4.
The more distance she made from Ric, the less she felt like a frightened teen and the more pissed she got. She'd be ready for Ric next time with a swift knee to the groin if he so much as laid another finger on her. The nerve of that, that... asshole! Sam considered saying something to her mother before she left, but what? How would she have even begun to tell her mother that her slime of a husband made what felt like a sexual advance? Maybe it wasn't as big a deal as she was making it.
That kind of thing could ruin her sisters' family if Alexis chose to send him packing and what if Alexis believed Ric instead? She might lose her family all over again. Sam couldn't risk that. She decided to keep quiet, unless he made any further moves. Sam just hoped, for everyone's sake, Ric had temporarily lost his mind and wouldn't let anything like that happen again.
Sam recognized they were at her stop as the scenery slowed outside the tinted window. The limo eased up to the entrance of the Sons of Neptune Marina and stopped at the gate. Cars weren't permitted past that point after hours without a boat owner's code.
"It's okay. I'll walk from here." Sam said closing two of the buttons of her coat and reaching for the door handle.
"Nonsense. We'll drive you the rest of the way." Nik protested with a glance to his driver.
"Really Nik, my boat's only half way down. I can see it from here." Sam assured him.
Nikolas pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. "I'll have Higgins walk with you."
Sam chuckled and shook her head. Ever the gentleman, she thought. Sam knew he'd insist on walking her himself if Emily hadn't dozed off in his embrace. No sooner had the thought entered her mind than Emily shifted. She snuggled into Nik's chest before inquiring groggily. "Am I home now?"
Nikolas pressed a tender kiss to her forehead. "No my love, I'm walking Sam to her door. I'll only be a moment."
"Okay." Emily hummed. "Careful, there may be ice." She warned thoughtfully, still half asleep.
Nik was right. Emily was usually one of the most energetic people Sam had ever met. She must be exhausted by her grueling schedule at the hospital and still insisting on making time for family and friends.
"Goodnight Emily." Sam nearly whispered as the driver held the door.
Emily smiled again barely opening her eyes. "Goodnight Sam. We're all so happy you're home." And her tone was as warm as her heart.
Nik held out his hand for Sam as she stood from the stretched black Mercedes. They made their way down the drive, careful of the ice patches that formed. It was quiet out with only a couple of lights on as they passed all the boats tied down. Sam knew from a conversation with the owner she was one of only two handfuls of full time residents and even fewer, she guessed, would be up that late on a work night.
Nik noted the security at the gate and silently approved. The place was also well lit. From what he could tell, the marina was at least as well appointed as the country club. Although it lacked similar refinement, opting for images of pin up girls and sailors rather than the anchor and rope symbol of the club. He'd be certain to mention all of it to Alexis tomorrow to help allay her worries, minus the pin up girls and sailors of course.
"Well, this is it." Sam halted at her slip. "You're welcome aboard if you like, but I know you must want to get Emily home."
Nik nodded thoughtfully as he took in the magnificent vessel and its name; Danny's Lullaby, in memory of her brother, inscribed in large navy script against crisp white. "She's beautiful Sam."
"Thanks." Sam beamed the smile of a proud mama. It was her baby after all.
"40 meters?" Nik guessed.
"Just under. I wanted something easy to handle without a crew. Plus, I was working within a budget with start up costs and savings to consider." All the same Sam knew boats well and she'd brokered one hell of a deal.
"I wish you'd reconsider accepting your rightful inheritance, or at least a portion of it." Nik tried several times to do right by his cousin and give her a fair share of the Cassadine wealth, but she always refused.
"The only thing I want from my family is love." And acceptance, Sam added to herself.
They'd become much closer, but the thought of admitting how much his and Alexis' acceptance meant to her was still too vulnerable of an action to take.
"Well that, you will always have, even after the last Cassadine Drachma is spent." Nik promised.
Sam's face scrunched up. "Isn't it Euro now?"
"Don't remind me." Nik grumbled.
"Ah, let me guess, Cassadine's aren't fond of change?"
Nik issued a rueful smile. "It all goes back to tradition and being firmly ensconced in our ways."
Not to mention Cassadine Industries lost a small fortune in the conversion, Nik added silently.
"Sounds like royalty double-talk for stubborn to me." Nik laughed outright at that and shook his head and Sam smiled. It was good to see Nik laugh. He was always so serious.
"Another thing we have in common then, I guess." Nik smiled and then... hesitated as Sam shrugged noncommittally. She was far too stubborn to admit she was stubborn.
