Free Second Rate Chances by Holly Stephens

“Hope you don’t mind,” he said. “The fire looked a little low and its pretty cold out.”
                                “No, not at all.” She stood behind him as more heat filled the small room. Whether the heat Sam felt was from the fire or being so near to Lil, he wasn’t sure.
                                When he finished, he took the wineglass from Lil’s extended hand and mock saluted her. “To…” He was at a loss as to what to toast to. Thankfully, Lil filled in the blanks for him.
                                “To old friends helping one another.”
    49

 
    SECOND RATE CHANCES
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 8
     
    Lil wanted to laugh at the bemused expression on Sam’s face. It had taken a lot of soul searching to determine that she needed to help him. It was a help him, help herself scenario. In the end, maybe both of them would be better for it. He’d have his memories and she’d have the closure she had never gotten.
                                “Sam, close your mouth before you catch flies.” Lil laughed softly. “I’m not a horrible person.”
                                “So you want to help me?” Sam asked hesitantly.
                                “I need to apologize for how I acted at the hospital. I was being insensitive. I know this isn’t easy for you. In the moment I was only thinking of myself, having lingering doubts about you being in my life again.”              
    “In your life again?” Sam said softly which made Lil wonder if he intended to ask the question aloud. “It’s so weird. As far as I know, you’ve never been out of my life.”
    “I know,” Lil said. “That’s why I’m trying to be a little more understanding of the situation. We can start small. Maybe talking once or twice a week.”
    “Once or twice a week?” Lil could hear the broken notes in Sam’s voice, but what more could she offer? She hated seeing him so vulnerable. This wasn’t the man she had known since she was eighteen. The man she knew then was confident, if not cocky at times. He never sounded unsure. He always had a plan for everything.
    “Well, I don’t want to cause problems with you and your…” Lil held back the groan in protest at saying Chloe’s name. Helping Sam wasn’t going to be as easy as she tried to tell herself if she wanted to throw something every time she thought of the two of them marrying. “Fiancée,” she finished.
    “Oh, her.” Sam’s tone held no emotion. To be expected, when he had no recollection of the woman he asked to spend forever with. “She won’t be a problem.”
    “If you say so.” Lil took a sip of wine so she could hide the smile that threatened to spread across her face. So, she was slightly giddy on the inside that Chloe wouldn’t be around. She didn’t have to tell Sam that. And it wasn’t like Lil had any ulterior motives to move in on her man. But it did make the situation a little easier.
                                “She left town.”
                  Lil nearly spit the wine out of her mouth. She coughed as it went down the wrong pipe.
                                “You okay?” Sam asked, patting her back.
    Nodding Lil said, “F ine. Just drank it a little too fast.” She
    set the wineglass on the coffee table before she took a seat on the couch, offering Sam the recliner. His recliner, although he wouldn’t remember purchasing it. “Where is she?”
    Sam had set his glass next to hers on the table. Instead of taking a seat in the chair, he opted to sit next to Lil. A breath away it seemed, as he threw his arm over the back of the couch. Lil tried to keep her expression guarded but oh how she wanted to cuddle into his chest.