10. Chapter 10
Chapter 10
S tone finished Anyone But The Billionaire thirty minutes before it was time to text with Sophie. His week had been busy. His brothers had been involved in a particularly volatile rescue of a child who’d been stolen from the home of a diplomat and sold into child sex trafficking. Since his magic was still glitching, Stone hadn’t been able to be on the scene, but he’d stayed behind and helped from a distance. He fucking hated staying behind. He’d also had to cancel last week’s book buddy chat with Sophie.
Thinking of Sophie brought a mix of emotions. He missed their banter, her quick wit, and the way she made him forget, even for a little while, about the chaos of his life. He’d even stopped by Naked Runway under the pretense of needing to speak with Ms. Birdie, hoping he’d run into Sophie. But he hadn’t, and it had left a strange emptiness in him.
The last he’d heard from Clarabelle, the council had put her in charge of researching how to best treat his condition. She’d promised to be in touch as soon as possible.
He picked up his phone and fired off the first text, eager to reconnect.
Stone: Best opening line of all the books I’ve ever read.
He waited for Sophie to reply. Five minutes later, he fired off another text.
Stone: Has a guy ever picked you up in a park with an animal prop?
More silence. His impatience grew, mingled with a hint of worry. Why wasn’t she replying?
Stone: Are heroes with commitment issues a trope? Do women secretly love guys who fight commitment like it’s a bout of diarrhea on a nine-hour flight?
Still nothing. He cursed under his breath. Maybe he’d been too crass. He didn’t want her to think he was just some jerk.
Stone: That was insensitive. Sorry. You there? You ignoring me? Did you forget to read the book, and you’re too embarrassed to admit it?
Silence. He checked the time, wondering if something had happened to her. Should he be concerned?
Stone: Keep the bookmarks handy, Stone the one who read this week’s book.
Two hours later, his phone buzzed. Relief washed over him as he saw Sophie’s name.
Sophie: Sorry I missed our meeting. Life happened. I also loved the book’s opening line. No, I’ve never been picked up by a guy who had a pet prop. I don’t know about all women, but for myself, I can say I definitely do not secretly long for a man with commitment issues. Life is too short to beg someone to love you.
Her words hit harder than they should. He knew she was joking, but it stung. Did she think he had commitment issues?
Was he just another cliché guy afraid of love? The thought gnawed at him. His reasons for staying single had always felt valid, but now…he wasn’t so sure.
Sophie: Which is why you’re marked safe from ever having Sophia E. Clark fall in love with you.
He frowned, a pang of something unsettling twisting in his chest. The idea of Sophie never falling for him…why did it bother him so much?
Was he just fooling himself about his reasons for avoiding commitment?
Sophie: Next week’s book is Single Dad by JJ Knight. I promise not to miss the meeting. Keep the bookmarks handy, Sophie, your missing chapter mate.
He stared at her last message, feeling a strange mix of longing and confusion.
He missed her more than he wanted to admit, and the thought of losing their connection gnawed at him.
But how could he reconcile his past experience with the growing feelings he had for her? Not to mention, his job was fucking dangerous. What kind of mixed-up asshole would he be to encourage a woman to love him knowing he could be setting her up for heartache?
On that thought, he pocketed his phone without replying.