"What is it?" Sam could tell there was something more he wanted to say.
Nik sighed and hesitated again. "It's just... is everything alright with you and Ric?"
Sam's breath caught. Had she been that transparent? Had Nik picked up on Ric's innuendo's before they left?
"You seemed a little tense when we were leaving and I know he was alone with you upstairs when he brought Molly her bottle. Did, did he say something to you? Because if he did anything at all to make you feel unwelcome, Sam, I have no problem setting him straight." Nik's face was serious and filled with concern.
Sam swallowed thickly. "Um, I'm fine Nik." She misdirected. "Why would you think that? I thought you liked Ric?"
She hadn't actually lied. She was fine now, now that the creep was on the other side of town.
"Like is a bit strong, but Alexis loves him. I tolerate him for her sake, but if he should do anything to hurt her or you..." Nik's face went from serious to dark, dangerous almost.
Of course, Nikolas was too much of a gentleman to mention how he thought he'd caught Ric checking her out once toward the end of dinner. It was only a split second so he couldn't be sure that's what he'd seen, but the possibility left him unsettled.
Sam felt her eyes sting from the protectiveness in his voice. Danny used to sound that way when a guy happened to get too friendly with her in his presence. "Thanks Nik. I really appreciate your concern, but I..."
"I know, I know." Nik sighed. "You can take care of yourself." Sam's mouth closed as he finished her thought.
She nodded slowly and smiled, happy that he got it.
Nik sighed again, deep in resignation. "Just promise you'll come to me if he gets out of hand in any way, will you? I've watched Ric operate for years now and although my aunt may believe he's turned a shiny new leaf, let's just say I'm not as convinced."
"I promise to come to you, if I need you." She then prayed a silent little prayer she wouldn't need him, not for that anyway.
Sam gave her cousin a hug and kiss on the cheek. "It feels good to know you've got my back!"
"You're family Sam. There aren't very many of us sane Cassadine's left. We need to stick together." Nik hugged back and returned her kiss.
Sam grinned. "Goodnight. You and Em better get home before the roads get any worse."
"Will do, just as soon as you're safely on board." He inclined his head toward her yacht with an imperious brow.
Sam shook her head with a smile as she made her way down the ramp connecting the dock to her boat. She held the railing as she climbed the five center stairs and walked past the massive sun bed on the aft deck. Sam turned to give Nik a final wave as she made her way past the main deck toward the wheelhouse before stepping inside and out of sight.
xxxxx
There was a hold up with one of the shipments in customs Sonny insisted had Alcazar written all over it, so it was three hours later by the time Jason put out that fire and made his way over to the harbormaster's office. When he did, he was more confused than ever. The harbormaster insisted no vessel by the name of the Lazarus had made port in the last 72 hours. After one murderous glare and thirty minutes of checking and re-checking, Jason was still at a dead end. It was the third and final time the whiskery curmudgeon asked the same question over again in different phrasing that Jason actually considered his words.
Maybe Sam had a new boat with a new name and maybe that new boat was small enough to dock at one of the three marinas in town. Sam did mention she had good news she wanted to share with him. Maybe it was about a new boat. The harbormaster gave him the contact info for the marinas and recommended he go waste their time instead. Jason ultimately decided putting a bullet in the harbormaster's ass might not be the best move to curry favor with Corinthos Shipping and left Pier 17 frustrated, but without discharging his weapon.
He called all three marinas and was met with the same answer. If he had a name, they would confirm whether it was docked but would not forward their log of all boats arriving within the last three days, or share names of clients with boats registered there. Jason suspected they normally would share names if he hadn't blown it by asking for a list first and making them suspicious of his intentions. His next call was to Stan. Fifteen minutes later Stanford Johnson was on the phone again with Jason. He'd hacked the records of all three marinas. There were no boats docked by the name of Lazarus or any variation, but there was a yacht registered to Samantha M. McCall at the Sons of Neptune Marina by the name of Danny's Lullaby.
It was dark by the time Jason made his way over to the marina. He parked his SUV in the visitor's lot and walked toward the numbered slip Stan had given him. It was a beautiful boat. It was smaller than Sam's salvage ship, but far more luxurious. He wondered how she would salvage in it? Did she still have Lazarus in another port and that was just a new toy? If so, maybe that was the good news. Maybe she had finally found that golden salvage ticket and struck it rich. It frustrated him to realize there had been some big change in her life he was completely in the dark about and the irony of that feeling wasn't lost on him. Being left in the dark was not a good feeling, not at all. He now felt even worse about the obvious lack of communication he'd had lately with one of the most important people to ever enter his life.
