Love Always (NG4)

35 - Weekend

Sam loved every minute of his project except the down time. He hated eating out alone and so takeout in his hotel room was the norm. The best part was talking to Rory in the evening. In the past, he had traveled alone to Ohio to visit his Nonna, but suddenly he was going from one city to the next. As he accumulated air miles and hotel points, he dreamed about taking Rory on a vacation. Maybe the winter after she finished school they could go someplace warm.

After not seeing each other for almost three weeks, she groaned into the phone. "I miss your hugs."

"I miss everything together. Rore, a guy's not meant to go so long."

Rory laughed. "We dated three years before and then we were apart for four months."

"I know but before we did it, I couldn't comprehend how much better being with you would be than bates."

Rory laughed. "We're not discussing mister bates."

"He's a master not a mister."

"Isn't a master a male child?"

Sam laughed. "Don't go there."

She laughed with him and his heart felt lighter. "Tell me about the new player."

Sam smiled and stretched out on the bed. "He's a quarterback. A little arrogant but nice."

Rory laughed again. "Like Will?"

"The girls like him the way they gather around Will."

Rory laughed. "No wonder you miss me. How did you handle hanging around Will last fall?"

"Easy. Rore, I missed you all the time. I didn't look. Just like I miss you like crazy now."

Sam had ten players to follow which would keep him busy all summer and the entire fall. He lived like a nomad with a few days off every other week. His plan was to fly to Virginia for his weekends off. He was looking forward to his first of those weekends. Sam yawned and Rory followed. They were both up early and in the summer sun every day.

"Get some sleep." Rory said.

Sam yawned again. "You too. Rest up for the weekend."

Three days and he'd see her. After he finished filming a Friday morning workout, he drove his rental car to the airport. Smiling, he was one flight away from Rory.

If he didn't have his equipment bag, he would have picked her up and spun her around, instead she kissed him and she felt like home. He couldn't wait to get his hands on her and to feel her body against his.

Rory's current home was a beautiful two-story house with a stone facade and a subdued beige exterior. Sam knew Jack was wealthy, but his house was regular. Ryan's house was not regular. Even his neighborhood was a gated community. He only knew one in Maine, and it was on the rocky coast and had the summer homes of Glenn Close's ex husband and the commissioner of the National Football League.

Once inside, he looked around and let out a low whistle. The kitchen was larger than any he had seen. "Did Jen Goodwin help Lana with the designs?"

Rory smiled. "Lana never said, but it's beautiful isn't it."

Sam nodded. "They're my next-door neighbors and their cottage is great but this." He looked around with his photographer's eye.

"It's a lot like my old house. I like this one much better. It's filled with joy, or usually it is."

Sam looked up the staircase. "It's a big house to be all alone all summer."

Rory shrugged. "I stay in my room and the kitchen and the backyard." She put her arms around his neck. "I'm not alone this weekend. Come see."