“How do your folks act when you bring someone else home?” When she grimaced, I said, “See? Same thing here.
It’s the whole parental test you go through with everyone you meet. You’re just new to them, and because I’ve been burned before, she’s looking out for me.”
“I’m glad you have someone to do that for you. It’s nice.”
Her voice changed then, somber and full of regret.
I wanted to ask her about it but thought better of it once I saw the glaze over her eyes. She’d spoken fondly of her folks before, so I knew it didn’t have to do with them.
Whatever it is, it isn’t any of your business.
Maybe not, but considering how quiet she got then, I really wished I could’ve fixed whatever it was I’d inadvertently walked into.
“I’m sorry.” It was all I could say before leaning my head on her shoulder.
“It’s all right. It’s mostly this day, really. Being this far from my family is hard.”
“Why not start a video chat with them?” I offered, taking out my phone before turning it on. “You can even do it now
since we have service here.” The connection back at the cabin was shitty as hell.
“I will pretty soon. I want to get all washed up before I do.”
I nodded but said nothing else. I loved my folks to bits and couldn’t stand going a few hours away for school. I couldn’t begin to imagine how homesick Sam must’ve been. She’d kept it quiet until now. The holidays affect us all differently. While I enjoyed meeting up with my family, then retreating from too much stimulation, it was easy to see Sam was the complete opposite. No doubt she joined in the festivities for as long as possible.
She’ll see them in the spring.
Which was still a long ways away. Even so, if we were still together when the time came, I knew I’d go with her.
Chapter Nine
Sam
After a chat with my family that was bittersweet, Taylor and I packed up and made our way back to the cabin. Much like the night before, we arrived after dark, but once we got the fire going, I felt right at home.
“Here,” she said, handing me a box wrapped in paper once I took off my coat.
“What’s this?” I didn’t get you anything.
Her smiled brightened. “Open it and find out.”
Feeling terrible for not having anything to give her in return, I lowered myself onto the sofa and slowly removed the paper. When I did, my heart skipped.
“An e-reader?” I asked her with surprise.
“I know how much you love your books, so I thought—”
“Thank you,” I said, cradling the device in my hands. “I don’t know what else to say.”
“That pretty much covers it,” she said as she placed her hand on mine. She smiled when I met her gaze. “I wanted to do this for you. Now you don’t have to run to the library every night. The campus library actually has an electronic system you can access on the e-reader and take your books out that way. I know it won’t feel the same and it doesn’t have that broken-spine smell you keep going on about, but it should save you some time.”
I’d been late to class a few times already because of a book I needed to return. More like losing yourself in another book when you don’t have time to browse. “It’s perfect,” I said as I powered it on.
Curled up on the sofa beside her, I was able to access a few online retailers, even with our crappy wireless Internet inside the cabin. But even as I downloaded books I’d been coveting for weeks, I couldn’t be bothered to open them. Not when
Taylor was sitting right next to me, and certainly not when she kissed me on the cheek.
“The things you do to me,” I said, shivering from the brief contact.