Homegrown - Chapter 2

"You can’t keep hiding out in here.”

Ella sank down farther into the couch and buried her head in the blanket she’d thrown around her shoulders. Maybe if I don’t move, no one will see me. It was an enticing sentiment, though one she knew wouldn’t hold water. She was not invisible, sadly, and she didn’t doubt that within the next hour, she’d get a frantic phone call from her mother asking if it was true that she’d been sighted in town. Peach Blossom was a joy to be in unless you wanted to be incognito. When Sam held a glass of tea in front of her, Ella reluctantly reached a hand out of her cocoon. She wasn’t going to turn down Sam’s famous peach iced tea. She took a sip and groaned as the tart sweetness hit her tongue.

“No one does peach tea like you,” she said before diving in for another sip. She let out another soft sound of contentment. “I needed that.”

The couch dipped as Sam sat beside her. Her dark brown eyes held concern, but Ella appreciated that Sam held her questions back for now. She didn’t know if she was ready to talk about what had driven her from her home in Nashville to her hometown of Peach Blossom without bothering to text or call.

“And sorry about just showing up randomly.”

Sam smiled, her expression warm. “You know you’re always welcome here.” Ella swallowed hard against the sheen of that smile. Sam’s sun-kissed skin was slightly flushed, and Ella’s fingers twitched with the desire to press against the color. When they were kids, she would touch without a care in the world, but now, as adults, she kept her hands to herself.

“I know, but I should have sent a text at least,” she said, covering up her staring. She looked down at the glass in her hand. “Sorry. I needed a moment away, so I just packed a bag and drove here.”

“So, your parents don’t even know you’re here?” Sam asked carefully. Ella could tell she wasn’t trying to make her feel bad but just making sure she understood. She shook her head.

“Nope. I didn’t plan this vacation from life. This was all at a whim, which isn’t very mature of me, I know.” She took another heavy sip, letting the cool liquid dance on her tongue as she tried to think of what to say next. When she pulled the glass away, she still wasn’t completely sure. “I didn’t get it.”

“Didn’t get what?”

She didn’t look away from her tea even as her stomach clenched at the unfairness of it all. “Partner. I didn’t get partner.” Sam’s silence didn’t annoy her in the way Tasha’s often did. Ella knew Sam wasn’t judging her or ignoring her words. After twenty years of friendship, she knew that Sam tended to think about her words carefully before coming up with a response. It didn’t mean the response wouldn’t hurt, but just that she had thought things through.

“That is their loss,” Sam said finally. “You have been doing the work of three people, and if they can’t see that, then they aren’t very observant lawyers.”

Sam’s blunt response pushed a slightly hysterical laugh from Ella, and she put the glass down on the table in front of her before leaning back on the couch. “I knew coming here first was the right choice. You always know what to say to make a girl feel better about failing at life.”

“You didn’t fail at life just because someone failed to see your worth,” Sam said, shaking her head. “That’s a failure on their part.”

Ella turned to look at Sam with a smile. “Keep going. Tell me more about how awesome I am.”

Sam chuckled and shook her head. “No way. If your head gets too big, you might not fit through the door again.” She leaned back, too, letting her head fall back against the couch cushion. When they locked eyes, Ella could feel the heavy thump of her heart.

Looking at Sam was always a little like staring at the sun too long. Her eyes were such a warm brown that Ella wanted to sink into them and feel that heat close around her. Her skin was sandblasted with a dash of cinnamon sprinkled across the bridge of her nose, drawing attention to the plush pink of her lips. Out of all her siblings, Sam looked the most like their mom, her Irish heritage poking through even in the fiery highlights in her curly brown hair. It was pulled back in its usual braid, but when it was loose, Ella often enjoyed twirling the strands around her fingers. She always said it was because she wished she hadn’t permed her own dark hair, but really it was because she could touch without it being weird.

No wonder Tasha left.

It wasn’t an uncommon thought. She and Tasha had been dating for almost two years, and Ella had been up front from the jump about her long-standing crush on her best friend. Hell, she and Tasha had started dating because Sam had mentioned going on a date, and in response, Ella had gone out for a night to drown her sorrows between someone else’s thighs. The sorrows hadn’t totally gone away, but they had been kept somewhat at bay thanks to steady dates and a partner who was cool to be with.

“Are you okay?” Sam’s voice was quiet, bringing Ella back to the moment. She forced a smile onto her face, not wanting to worry Sam. There was no point. It’s not like talking about it would change anything. She had known when starting her job that she would face an uphill battle. Optimism was her sword and shield when faced with things, and Ella wielded it no matter what. No point in crying over things you can’t change, her mom always said. She just had to try harder.

“Of course,” Ella said finally, her voice full of false cheer that she didn’t truly feel. She was smarting from this setback, but she knew she couldn’t wallow in it. “I’ll just have to show them that they made a mistake. That’s all.”

Same stared at her for a moment before nodding. “Okay. I’m here to talk if you want to.” She pushed her shoulder against Ella’s. “Or if you need anything else, just ask.”

Ella’s smile felt more genuine when she nodded. Suddenly, she thought of something. “Well, there is one thing you could do for me.”

Sam shifted toward her more. “Anything.”

“Call my mom and tell her I’m here?”

“…anything but that.”