Samantha
SAMANTHA
“ G reat job, champ!” Derrick says from across the table.
“That’s a beautiful crane,” I say, which makes Danny blush and break out into a proud grin.
When the waitress brings our drinks, I take a large gulp of the wine. It goes down sweet and bubbly. We place our orders, and the server leaves us at our table.
“So, Chandler," Derrick says. From across the table. “I was thinking that you and I could get in some time to work out while you’re in town.”
Chandler looks uncomfortable for just a moment and takes a sip of his beer before he responds. “I don’t know, Derrick. I’ll be pretty busy with work.”
“I’m sure you can take an hour or so to work out, right?”
“Yeah, but I’ve been," he pauses for me a moment, and then he says, “I’ve actually been working out with Sam, and she’s not as used to it as we are, so you’d have to take it easy, for her to keep up.”
I look at Chandler, surprised that he’d use me as an excuse to get out of exercise with his brother-in-law. I wonder why. There is no way I am subjecting myself to a vigorous workout like Chandlers.
“Actually, wouldn’t you rather work out with Derrick? I’m sure that it would be nice for you to do it with someone who can keep up with you,” I offer, and I look at Derrick. “I hate working out, and he has to take it really slow for me.”
“Nonsense!" Derrick says. "I'm sure it’ll be fine. What kind of workouts do you guys do?”
“Running.” Chandler says right when I say, “Zumba.”
Derrick looks between the two of us suspiciously. “Running Zumba, huh? Well, maybe we should get together tomorrow morning!” His tone is as high-spirited as Cheyenne. I can see why they like each other.
“I don’t know if…” I start, but I’m cut off by Cheyenne.
“Oh dear God, please take him off my hands for a bit. I think he’s a little stir-crazy about not having anyone to work out with. I refuse todo the crazy work outs that he does.”
Same, Cheyenne. Same.
“Well, I think the hotel has a gym, and I’m sure I could exercise there,” I say.
“You could stay at the house,” I hear from the far end of the table where Chandler’s grandfather is sitting.
“Grandpa. I don’t think Sam wants to stay at the house,” Chandler says. “Besides, the hotel is already paid for.”
“Oh," I say, caught off guard. “That’s okay. I don’t want to intrude, and Chandler’s right. The hotel is paid for.”
“Well, it would be nice to have a female presence in that house! Since I moved in with Cheyenne, the place went to shit. You’re more than welcome to stay.”
“Thanks, but work paid for the hotel room, and I think it might be best for us to stay there.”
“Well, you’re welcome to,” his grandfather says. "More than welcome.”
“She gets it, grandpa. ”
“Well, I don’t see you offering her to stay. Thought I raised a gentleman!” His grandfather bellows. “And anyway, where have you been? You need to visit again before you go back to Tennessee.”
Chandler rolls his eyes, reminding me of a child being scolded by his parent. “I live in Florida, Grandpa, and yes, I will try to visit again before we leave.”
The food arrives, and we eat in silence for a few minutes.
When Cheyenne needs to make a trip to the restroom with her daughter, I take the opportunity to join them. We go into the bathroom, and when her daughter goes into the stall, Cheyenne turns to me and offers a friendly smile. “Don’t mind my grandpa or Derrick.. Or really everybody. I’m sure you’re used to it working with Chandler all the time.”
“Oh yeah. It’s fine," I say.
“How is it working with Chandler, by the way?”
“Oh, it’s fine.”
She looks at me suspiciously and then laughs. “Fine? Come on! Everyone knows Chandler is an asshole.”
I laugh, feeling a bit more relaxed now. “Oh yeah, he’s a huge asshole.”
“He is,” she says with a light laugh. “But he has some kindness in him, at least when it comes to the people he cares about.”
“Yeah," I say, nodding. “I think he does, too. It was sweet to watch him show your son how to make the crane.”
“Yeah, the kids have missed him a lot. It’s good to see him again.”
“I think he’s happy to see you guys too.”
We go back to the table when Sophia is done in the restroom. When I sit back at the table, Chandler and Derrick have moved on to sports talk.
“So," Derrick says, “It’s almost football season.”
