Chapter 18
EIGHTEEN
SOPHIE
Iwas taking the first sip of my third cup of coffee when my phone rang.
I’d left it in the kitchen while Abbi and I were on the balcony, where she was eating a snack.
A perfect spot for late afternoons when the sun had moved to the other side of the building and the ocean breeze was so lovely that all you wanted was to be outside.
Abs looked at me with a chunk of strawberry on her lip. “Mommy, want me to get your phone?”
My daughter lived for tasks, even if they weren’t for her.
“If you don’t mind, baby.”
She wiggled off her chair, put her plate on top of it, and rushed into the kitchen, where I heard, “Hi, Uncle Troy,” by the next ring.
I turned around and laughed when I saw her holding my phone to her ear. She was getting exceptional at identifying letters, but since every member of my family had their picture stored in my Contacts, whenever one called, Abbi would know who it was without having to read their name.
“We’re going swimming! After I finish eating!
” Her smile was as big as it could get. “Mmhmm. And I had a sleepover with Uncle Hay last night. He dropped me off at Mommy’s in a car that didn’t have a top!
It was so fun! We went for ice cream two times!
” She joined me again on the balcony, putting her back to the view while she looked at me.
“Your ice cream was just as good as Uncle Hay’s.
Yep, promise.” She giggled. “Mommy’s here.
” She moved in closer to me. “Love you too.”
As I took the phone from her, I lifted her plate off the seat, knowing she would spill its contents if she tried to sit down with it.
“Hey, you,” I said to Troy. “Do I need to start the clock, or are you calling for a reason that doesn’t involve the Westons, which I’m hoping is the case?”
“Do you bill the Gordons for every work-related conversation you and I have?”
“Of course.” I crossed my legs, checking out my toes in the process, pleased that I’d gone with the white polish instead of the light pink that my nail tech had suggested.
“Really? Whoa, you’re lethal.”
“Time is money. You know that, my friend. Come on. You’re telling me you don’t bill the Westons for everything?”
“Not when I’m making a call like this, no.”
“A call like this …” I twisted one of Abbi’s curls around my finger. “Does that mean you’ve got something good for me? Or something that’s going to make me want to put Baileys in my coffee?”
“What’s Baileys?” Abbi asked with a mouthful of cheese. “I want some!”
I kissed the top of her head. “Leave Baileys for the adults, baby. You stick with water and innocence.”
Troy chuckled. “The Westons have finalized every one of their obligations. As of tomorrow morning, when the new menus are delivered to each location, the changeover will be complete.”
I held the top of my robe together as I repositioned myself, tucking a leg beneath me. “Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“You’re saying that if I go into Charred Miami tomorrow night for dinner, I will not see any of Horned’s items on their menu?”
“Correct.”
“And if I go into the nearest Horned, which is probably Charleston, not a single menu item will look anything like the menu the Gordons designed?”
“Correct again.”
I pursed my lips. “I want proof.”
“You don’t trust me?”
“Troy, Troy, Troy.” I picked up an oversize crumb of block cheddar that had landed on Abbi’s lap. “This has nothing to do with trust. This is business.”
“I’ll have the new menus of both Charred and Horned in your inbox within the next ten minutes. I’m assuming once you review them, you’ll draw up the necessary signatures from the Gordons so all of this can be behind us?”
“Once I review both menus and my client approves them, yes, the paperwork will be sent your way. What I need from you is a full accounting ledger from all four Horned locations to ensure the correct amount during the agreed dates will be paid to my client. Once that number is approved, the Westons have thirty days to pay.”
“I want this wrapped up by the end of the day and signatures completed by tomorrow—no later. That doesn’t mean tomorrow’s profits are part of the deal. The Gordons’ compensation ends at midnight tonight.”
“I want tomorrow.” I smiled.
“You’re not getting it.”
“Troy—”
“The new menus take effect tomorrow. There’s absolutely no reason why the Gordons need to be paid for food that isn’t being served.” He paused as though he were waiting for my rebuttal. “This is a nonnegotiable term, Sophie.”
“Toughie.” I fake-pouted.
He laughed. “Jesus, that title of yours continues to hold strong. I won’t say I’ll miss going up against you, but I will say I miss you. When are you coming back?”
“We have a few more days here.” I wiped off a blueberry smudge from Abbi’s cheek. I didn’t want to say anything, but I couldn’t stop myself. “He’s here, you know. Working with Hayden.”
“I know.”
Of course he knew. Everyone had known but me.
“And you didn’t feel the need to tell me he was coming here? At the same time I was? Not even a heads-up so I wasn’t completely caught off guard? Because when that moment happened”—I took a deep breath—“I didn’t like it. Not one bit. Had I known, I would have changed the date of my trip.”
