Just Good Friends

Chapter 51

SAM's POV

I suck the remaining bits of my milkshake through the plastic straw, licking my lips with satisfaction once I'm done.

"Was it good?" Jake asks with a smirk.

"Very!" I say with a smile.

"Good."

"How was work?"

He sighs. "A little busy. We had trouble with one of our ovens and a few customers refused to be patient. But we got it under control..."

"That's good."

Jake plays with the empty glass that was once his chocolate milkshake, spinning the glass a couple times between his hands as he glanced at the other customers in the diner. It was pretty packed today; I guess everyone had the same idea about lunch.

We had sat on opposite sides of the booth so we'd be talking face to face. It was cool... but although I wasn't a huge fan of PDA, I couldn't help but wish that he was sitting beside me, arm around my shoulders, to keep me warm.

"So... ice skating, huh? With Diggy and Dana... that's new."

I look unpleased. "I know, right? I mean, I didn't know they'd be invited... but it's whatever. It's better than being dragged around every place in the city looking for someone to host a wedding."

"Hm?"

I explained to Jake all of my mom and Antonio's wedding plans and how we visited almost every venue in the city for their reception location.

"That sounds like a long day," he states with an empathetic look.

"It was..." I huff.

"When are they getting married?"

"Valentine's Day."

"That's fitting," he chuckles. "Well, tell them congratulations."

"Sure," I nod while looking kind of bored.

"Aren't you... excited?"

A few teen-aged kids walked by our table, excitedly chatting away. I fidget with my straw.

"I still don't really know how to feel. Like, I'm happy for my mom obviously, and Antonio is a really good guy. I just still haven't pictured us all like a family, you know? It'll be different," I reply.

"That makes sense." He nods his head.

"Everything's just changing so fast!"

"Like I told you, don't overthink anything. Just take it one day at a time..." Jake says while smiling at me. He grabs my fidgety hand and softly strokes his thumb over the top of it. I feel my face heat up.

"Why do you always do that?" I mumble, while shyly looking out the window of the diner. Cars fill the parking lot.

"Do what?" I hear him reply. I just KNOW his dimples are showing OMGG--

"You make me feel all... ooey and gooey. That's not okay!" I whine.

He grabs my other hand and caresses it as well.

"And what's wrong with that?"

"You messin' up my tough girl image, you butthead." I frown.

"I told you I got moves. You can't handle all this, Miss Thang. This is your final chance to tap out, because I'm all in."

"ANYWAY..." I roll my eyes.

"Don't try to change the subject," he chuckles. "I've been meaning to talk about us."