“Yep.” Chandler nods and sips his beer. Derrick waits for Chandler to continue the conversation but Chandler frowns and shakes his head. “You know I’m not into sports, Derrick.”
“Yeah, right," Derrick says with a laugh. “Danny is going to be doing soccer soon. Maybe you could show him a few tricks. Did you used to play?”
Chandler shrugs. “I could try, but I was never any good at it.”
“Ah," Derrick says. “Well, what about fishing? Maybe next Tim you come down we can go.”
Chandler’s face does something I haven’t seen it do in all the time I’ve known him. It lights up with a wide grin, and my knees go weak. What is up with me?
“I haven’t gone fishing in years.”
“Well shit,” Grandpa says from the end of the table, and all eyes turn to him. “You live near the ocean, don’t ya?”
“No, Grandpa. I don’t live near the ocean. I’m five hours from the ocean.”
“Well, that’s not so far, right? Why the hell don’t you just go up there and fish then?”
“I’m just working a lot. I’m sure I’ll find the time soon.”
His grandpa grunts. “Seems like you had all the time in the world when you worked for yourself down here.”
Worked for himself? Chandler had a business? An awkward silence falls over the table, and Chandler opens his mouth, like he wants to say something, but then he closes it.
The band plays a new song, thankfully breaking the awkward silence, and Cheyenne stands from the table, her mouth in a wide smile. “Oh, my gosh! Derrick! Come dance with me!”
“I’d love to, darling," Derrick says, and they stalk off to the dance floor.
I watch them laugh and sway together to the music, and my heart swells a bit. I don’t even know them, and yet they make me miss something that I’ve never actually had. I turn to look at Chandler, but he’s gone. When I look back at the dance floor, I see something that makes my heart soar. Chandler is dancing with his niece, lifting her up and spinning her around as she giggles. Cheyenne and Derrick continue to sway along together with the music, making each other laugh. The ambiance of this place is so wholesome. It makes something inside of me want something that Cheyenne and Derrick have. Chandler returns to the table, and his niece sits with her brother to make paper airplanes with their grandfather. There’s a tap on my shoulder, and I turn to see Chandler with a playful smile on his face.
“Want to dance?”
Jesus, how much has he had to drink?
“Oh, no. Definitely not,” I say.
“Come on, one dance," he says, that playful smile still on his lips, and my heart flutters in my chest. Is he serious? This is new.
“I don’t know," I say. “I’m not much of a dancer.”
“No one here knows you. I promise it’ll be our little secret.”
His face burns, and so does mine because we’re already sharing a secret.
“Sure," I say quickly, wanting to think about anything else.
I should have thought it through, but being close to him has me aching for his hands to move from my waist to other places. The feeling of his taunt muscles beneath his shirt almost makes my mouth water when I remember the feeling of them bare and tense while he bucked against me in the pool. We don’t talk while we dance; we only look at each other and try not to fall flat on our faces. He twirls me around, and when we come together again, we’re chest to chest. I’m so close I could kiss him. But we don’t. We stay this close while we dance, and I can feel his heart beating along with mine like we’ve synchronized. Chandler's eyes have a haziness to them, and I find myself searching them for any semblance that he feels this, too. When the song ends, Chandler keeps his hands on the small of my back, and there’s a tingling in my spine when his thumb draws small circles on my back. My hands are interlocked on the back of his neck, and I feel so light that it’s almost like we’re floating.
The spell breaks when the restaurant applauds for the band, and there’s a small ache in my chest when we pull apart. There’s a buzz between us. I can feel it. Does he? Maybe I’m making it all up in my mind because we kissed last night. But he has that look in his eyes again, the lustful stare that he gave me right before we kissed in the elevator.
“We should get back to everyone," he says quietly. I nod and follow him to the table, taking my seat next to him.
Shortly after we return to the table, the check comes, and I take my wallet out of my purse. Chandler looks at me, confused, and shakes his head no.
“You’re not paying," he says. When I go to protest, he leans over and whispers in my ear. “Think of it as a thank you for putting up with my family.”
I’m starting to like this side of Chandler. And I don’t know if it’s a good thing.