20. Chapter 20

Chapter twenty

T he neighborhood looked smaller than Sam remembered, its once familiar streets somehow shrunken by the passage of time.

As Scarlett’s car rolled through the quiet, tree-lined neighborhood of Jess’ childhood home, Sam felt a strange mix of nostalgia and unease settling in her chest.

Scarlett pulled up in front of Jess’ dad’s house, the high-pitched squeal of worn down break pads interrupting the silence.

Sam glanced up at Jess, who sat in the front passenger seat, and then back at the house, its front porch light glowing softly in the gray evening air.

Sam opened the car door, sliding out into the street before grabbing their bags from the trunk.

“I’ll text you about the timing for the rehearsal dinner tomorrow,” Scarlett called out to Jess as she slowly rounded to the back of the car to where Sam stood waiting.

“Kay,” Jess mumbled, her face a mask of tension as she glanced up at the house.

She followed as Jess trudged up the driveway, her suitcase rolling behind her.Then she waited a few steps behind as Jess knocked before her father opened the door.

“Hi,” he said, his deep voice commanding attention even in its low volume.

“Hey dad,” Jess said, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around his thick torso in a tight hug.

Fine lines now marked his face, and deeper shadows etched permanently between his brows gave him a more weathered appearance. The light brown hair that once carried only a hint of gray had faded almost entirely to silver.

He let go after a moment, straightening up as he stepped aside to let her past the threshold into the house.Then he looked at Sam with a tight smile that was laced with more awkward discomfort than it was unfriendly.

“Sam,” he said, nodding once.

“Hey Mr. Miller,” she said with a warm smile, easily navigating the awkward tension she’d grown accustomed to over the years. “It’s good to see you again.”

She held out a hand, and he took it, his palm calloused and grip firm as he gave her one solid shake.

“Yeah,” he said, clearing his throat. “You too.”

She stepped past him over the threshold, following Jess inside, her duffel bag and backpack weighing against her shoulders.The house smelled faintly of cedar and something savory from the kitchen.

A black-haired, middle-aged woman stood in the kitchen, grinning up at them from where she was drying her hands near the sink. Her tan skin carried a healthy glow, though the faint lines around her mouth and eyes hinted at her age. Her black bob cut framed her face neatly, the ends just brushing her shoulders in an effortlessly tidy way that seemed to suit her perfectly.

“You must be Jess,” she said, dropping the towel on the countertop and making a beeline toward them.

She paused a few steps away from her, and Sam could read the apprehension clear across her face. Like she was deciding whether or not to go for the hug or the handshake.

“Yeah,” Jess said, her own voice sounding more nervous than Sam had heard it in a long time.

“I’m Suki,” the woman said, her smile softening into something more understated.

Jess reached out, shaking her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Suki nodded, her expression steady but kind, as if she understood how difficult this moment was for her. She turned to Sam then, her warm smile still firmly in place, though there was a hint of curiosity in her gaze as she looked her over.

“I’m Sam,” she said quickly, grinning at the woman as she reached a hand out.

Suki nodded, smiling as she took it. "It's wonderful to meet you, Sam." Then her eyes flicked back to Jess, who seemed to be almost frozen in what she guessed were awkward nerves.

And Sam couldn’t blame her. She couldn’t imagine how it would feel to meet the first woman her father had dated since her mother passed. Especially in her childhood home.

Sam cleared her throat, looking back at Suki. “Thanks for letting me crash your dinner,” she said with a light laugh. “I hear you’re an amazing cook.”

Suki chuckled softly. “You’re very welcome,” she replied, her voice smooth and low, with just a touch of amusement. “I wouldn’t call myself amazing, but I do enjoy it.” Her dark eyes flicked back to Jess. “And it’s nice to finally meet you both.”

“I’ll take your guys’ bags up to your room,” Mike’s gravelly voice cut through as he stepped up behind them.

“Oh—” Sam muttered, pausing when he held a hand out for her duffel bag. “That’s okay. I’m actually staying at a hotel nearby.”

He nodded, unfazed, turning to grab Jess’ suitcase instead.

“Thanks dad.”

“I’m just so grateful you guys were able to come,” Suki said as Mike dragged the suitcase up the stairs and out of view.“I’m sure your schedule is packed with all the wedding festivities.”

Jess gave her a small smile that seemed just slightly less tense than before. “Yeah. Lots to do.”

Suki watched her, an expectant smile on her lips as if waiting for more.

And when a couple of seconds ticked by in silence, Sam broke it for her once again.

“Is there anything I can help with?” she asked. “I’m not great in the kitchen, but I can definitely follow instructions.”