Jason looked up and down the dock casually then boarded as if he owned it. He descended the ramp and walked up the five center steps passing a large outdoor bed with pillows. He guessed it was for lounging in the sun, though right now with the stars and moon above an image of him and Sam cuddled on it together under blankets flashed in his head. Before he could stop it that image transformed into the two of them making love on that bed under the stars and his heart burned for what could never be.
He made his way past two small tables and covered sofas before walking under cover of the main deck where there were two more small tables and matching rounded sofas and a flat screen TV popped up from a hidden niche in a corner cabinet. He checked the wheelhouse before heading below deck. It was filled with state of the art equipment, but otherwise empty. The boat was dark with the exception of ambient lighting. If Sam was there, she must be sleeping.
He wasn't sure what to do. Should he call out and risk waking her or remain silent and risk her knifing him with that blade he knew she always kept handy before she knew who it was, maybe because she knew who it was. He opted for no family reunions at the hospital tonight and called out for her repeatedly as he made his way downstairs.
There was no answer.
At the bottom of the stairs he found himself in what must be the main salon or living room. The low lighting shed just enough to outline a large sofa on the port side. There was a bar to starboard left with a light that shined through glass shelves highlighting a fine selection of spirits. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he made out a switch on the wall to his right and flipped it.
The design and color scheme was neutral and streamlined with a richly toned high glossed wood trim everywhere. He found it relaxing and instantly appealing. It sort of reminded him of his penthouse and he liked that he and Sam shared a preference for simplicity. There was a single piece of artwork mounted over the right side of the sofa. It was a large portrait of a ship that resembled her old ship, the Lazarus. He noted the caption beneath and realized it was her old ship, when it was first launched. He couldn't help smile at her sentimentality. Sam was so tough on the outside, but beneath it all was the most sensitive and caring woman he'd ever known. He loved that about her. He blinked those thoughts away and quickly took in the rest of the room.
There was a recessed box housing a projector overhead and he was sure a push of a button on one of the remotes on the end table would reveal a hidden screen that extended from the ceiling. He noticed recessed speakers in the walls surrounding the room and above deck as well and knew an audio system must be concealed around there some place too. The top glass shelf over the bar caught his attention and he walked over to it for closer inspection.
A classic brass urn was centered there with an engraving that read:
Forever In My Heart
Daniel Lee McCall
02/20/1976 – 02/04/2004
He never saw his 28th birthday. Danny died a few days before his birthday just like Kristina would have if Sam hadn't saved her. That thought lingered before he took further notice of a framed Phillies' jersey mounted behind the urn. It was an autographed #20 jersey in white with red stripes. The brass plate read: Hall of Fame - Mike Schmidt - 3rd Baseman.
Next to the urn sat a framed photograph of Sam and Danny in the stands at a ball game with such big smiles on their faces that it made him smile to look at it. They were all decked out in red and white as well as the crowd around them. Danny was wearing a red Phillies cap. He hugged his sister to his side in one arm and held up a fly ball they appeared to have caught in the other. Sam's right hand was covered in an outfielder's glove and rested against Danny's chest as she leaned into him. Jason saw a worn red Phillies cap sitting on the other side of the urn along with a glass encased baseball and knew that was probably Danny's cap and ball from the picture. That and memories were all Sam had left of the first person that ever loved her unconditionally. Jason swallowed hard refusing to acknowledge the tears in his eyes as he blinked them away.
He turned back around. It was a very nice setup. He could see Sam watching a game on the large screen and shouting at the umpires as if they could hear her just as she had on his living room sofa last spring after Michael was home safe. There was a short hallway to the left and longer hall to the right. He made his way down the longer hall first, figuring that led to the bedrooms. He came to two doors on either side of the hall about halfway down and checked the room to the right first. It was a nicely appointed stateroom with a queen bed and private bathroom, but it was empty. He checked the room across from it to find both twin beds and its private bath empty as well.
Jason took a deep breath as he stood before the door at the end of the hall. It must be the master cabin. His heart beat a little faster with the thought of finding her sleeping peacefully on the other side. He called out for her again. He waited a moment, but heard no response so he opened the door and felt for a light switch. The room was every bit as nice as the rest of the ship, but he exhaled in disappointment finding that bed as empty as the last. While he was curious to take in every little detail of Sam's new surroundings, he didn't want to snoop. He was already pushing his luck by boarding without permission.
