The Light Between Us by Beth Morey Page B

guess.  Things sounding a little more familiar now?”  Sam retrieved his shoes from the corner where he'd kicked them along with his socks, starting to tug them on.
     
    “ No, not really.”
     
    “ I don't understand why you keep lying to me about this, Ruth.  I know you're dating him.  Stop denying it.  It's kind of ridiculous.”
     
    “ I'm not lying,” she said, hands on hips.  “Yes, I know Derek, but we are certainly not dating.  I don't know what he said to make you think that –”
     
    “ How about, 'we're dating'?” Sam snorted.
     
    “ Well, we are not dating.  Not as far as I know, anyway.  We met two nights ago, and in that time he's apparently been with two other women.  And,” she added, veins throbbing with the injustice of the situation, “just to be clear, neither one of those women was me.”
     
    Sam pursed his lips, staring at her long and hard.  “Fine,” he said at last.  “So, why'd this guy show up on your doorstep with presents if you're not together?”
     
    Ruth shook her head, shoulders going limp.  “That,” she said, her brain tumbling with possibilities, each as mystifying as the last, “is an excellent question.”
     
     

Chapter 6
     
    Ruth was laying a sheet of morning work on each of her students' desks when Padme sung into the room's early Monday morning quiet.
    “ So,” Padme's voice filled with anticipation, “you have got to tell me how this weekend went.”
     
    Ruth paused in her work, unsure of what to say.  “It was . . . interesting,” she finally said, continuing on her route.
     
    “ Interesting how, exactly?  I have been tied up in knots, waiting to hear what happened with Derek.  And I'm really hoping for a saucy, coital tale that is completely inappropriate for work.  So, dish.”
     
    Finished passing out papers, Ruth leaned against one of the desks, shrugging.  “Well, I guess there was some sauce,” she began slowly.
     
    Padme squealed, stamping her feet in excitement.  “Yes!  That is amazing.”
     
    “ Um, that probably depends on how you define amazing.”
     
    Her friend frowned.  “That sounds decidedly less coital that I was expecting.  What happened?”
     
    Ruth shrugged.  “Well, I met this guy.  A poet, if you can believe it.  His name is Sam and –”
     
    “ Wait.  Wait .  Are you telling me that said sexiness happened with not Derek?”
     
    Nodding, Ruth continued, “I met him at the coffee shop I went to write at on Saturday night.  And he was really nice, and . . . I don't know what got into me, but I basically invited him home with me  We went out for a couple drinks, and then after . . . well, you know.  The coital tale.”  Ruth felt herself blushing. 
     
    Padme gaped at her.  “That is insane.”
     
    “ It is so insane.  And in fact, I only even met him because he was getting on my nerves.”
     
    “ So . . . in the space of twenty-four hours you, who had all but sworn off men, attracted two guys and slept with one of them?”
     
    “ Um, yes?” Ruth said, unsure if this was a truth she wanted to own up to.
     
    But Padme was practically jumping up and down.  “That is amazing!”  Then she hesitated, the frown returning.  “But wait.  You'd said that maybe it wasn't quite as amazing as I think.”
     
    Ruth sighed.  “Well, Sam and I spent the night at my place.  And then in the morning, when I got out of the shower, Sam was mad and there were these white roses –”
     
    “ Uh oh,” Padme breathed, forehead creasing. 
     
    Ruth continued, “Apparently, Derek of all people had stopped by.  Can you imagine?  What in the world would he be doing at my apartment?”
     
    “ Well,” said Padme slowly, “why wouldn't he be?  I mean, you said you gave him a chance to prove himself, right?  On Saturday?”
     
    “ Yeah, and I called him that evening, like you told me to.  And you'll never guess what happened.”
     
    “ Um, I think I can.”  An uncomfortable