Falmouth Echoes (A Cape Cod Series Book 2)

Chapter 15

“Look, it’s not that I don’t appreciate all of your help, but I don’t need a babysitter.” Sophia placed both hands on her hips and ignored Teddy, who was circling her feet and wagging his tail. “Labor Day weekend is over, Darren. Everyone is going back to their normal lives.”

“Because they can,” Darren replied without looking back at her. “You, on the other hand, have an intruder who really wants something that you have.”

Sophia threw her hands up in the air and huffed. “Well, he must have the wrong house because we don’t have much. Other than the large screen in the living room, but he didn’t seem interested in that at all.”

“Are you sure you don’t have anything valuable? Any of your mom’s old jewelry or something?”

Sophia shook her head. “She didn’t have much. I keep a few of her things in the safe, but that’s pretty much it.”

“Maybe he’s after something your dad has.” Darren’s head popped out, droplets of water sliding down his face and over his forehead. “Does Stu have anything worth breaking in for?”

“He’s a retired teacher,” Sophia pointed out with a frown. “What could he possibly have that would be of any interest to anyone? Unless someone wants old pictures or certificates or something.”

Darren disappeared back into the bathroom and returned with a towel to pat his face dry. “Stranger things have happened.”

“Like my ex moving back in with me while I live in my parents’ house?”

Darren grinned. “Exactly.”

“This really isn’t necessary,” Sophia maintained, pausing to scratch behind Teddy’s ears. “This is what we have the dog for, remember? You said he’d help protect me.”

“That was after the first break-in. One, we can overlook. Two is a pattern.” Darren disappeared into the bathroom again and emerged with a duffel bag. He set it down on the bed, snorted, and spun around to face her. “Besides, I know you spoil Teddy rotten. You’re going to make him too soft to be able to handle intruders.”

“There’s no such thing.”

Darren raised an eyebrow. “Want to bet?”

Sophia crouched in front of Teddy and took his face in her hands. He licked a path from the center of her face down to her chin, his breath smelling like hot garbage. She pulled a face, playfully pushed Teddy’s face away, and stepped back out into the hallway. Having the house back to herself felt good, with everyone going back to their usual lives after Labor Day.

Having Darren there, on the other hand, was more than she’d bargained for.

While a part of her appreciated how chivalrous and protective he was being, especially when they still hadn’t been able to catch the intruder, the other part of her knew it was only going to confuse her father.

How was she meant to get over Darren when he was staying in her old room?

When she had to go to sleep every night, knowing he was a foot away?

With a slight shake of her head, Sophia pushed away all thoughts of Darren and stepped into the kitchen. She was chopping up some vegetables and trying to decide between meat or chicken when Darren came in, his hair matted to his forehead and smelling like lemon-scented soap. Butterflies erupted in her stomach as he brushed past her and went straight to the fridge.

In silence, the two of them prepared dinner.

When her father came in, Sophia had music playing through her speakers, and Darren was spinning her around, leaving her breathless and giddy.

Just like when she was a teenager.

It was like falling in love with him all over again.

During dinner, her father kept trying to meet her gaze, but she studiously avoided him. When it was time to clean up, Stu retired to his room early, and she heard his TV through the walls. She helped Darren put the dishes away, smiling whenever their fingers brushed against each other.

She wondered how he still left her feeling like a lovesick girl.

When Sophia wandered into the living room after dinner and picked up the remote to the living room TV, Darren joined her on the couch. He kept trying to wrestle the remote away from her while Teddy dozed off by the fireplace, alternating between looking at them and chewing on his ball. Once Teddy rolled onto his back and kicked his legs up in the air, Sophia took advantage of the distraction and changed the channel Darren had settled on.

“It’s your fault for getting distracted by Teddy.”

Darren grabbed a handful of popcorn and shrugged. “Worth it. He is a cute dog. Still think we should change the name, though.”

Sophia settled on a rom-com and settled back against the couch. “It’s too late. He’s used to the name.”

Darren propped his feet up on the table and sipped on his beer. “Oh, I remember this movie. Didn’t we see it when it came out at the cinema?”

“Zoe got sick all over my new dress right before we were supposed to leave, and I was in tears most of the night.”

Darren draped his arm over the back of the couch. “I still thought you were the most beautiful woman in the world. You still are.”

Sophia blushed and hid her smile behind her wine glass. “Do you remember when the kids locked us out of the house so they could eat all the candy?”

Darren threw his head back and laughed. “I’m pretty sure they’re the reason we have trust issues when it comes to locks.”

“I stopped locking the bathroom for years,” Sophia added, pausing to wipe the tears of mirth rolling down her face. “I missed having my alone time in there.”

“The kids and I had a bet going on about whether or not you were going to put a mini fridge and a TV in there,” Darren added without looking at her. “I hated losing that bet.”

Sophia’s eyes remained glued to the TV, but she shoved his arm and snorted.

