Chapter Nineteen
CHAPTER NINETEEN
As Sophia drove away from Sam’s, tears streamed down her face. Although she had spoken her truths, she wasn’t sure if she’d been fair to Caleb. Just because she had fallen in love with him didn’t mean he had to feel the same way or profess his undying love for her. Even though secretly she’d been looking for something that would cement her position in his life, he’d stopped short of making a commitment to her. Maybe she was being ridiculous, but her heart was on the line here.
Sophia had felt her breathing getting choppy during her talk with Caleb. The idea of Caleb still being in love with Abby had been painful to discuss with him, but she was proud of herself for being honest about her suspicions. If heartache was coming her way, she was heading it off at the pass. Better to walk away from Caleb than to get dumped or blindsided.
Who was she kidding? Not having him in her life would be its own circle of hell. Just driving away from him caused her stomach to clench up and her palms to moisten. She missed him already. It felt as if she’d closed a door on him, and it caused a painful twisting sensation in the region of her heart.
Caleb had accused her of putting up a wall between them. He had been very intuitive about her feelings. She needed to protect herself in a way she had failed to do with Donny. Otherwise, she would be in a world of hurt. She’d been foolish to get wrapped up in a romance with Caleb. He was like a comet flashing through orbit at the speed of light. Holding on to someone like that was near impossible.
After she headed into the Yukon Cider headquarters, Sophia made her way toward the conference room, telling herself to stay strong. What doesn’t kill you makes one stronger, right? She’d loved and lost before. Somehow she would get through this.
She needed to focus on her career and building a life worthy of her daughter. Now that Donny no longer wanted joint custody, she could breathe a little easier on the home front, but she still had to keep her eyes on what mattered most. And that was Lily. She didn’t want to get her heart broken again if Caleb decided to leave town. Even if it turned out that he wasn’t interested in reuniting with Abby, Caleb was now in a perfect position to launch an acting career, one that would take him far away from Alaska and ownership of Yukon Cider.
“Sophia!” Hattie’s voice exploded in the small conference room. “Good afternoon.”
“Hi there, Hattie,” Sophia said warmly. Seeing Hattie always made her feel joyful, even in the middle of heartache. She couldn’t help but notice the oxygen machine Hattie was walking around with and the raspy sound of her voice. In her terminally ill state such things were to be expected, but they were shocking nevertheless.
“I can’t wait to go over some exciting news with you,” Hattie said as she sat down at the head of the table in a plush leather chair.
Sophia clapped her hands together. Now was the perfect time to hear good news.
“I’m intrigued. Don’t keep me in suspense,” Sophia said. “Did you and Jacques run off to Vegas and tie the knot?” Although she was teasing, Sophia wouldn’t put it past Hattie to do the unexpected. YOLO was her mantra, after all.
The sound of Hattie’s tinkling laughter filled the air. “No, I didn’t, but why didn’t I think of that? It would certainly make everyone’s jaw drop.”
“Gotta keep ’em guessing,” Sophia said, winking at Hattie.
Hattie splayed her gnarled hands on the table. “Sophia, I called our meeting today to congratulate you on your work on the campaign. It’s been a smashing success. Not only did the advertisement go viral, but my grandson is making a name for himself. And this time it’s in a good way.”
“That’s exciting, Hattie. I had a lot of fun shooting Caleb, and I’m not at all surprised that people responded to him the way they have,” Sophia said. “It’s not just his looks, as I’m sure you know. He films really well, which made my job easy. And his personality pops.”
Hattie’s gaze narrowed as she looked at her. “It warms my heart to hear you speak so well of him. He’s a very special young man.”
“He is,” Sophia conceded. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone like him.” And she knew that she never would again. Her heart constricted just thinking about Caleb.
Hattie drummed her fingers on the table, making a staccato sound. “There’s an opportunity to do a tour featuring Caleb. It would be a great chance to increase our visibility in markets that historically haven’t been purchasing our ciders.”
“That’s a really great idea. Have you told Caleb?” He would be delighted at the idea of hitting the road to rep Yukon Cider.
Caleb would never be content to stick around Moose Falls, not after going viral almost overnight. Honestly, she couldn’t blame him. Who wouldn’t grab hold of the brass ring if they were in his position? It was all he’d ever wanted. She was happy for his success, especially since he was now being portrayed in a positive light. The focus wasn’t on his reality show past but on the present.
“I haven’t told him yet,” Hattie said. “He knows how well the campaign is doing and that sales are way up. I wanted to know if you’re interested in going along for a few weeks? I know it might be tricky with your little one, but I think it’ll be a great opportunity for you.”
Could she really go on tour with Caleb and keep things platonic? This was the problem with mixing business with pleasure. Sophia adored her position at Yukon Cider. She finally felt valued and respected as a photographer. This opportunity was allowing her to soar and make a new life for herself.