Suki laughed, waving her to come forward as she turned back toward the kitchen. “I would love some help.”

Sam dropped her bags by the bottom of the stairs, then walked back toward the kitchen, running a gentle hand across Jess’ lower back as she passed.

Jess gave her a grateful smile, releasing a breath as her shoulders dropped slightly into their normal relaxed state.

Suki began directing her on what to do, and they quickly fell into an easy rhythm, talking as they worked.

“So you’re a software engineer, is that right?” Suki asked as she poured breading into a large bowl.

Sam glanced up at her in surprise. Then her eyes flicked to where Mike and Jess sat in the living room talking. Maybe Mike had paid more attention than he’d really let on those handful of times they’d spoken. But even if he had, she was even more surprised that he would’ve brought it up to Suki before they’d arrived.

“Yes,” she said, looking back down as she continued chopping the cabbage. “I work on software for financial analytics right now.”

Suki hummed, placing raw chicken breasts on a plate beside the bowl of breading. “My oldest son is a software engineer, too. He’s always enjoyed it. Although, I’ll be honest, I have a hard time following most of what he tries to explain about his work.”

“I understand,” Jess’ voice floated to them as she entered the kitchen. “I feel like she’s speaking another language when she talks about it,” she said, nodding toward Sam in a way that was far more composed than when they’d first arrived.

Suki chuckled, looking up at her with an excited grin, as if she’d also picked up on her change in demeanor. “Exactly.”

Mike followed behind Jess, grabbing a beer from the fridge.

“Want me to take over?” Jess asked, nodding down at the cabbage she was chopping. “So you can give your hand a break.”

“Yeah,” Sam replied with a smile, knowing that meant Jess was finally ready to have some time to get to know Suki.

“Beer?” Mike’s gruff voice asked from the other side of the island, holding one out toward her.

“Sure,” she said, moving around the kitchen to take it from him. “Thanks.”

She followed as he made his way back to his recliner in the living room. And the corners of her lips quirked up in a smile, hearing Jess and Suki talking and laughing behind them.

She sat down on the couch opposite of Mike, taking a sip of the ice cold beer. The low murmur of announcers floated out from the TV, where a hockey game was playing on the screen.

“You follow hockey?” Mike asked, keeping his eyes off the screen as he took a big gulp of his beer.

“Not really,” Sam answered. “But I like watching most sports. I can get behind anything competitive.”

Mike huffed, throwing a nod over her shoulder while still keeping his eyes glued to the screen. “Just like that one.”

Sam smirked, nodding to herself. “Yeah, she might be the only person I’ve ever met that’s more competitive than me.”

Mike hummed, taking another swig of his beer.

Calm silence fell between them as Sam leaned back into the couch, trying to savor the rare downtime where she didn’t have to think about work.

After a while, she caught Mike glancing at her out of the corner of her eye. Then he shifted in his recliner, clearing his throat.

She looked up at him, curious, as he threw a glance back to where Jess and Suki were still talking in the kitchen.

“So,” he started, his voice slightly lower and somehow more timid than she was used to. Almost—nervous—in a way? If that was even possible for him.

“You guys are uh—” He looked at her with a question in his eyes, then nodded once over his shoulder. “Again?”

Sam’s heart rate ticked up a notch, the question catching her entirely off guard. If there was anything she expected him to ask that night, that definitely wasn’t it.

“Uh—we’re” she stammered, scratching the back of her neck. “We’re friends. Just—friends.”

He watched her for a moment, and she was suddenly transported back to years before when she’d first met him and he’d questioned her about the incident at the clinic. Like he was searching for what she might have been concealing in the words.

But it was true. They were friends. And she sure as hell wasn’t about to give him the full explanation of what they’d been doing that might have blurred those lines.

He hummed, nodding once. Then he looked at Jess once more.

“She doesn’t—” he paused, looking down at the beer bottle in his hand, as if carefully measuring his words. “Tell me much about who she’s dating these days.”

Sam wanted to ask if she’d ever told him much about that. But it didn’t seem like the right response. Not with that being the most serious thing he’d ever really said to her in all the times they’d interacted.

“I wouldn’t take it personally,” Sam said with an easy chuckle. “Pretty sure Scarlett is the only one that gets all the details.”

Mike nodded, giving her what was probably the closest thing to a smile she’d ever seen on him.

“Dinners ready!” Suki called out from the kitchen.

***

Sam rested her shoulder against the weathered wooden railing of the back porch steps, her eyes fixed on the streaks of pink and orange spreading across the horizon where the sun had just dipped out of sight.

Dinner had gone better than expected. Once Jess had worked through her initial nerves, the night had flowed with easy laughter and conversation, each story and shared moment bridging the gaps between them.

