Chapter 20
CHAPTER
TWENTY
SOPHIE
When I walk into the office the next morning the biggest bouquet of flowers I’ve ever seen is obscuring my computer screen. Lisa is standing in front of them, a white card in her hand.
“From L again,” she says, looking completely unembarrassed at the fact she opened the card intended for me. She lifts her brows. “From LaClasse.”
LaClasse is a gorgeous flower boutique in the historic district of Charleston. It’s hugely expensive which means I’ve never used it, but I’ve been to a few weddings where they’ve been responsible for the décor.
And they always hit it out of the park.
I pluck the card from Lisa’s fingers and lift a brow as I read the words there.
Sophie, I asked the shop to give you the most beautiful flowers they have. But they’ll still pale in comparison to you. Tonight. L.
“Can you imagine the shop owner having to write that out?” Lisa asks, amused. “They must be pissed, right? He’s dissing their flowers.”
I laugh, because I guess she’s right. “He’s just being sweet.”
“So are you going to tell us who he is?” she asks.
I open my mouth but close it firmly again as Michael walks into the room. There’s no way I’m telling him anything about my private life.
“What are those flowers doing there?” he asks, his gaze flickering over to my desk.
“They’re from a friend.” My tone screams that I’m not interested in having a conversation about this.
“Oh.” Luckily he’s not interested either. To him I’m just the person he pushes all of his work onto. “How’s the submission going?” he asks and I try not to smirk because he really is that predictable.
“Fine. I worked on it all last night and I’ll do the same tonight.”
“We need to have it in by next Friday,” he reminds me, as if I don’t already know. “Donald already asked me to give him an update. He wants it done right.”
“It will be. I’ll have it ready.” It takes a lot of effort not to roll my eyes. Luckily he’s distracted by his phone pinging. Ignoring me completely, he pulls it out of his pocket.
“Gotta go,” Lisa says to me, shooting Michael’s back a murderous look. “Let’s grab a coffee after the lunchtime news? Catch up on things?”
“If I get the chance.” I look balefully at Michael.
“I’ll be in the café.” She winks. “In the back booth.” The one where other people can’t overhear. She wants to grill me about Liam, that much is obvious.
She lifts a hand to wave goodbye and I move the huge-ass bouquet of flowers onto the filing cabinet next to my desk so I can actually get some work done today. And I pocket the card because I don’t want Michael seeing it.
I arrive at the café a little late, because I had to stay behind to record a new forecast for the website. There’s a storm pattern forming and our viewers love it when we give them the heads up, so I tell them as though it’s a secret between us.
“It might or might not happen,” I tell them. “But as always, the weather team at WVFY will keep you updated with the latest developments. Keep checking the page and we’ll make sure you don’t get wet.”
People love a change in weather pattern, especially something disruptive like a storm. And the station loves it because it increases our viewership and our website visits – which increases the amount they can charge for advertising.
Lisa sees me as soon as I walk in and points at the table to let me know she’s already bought my coffee.
As I walk over, I pull my phone out to check any missed messages.
There’s a kiss from Liam in reply to my text thanking him for the flowers and giving him his daily forecast. After that is a message from Lauren asking why I’ve gone silent since Sunday, and one from Ava with an attachment of Charlie gurgling at a stuffie I bought him.
I remind myself to message my friends later.
I miss them. Ava’s hugely busy with work and Charlie, and Lauren’s always overrun at the bakery, but we’ve never not found time for each other.
I slide into the booth and smile at Lisa. “Thank you for the coffee.”
“I got you a pastry, too,” she says, sliding a Danish across to me. “Thought it might loosen your tongue.”
I laugh. “You don’t need to bribe me. There’s not that much to tell. He’s just a friend right now.”
“Friends don’t send you lunch one day then flowers the next.”
“I think he wants to be more than friends,” I admit.
“Of course he does.” She claps her hands together. “Tell me more.”
I tell her as quickly as possible about Liam, skirting over the physical stuff because that’s private, and as much as I like Lisa I’d hate to tell her about this before I tell Ava. She’d be hurt if she found out, and I’d hate that. So nobody gets all the gossip before she and Lauren do.
Just as soon as I’m ready to tell them. Which I’m not. Yet.
“Yep,” Lisa says when I finish speaking. “Definitely not just a friend. That guy is into you.”
“Do you think he might just want what he can’t have?” I ask her. This idea is still playing on my mind. I don’t think he’d be doing it on purpose, but he’s an alpha male. A high achiever who always gets what he wants.
But when he gets me? Because it’s definitely a when, not an if. What happens then?
There’s every chance he’ll get bored of me. And that thought makes my chest hurt. Because as much as I’ve been trying not to, it’s obvious I’m falling for this man.
“No. He’s been watching Grey’s with you,” Lisa says, as though that explains everything. “Men don’t do that if they’re only after one thing.”
“Are you sure?” I frown.
“He’s wooing you. Can’t you see that? The guy’s got it bad.” She grins. “The only question is, how do you feel?”
My chest tightens. “I like him,” I admit.
“Of course you do. He’s hot.” She staring at her phone. I can’t believe she’s already googled him. “I can’t believe he’s flying back from New York just for tonight. That’s so romantic.”