“I-I’m not sure that would work out,” she admitted, breaking eye contact with Hattie. Her boss was too perceptive. She would definitely pick up on the fact that something was wrong. She was desperate to keep things professional and not burst into tears.
“What’s wrong, Sophia? I thought that I might be imagining things, but you look lower than an ant’s belly.”
“It’s nothing,” Sophia said, trying to keep her chin up to meet the older woman’s gaze. Rookie mistake! There was something about looking into Hattie’s soulful brown eyes that made her tear up. Despite her best intentions, she was falling apart at the seams.
“Oh, sweetheart, please don’t cry.” Hattie dug in her bag and took out a tissue. She handed it to Sophia, who dabbed at her eyes.
“I’m sorry, Hattie. I promise you, I’m usually more professional,” Sophia said. Embarrassment washed over her, threatening to drown her.
Hattie waved her hand in the air. “Don’t you dare worry about that. I value you and your work. That’s not going to change over a few tears.”
Sophia’s voice shook. “I don’t think things are going to work out between me and Caleb,” she admitted. “And if you can’t tell, I’m pretty heartbroken about it.”
“May I ask what happened? I heard one of the twins showed up the other night at the tavern.” Hattie let out a growl. “If I’d been there, I would have run her out of town with just my cane.”
Sophia chuckled at the image. “I would have given anything to see that. Seeing her with Caleb brought up every insecurity that I have about myself. And it made me doubt my relationship with him and whether he’s truly ready to move on with me.”
“I can see how her showing up would have shaken you, but if you really care for Caleb, that shouldn’t have been a deal-breaker.” She arched an eyebrow in Sophia’s direction. “Should it?”
“I don’t want to get hurt again,” she blurted out. “I went through the emotional wringer with Lily’s dad, and I just can’t go down that road again.”
Hattie nodded. “Forgive me, but it sounds like Caleb is paying the price for your ex’s missteps. That’s not only unfair, but it’s downright foolish.”
Sophia let out a little gasp. Hattie was nothing if not outspoken.
“I’m saying this with love and affection, Sophia. Caleb is a good man who’s wild about you. The two of you make an incredible pair.” She frowned. “Yet you’re going to let his ex and a fear of getting hurt stand in your way?
“Life ends up hurting us, one way or another. I can’t describe the pain I felt when my husband died in an accident. It was unexpected and well before his time. I’ve always thought he should have passed at the age of one hundred after trekking in the Himalayas. But that’s not the card I was dealt.”
“I’m so sorry, Hattie. That’s terribly sad.” Sophia couldn’t imagine losing so tragically someone she loved.
“Unfortunately, that’s life. My point is that we can’t always shield ourselves from getting hurt. So I understand that you feel the need to protect yourself, but if you cut the person you love out of your life, what have you gained?”
“Is it so obvious that I love him?” Sophia asked, dabbing at the moisture in her eyes.
“It’s crystal clear to me,” Hattie said. “And my eyesight is pretty bad. Just saying.”
Sophia began to chuckle, with Hattie laughing along with her. She couldn’t believe that she was able to chuckle while feeling such sadness, but Hattie had a spectacular way of boiling things down to their most essential parts. Her body shook with laughter until her stomach ached.
Hattie was right. Life brought pain to everyone. And it would be ridiculous for Sophia to think that she could shield herself from that reality. She’d be cutting off her nose to spite her face if she walked away from Caleb out of fear and her insecurities. What kind of role model would she be for her own daughter if she didn’t embrace love, no matter where it took her?
“You know what, Hattie? When I grow up, I want to be just like you,” Sophia said, reaching out and grabbing hold of Hattie’s hand.
“As far as I’m concerned, you’re well on your way,” Hattie said, grinning with pleasure.
If you’re ever lucky enough to find the one, hold on to her. Red’s voice crashed over Caleb like a tsunami, reminding him of what the stakes were. This wasn’t the time to fade into the background or step aside. He was a Stone brother. He wasn’t going to give up and walk away with his tail between his legs. These past few days without Sophia had been miserable. He couldn’t go on like this.
Hold on to her . He could hear Red’s voice again, precious words of wisdom from a father who had been absent for most of his life. How odd was it that he was now playing such a monumental role in Caleb’s life? Because of Red, Caleb was going to lay it on the line with Sophia, the way he should have done the other day.
When he drove up to Sophia’s house, Caleb saw that her truck was parked outside. Score! She was at home. At least this part of his master plan had gone smoothly. Now he just needed to speak from the heart. For a few minutes he paced back and forth in front of Sophia’s door trying to gather his thoughts. What if she sent him away? Rejected him again? Caleb wasn’t sure he had the strength to deal with it head-on.