A few hours later, Sophia found herself stretching out on the couch and drifting off. In the morning, when her alarm went off, her arm darted out, but she found herself incapable of moving. She pried one eye open, then the other, and realized she was still on the couch, sandwiched between Darren and the back of the couch. He had one arm draped over her and the other hanging limply at his side.

Sophia’s throat tightened as she sat up and rubbed a hand over her face.

Slowly, she removed Darren’s arm and crawled over him.

As soon as she stood, she held her breath and waited.

Darren didn’t stir at all.

She blew out a sigh of relief, tucked the blanket over him, and crept away to her own apartment. After taking a quick shower and lingering over her reflection in the mirror, Sophia changed into a pair of jeans and a shirt. On her way out, she paused to give Teddy his breakfast and patted his head. After bringing Teddy back inside, she tried to avoid looking at Darren directly, lest the butterflies in her stomach erupted altogether. On the drive to work, she couldn’t stop smiling or humming along to the radio.

Once she pulled up into her regular parking spot, she switched off the engine and sat there. For a while, she couldn’t stop thinking about Darren or how good it felt to wake up in his arms. As much as she hated to admit it, she knew it felt natural, like the two of them had never stopped doing it.

With a frown, she reached for her purse, pushed the car door open, and stepped out onto the sidewalk.

The early morning sun was warm on the back of her neck as she stepped in through the back door, only to be met with a loud cacophony of voices and the smell of cake batter and sugar. Sophia ducked into the locker room, pocketed her phone, and tied the apron round her waist. After smoothing it out, she went back into the main kitchen, where Valerie stood at one of the counters, bragging about her latest work.

Sophia did a double take when she realized it was her cake design that Valerie was taking credit for.

Heat rose up her neck and cheeks as she pushed her way through the crowd of admirers until she was facing Valerie directly. The blonde stood up straighter, tossed her hair over her shoulder, and gave Sophia a withering look.

“No need to push other people aside. You can get the same view as everyone else.”

“I don’t need it,” Sophia told her, her mouth tightening around the edges. “Because that’s not your design, Valerie, and you know that.”

Valerie snorted. “I always knew you were jealous, Sophia, but this is taking it too far.”

“You’re the one who’s taking it too far.” Sophia gestured to the cake and took a step forward. “If this is your design, then how come you used regular half-and-half milk when everyone knows you’re allergic? Or how about the fact that I use chilled eggs, which everyone knows is my thing?”

“I—”

“Mostly, I just want to know why you signed my initials in small letters at the bottom if it’s your design,” Sophia finished with a triumphant look. She pointed to the cursive at the bottom and folded her arms over her chest. “As our future manager, I really think that claiming credit for someone else’s work is starting off on the wrong foot.”

A murmur rose through the crowd as Valerie stomped her foot and scowled.

Then Nora emerged and shooed everyone away.

When they were gone, she pointed a finger at Sophia and beckoned her into the office. There, Nora waited until the door clicked shut, and she was sitting behind her desk before clasping her fingers together and eyeing Sophia over her spectacles.

“That might’ve been a little harsh, but she shouldn’t have been acting like it was her design,” Sophia began after a lengthy pause. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry? I called you in here to tell you that you did the right thing. I know you and Valerie don’t like each other, so I’m glad you were able to stand up for yourself.”

Sophia blinked. “Thank you.”

Nora removed her spectacles and began to polish them. “I know you’ve expressed no interest in the position, but I think you should consider being my successor instead of Valerie. I’ve been watching you the past few weeks, and I was wrong. You’d be well suited for the position.”

Something inside of her grew and unfurled, something low and pleasant and unfamiliar.

It felt good to know she hadn’t been overlooked after all, like maybe she wasn’t as useless or as hopeless as she believed.

Nora had no idea how much her words meant to Sophia, who’d spent the past few weeks floundering and feeling like she was never going to be able to find solid footing.

No matter what she decided to do moving forward, it felt good to have that.

She’d always have that.

Sophia swallowed past the lump in her throat. “I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I’m not sure I want to take over someone else’s bakery. I kind of thought I’d own my own bakery someday.”

Nora placed her glasses back on her nose, her hazel eyes full of warmth. “That’s fair enough. I don’t need your answer today, anyway.”

A few hours later, Sophia was still thinking about Nora’s offer when she began the walk home. With Zoe dropping by to borrow the car, Sophia enjoyed the opportunity to stretch her legs and inhale the warm breeze that drifted past her.

Until she heard a pair of footsteps linger behind her.

Sophia frowned and quickened her pace, hearing the person doing the same. Then she broke into a sprint and shoved her hand into her purse, quickly finding the pepper spray. By the time she made it back home, Sophia was gasping, but she was all alone. As soon as she stepped in through the front door and saw Darren at the stove and her father at the kitchen counter, the knots in her stomach unfurled.

Teddy greeted her with a bark, and Sophia’s earlier paranoia drifted away.

With a smile, she left her purse and shoes by the door and joined them in the kitchen. Darren handed her a glass of wine with a warm smile.