"Sam Harrington's phone, how may I help you?"

Ali's stomach turned at the sound of the female voice. "Hi Victoria, how are you?"  Why was she always so polite to this woman?  And why was Victoria answering Sam's phone?"

"Oh hi, Aliiiii." The other woman dragged out the last vowel in her name like she was some eighties valley girl. "I'm great.  Sam and I are working hard." Victoria emphasized the word hard, making it sound like she was an extra in a porno.

"Do you have the list of names for the charity auction yet?" Ali decided to make use of the situation.

Victoria had been promising her this list for days now.

"Oh, right.  The list." Victoria practically cooed. "Yup, should have it for you soon."

"Good.  You know we need it."

"Sam!" Victoria squealed delightfully, "Stop that." The sound of her girlish giggle grated across Ali's nerves.  She heard him muffle a response in the background.

"Victoria. I'd like to speak to my boyfriend." Ali emphasized the final word.

"Um, sure." Victoria seemed to stall. "He's right here."  This time she could clearly hear Sam demand she give him the phone. Then it sounded like there was a struggle of some sort. Ali's mind conjured up an image of Vicky holding the phone away from Sam, forcing him to come closer to her to retrieve it.

"Hey." Finally, Sam was on the line. "Sorry about that."

About what exactly wondered Ali. But she didn't ask.

"We're getting ready for the call with the investors from Australia."  Right, Ali had forgotten this was his excuse tonight for not coming home. Great.  Another evening alone.

"Well, I won't keep you then.  What time do you think you'll be home?"

"No later than 10 I hope."

Ali balled her free fist, trying to sound normal on the phone. "Great. See you then."

"Uh-huh." Sam sounded distracted again.

"I love you."

"Love you too." And then Sam was gone.  He had hung up.

Too? It was not the response Ali was hoping for.  She wanted him to say he loved her more.  She wanted some reassurance from him. She wanted to know she mattered to him.

A part of her, the logical side knew she was being irrational.  Sam was under a lot of pressure, trying to please everyone. Repairing his relationship with his father, making his mark with the foundation and helping Leif Stewart get his campaign up and running all took time. He had valid reasons for leaving her to her own devices.

But that logical side had let Ali down before.  She had made similar excuses with her ex-husband when he started finding reasons to stop spending time with her. Echoes of her former life, being ignored by Jack, crashed in on her life now and stung.  Sam wasn't purposely secluding Ali as Jack had, but the isolation still felt all too familiar.

To his credit, Sam had asked her to join him on his numerous dinners and drinks while drumming up support for Leif Stewart.  Ali had gone with him at first, playing the supportive girlfriend. But she felt she stood out like a sore thumb.  So, she had politely started refusing, telling Sam to go without her.

Tonight was different though. Tonight it was his former girlfriend taking Sam away from her.  A woman Sam still had a lot of feelings for – even if they were mostly feelings of guilt. 

Ali refused to let those thoughts take root.  Sam was not Jack. Sam would not cheat on her.  No matter how hard Victoria tried to ensnare him.  Because if there was one thing Ali did know for sure, it was the fact that the woman was trying her best to attract Sam's attentions.

Fortunately, Victoria was really bad at flirting.  Every attempt seemed to go over Sam's head.  He was oblivious to her version of charm. At least to the attempts in Ali's presence.

She didn't know what happened when she wasn't there.

Looking around the apartment, Ali searched for a distraction from that train of thought.  Scout slept soundly on his dog bed, obviously tuckered out from the run she had just taken him on to fill the void until she thought Sam was coming home.

She was able to keep herself busy during the days most of the time.  Volunteering at the shelter and managing the charity event wasted hours. But the nights were different. She was lonely.  Again.

The sad fact was she didn't have any friends in New York.  A few acquaintances here and there, but no one to call on the spur of the moment. They all had lives. Ali had become close to Emily but her new friend divided her time between the law offices here and in Washington, D. C. where she was currently. 