Had there been a tiny part of me that liked that run-in? The part of me that basked in Colson’s stare. That got wet every time he laid eyes on me. A reaction that was always physical, compared to the emotional part of me that wanted to scream whenever I saw him.
“And ruin the surprise, which I heard was quite epic?” He chuckled. “I would never.”
“Troy!”
“Troy!” Abbi mimicked, smiling. “That’s Mommy’s you’re in trouble voice.”
“She’s right,” I told him. “You’re in serious trouble.”
“Why? I heard dinner went amazingly well with you, Colson, and the boys.” He laughed.
“Ohhh.” I let out a loud, quick breath. “Jones and Callum are about to get a piece of my mind.”
“It’s all out of love, Sophie.”
“This is out of love too, Troy. Goodbye,” I said, and I hung up.
Hayden
I’ll be out of work in about 20, and then I’m going to swing home and shower since I’ve been on the water all day. Do you and Abbi want to meet at my place? Go out to dinner? I can get my chef to whip up something, or we can order in if you’d rather hang here.
I glanced up from my phone while cuddled in the corner of Dottie’s couch.
My girl was across from me in the living room, on a kid-sized picnic table with Dottie, having a full-on tea party with real cookies, minus the actual tea, but there was a plastic set of dishes they were pretending with.
Although Dottie was in her sixties now, her gray roots like a crown over the top of her head despite the nest of short chestnut curls, she always had toys around her house for moments like this.
This was one of my favorite parts about visiting home, seeing the two of them together. Dottie had had the most monumental impact on both of our lives, and I wouldn’t dream of coming to Lauderdale without seeing her at least once.
“Hey, baby.” I waited until Abbi looked at me. “Do you want to go out to dinner with Uncle Hay tonight, or do you want to hang at his house?”
“Out!” Her pigtails bopped. “And ice cream!”
I laughed. “I’ll let him know.”
“Do you know how long I’ve known your uncle Hay for?” Dottie asked Abbi as I returned to my phone.
“Forever and ever?” Abbi asked her.
“At times, it seems even longer than that.” Dottie laughed.
Me
We’re at Dottie’s. I’ll leave soon and head to your house. Abbi gave a hard yes about going out to dinner, followed by ice cream.
“Mmm,” Abbi groaned. “This is the best one, Dot!”
There was chocolate all over her lips as she chewed. Girlie beyond belief, but not an eloquent eater—we still had a lot of work to do there.
Dottie looked at me and grinned. In her eyes, I saw the deepest emotion. An understanding between two women with so much history that words weren’t necessary. We just knew—because, in many ways, we had grown up together.
Exactly twenty years ago, when I had first met Dottie, I’d never thought I’d be a lawyer, living on the other side of the country, with the most beautiful daughter.
I didn’t know what I would be or what I was capable of at that time.
All I knew was pain and abandonment and this constant sense of feeling lost—in life, in love, in every facet that mattered.
But Dottie saw the potential in me. She never questioned my ability. She never pushed too hard. What she had done was push just enough. Not only for me, but for the rest of my family too.
“Will you please join us for dinner?” I asked her.
“You know I don’t like driving at night anymore.” Her glasses had gotten thicker over the years, the latest set as thick as the old-school Coke bottles.
“Then it’s a good thing my brother has a driver who will pick you up and take you home.” I smiled at her.
“Dot, you have to come.” Abbi reached for her hand. “Pretty please?”
She looked from me to my daughter and back. “How can I say no to either of you?”
“You can’t,” I confirmed.
She nodded. “All right, I’ll go.”
“Yay!” Abbi sang.
Hayden
I’m going to ask a question, and I don’t want you to chew my face off because of it.
Me
If it has to do with Colson, don’t go there, Hayden. I mean it.
Hayden
Come on, Soph. I’ve spent the whole day with the dude. I was with my girl last night and couldn’t join you guys. I owe him dinner. He’s a client.
Me
Then have dinner with him. Abbi, Dottie, and I will do our own thing—I just asked her to join us, and she agreed.
Hayden
You will not do your own thing.
Me
Then you’re going to have to make a choice. Because you can’t do this to me.
Hayden
What exactly am I doing?
Me
You know how things ended up last night at the restaurant. At least my daughter wasn’t there to witness it. This time, she will be. Colson and I can’t be in each other’s presence without THAT happening.
Hayden
Doesn’t matter now anyway. Colson just told me he has other plans for dinner.
Colson had other plans? How? Did he know someone in Fort Lauderdale? Was he finding his way to Lush’s other location in Miami?
Why was my brain coming up with reasons when it really didn’t matter what he was doing this evening? What mattered was that he was not going to be eating with us.
Me
See you soon.
Hayden
You’re not disappointed he turned me down?
Me
Why would you even say that to me?
Hayden
I’m goading you. Is it working?
Me
And I’m giving you the finger. Loveyoubye.