Free Stealing Second: Sam's Story: Book 4 in the Clarksonville Series by Barbara L. Clanton Page B

making Lisa smile.
     
     

Chapter Eight

     
     
     
    Samantha Rose Can't

     
     
    SAM AND LISA cleaned up from their day of babysitting and jumped into Sam’s car to head to East Valley for dinner with Lisa’s bio-dad William and his wife Evelyn.
    “You’re so good with them,” Lisa said taking Sam’s hand.
    “Who? The three musketeers?”
    “Mm hmm.”
    “I like your family.”
    “And I like you.” Lisa brought Sam’s hand to her lips and kissed the back of it. Sam had all she could do to concentrate on driving as Lisa kissed each knuckle in turn. Lisa turned Sam’s hand over and kissed the palm gently.
    Sam sighed as delightful tingles ran through her. “Uh, Lisa?”
    “Mm hmm?” Lisa kissed her way up Sam’s wrist.
    “We’re going to crash.”
    “Sorry.” Lisa stopped her trail of kisses and pulled Sam’s hand tight to her chest.
    “Uh, not better.”
    “Sorry.” Lisa grinned. She let both of their hands fall in between them on the center console—the same console that was the bane of their existence whenever they tried to get close.
    They made a quick stop at Price Chopper and bought fresh cut flowers for their hosts. Forty-five minutes later they pulled into the driveway of William and Evelyn’s one-story Cape Cod house in East Valley.
    “Your aunts are here already.” Sam gestured to the Honda Civic with Massachusetts plates in the driveway. One of the many bumper stickers on their car read, “COEXIST.” Different religious symbols made up the letters of the word. Another bumper sticker read, “BE CAREFUL WHO YOU HATE—it could be someone you love.” Sam pointed it out to Lisa. “I need to get that one for my parents.”
    “C’mon, don’t be so pessimistic. You don’t know that they’ll hate you.”
    “You’re right. Hate’s too strong a word. How about abhor, detest, loathe, revile?”
    Lisa frowned. “That’s harsh, don’t you think?” The concerned look that passed over Lisa’s face made Sam regret she’d brought it up.
    “I’m just kidding,” Sam said. But she wasn’t kidding. Lisa didn’t know Gerald and Mimi Payton. They would protect what was theirs at all costs. And that included Sam. To lighten the mood she added, “My parents aren’t that bad.” She plastered what she hoped looked like a genuine smile on her face and followed Lisa to the front door.
    “Knock, knock,” Lisa said as she opened the door to her bio-dad’s house.
    Evelyn, William’s wife of barely a month, greeted them. “Hello, girls. C’mon in. We’re glad you could make it.”
    “Sorry we’re late,” Lisa gestured at Sam. “Someone had to remove her mustache.”
    “Mustache?” William asked from behind his wife.
    Sam rolled her eyes as she stepped inside. “Some little delinquents drew a mustache on me while I was vulnerable.”
    “She made the mistake of falling asleep with the kids around,” Lisa added.
    “Ho ho,” William said with a laugh. “Apparently that was not a wise thing to do.”
    “No, it wasn’t.” Sam shot an accusing glance at Lisa, but Lisa looked up at the ceiling innocently as if she’d had nothing to do with it.
    Lisa handed the bouquet of lilies to Evelyn. “Thanks for having us over.”
    Evelyn lifted the flowers to her nose and breathed in the fresh fragrance. “Mmm, these are lovely, girls. Thank you.” She led them to the kitchen.
    Traces of William’s bachelor days were obvious. His Buffalo Bills glasses sat on the counter, but Evelyn’s more feminine influences were also evident. White lace curtains covered the windows and flowers sat in a vase on the table. Both Evelyn and William were in their mid-thirties, and it was the first marriage for both of them. Lisa had always known she had a different father than her siblings and had finally gotten to meet him for the first time two months earlier. Her mother and William had been high school sweethearts, but when her mother found herself pregnant at the end of their senior year, William