Jason flipped the lights back off and headed back to the shorter hallway. It revealed nothing more than a stainless steel galley, small crew quarters and door leading to the engine room. Sam wasn't there, but he knew she'd be back. She was probably visiting with her sisters. It was Molly's birthday and he recalled his sister mentioning a family get together in her honor. He debated leaving the light on or off for a moment before switching it off again. He didn't want to frighten Sam, but he didn't want to tip her off before he got the chance to talk to her either.
He sat there in the dark and waited. The ambient light was soothing. Several hours passed by and he used that time to try and find the words to make sense out of actions he still couldn't fully rationalize to himself. He acted in the moment and in those moments the actions seemed to make sense, or at least felt justified, but in the cold hard light of Sam's pain and his own those choices just weren't holding up to scrutiny.
Sam breathed easy as she made her way below deck. Aside from the ugly memory with Ric, she'd had a wonderful time with her family. However, the long day was wearing on her now and she couldn't wait to drift off to sleep. That easy feeling slipped away as she touched down at the bottom of the stairs to find the large silhouette of a man seated on her living room sofa.
Jason noticed her tense up the moment she realized she wasn't alone.
"It's just me Sam." Unfortunately, revealing his identity didn't make her tension melt away as he'd hoped.
Sam hit the light switch and Jason blinked to adjust his eyes. Sam sighed deep as a jumbled mess of emotions coursed through her at the sight of him; the exhilaration that jolted through her like an electric current every time he was near, happiness that he'd gone to the trouble to find her to explain, anger that he had a reason to explain anything at all and, finally, the hurt that none of it really mattered since he planned to make a future with someone else.
Sam crossed her arms over her chest and sighed again. "What are you doing here?"
"We need to talk." He stood, but made no moves to close the distance between them. She looked ready to bolt back up the stairs.
"I have nothing to say, Jason." She really was too tired for it tonight and it pissed her off that he was there now wanting to explain after who knew how many weeks of wasted opportunities.
"Fine! You can listen!" It came out with more attitude than he had right to claim at the moment, but she was dismissing him without even a chance to explain, to apologize.
"I think I heard everything I needed to know from your fiancee earlier."
That stung.
"Sam..." His voice plead softly.
"What?" Sam snapped.
She took a deep breath then began again. "Jason, really, it's like I told you. I wish you the very best. You deserve it, but if you don't mind I'm exhausted and I'm really not up for another one of our four hour conversations about nothing."
"I wanted to tell you, tried to, so many times..."
Sam huffed. "Well, message received. Thanks. You can go."
"Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"Shut me out!"
"I wasn't the one holding out on the wedding and baby shower announcements."
"It isn't like that." Why weren't his words coming out right?
His tongue tied up and every attempt to explain was inept. He was trying to explain without losing control, but Sam was so angry and hurt she allowed no time for him to get it out. He wasn't good with expressing himself and it took his brain longer to process his thoughts into words when emotions were involved. When he felt pressured, it was like his mind just shut down and his body went on auto pilot which was why he was so good at his job and probably why he'd failed so many relationships since waking up from his coma.
"So, I'm not just a fool. I'm a blind fool?" Was he trying to piss her off or did it just come naturally?
"No..." Jason started, but was cut off.
"Alright, tell me, Jason. Tell me how it isn't. It isn't like you slept with that nurse? It isn't like she's pregnant with your baby? It isn't like you spent the day with her shopping for engagement rings and baby clothes? Tell me, Jason, tell me how it isn't like that!"
"This isn't, this wasn't how it was supposed to be, Sam. I owe you an explanation and an apology. I..I'm sorry, Sam. I'm sorry." Sam heard Jason's voice crack as he spoke the last words and she turned away toward the bar.
She couldn't face him right now. She needed to protect her heart from shattering completely and Jason's pain was her kryptonite.
"Yeah well that makes two of us, but it is what it is and it does no good to pretend it isn't. You should go. I'm tired. I've had a long day traveling and enjoying my family and that's where you should be. Go home Jason, to your family." Sam's eyes fell on Danny's ashes on the shelf as she mentioned family and she squeezed her lashes shut to hold in the tears.
"I know I messed up. I know, I know I should have been honest with you before now. I should have handled so many things different, but you're still the best friend I've ever had. Please Sam, tell me I haven't lost my best friend." The emotion was raw in his voice as he stepped closer to her.
