Chapter 9
Sophie watched as Ephraim tapped away on the computer.
He’d started making a list of men and women he’d worked for in the past that would have no compunction about targeting him for secrets he kept.
While she trusted him to do the right thing, she also trusted him when he said he’d been loose with what he called the straight and narrow.
She got out her schedule book and studied it for a few minutes before making some calls and texts.
Within fifteen minutes, she’d cleared the rest of the week and weekend.
She’d have to work extra long days next week but right now, she didn’t want to have a repeat of the car chase they’d engaged in when she’d tried to work.
Additionally, she couldn’t put others at risk and that would happen sooner or later.
A ping from the burner phone sent her pulse racing. According to Ephraim, only one other person had that number, his boss. And with him being married and having children, a message on Christmas day didn’t bode well for them.
Ephraim studied the phone’s screen for a few minutes then set the device down on the table beside the laptop. He turned toward Sophie and, with a grim expression, said, “We know why they’re targeting you.”
She sat up on the couch where she’d been trying to look busy with the planner and laid her book down. “Well?”
“Evidently, they saw us on the island, saw you helping me. They think we’re lovers and I’ve shared things with you. Secrets.”
It took a minute to sink in then she shrugged. “I sort of figured something along that line. We’ve been together almost nonstop since I found you on the island.”
“But if I’d had a BP guy come out when I first thought of it,” he started and she held up her hand to stop him.
“I insisted you didn’t. And it may not have made any difference anyway, if they thought we were together.”
They looked at each other for a moment and tension filled the room. Sophie had acknowledged her attraction to Ephraim and his expression confirmed her suspicions that he was in fact attracted to her. “It doesn’t have to mean a thing,” she murmured, realizing too late she’d said the words aloud.
Ephraim smiled wryly. “But it does, doesn’t it?
” He stood from his seat at the counter and advanced on her.
When he stood in front of her, he reached down and took her hand and pulled her to her feet.
She resisted his tug on her hand, but he persisted until he had her in his arms and she dreaded the moment she’d have to tell him she didn’t want anything more than friendship.
But he didn’t push her into a kiss, didn’t say anything.
He just held her in a soft embrace, not tight and binding, but loose, giving her room to retreat if she needed.
They stood there, in front of the sofa for a short time, held in each other’s arms then he drew away and looked down at her. “I’m sorry I’ve pulled you into this.”
She shook her head and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I made my choice days ago. You didn’t pull me into anything.”
He turned and looked at the computer then shut the laptop. “I don’t think I can concentrate on anything right now.”
She nodded and headed to the kitchen. “Let’s make some cocoa and watch sappy movies.”
They made the drinks with a powdered mix as Sophie told a story of her mother trying to make the homemade mix when she was a girl.
“My father had tried to help her in the kitchen one time and accidently filled the sugar bowl with salt. She ended up using that in the hot cocoa. It was horrible!” she laughed at the memory.
“We went to the powdered mix after that.”
“You said your parents are in South Carolina?”
She nodded and poured the heated mixture into two mugs.
“Our family has lived in Florida for four generations, but when they decided to retire, they looked for a place closer to doctors and everything. My dad has some health issues, so they needed shorter drives. Anyway, they went instate and found out pretty quickly they didn’t like the increased traffic and vacation influx.
So, they found a small community near the South Carolina shore and love it there.
And best of all, they have less than an hour’s drive to specialists. ”
She set the dirty pot in the sink and led the way to the sofa, where she sank down with the television remote in her hand. She looked up with a smile. “Action adventure Christmas movie or sappy Christmas movie?”
“You need ask?” he sat at the other end of the couch, unwilling to push the attraction that zinged between them.
Along with that, he could feel a real current of fear from Sophie.
He sincerely hoped it wasn’t because of the things he’d told her about his past. Even so, it was something they’d have to address, if he wanted to start a relationship with her, and he did.
“So, you grew up in Florida?” he asked and watched as she did some searching on the television for a movie.
She nodded. “My dad worked along the shore in the paper mills north of here. When he lost his job there, we moved south and he worked on fishing boats.” She sipped her drink, apparently lost in thought.
