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I don’t date as much as I used to. It seems like most women past thirty are aiming for marriage and kids, and while there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s not something I want. Marriage, I would consider with the right person, for the right reason. But I really just want to find someone who fits into my life and doesn’t try to change it.
Sam’s head swivels as a man calls her name. He approaches the bench and Sam introduces him. “Nick, this is Mitch, he’s one of my neighbors.”
“Nice to meet you.” Mitch gives me a cursory nod before turning back to Sam. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but I wanted to let you know we’re trying to put together some help for Roni. She just got a job after being let off from the sock factory last year, remember? Anyway, they raised her rent and stopped her food stamps even though she won’t get her first check for almost a month.”
“Oh no,” Sam says, the corner of her mouth tucking in.
“Everyone’s chipping in, doing what we can do, you know? We’ve raised enough for her rent, but her electric is due, and she’ll need some food.”
“If her electric gets cut off, it’s an instant eviction too. Gary’s was off for two days and they tagged his door,” Sam points out.
“They can do that?” I ask, stunned.
“It’s in the lease. If you can’t maintain your utilities, you can’t stay. And they jump at the opportunity to get the lowest income people out so they can bring in the ones who pay full scale rent,” Mitch explains.
Sam shrugs. “Poor people penalties. The harder you try to get ahead, the harder life tries to prevent it. She lives in four-twenty-seven, right?”
“Yeah.”
Sam picks up her phone and scrolls for a moment before placing it to her ear. She gets up and walks a few steps away, but I can still hear her. “Yes, Ma’am, can you tell me how much is owed for four-twenty-seven Violet Circle?” She pauses. “That’s the amount to prevent disconnection? Okay, and the total amount? Yes, I’d like to pay it over the phone, please.”
I watch as she rattles off her credit card number to the woman. She just paid her neighbor’s electric bill. Just like that. I don’t know Samantha’s finances. Hell, we don’t know much at all about each other, but judging by where she works and lives, she isn’t exactly flush with cash. Yet, she didn’t even hesitate.
Mitch smiles down at me, taking in my stunned expression. “Samantha is good people. I know a lot of folks give her a hard time, but she doesn’t deserve it. So, treat her right, you hear?”
I don’t get a chance to respond before Sam returns and nods at Mitch. “Don’t tell her it was me.”
“My lips are sealed. We’re having a little bonfire tonight. You should come.”
“Thanks, I’ll see how the night goes.”
“Take care.” Mitch walks away, and Sam sits back down beside me.
My arm circles her waist, and I pull her closer. Her lips part in surprise as I catch them with mine in a soft kiss. The words spill out of my mouth before I can stop them. “Stay at my place tonight.”
We’ve already spent the last night and day together. I have to be coming off totally desperate, but I don’t care. I want her in bed again. And I don’t want to wait until next weekend when we’re both off work to ask her out.
“I really don’t think I should leave Puffbutt. He hasn’t settled in yet and I don’t want him to think I abandoned him like his last owner.”
“Bring him with you.”
She gnaws her lip for a second. “He has only known my place as home for a few days. I don’t want to confuse him, and I have no idea how he’d be around your cat. It’s probably not a good idea.”
I’m sure she’s giving me excuses, and it’s understandable. I’m being clingy as fuck. I open my mouth to tell her it’s fine and suggest a date in the future when she adds. “Do you want to stay at my place? We can have a few drinks at the bonfire.”
“I’d love to.”
We get to our feet and start heading back toward my car. “That was really nice of you, what you did for your neighbor.”
She shrugs. “They’ve helped me plenty of times, and I can afford it. Most of them can’t.” She grins as I take her hand. “Not everyone who lives on Violent Circle is struggling, but pretty close. I’m lucky because I only have myself to take care of and I have a good paying job. I could move if I wanted to, I suppose.”
“But you stay for the people?”
“I fit in there. They accept me and don’t judge like the rest of the town.”
Judge her for what? Mitch’s comment about how she’s often given a hard time by others sparked my curiosity, and she just added gasoline. I’m probably pushing it, but I have to ask. “What do you get judged for?”
She smiles at me. “Don’t tell me you aren’t aware you’re dating the town slut.”