She was more than his best friend. She was everything to him. He wanted to tell her just how deep his feelings really were, but it wouldn't be fair to lay all of that on her now, now that he had obligations.
Sam took a calming breath and opened her eyes to find Jason's piercing gaze holding her hostage in the reflection of the mirror behind the bar. "I'm still your friend. I still care about you and want you to be happy, but it's not my place to make you happy. That role belongs to your future wife and my role is with my family and focusing on where I go from here."
Jason's heart sank. "Go? You're leaving?"
She shook her head, but didn't turn to him. "Like I said Jason, I'm here for my family and I won't let anyone or anything keep me from finally having the home I've always wanted."
"I'm glad Sam. You deserve a safe place to call home and a family that loves you. I always thought, hoped one day you and I would..."
"Don't." She didn't want to hear what he'd hoped for them now that her hope was gone.
"Just promise you meant what you said! Promise we're still friends. Promise you'll give me a chance to rebuild the trust I broke between us and promise, promise me Sam that you won't cut me out of your life because I promise you Sam that I wouldn't know how to make it if I lost you completely." Jason had never felt more desperate than in that moment waiting for her reply.
"That's the thing, Jason. We never promised each other anything and I don't think it's a good idea to start now." She kept her voice steady, resigned, to avoid showing her pain.
"You're wrong. Before my surgery last year, you promised me you'd always be there when I needed you and I promised you the same. I'll never break that promise. I'll always be here for you Sam, and just so you know... I'll always need you."
"Goodnight Jason." She was dismissing him again and he hadn't said what he needed to say yet. He needed to explain...
"Nothing about this night, or day for that matter, has been good, except running into you. You were the only bright spot of my day, Sam, until..." Jason trailed off questioning the wisdom of bringing up the events of that afternoon.
"Until your fiancee found us?" Jason's breath hitched as she finished his thought.
Yea, definitely not a good idea to rehash this afternoon, but at least she was still talking, he thought.
Sam turned to face him, empowered with a renewed anger by his ridiculous statement. "Let me get this straight. You spent the day shopping for engagement rings and baby clothes with your blushing bride, mother of your child, yet I was the only bright spot of your day? Congratulations, I think you just managed to make me feel sorry for that damned nurse! I mean seriously, you started calling me barely ten minutes after I left. What did you do? Ditch your baby mama on some poor unsuspecting sucker and come searching for me?" Sam had her answer as soon as Jason broke eye contact and swallowed guiltily.
"Wow." Sam shook her head. She just couldn't... "What the hell is wrong with you? Is this the way you treat the woman you love and want to marry?"
"She's not..." Jason gulped and stopped himself. He was dangerously close to telling her how he felt and it wasn't fair to put it out there knowing he couldn't act on it.
"Not what?" Sam shouted, quickly losing her patience.
He told her he was there to explain and so far he had yet to explain Jack and she'd be damned if she stood there trying to spoon feed it out of him!
"She's not the woman I love, or want to marry!" Jason yelled back.
His blood pumped through him full of anger for the incredibly wrong turn his life had taken, fear he might never find his way on the right path with Sam again and passion, an overwhelming passion, for the woman standing in front of him. His heart raced as he attempted to control his rapid breathing.
Sam couldn't breathe at all. She was fairly certain she'd just forgotten how, forgotten everything she ever knew or thought she'd known after Jason's outburst. What the hell did Jason mean his fiancee wasn't the woman he loved and wanted to marry? The room got deathly quiet and before Sam could ask him what the hell that meant...
"Hey honey, I'm home!" Jason recognized the decidedly male voice before either one saw the face.
His eyes remained glued to Sam's as the man called out for her on his way down to them. He watched helplessly as the range of her emotions gave way from anger and confusion to more confusion then... elation as she realized who had joined them.
"Oh, my God! Coop? Eeeee!" Sam squealed with delight as she bolted past Jason and jumped into the stranger's embrace.
Jason felt sick. It was the same man who'd answered Sam's phone when she was in the shower last August. He'd never forget that voice. That voice was the sound of his future slipping away. If Jason were actually a superhero his glare would have frozen the intruder into a block of ice where he stood. He took a good look at the man who appeared to be a hell of a lot closer to Sam than just a friend.
