Sam had made it a point to check in with her parents daily. Both via video call and text, even a phone call here and there—like it was 1996, and the world hadn’t gone to shit.
“Of course, I did,” Great Aunt Etta lifted her shoulder like it wasn’t a big deal or a slight betrayal in Sam’s trust of her mother. “Your mama worries about you.”
Oh, well, Sam didn’t want her to worry.
“She’s afraid if she comes to see you,” Great Aunt Etta continued, folding up the pants with a quick flare of brilliance Sam did not quite catch. “Then it’ll just mean you pull up the tiny roots you’ve planted and start again.”
“She thinks that?” Sam asked as the guilty thickness in her throat took hold. She didn’t want her mom to be worried. That’s why she’d left in the first place—so Mom and Dad could live a normal life without… Sami Jo.
The knock on her door came right before it opened, and Courtney pushed through the gaggle of the elderly. “He invited you! And you said no?”
“Damn,” Sam said. Not even under her breath, just out there for everyone to hear.
“I told them to leave you alone,” Becca followed Courtney, clearly attempting to be the voice of reason.
“Them?” Sam asked, but it was too late because Knox and Linx—even Bax—squeezed into her little apartment.
“Where’s Mach? Tanner?” she asked. Since they were having a party, perhaps she should put out some appetizers.
“They both said that you’re private and to leave you alone,” Courtney said. “But you should know that you are now part of our crew and that means we don’t do that.”
“Which is actually what we should do,” Becca added.
Courtney glared lovingly at Becca—was that a thing? Sam couldn’t say she’d ever seen that before.
“I’m here to remind them that’s what we should do,” Becca continued. She got shoved toward the little double bed and sat on the other side from Sam.
Becca grabbed a shirt from the laundry bin and started folding. That was sweet, but Sam made an internal promise to herself that she would never again leave out a bin of laundry. She quickly snatched out all the panties and shoved them under her pillow.
If Becca noticed, she said nothing. Which was sweet.
“You and Tanner can use my old apartment in Los Angeles.” Courtney held up her hands as though she was surrendering. “We go out there every so often, so we kept the lease. And Knox and Irina live across the hall when they’re in town. So you and Irina can get to know each other better. She’s really eager to meet you.”
That was a touch low, seeing as Sam had told them all of her girl crush on Hollywood starlet, Irina. The woman was hysterical and a kickass actress. Ashley may have been star-struck over the Dimefront boys, but Sam was bananas over Irina.
“If you’re worried about the Tens, the security at the building is super great. And Knox and Tanner won’t let anyone near you.”
Sam wasn’t worried about groupies. Well, she was because they might recognize her. But not because of the reasons Courtney probably suspected. Sam let out a long breath, blowing her bangs up with the movement. “Thank you. Really. I just can’t come.”
“She can come,” Babushka said. “She has vacation.”
“Thank you.” Sam swallowed all the words she wanted to say. “Thank you for explaining that.”
“There is compromise here, I feel it in my bones,” Babushka announced, moving a rook that once again put Sam in check.
Dammit.
She stalked to the board—which was hard given the number of people in her room. The fire marshal would not like this at all. Then again, he didn’t have a particular fondness for the Purple Peony.
Hold up. If she pushed her king one move over… yes, that’d do it.
“Checkmate,” she announced, lifting her arms in the air.
Then she glanced to Babushka like,Whatchagonnado?
“It is compromise, yes?” Babushka asked, like she’d seen that coming all along.
Fudge, had she thrown the game? No, that wasn’t like her. Babushka did a lot of things, but she didn’t lose intentionally. Unless, by losing she’d actually be winning. Someone should probably move beside her in case she tossed herself on the floor.
