Hello, Hello! It is a beautiful Sunday afternoon where I live and I got quite inspired. I really hope you guys like where the story is going and please feel free to tell me any ideas that you want me to incorporate to the story.

Thanks for all the amazing reviews... They are really the boost I need to keep writing. Also, I wanna thanks everyone for the follows and the favs.

Disclaimer: Glee and/or its characters are not mine. Everything belongs to Ryan Murphy, his colleagues and Fox. I just love to borrow them for entertainment purposes.

Please forgive all the mistakes...

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Happy reading...

Chapter 9

After dinner with the family, Sam took Mercedes for a tour around the house since he did not wanted her to 'get lost' but honestly, it was just an excuse to get some 'alone time´ with her since his parents and his siblings monopolized her attention during dinner time. From the basement to the attic, it took Sam around two hours to show Mercedes his whole house, not because his house was as big as the White House, but because Mercedes was mesmerized by something inside each room.

When they walked in inside Sam's room, Mercedes gasped.

"Sam, I thought my room was huge but look at this room; is as big as my studio apartment back in New Haven."

Sam laughed. "Yeah. I guess it is."

Mercedes walked to his bed and when she sat, she almost crushed Sam's bedtime companion.

"Watch out! You're crushing Stark." Sam said as he pulled Stark from underneath Mercedes.

"Stark? As Tony Stark?"

"Yes. I've been a huge Iron Man fan since forever and I had to name my very good watch-moose like my favorite superhero. Not once, I was attacked by a monster under my bed or something in the closet, thanks to him."

Mercedes laughed at Sam's dorkiness, not because she was making fun of him but because she liked this new relax Sam. "Well, hello Stark! It's very nice to meet you."

"Very pleased to meet you as well." Sam said mimicking Stark's voice.

"I like you like this." Mercedes stated.

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Just like this. Just Sam." Mercedes said as she caressed his cheek in a complete involuntary act.

In that moment, Sam's father came to the door. "Sam, it's time to let Mercedes rest. We have a long day tomorrow." Sam looked at his dad and gave him a 'thanks for ruining my moment' look but unfortunately, it was his house and his rules.

"Your dad is right. I'll see you tomorrow, Sam. Again, thanks for everything." Mercedes said and left Sam's room.

"Take it easy, Sam. Everything has its time." Dwight said with a playful smile.

"Thanks, dad." Sam replied mortified.

XXXXX

The next day, they had breakfast with the family and once again, Mercedes was center of the Evans family attention. After breakfast, Sam took Mercedes outside and showed her the rest of the Evans property. When they reach the barn, Mercedes was intrigued by something very particular she found.

"Are those lawn mowers?"

"Yes."

"Why are they decorated like that?"

"Well, there's this very interesting race that is celebrated yearly on Thanksgiving Day at one of my dad's friends estate and instead of using cars or horses, we use lawn mowers. It's a huge sport around here. I used to win the race all the time but when I became the asshole you met, I stopped racing."

"Why?"

"Because I thought it was too redneck for my taste but, I decided to leave all that crap behind and actually, I am going to race again today. Also Stevie's is participating for the first time and I want him to feel safe and sound."

"He seems like a very good kid and Stacy is a very cute girl."

"Yes. They are." Sam assured her.

"They are very proud of you, Sam."

"You think so?" He asked as they sat on top of some some haystacks.

"Absolutely. The way they look at you is like there's nobody else better than you in their world. It's like you are their personal superhero."

"Wow! I have never noticed that."

"Sometimes it takes someone from the outside world to show us what we are not seeing right in front of our eyes."

In that moment, one of Sam's friends, Jake walked into the barn. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No, not really! We were just talking." Said Sam while he stood up. "Mercedes this is my childhood friend, Jake. His father has been the one that has helped my father to keep everything around here in order. Jake this is my girl-... I mean, my friend from college, Mercedes."

Mercedes looked at Sam suspiciously. "Nice to meet you, Jake." Mercedes said as she shook Jake's hand.

"Nice to meet you too." Jake said with a smile. "Sam, let's get those lawn mowers ready!"