All of a sudden the door swung open. Sophia was standing on the doorstep, her long hair swept up in a high ponytail and wearing matching pink sweatpants and sweatshirt. She looked enticing and wholesome at the same time. All he wanted to do was scoop her up in his arms and kiss her silly. But that would have to wait until later.
“Are you just going to pace back and forth, or are you going to come inside?” Sophia asked with a tilt of her head. “It’s cold out here.”
She waved him into the house, and he brushed past her as he walked inside, immediately smelling the aroma of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. The overall effect served to make her home seem even cozier.
“Where’s your mini me?” he asked, surprised that Lily hadn’t come running to the door.
“She’s on a playdate with her friend Ashton,” Sophia said. “She’ll be home soon.”
“Abby’s gone. I saw her face-to-face and made sure of it,” Caleb told her. “She’s on a one-way flight back to California. Her and her film crew.”
Sophia let out a surprised sound. “She is? I’m shocked that she gave up so easily after coming all the way here.”
“I’m not. She knew that there was no point in sticking around. I wasn’t going to film the show with her, nor was I interested in rekindling our romance.” He quirked his mouth. “Something tells me she’s going to find another leading man really quickly.”
“Thanks for telling me,” Sophia said. “Just the thought of her breathing the air in Moose Falls bugged the hell out of me.”
Caleb felt the sides of his mouth twitching at Sophia’s comment. “Ditto,” he said.
“Caleb, I—” Sophia began, just as Caleb started to talk.
“Sophia, I need to say something to you,” he blurted out.
“Okay,” she said with a nod. “You go first.”
“I know you’re afraid and unsure of where we go from here, but for the first time in my life I’m not.” He sucked in a little breath to steady himself. “I’m so in love with you, Sophia. You’re it for me, and I can’t imagine a life without you. I don’t know exactly what that’s going to look like except you and Lily will be right at the center.” He tapped his chest. “Right here.”
Sophia wasn’t saying anything. Why wasn’t she saying anything? He was in agony waiting for her to speak.
“I should have told you all this before, but I promised myself that I wouldn’t say the L word until I knew that I was in it for the long haul.”
Sophia’s eyes were wide as she looked up at him. “And are you?” she asked in a low voice.
Caleb nodded. “Yes, I am. I want to be with you, Sophia. For always.”
Sophia exhaled a deep breath. “Oh, Caleb. I love you too,” she said, closing the distance between them and wrapping her arms around his neck. Relief and gratitude rose up inside him as soon as Sophia uttered the L word. He’d hoped she felt the same way as he did, and now he knew she did.
Sophia continued, “I think that I fell for you up in that attic, despite my best efforts not to.” She blinked away tears. “And even before you said anything, I was planning to apologize, because I let doubt cloud what I feel for you.”
Caleb brushed his lips over hers in a tender kiss. “And how did you come to that realization so quickly?” He shuddered. “The last time we spoke you were pretty determined to go your own way. Or at least that’s what it seemed like.” He placed his hand over his heart and made a face.
Sophia shook her head. “We can thank Hattie for that. She set me straight in no uncertain terms.”
“Hattie to the rescue,” Caleb said, grinning. “She’s one special lady.”
Sophia nodded in agreement. “So, what’s next? Any updates on Yukon Cider?”
“I’m not sure how this is going to end and whether my brothers and I are going to run Yukon Cider or sell. But I know that I want to be right here in Moose Falls with you.”
“Oh, Caleb,” Sophia said, swiping away tears. “That means the world to me.”
He leaned down and pressed a kiss on her forehead. “Whatever we decide as brothers, Hattie stipulated that we have to make the decision together. And, honestly, that’s a gift, because it means that we’re going to be a united front, no matter what we decide.”
“That makes sense,” she said, wiping away tears. “All for one and one for all.” She was smiling now, grinning with happiness.
“But I know that I want you with me,” Caleb continued, “wherever this journey takes us. I’m not prepared to give up my dreams, but I’m also not willing to toss Hattie’s legacy away. It means the world to me to honor her in any way I can.”
“Of course it does,” Sophia said. “Hattie’s done so much for Moose Falls and everyone who lives here. What she’s built needs to be preserved, however you guys decide to accomplish that. Only the three of you can make that decision.”
“You’re a wise woman, Sophia Brand,” Caleb murmured as his lips met hers in a passionate kiss. Sophia wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned in, the weight of her body feeling solid against his own. Just then the doorbell rang, and Sophia said, “Oh, that must be Ashton’s mom dropping off Lily.”
“Oh, no. She might see us kissing again,” Caleb said with a groan. “This time you’re going to have to explain it to her. Not it!” He held up his hands.
Sophia laughed out loud. “That’s okay. I’ve got this. I’ll just tell her that this is what happens when two people love each other very, very much.”
“I can’t argue with that,” Caleb said, pulling her against him for one last lingering kiss before she opened the front door and greeted her daughter.