Mike had left to drive Suki home after they’d all finished dinner and tidied up, leaving her and Jess with some time to themselves.

“So, what did you think?” Sam asked, turning to look at Jess, who sat beside her on the top step.

She nodded slowly, a small smile forming on her lips. “I like her. She’s sweet.”

“Yeah, she is.”

Jess glanced down at the cup between her hands. “It’s weird, though. I’ve never seen him like that with someone.” Her throat bobbed as she swallowed, brow furrowing slightly. “He seemed— happy .”

“Yeah,” Sam muttered, the conversation between them resurfacing in her mind. “He was definitely— different .”

Jess looked at her, cocking her head to the side in question.

Sam opened her mouth to explain, but paused as a laugh worked its way out instead. “He um—he asked me about us.”

Jess’ brow furrowed. “Asked what about us?”

“He asked if we were like—together.”

Jess’ head whipped to the side, eyes widening. “Are you serious?”

Sam laughed, shaking her head in shared disbelief. “Yep.”

“What did he say exactly?” Jess asked, turning her whole body toward her.

“He just asked if we were a thing—I guess. Or I mean, I think that’s what he was trying to get at.”

Jess blinked, staring at her as if waiting for more.“What else did he say?”

Sam shrugged lightly. “Nothing, really. You know him. Pretty sure he’s never said more than like one sentence to me at a time.”

Jess nodded slowly.A beat of silence passed, then she asked, her voice low and careful, “what did you tell him?”

Sam swallowed, looking away. “I said we were just friends.”

Jess was quiet for a moment, and Sam glanced back at her, studying the reaction.But her face betrayed no emotion.

“Is that—I mean, was that okay?” Sam asked slowly. “I didn’t really know what to—”

“No—yeah,” Jess replied, shaking her head. “Yeah. That’s fine.”

Sam nodded, looking out into the backyard as she took a sip of her water.

“I’m just surprised,” Jess muttered. “He’s never asked me about any of that stuff before.”

“Did you tell him about Liz?”

Jess shrugged. “I told him at the beginning, when we first started seeing each other. But we never talked about it after that. He never asked.”

Sam nodded, letting comfortable silence fall between them.

After a minute, Jess exhaled, leaning into her slightly as she shivered in the dusky cold air.“How do you feel now that you’re back?”

Sam thought about it for a moment—how it felt seeing the familiar road as they drove up to the house. The memories of every time she’d picked her up and dropped her off there when they’d first met.

It felt like an eternity had passed, but each memory was crisp enough in her mind that it could’ve been hardly any time at all.

“It’s weird,” Sam said quietly as her gaze drifted across the darkened sky above the wooden fence.

“What’re you going to do after you sell the company?”

Sam tilted her head back, releasing a sigh. “I haven’t really figured that out yet. I’ve just been so focused on what comes before that I haven’t really been able to see past it.”

Jess threw her a teasing smirk. “Retire on a beach somewhere?”

Sam snorted a laugh. “Pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to make it more than ten minutes without getting bored.”

Jess smiled knowingly at her.

“I don’t know,” Sam continued. “I guess maybe start another software company? Probably with Caleb again. And then just see what happens.”

Jess arched one brow at her. “So, exactly what you’re doing right now?”

“Well, not—” Sam paused, her mouth remaining open for a moment. Then she closed it, cocking her head to the side. She’d never really thought about it before. But—yeah. That’s what she wanted her days to look like. Exactly what she was already doing. Minus the constant travel and stress of hyper-growth.

She let out an amused chuff. “Okay, yeah. I guess so.”

Jess laughed, shaking her head as she sipped her drink. “Are you gonna stay in Seattle?”

Sam glanced at her, wondering if there was a specific reason she’d chosen to ask.

“I don’t know,” she answered quietly. “I never thought I’d end up back here. Or at least, end up this close to where I grew up.” She ran a hand across the back of her neck. “I never really planned on coming back once I left.”

Jess gave a slight nod.

“But it’s also been—nice,” Sam continued. “Better than I expected. Being around friends and everything.”

She sighed, resting her elbows against her knees.

“Did you miss it?” Jess asked quietly. “I mean, did you miss Scarlett and—” she trailed off, but Sam knew what she was really asking.

“Yeah,” she whispered. “I missed—everyone—a lot.” She swallowed, tapping a finger against the edge of her glass. “But I think I’ve always just had this tunnel vision. Ever since I graduated. I knew what I wanted and—it’s like I could only ever think about getting it. I never let myself think about any of the other stuff. Any of the stuff I—” she swallowed, realizing for the first time how true it was. “Gave up.”