“I think he felt like he’d failed us. He didn’t really start drinking until he lost the job in the mill. It was mid-level and he was making pretty good money. I don’t remember much, I was pretty young. But I do remember arguments about money and staying out late, that sort of thing.”
“Do you have siblings?”
“Nope, just me.” She looked down at the remote in her hand and sighed. “I wonder if it might have been better if there had been more kids in our family. Maybe a son,” she grinned. “Even in these ‘enlightened times’ men still like having sons to play ball with.”
He shrugged, “I wouldn’t know. I didn’t spend a lot of time playing ball with my foster fathers. They either had kids of their own or spent a lot of time working.”
“And you have no brothers or sisters?” she asked and stared at the television where she was surfing through channels.
“Not that I know of. Of course, I didn’t know my father, so I may be one of a dozen.”
She started the movie and they watched the action movie begin. As the action hero crawled through ductwork, Ephraim held a running commentary of how that was impossible. “It wouldn’t possibly hold his weight, let alone be big enough for him.”
Sophie began to laugh at his disgusted expressions at the improbable stunts occurring in the film and soon it became twelve things wrong about this holiday movie. By the end of the show, they were planning the next one about a kid left behind at home and going up against robbers.
Sophie began the process of popping popcorn. “I can’t believe you haven’t seen any of these movies. They’re classics.”
“I usually volunteered for duty during the holidays. If guys wanted off a few days or had wives and kids, it was easier. Besides, I’d get brownie points when I took extra duties.
” He found butter in the refrigerator and put some in a bowl before setting it in the microwave to melt.
“What do you usually do during Christmas when you aren’t having to baby sit a man with a headache? ”
She glanced over her shoulder from the air popper and frowned. “I thought you said the headache was gone.”
“Just a dull throb every now and then.” He turned the microwave on and leaned against the counter beside it. “Spill. What am I preventing you from doing? Big parties? A huge meal you spend the rest of the day recovering from?”
She shrugged. “This. I go to see my folks after the new year, when things are a little slow for the rentals. During the Christmas season, I’m busy cleaning after today and before New Years. A lot of people come down in between the holidays to decompress, or party, depending on the ages.”
“So, you’ll have to work tomorrow?” he started wondering again if he needed to call in another protector. He knew Sophie didn’t trust others that easily but if it was the better thing to do, he’d do it.
“I rearranged some things. I’ll have the long weekend then go back on Monday.”
“Which means, you’ll have longer days’ work starting Monday.”
She shrugged again, “I like my work.”
They settled in for the next movie and then another one after that. Soon, the room had fallen dark with the coming night and Sophie stretched. “Time for dinner.”
Ephraim straightened from the near doze he’d been in and rubbed his stomach. “With the popcorn, cocoa and cookies you’ve made, I don’t think I need anything else.”
She relaxed back on the sofa. “Don’t have to ask me twice.” She tossed the remote to him and picked up a decorative pillow which she hugged to herself. “You choose the next movie.”
He flicked through channels featuring people at tree lots, skaters, men and women dancing and other movies too sappy for anyone’s own good. Then he stopped at the sight of a man on top of a house, stringing lights. He said, “What about this one?”
When Sophie didn’t respond he turned to her. Her face had paled in the light from the television. “No?”
“No.” she said in a flat tone and instead of pressing her he continued. When a cartoon he vaguely remembered from his childhood flashed on the screen, he glanced at her. “Okay?”
She smiled. “I love the Grinch. After we watch the cartoon let’s find the movie and compare.”
“There’s a movie?” he asked and she reached to a small table beside her and flicked on a lamp.
“Have you lived in a cave the last thirty years? Yes, there’s a movie.”
“Maybe I have,” he said and settled to watch the movie. He ignored the gaze she kept on him for a while and relaxed when she turned to watch the short animated film.
“You know the song?” he laughed as she sang softly under her breath and she threw the pillow at him.
“Yes, I know the song. And all of the characters and the plot and the story behind the book. Wanta make something of it?” She assumed a mock fighting stance and Ephraim held up his hands.
“Your favorite?”