Desperate to talk to someone, Ali dialed Emily's number.

"Hey!" Emily answered brightly on the second ring. "I was just thinking about you."

"Really?"  Ali forced herself to meet the levity her friend achieved.

"Ali...what's wrong?"

This woman was always so perceptive. "Oh you know, it's a grey day here in New York.  I think it's going to snow." Ali evaded.

"And the snow used to excite you so much." 

Ali chuckled at the memory of her enthusiasm.  They had been having lunch when the first flurry of snowflakes hit the city. Ali had insisted they dip into the park on foot for the express purpose of dancing in the winter wonderland.  "Well, a lot has happened since then."

"Ah yes. It's all picturesque at first, but it doesn't take long for reality to set in and turn it a little grey."

Was Emily talking about the snow still or Ali's relationship?  Both seemed applicable.  Lost in thought, she didn't hear Emily's next question. "Sorry, what was that?"

"I asked what's really going on?"

Ali didn't know if it was the concern so evident in her friend's voice or that she had just hit a breaking point.  She opened her mouth and all her troubles poured out of her, everything Ali hadn't told Sam.  To her credit, Emily mostly listened as Ali babbled, adding only the odd encouraging word or question to get her talking again.

"Ali, you say your relationship is based on honesty with Sam. But isn't not telling him how you feel a kind of lie? By omission?"

Beginning to see what made Emily a good lawyer, Ali sighed.  Her logic was faultless. "I guess I didn't think about it that way," she admitted to her friend.

"Take it from me. You need to talk to Sam, let him know what you're going through. Keeping your emotions bottled up is not helping him or you."

Emily was right. Maybe her first marriage might have been different if she had simply spoken up when Jack had started with his manipulative ways.  If she had been strong enough to stand up for herself.

"You have to say it out loud Ali, don't assume.  Don't ever assume..." Emily's voice trailed off.

"Emily...did you assume?"

Ali wasn't sure the other woman was going to answer her, knowing she had touched a nerve.

"Yes."  Ali silently begged her friend to continue, tell her story. She bit her lip, waiting.

When Emily finally spoke, Ali could hear the tears in her voice. "I have...I mean I had love.  Real true-blue love. How you feel about Sam is how I feel about Finn. But...we...oh," she paused.  "Things got messed up. I made a mistake. I never thought...I assumed he would be there. But I was wrong." Emily's voice cracked on the last word.

Ali felt tears streaming down her face at the reaction from Emily.  For as long as she had known her, Emily had always been so solid, so even-keeled, her emotions always in check. It wasn't until this moment, the two women silently crying together on the phone, did Ali realize they had so much in common.  The walls they both built around themselves to hold the emotions in and keep others out.

"Oh, Emily.  Is there no chance? Can't you ..."

Emily cut her off. "No Ali. I tried.  He's...unreachable. But it's not too late for you.  Don't let it happen to you and Sam. Please."

"Okay."

"Promise me, Ali. Promise you'll sit him down and have a real discussion."

Despite the pain in her heart over her friend's situation and the angst at putting more pressure on Sam with her woes, Ali appreciated Emily's persistence. "I promise."

"And you'll do it soon, right?"

"Yes mom," she joked, trying to bring some levity to the situation. "I'll do it tomorrow night. I asked him to come straight home. I've something special planned." Ali filled her friend in on the idea she had come up with, excited to share it with someone else.

Hi all. D. L. Croisette here. Thanks for continuing to read this story. Writing a sequel is hard and sometimes I'm not sure this is really working. I appreciate your votes of confidence.

A few of you have expressed an interest in the story of Emily. I'm happy to announce she has her own book. It's called True Blue and it's waiting for you to start binging.

True Blue answers your questions about Emily's mysterious past relationship as a twist of fate brings the man who stole her heart back into her life. Link to the book in the comment here ——->

And don't worry, this new story will not interrupt my regular Sunday updates for Ruby Red.