. "Can we talk about thislater?" I hiss. My tone says it all.What the hell is she doing referencing Robin to Sam?She doesn't know he knows anything at all, and really, hedoesn't.
The house phone rings and I'm grateful for the interruption.
"Can you grab that, Aurora?" My mother asks, more a directive than a question.
I huff and turn to head back to the kitchen to the nearest landline. "Don't fucking call me that," I mumble under my breath.
"Rory!" my mother chides.
"Sorry," I grumble.
It's my mom's friend, Karen, who's coming to visit tomorrow. She's a talker, and she keeps me on the phone for nearly ten minutes despite my attempts to blow her off. After finally telling her I'd have my mother call her back, she lets me go. I'm surprised when I go to head upstairs and find Sam and my mom still in our modest front hall, talking. I shoot them both a puzzled look and my mother excuses herself.
"What was that about?" I ask Sam.
He shrugs. "I was just trying to soften her up about Miami."
I laugh. "Good luck with that."
"I'll pick you up at 8:10."
"Okay."
And with that, he turns and leaves.
