Chapter 4
FOUR
SOPHIE
Was I surprised that Colson’s daughter attended the same gymnastics class as my daughter?
No. For as big as LA was, the circles were small, and the overlap was mighty.
I’d run into many clients, opposing counsel, and adversaries during several of the extracurricular activities Abbi was enrolled in.
But I was surprised Colson had had the audacity to march into this class—a class I had never seen him attend, and I was present for all of them—and, in a tone I didn’t appreciate, said there was plenty he needed to say to me.
There was a time and place to discuss Weston and Gordon matters. It wasn’t here.
“What could you possibly have to say to me right now?”
His hand went to the center of my back, and I did everything I could to prevent myself from leaning into it. Still, the presence of those fingers sent a feeling straight through my body.
A feeling that was far too pleasurable.
“Come with me,” he ordered.
I must have been too tingly, my brain not thinking straight, because I allowed him to lead me a few feet away from the group of kids.
When he stopped, he positioned himself directly in front of me.
Although the difference in height was at least six inches, even while I was in my heels, the closeness made me feel like we were face-to-face.
And his scent—my God, I wanted to bathe in it. A heavy, delicious mix of amber and black tea, rich and divine and sensual, just like he had been that night at Lush.
“What is it that you want to speak to me about?” I pressed.
The temptation to touch him was overwhelming, so the faster he got this over with, the quicker I could get away from him.
“Your daughter.”
Suddenly, every thought I’d had about his fingers and wanting to put mine on him was gone.
My arms crossed. “What about my daughter?”
“Do you know what she did yesterday? If you don’t, you’re going to hear about it after their class since I called the coach last night to tell her.
” His voice had a sharpness that was sending me right over the edge.
“Your daughter aggressively poked my daughter in the arm, and it caused Ellie to fall. But that’s not all of it.
She also made fun of my daughter, calling her ugly. ”
He let out a raging breath while mine brewed in the back of my throat.
“I don’t know in what fucking world that’s okay, but I can tell you right now, it doesn’t fly with me. You need to step in and parent your daughter and teach her right from wrong.”
His eyes dipped down me as though he were taking inventory, and I was positive there was steam coming from my ears.
“I suppose I shouldn’t be shocked that someone like you created someone like her. Like mother, like daughter, as the saying goes.”
His nostrils flared as his eyes met mine again. “Let me be as clear as possible. I won’t tolerate a bully treating my child that way—”
“Daddy!”
Colson turned at what sounded like Ellie calling after him. “Hold just a sec, baby.”
He faced me again. “How can you make this right? You can tell your daughter that she owes my daughter an apology.”
Colson’s attention got interrupted when Ellie tugged at his arm.
“Daddy!”
His exhale was so deep that it vibrated. “Yes, baby?”
“Daddy, this is my best friend, Abbi.”
His brows rose. “Abbi?” He looked from her to me and back. “Didn’t you say she’s the one who pushed you?”
Ellie pointed toward a different section of kids. “That’s Abby with a Y, Daddy.” She pointed at the blonde next to her. “This is Abbi with an I.” She giggled. “That’s what Coach calls them. And Abbi with an I is my bestest friend.”
“Abbi with an I.” He rubbed his lips together. “I see.” He took a deep breath. “Hello, Abbi with an I. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Hiii, Mr. Weston,” my daughter said.
I smiled at the kids. “Sweetie, why don’t you and Ellie go meet Coach in the middle of the mats? It looks like she’s about ready to start class.”
“Okay,” my girl sang.
“Hi, Mrs. Rivers.” Ellie waved at me.
“Hello, Ellie.”
As the girls ran to their coach, I faced Colson. There wasn’t an inch of my body that wasn’t fuming. “Do you have something you’d like to say to me?”
He sucked his lips inward before slowly releasing them. “I thought …”
“You thought, yet you were dead wrong.” I held out one hand, gripping my pointer finger with the other.
“You attacked my parenting skills.” I moved to my middle finger.
“You falsely accused my daughter.” I held my ring finger.
“And you referenced that my daughter was just like me—a bully.” My arms folded back over my chest. “What other incorrect allegations would you like to throw my way, Mr. Weston?”
His lips were open, but nothing was coming out of them.
“I’m hoping the next thing that comes out of your mouth is an apology. Because I deserve one.”
I could tell that today had done a real number on him. His tie was no longer at his throat. The top two buttons of his shirt were undone. His hair, which had been gelled this morning, now looked like he’d run his hands through it no less than a hundred times.
Good. He deserved the day from hell. I hoped his day only got worse.
No one talked about my kid, especially not Colson Weston.
“I apologize. Easy mistake.” He lifted his shoulders, as though he’d done nothing wrong. “How the hell was I supposed to know there were two girls with the same name in my daughter’s class and they spelled them differently? You would have done the same thing if someone had bullied your daughter.”
I pressed my chest out. “That’s where you’re incorrect. I would have ensured I’d identified the right person before I attacked them.”
“Attacked?” He smirked. “You need to get your definitions straight. I talked to you. I did not—”
“You attacked me, Colson.”
“Oh, like you did to me this morning.”
Was this man serious?
My top lip curled. “That’s not at all what I did—”
“My opinion is that you attacked me. And your opinion is that I attacked you. Sounds like we’re on equal ground.”
I shook my head. “We’re not standing on the same ground, and there’s nothing equal about us.”
“No?”
“No!”
He leaned into my ear and whispered, “It’s okay to let your guard down for a second, Sophie, and it’s okay to lose once in a while. Don’t forget, I’ve seen you naked. Vulnerable. Screaming for more. You’re the sexiest woman in the world when you let go of that control.”
When he leaned back, I sneered, “Don’t you dare bring up”—I glanced to my right and left, making sure there wasn’t anyone within listening range—“Lush.” The anger was beating in my chest. “Plus, you have no right to speak to me that way. Not here, not anywhere. What happened that night stays there.”
He smiled. “That’s right … seven orgasms were insignificant to you.”
My eyes went wide.
“Except I think you were full of shit when you said that. I think you were trying to convince yourself that they had meant nothing since the enemy was the one who had given them to you.” He continued to stare at me. “Yes, I’m right … I can see the way I affect you.”
“You infuriate me.”
He laughed and took a step back. “I love to hate you too, Sophie.” He turned around and walked to the exit.