Chapter 44
Ashton
She’s the first person I see when I get there.
The ballroom is full of couples dancing, and people standing around laughing. There are snowflakes and silver everything, and all I can see is Sophie, dancing with her father.
Wearing the bronze dress that I found for her. The one that matches my tie that I had delivered yesterday.
Sophie laughs at Duncan and my heart gives a hiccough because I want her laughs for myself. I want her smiles, and the way her nose scrunches.
But I want her to be happy, so I need to share.
If she’ll give me a chance to make her happy.
I honestly don’t know if she’ll forgive me. It could go either way. But whatever happens, I’ll be here in Battle Harbour.
I told the king that I’ll be one of his consultants on his road project, which will mean driving around Laandia. I also told him I need time off to do the FluxFuel race—my last one.
I haven’t processed it all yet. I waited until I heard from Sophie.
I went four days without speaking to her, and I don’t want to do that again.
The song ends, I start across the floor, just as Sophie hugs Duncan.
She sees me, and a myriad of emotions cross her face. Fighting the urge to run, I hold my ground, even nodding at Duncan.
To my surprise, he holds out a hand. “Ashton. Just so you know, the case has been closed. No charges will be laid against you. And you’re free to leave Laandia.”
“Thank you, sir, but I’ve developed a liking for the place. Cold and all.”
“Glad to hear it.” And with a smile at Sophie, Duncan leaves us.
Us. Me and Sophie. Standing in the middle of the dance floor, waiting to see who will be the first one to speak.
“You look like you figured out the dancing thing,” I say.
“Stand and sway.”
She’s done something different with her face—I know it’s makeup, but it’s different from what I’ve seen her wear before. Her hair is a tumble of curls, and the dress… “You look breath-taking.”
She smiles shyly. “You could have started with pretty, or beautiful.”
“But you take my breath away.”
Her shoulders hunch forward like she’s embarrassed. “Your tie looks like it matches my dress.”
“I made sure it did. That’s my grand gesture.”
Hearing her laugh is the best part of my entire night. “That’s your grand gesture? Like in a romance novel?”
“I was going for rom-com movies, but yeah. I know it’s a bit lame, but I’m not sure I want to take credit for how the decorations turned out.” She gives me a quizzical smile. “I met your mother when I offered my services to the decorating committee. I think she approves of my bank account.”
“I’m sure she does.”
“My father—”
“Shook my hand. That was pretty cool. But it wasn’t cool that I listened to mine. Sophie, I was an idiot, and I’m sorry. I’m so sorry that I hurt you.”
“You never say you’re sorry.”
“Only when I really mean it. My father told me to woo you—”
I’m not sure it’s a good thing that she erupts with laughter. “Woo? He actually used that word?”
My father would not approve of the laughter.
So it’s a good thing.
“—and for a hot minute, I thought it was a great idea, because I couldn’t have my life blow up again, because I had nothing left,” I tell her, more honest than I’ve been in years.
Sophie makes me honest, and less rude, and thinking I should be nice.
Less of a grump, and even if she doesn’t forgive me, I need to remember how that feels.
“I can’t get a job racing cars for anyone, and the one option I had left, needed me to be perfect.
There’s no way a story about me, driving a car, and causing an accident would fly.
I had to make sure it didn’t go any further. ”
“But I wouldn’t…”
“Oh, I know. I knew after about forty-eight hours in your company. If even that long. I knew you weren’t the type of person to lay blame.”
“I would if you deserved it,” she promises.
“Oh, I know that, too. But that was the last I thought about my father’s instructions. After that, I was following my own instructions—to make Sophie Laz fall in love with me.”
“It’s the same—”
“It was different,” I tell her earnestly. “I needed you to fall for me, because I was already falling hard and fast for you, and I wanted to make sure I had a soft landing.”
“You…”
I put my hands on her waist, and take a step closer so I can lean my forehead against hers.
Strawberries and cookies. I close my eyes.
“Let me just say this before I mess it up. Sophie Laz, I am in love with you. I don’t know how or why or when, but I love you, and I don’t fall for anyone in this way. Except for you… because you’re you.”
“Ashton.”
I pull back so I can look at her, look at her clearly, through the eyes of a man in love.
And the way Sophie looks at me makes my ideas warm, and start to turn to some mushy substance.
“Is that all you’re going to say? Because even if I messed it up too much, you’ve got to tell me, Sophie, because I can’t go on much longer not knowing—”
“I love you, too.” She says it with a giggle, and the biggest smile.
My breath hitches, and it’s the best thing I’ve ever heard. The best I’ve ever felt. Better than winning any race, driving any car… “Really? Really… you’re sure?”
Sophie laughs again, and I’ll never get tired of the sound of it. I slide my hands around her waist.
“I’m really sure. I knew you weren’t that good of an actor.”
“I’m really not,” I tell her with a laugh. “Do you want me to show you how we’re going to do the dancing thing?”
Sophie nods, and there are tears in her eyes.
Brown with green and gold flecks, and a fat tear rolling down her cheek.
Seeing that makes me choke up, because this woman loves me.
Loves me, with all my failings and faults and super inflated bank balance that might disappear when I tell my father I’m staying in Laandia to work for King Magnus.
I don’t think Sophie will mind the difference in bank balance, and I hope she’s happy that I’m staying.
But that’s a conversation for later.
I sweep her up into my arms without warning, and she gasps, and then giggles. Holding her like this is so much better than giving her a piggyback because… well, it’s just better.
Plus, I can kiss her like this.
And I do—right there in the middle of the dance floor, with all of Battle Harbour watching.
I don’t care who’s watching.
And the way Sophie kisses me back tells me she doesn’t either.