She'd called him Coop. Coop stood a couple inches taller than him. Jason was nearly six foot and Coop looked just over. While Coop had a slight height advantage, Jason's muscle mass was clearly the larger of the two and he surmised he could take him in hand to hand if it came to that. And, from the close contact he was engaging in with Sam right now, Jason determined it would definitely come to that if he didn't back the hell off.
He had short brown hair and blue eyes and Sam was entirely too comfortable with him. Her legs were still wrapped tightly around his waist from when she jumped to hug him and Jason fought those same ugly images of her with that guy that way naked that had plagued him that fateful night last summer and that were now burning his brain again in full force. This Coop was lucky his hands weren't on her ass or Jason would have already ripped them from his body.
"Miss me?" Coop dropped his black duffel from his grip and wrapped his arms around Sam's back and hugged her tight.
"Like a surfer misses the sea!" Sam assured him and pulled back to get a good look at him.
She couldn't believe he was there. It felt like forever since she'd seen him and after everything that had happened today, Cooper Barrett was a soothing sight for tired eyes.
"After our last time together, I didn't think I'd see you again this soon. Why didn't you call me and tell me you were on your way? I'd have picked you up at the airport." She scolded.
"It was sort of last minute, but I did call this evening before I boarded my flight. Only, a certain someone never answered their phone or returned my message." Coop accused teasingly as he leaned his forehead against Sam's.
She looked down with a slight blush as she pictured her phone at the bottom of the cliff resting in pieces. "It... stopped working. Guess I'll need to get a new one."
Coop chuckled. "Stopped working. Just like that huh? You sure you weren't using this one for target practice too?"
Sam slapped his shoulder playfully and slid down from him as his hands rested on her waist. "Hey, that was a genius move and you know it. It's what gave us our tactical advantage."
Coop nodded with a smile. "True, but you scared that poor kid to death. I'll never forget the look on Spinelli's face."
Sam and Coop both busted out laughing at the shared memory.
She turned as their laughter faded remembering Jason was still there. "Jason, I'd like you to meet a good friend of mine, Cooper Barr..." but the room was empty except for the two of them, "ett."
Jason was gone.
He had to get out of there before he punched the guy. It was clear to Jason now that he hadn't been the only one keeping secrets. He was pissed. Sam had let him stand there and plead to do anything to win back her trust when she'd clearly been keeping a few big secrets of her own. Her relationship with that Coop guy for one and what the hell she was doing without her salvage boat for another? As much as he'd wanted to stay and demand an explanation and call her out on her lies as she'd just done to him, he recognized his temper had reached a dangerous level.
Depending on what Sam told him, he wasn't sure he'd be able to keep his gun in his waistband and he was sure Sam wouldn't care for him shooting her precious Coop between the eyes. And just beneath all that anger was a giant wave of pain waiting to swallow him whole. He just had to get out of there. It crushed him to watch her react to that guy's arrival the way he wanted her to react to him. Jason made his way past the marina's so-called secured gate then drove off into an icy darkness that now matched his heart.
xxxxx
"I'm sorry, Sam. It's obvious I interrupted something. I should have just stayed at a hotel and found you in the morning." Coop had heard shouting when he arrived, but hadn't made out the words.
"No, Coop, don't worry about it." Sam shook her head. "It wouldn't have had a happy ending anyway with or without the interruption. Besides, I'm glad you're here. I could really use a distraction." Sam wiggled her eyebrows with a twinkle in her eye as a smile crept up her lips.
She was too charged up by his surprise visit to go to sleep now and she'd decided to lose herself in her friend rather than make herself crazy wondering what the hell Jason had meant by his last words to her.
"I know that look." Coop shook his head. "No way, no how! I learned my lesson last time."
"Aw, come on! You wouldn't want me to lose my touch, now would you?" Sam used the pout that never failed and withheld her grin as she watched him crumble.
"Alright, fine. I'll give you one hour, but that's it." Coop hated when she used that lower lip against him. He knew she was playing him, but it didn't stop that overwhelming need to always turn that frown of hers into a smile.
"Sweet, grab your bag. The room is this way. I'll setup the cards and chips while you settle in." Coop picked up his bag and Sam led him down the hall with an excited bounce in her step.
He'd changed out of his suit and tie into a worn pair of gray sweatpants with the word ARMY printed in black down the thigh and a gray tee shirt while Sam pushed a button converting her two small sofa tables into a larger dining table and set up for poker. She pulled a few beers from the galley fridge and they sat there now on her sofa sucking them down as Coop eyed Sam, desperately trying to find the smallest tell. She was going to beat the pants off him, again, and he knew it, but he'd never been one to go down without a fight.