Yeah it is. I exhale heavily.
“I don’t get it,” Lisa says, looking up at me. “Why aren’t you bouncing off the ceiling? I would be if a guy wanted me as much as he wants you.”
She’s right. I should be. And part of me is. The romantic part that believes in Fairytales and Prince Charming and Happily Ever Afters. Liam was right all along. I do want those things. But can he give them to me?
Because when did Prince Charming ever say he didn’t sleep with a woman more than once because he didn’t want her to get the wrong idea?
“He’s not good at commitment,” I finally tell her. “And I’m not good at getting my heart broken.”
She looks at me for a moment. I’ve sat with her through enough breakups for her to understand this sentiment. “The problem is,” she says. “I think you’ll be heartbroken if you walk away from him. But that’ll be self-imposed.”
Her words land like a thud in my brain. She’s right, I’m not sure I can walk away from him if I tried.
And if I’m honest, I don’t want to try.
I want him to come see me tonight. I want him to want me so bad he can’t stay away. And I want to see where this goes.
It’s a leap in the dark. But maybe those are the best kind of leaps. The ones that send your heart racing as you jettison yourself off the edge.
I just hope he’s there to catch me on the other side.
LIAM
“So I’ll be at yours by seven,” Eli says. I’m only half-paying attention to him because I have a pile of reports to read before I head to the airport and I need to be prepared for my meetings tomorrow. But this last sentence cuts through. I lift my gaze from the numbers on the paper.
“What?” I ask.
Eli laughs. “Did you listen to a word I just said? I’m driving up to New York now. I have a meeting with a sponsor in the morning. I’m staying at your place and we’re going out. Did that sink in this time?”
“I can’t. I’m flying to Charleston tonight.”
“You said you were in New York all week.” Eli sounds genuinely confused.
“I’ll be back in New York tomorrow,” I tell him.
“Wait a minute,” Eli says. “So you’re flying to Charleston tonight and back to New York tomorrow? Why the hell are you doing that? You can’t possibly have a business meeting in the middle of the night.”
“There’s somebody I need to see.”
“Who?” he asks. I can hear the confusion in his voice.
“Sophie.”
There’s a pause. Then a cough. “Sophie as in Ava’s Sophie? The one night woman? The one you want to avoid?”
“Yes,” I say calmly. “That Sophie.”
“But… but… you just called me for advice on how to avoid her. You didn’t want to get involved, remember?”
My mouth twitches. That feels like a lifetime ago. Before I realized what I’d been fighting for so long.
That I wasn’t just attracted to her. I was in love with her. It all makes sense now as I look back. “By the way, I never spent the night with her. That was a lie.”
“What?”
“She lied to me. We didn’t have sex.” I’m kind of amused by that whole situation.
“But why did she do that? I’m so confused, man.”
“I’d like to explain but it’s going to take a while. Can we discuss it at dinner tomorrow?” I ask him. “I need to get some things done before I head to the airport.”
He lets out a sigh. “Yes we can, but I need to be elsewhere tomorrow. I’m back in New York next Tuesday. Can we meet then?”
“Sure.” I don’t want to, if I’m being perfectly honest. I want to be in my bed Facetiming with Sophie. But this is Eli and I do have some loyalty. “I’ll book a restaurant for us.”
“I suppose there’s no point in suggesting we go out to a club after dinner?”
“No there isn’t.” I’m trying to prove to Sophie that I’m the man she doesn’t think I can be. I don’t want to give her a reason to doubt me. Plus we have sixteen more seasons of Grey’s Anatomy to watch.
And yes, I said I had loyalty to my brother but it only extends to dinner. I’d rather be in my room watching a decade old show with her than prowling a club with Eli. That’s how much of a hold this woman has on me.
“First Myles, now you. I’m gonna call Holden. He can go out with me.”
“Good idea,” I say warmly. “I’ll ask my assistant to book a table for three, then the two of you can go do whatever it is you like.” While I go home. To call Sophie.
“Hmph. Whatever. I’ll book a VIP table at Silk’s in case you change your mind.”
“I won’t,” I say, feeling smug because I don’t even feel like I’m missing out. “Talk to you later.”
“Can I still sleep at your place tonight, even if you’re not there?” he asks quickly. “I haven’t booked a hotel room.”
“Sure,” I say magnanimously, even though Eli can be a bit of a slob when it comes to taking care of my things. “I’ll ask the concierge to let you in.”
I hang up and check my phone for the time. There’s a message from Sophie, and like a sap my heart does this little weird twist in my chest.
Hi! Was just wondering if you’re still getting here by eight. I’ll cook for you if you’d like. – Sophie.
Yeah, I do like. I mean I love cooking but I like being cooked for, too. By Sophie at least.
I start to type out that I’m hoping she’ll be naked when she opens the door but I delete it. Fucking baby steps, Salinger.
Don’t scare her now.
I start again.
I’ll be there by eight. No need to cook if you don’t want to. I can bring something, or eat on the plane. – Liam x
Don’t be silly. You’ll be tired. I’d like to cook for you. I owe you one after all. ;) – Sophie.
Are we still talking about dinner? – Liam. x
Maybe… – Sophie.
A soppy grin pulls at my mouth.