Chapter 39 – Liam
39
LIAM
“M aybe if you turn it vertical and angle it back toward you as you go in backward,” Jack suggests. He’s standing off to the side while Danny and I struggle to move Sophie’s brand new live edge desk into what will hopefully be her new office. I stained the teakwood a light sand color and filled in the center and cracks with blue resin that looks like the ocean. I hope she will love it. I have never built something so quickly.
I told Danny on Monday that I couldn’t work all week because I was trying to finish this project, and he actually came over and helped me work on it last night. I have avoided Sophie all week and I saw that she texted that she wants to talk today. I have to get this set up and then call her to come down here.
“Why don’t you stop making suggestions and help us, jackass?” Danny snaps at Jack. Jack steps forward and lifts from the side. The table has black steel legs, so it is heavy as shit. It took four of us to get it on my truck and then I had to hope Sophie didn’t see me pulling out of the driveway.
“Okay, we’re in,” I say when we’ve crossed the threshold. Doc had the office painted a pale gray-blue color that I think resembles the sky just before sunrise over the ocean. He got her a plush tufted gray armchair and a matching chaise lounge for her patients to sit on. There are dark sea blue window sheers on the two windows that look out to the back alleyway and freshly painted white plantation shutters. He hung some local art on the wall and Ellie managed to snag her framed credentials from a box in her room last week when she was over at my house. My favorite is a canvas photograph of Sunset Beach at dusk with sparkling diamonds amongst the pebbles on the shoreline.
I hope the office is enough to make her want to stay. If she doesn’t stay, I don’t know what I’ll do. Maybe Lucy and I could move to Scranton with her, but it would be hard. I have a hard enough time working and managing childcare for her. I have clients here who come back to me for my work again and again. I would be starting completely over, but I would do it for Sophie.
My phone buzzes in my pocket. “She’s calling me,” I tell them.
“Don’t answer it. We’re not ready,” Danny says, sliding his end of the desk into place so it’s even with my end. Jack comes behind it with the armchair.
I hit decline. It rings again a moment later, this time I let it go all the way to voicemail. Sophie follows up that call with a text asking me to call her, it’s urgent.
“I think we’re good, boys,” I say anxiously. “I can’t thank you enough for helping,” I tell them, walking back out into the waiting room. They get the hint and follow me out.
“Go call your girl,” Danny says, slapping me on the back.
I grin. “Wish me luck,” and I close the front door behind them.
I walk back into the office that will hopefully be Sophie’s and take a final look around. It looks great. If all goes well, I will show her the desk, tell her I love her and that I want her to stay. Then we can go to Ellie’s party and tell everyone else. She can tell Doc she’s accepting his offer and all will be okay. I take a deep breath and dial her number.
It rings about six times before going to voicemail. I try again and the same thing happens. I try a third time and fire off a text that I’m trying to reach her. She asked me to call her and said it was urgent. What if something happened to Lucy? I rub my hands down my face and crack my knuckles. I’m pacing the room when I hear the front door jingle.
“Liam!” Sophie’s voice is frantic. “Liam? Are you here?” Her voice is moving toward the hallway.
I look out the door of her office. Relief fills me when I see her. I can tell by her face that she feels the same. She runs to me and we meet in the hallway.
“Sophie,” I rasp, cupping her face. “I have been calling you. You said it was urgent?” I’m searching her face for answers.
“I ran out of the house so fast I must’ve left my phone.” She is breathing heavily. I stroke her jawline, and she gives me the most genuine smile I’ve seen from her all week. “I have to talk to you.”
“I have to talk to you too,” I say, grabbing her hand in mine and letting them hang between us.
“You first,” She says, biting her lip.
“Come on.” I take her hand and walk backwards toward her office. “Close your eyes.”
“Okay…” She does as she’s asked and lets me lead her the few steps into the room.
“Open them,” I tell her excitedly.
Sophie gasps when she sees what we’ve done with the room. She walks around and looks at every detail, stopping when she gets to the frames with her certificates and awards. Her jaw drops. “How did you?—”
“Ellie,” I grin.
“That sneak,” she giggles.
She walks over to the photo of Sunset Beach and strokes the edge with her fingertips. Then she turns back to me and smiles. “Wow.” She walks over to where I am standing in front of the desk. I step aside so she can get a proper look. She walks the length of the desk, running her fingers along the live edge until she’s in front of me. She meets my gaze with tears brimming in her green eyes. “You made this for me?” She whispers.
I move to take her hands in mine, prepared to spill my guts, but I then realize she has something in her hand. “What are you holding?” I ask curiously.
She blinks and a tear rolls down her cheek as she hands me one of the items in her hand. I hold it up, examining it. It’s a necklace, almost exactly like Leah’s. “I told you I have one just like it,” she whispers, batting at another stray tear.
I finger the stone on the mermaid charm and look at it closely. It’s the same all right. “And what’s the other thing?” I whisper but I think I already know. I swallow a lump forming in my throat.
“It’s a picture from the day I got it.” She hands it to me, and I look down at it. Suddenly, the memories of that day come rushing back.
We just had dinner at the point and the girls were looking for Cape May diamonds while the boys and the dads threw the football around. The moms took the girls to the gift shop after. Leah wanted the necklace because Sophie was getting it, and she really wanted one too. My mom must’ve told her to go ask her dad because she ran out in the middle of the football game stomping her feet and crying for it. My dad was mostly ignoring her. A moment later, little Sophie came running out holding two necklaces.
“I bought it for you,” she had said and Leah grinned at her. “Friends forever,” Sophie said, hugging my sister.
“Okay girls, let me get a picture!” Sophie’s mom had called out. “Put on your necklaces and get close together.”
A moment frozen in time. Leah and Sophie were beach friends. Simon and I were too.
“Oh my god,” I breathe. “We’ve always known each other.”
Sophie was meant for me.
“Simon did say you look familiar,” she giggles.
I step closer to her, resting my hand on the back of her neck. “Sophie,” I whisper her name, pressing my forehead to hers. “I am so in love with you.” And then I kiss her and it’s like the first time all over again. Without hesitation, I hastily drop to one knee and take her hands in mine.
I don’t have a ring, I didn’t think this through, but knowing what I know now, how could I waste any more time? Sophie’s face is surprised but not unwilling. I clear my throat, and my voice still comes out hoarse. “Sophie, clearly we were meant to find each other. My life hasn’t been the same since you walked into it and left a mark on my heart. I know it will never be the same again, it’ll be better than I have ever imagined.” Improvising, I reach for the necklace again. “I know it’s not a ring, but Sophie, I love you so much. Will you please do me the honor of being my wife?”
She is openly crying now as she puts her hands on my cheeks and strokes my beard. “I love you too.” She pulls me up to a stand and kisses me softly, sending warmth through my entire body. “Yes, Liam. I will marry you.”
I pull away from the kiss and hold her close to my chest. I close my eyes and breathe her in. “So does this mean you’re staying?”
She looks up at me and barks out a laugh. “How could I not?”