He'd waited a while to see if she'd bring it up first, but she hadn't. While he could appreciate and relate to her wanting to keep her private life private, she'd also become a really good friend and he couldn't stand to sit there ignoring her pain.
"So, that was Jason, aye?" Sam sighed at his question. She knew it was only a matter of time before Coop brought it up again.
"The one and only." Sam sipped her beer. "Dealer takes two." Then discarded before dealing herself two new cards.
"Well, stop me if I'm wrong, but I thought the plan was to come back here and finally get the guy." Sam's lips trembled a bit and Coop felt like an ass for bringing it up when it was obvious they'd been in an argument when he arrived. "I'm sorry. It's none of my business Sam."
'No, it's alright. You're right. That was the plan, but I guess we weren't on the same page after all." Now he was really confused.
Coop hadn't missed the death glare Jason had thrown him when Sam jumped into his arms. It was obvious the guy was jealous as hell, so he must have the same kind of feelings for Sam that she felt for him. "I don't know, he didn't look too thrilled to see me. I think he wanted to be alone with you."
"I don't know what makes you think that, he couldn't leave here fast enough. When you showed up it was like he'd been given a reprieve from the Governor." Sam raised him five and took another sip of her beer.
Might as well get it all out there at once. Rip it off like a band-aid, she thought. He'd find out sooner or later anyway. "Jason is engaged... to his baby mama."
Coop wasn't really sure what the right thing to say was, so he said what he felt instead. "Jackass!"
He was glad to get a half-smile and tiny chuckle from her at that. Seriously though, how could that guy go off and be with some other woman and keep Sam dangling on a string? He was suddenly glad Jason had left when he did because he was kind of feeling like he needed to kick his ass right about now and with his training he could do it.
"So you move to Port Charles, tell this guy you're in love with him and want to be with him, apologize and explain your reasons for keeping your plans secret the last several months and then he decides to say oh, sorry, by the way I'm engaged and have a baby with another woman?" Coop gripped his beer bottle and chugged to cool his temper.
"Not exactly." Sam mumbled.
Coop's brows furrowed. "Not what exactly?"
Sam began showing incredible interest in the label of her imported beer. "He doesn't know."
"He doesn't know?" Coop asked and Sam shook her head.
"He doesn't know you're in love with him, or he doesn't know you moved here to be with him, or he doesn't know about your new career move?" Coop guessed he could understand if Sam hadn't had the chance to tell him everything before Jason confessed.
Sam just shook her head again, still fixated on the bottle in front of her. It took him a second before he understood Sam hadn't told him anything at all.
"Oh, Sam." He sighed.
Coop could see he'd stopped by just in time. Now it made more sense. There was no way that guy, hell any guy, would be able to resist Sam once she told them she was in love with them. He should be so lucky. and with that thought she laid down her two pair to his trip sevens. "Guess it's your lucky night."
Coop shook his head and stacked his chips. "How come when you win it's skill and when I win it's always luck?"
"The very fact that you have to ask is exactly why." Sam smiled grateful he hadn't started right in with a lecture.
He chuckled, sipped his beer and dealt them another hand.
"You still need to tell him. You know that, right?" Coop discarded three cards and Sam shrugged.
"He's going to find out eventually. You wouldn't want him hearing it from someone else without having the chance to explain. Even if he is a jackass I know you wouldn't ever go out of your way to hurt him and... based on the way he looked at you tonight I think it would hurt him not to hear it straight from you." Coop had to remind himself he was really advising Sam to do it for herself. He didn't give a damn if the jackass got his feelings hurt, except he knew Sam. It would hurt her to know she'd hurt him.
"You're right. Hearing it from someone else would hurt." Sam couldn't help flashback to earlier that afternoon as she stood by clueless and was ambushed by the pregnant nurse.
She finished the last of her beer. "I'll tell him about moving and my new business. The rest of it wouldn't make a difference. Clearly, he's made his choice and it wasn't me."
"How can someone make an informed decision, if they don't know all their options?" He hated playing on that guy's team, but he had a feeling Sam would regret it if she let him marry the other woman and never told him how she felt.
"Not that I really believe it would change his mind, but on the off chance it did I won't be responsible for breaking up a family." It was one more reason she was so hesitant to tell her mother about Ric. She didn't want to be the reason her sister's family fell apart.