"Mercedes, you don't mind waiting while we get these babies ready for the race?" Sam asked her.

"No. Actually, I have a tea date with Stacy and I shouldn't be late for that. I'll see you later." She replied and left the barn.

"You like her, huh?" A very nosey Jake asked.

"More than you'll ever know." Sam sincerely answered sporting the goofiest smile on his face.

"I can tell."

"Yeah? How?"

"You have the same stupid look I have every time I look at Marley." Jake said and Sam playfully hit him on the shoulder.

"Let's get to work." Sam added.

XXXXX

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the Rose Mad Mower Derby. I'm Chris Rose, your host for the day." Could be heard through the speakers.

Mercedes, Mary and Stacy sat at the little stands around the track, while the boys were getting their lawn mowers ready. Mercedes could not stop looking at Sam and even though, he was getting everything set for the race, he could not help but check on her every once in a while.

"You know, you need to stop staring at her like that." Dwight joked.

"I can't, dad. It is like the only thing my eyes want to see is her face." Sam confessed. "I really like her but I don't know how to tell her that without scaring her away." He added.

"For what it's worth, Sam, I think you should try telling her. Something your grandfather used to tell me when I was courting your mother was that "Chemistry isn't just a class and you guys have it." Your mother told me how everything started between the two of you and there is only one thing I can tell you, it is something I learned while watching a Disney movie with Stacy; the flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all. Your mom and I think she's the best thing to ever happen to you. She has helped you turn into the man I always wanted you to be and for that I will be forever in her debt."

"Wow. Never in my life had I thought you were going to tell me something like that."

His dad gave him is fatherly look and said, "Honestly, never in my life I thought you were going to be ready to hear those words."

"Dad… there's something I wanna tell you. It's about my career path." Sam thought that since they were on good track now, that it was time for him to tell him that he did not wanted to be a lawyer after all.

"What is it, son?"

"I don't wanna be a lawyer, dad."

"What? I thought that's what you wanted to be?"

"No, dad. That's what you and mom wanted me to be. Actually, I want to be a comic book illustrator. I know it's not fancy like being a doctor or a lawyer but it is what makes me happy."

Sam's father looked at him with compassion. How in the world, he thought his son wanted to be a lawyer when he knew his real passion? Dwight wanted what was best for his son but he was thinking with his businessman brain instead of his father's heart. "Let's talk about that when we get home. Right now, we have a race to win." He said.

XXXXX

After winning the race and enjoying their Thanksgiving dinner at the Rose residence, Sam took Mercedes for a ride on the lawn mower and after it got late for them to be driving around, he drove them back to his house. After organizing the things at the barn, Sam and Mercedes sat next to each other at the entrance of the barn and started stargazing. While stargazing, they talked about different things, including the fact of how much his family adored her.

"I'm guessing that's the reason people around here are getting the wrong idea about you and me." Mercedes stared.

"What idea is that?" Sam asked closing the gap between them.

"That we are involved, which we're not." Mercedes said timidly and frozen because of Sam's intense gaze.

"No." He said in a seductive tone.

Mercedes swallowed out of her nervousness. "Definitely not."

"Because you hate me." He teased.

"Yes, very much." Mercedes whispered.

Their lips were almost touching. In that moment and with the moon and the stars as their witnesses, Sam gently closed the gap between them and kissed Mercedes with a fondness he had never felt before for anyone else. Kissing her made him feel like time around them stopped and the only thing that matter in that moment were them. After Sam broke the kiss, Mercedes looked at him confused and said,

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Sam said coming down from his high. "Which is why, I am going to walk you to your door..." He said and then placed a small peck on her lips. "… And wish you goodnight." He finished.

He kissed her once more but this time more heartily than before. Then, as he promised, he walked her to her room and bid her goodnight. When Sam walked into his room, he thanked the heavens for the moment he had just shared with Mercedes.

A/N: Love is in the air! How about that for a special Thanksgiving getaway. These two are driving me insane because all I can write is fluff and more fluff. Love is a beautiful and intoxicating thing, you know! LOL... Let's see where life is taking them in the upcoming chapters.

Until Next Time,

XOXO