"So, anyways, not that I'm not thrilled to see you, but what the hell are you doing in Port Charles? I thought you were overseas tracking down leads." Sam didn't think Cooper would ever rest until he was sure his sister was safe.
"I haven't given up, but I've decided to make a fresh start. I was talking to Spin and we started talking about how you were starting over too, here in Port Charles, and I figured it was as good a place as any since I can't be with my sis." Coop accepted another cold beer from Sam as he explained.
"How are Sarah and Scott? I miss her." Sam had grown sort of close to his sister in the short time they'd spent together a few months ago. Surviving life and death situations often helped foster quick bonds, or so she'd heard. It probably had a lot to do with her friendship to Coop too. She'd only known him and his sister for four months give or take a week, but it felt like they'd been friends for years.
"I spoke with them last week. They're both well and send their love. Sarah's pregnant! Just entered second trimester." Coop couldn't help grin at the thought of his family growing.
It had been just him and Sarah since their parents died. He had a couple of cousins, Brenda and Julia, but they weren't really close growing up. Sarah had raised him and helped put him through school before he'd joined the Army. She was all he'd had for such a long time. He was truly happy for his sister and swore to make it safe for her if it was the last thing he ever did.
"Oh my gosh! You're gonna be uncle Coop? Congratulations! Tell them for me, okay? Oh I wish I could visit even more now." Sam was happy to hear at least someone she cared about would get their happy ending.
"Maybe Spin can help set something up where it's safe for you to keep in touch." Coop knew it would do Sarah good to talk with Sam too. They were pretty isolated on the island where he'd hidden them and Sarah was such a social person.
"So just like that you're moving to Port Charles?" Sam was surprised, but relieved. She'd been telling him he needed to have a life outside of his mission. The people that framed him and tried to kill him and his sister last August were still out there, still free to make good on their threats and he'd been trying to take them down every since.
"Just like that." Coop grinned and tried to bluff his way into a winning hand.
"So what was with the suit? You looked good, by the way. That red tie really set it off." Sam called his bluff and raked in the chips.
"I got off the plane and headed straight for a job interview then took a cab here."
"Kind of late for an interview, isn't it? What kind of business has interviews this late?"
Coop bit his bottom lip and Sam wasn't sure if it was just another tell from poker or he was holding something back. "It was more of an introduction than an actual interview. I already have the job, but this business operates 24/7..." Coop shifted his cards in his hands. "I'll be working as a consultant to train a new special weapons and tactics team for the PCPD."
Sam almost choked on her beer. "PCPD's getting its own SWAT? And you're training them?"
Sam shook her head. "Thought you were done with the government after... what happened?"
"I am, but this is different. This time I'm a civilian contractor and the terms are agreed to up front. I work for myself and take orders from no one. If I don't like something, I can walk and tell them to go fuck themselves." Coop said taking a swig of his beer.
Sam nodded and took a sip too. She couldn't help wonder how that new development might effect Jason's business and how he might choose to deal with it.
Coop didn't like the concern suddenly etched in Sam's brow as she stared blankly at her cards. "Besides, the perks aren't all bad either."
Sam broke from her train of thought. "Oh yeah? What would those be?"
"Well, you and I will be living in the same town now. I might actually get a chance to win my money back." Coop grinned.
Sam laughed. "Not a chance. So, found a place to stay yet?"
"The cab driver recommended a hotel downtown called the Metro Court. I almost headed there after my meeting, but I remembered how much of a night owl you are and thought I'd come see if your lights were still on first." Coop shrugged.
"I'm glad." Sam smiled. "You saved yourself the hassle of checking in and right back out because you're staying with me as long as you need."
Coop figured as much, but would never overstay his welcome. "Thanks, Sam, but it's only for tonight. Spin helped me find a place to lease while I'm in town. I meet with the agent tomorrow to get the keys."
"Great! If you want you can come with me to check out my new office space in the morning then we can grab lunch and meet up with your agent. Spinelli should be arriving tomorrow too." Things were looking up already Sam decided.
"Sounds like a plan." Coop agreed.
They played a few more rounds as Sam gave him the highlights of Molly's birthday party and Coop gave her the highlights of flying coach. After depleting his stacks considerably, Sam showed mercy and decided they should probably turn in for the night. She had a big day ahead of her. Tomorrow, she would begin to set up her very own agency!
Page 16 of 16 Created: 2011-01-24 Updated: 2014-11-07 Words: 7951 Characters: 42088