5. Sophie
SOPHIE
T he car slows to a stop in front of a sprawling brick mansion, its ivy-covered facade glowing softly in the late afternoon light. I step out onto the cobblestone driveway, stretching after the long ride. The air here feels different—cleaner, lighter, laced with a faint hint of freshly cut grass and blooming flowers.
“Here we are!” Mia says cheerfully, stepping out from the driver’s side. She waves a hand toward the mansion like she’s presenting a prize. “Welcome home, baby.”
“Mia,” I say, blinking up at the towering building. “When you said you had a place for me to stay, you didn’t mention it was the Taj Mahal of Bardstown.”
She laughs, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Oh, please. It’s just a little place I picked up. You know, as an investment.”
“A little place?” I raise an eyebrow, gesturing toward the grand double doors.
Mia grins unapologetically. “What can I say? I have good taste.”
She grabs my suitcase from the trunk before I can protest, leading me up the broad stone steps and through the front doors. The interior is just as grand as the exterior—high ceilings, polished wooden floors, and chandeliers that sparkle like they belong in a magazine spread.
I let out a low whistle, following her through the foyer. “This is amazing. It’s giving fairy tale wedding.”
“And you, my dear sister, are still a hopeless romantic.” Mia laughs.
“What can I say? I love love and happy endings,” I say with a wink.
“Come on, I’ll show you your room.”
The guest suite she leads me to is massive—easily twice the size of my apartment bedroom back in Manhattan. The bed is draped in soft linens, and the tall windows overlook a garden blooming with lavender and roses. It’s beautiful, but what strikes me most is the quiet.
No honking taxis. No buzz in the city. Just birds chirping and the faint rustle of leaves in the breeze.
I set my carry-on by the closet and sink onto the bed, taking it all in. Being back in Bardstown feels surreal, like stepping into a memory I wasn’t sure I’d ever revisit.
“How does it feel?” Mia asks, leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed.
I glance around the room again, smiling softly. “It feels… good. Really good.”
“Good,” she says with a nod. “Because I have plans for you already.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Plans? Oh, Mia, please. I just got in.”
“Yes, plans, and you cannot say no. It’s been seven years!” she says, her grin widening. “We’re having a family dinner tomorrow night. Just something small—me, you, Ethan, Riley, and Aunt Dotty.”
I laugh lightly, shaking my head. “You’re not wasting any time, are you?”
“Of course not,” she says. “You’re back in Bardstown, Soph. We’re celebrating.”
“Celebrating what?”
“You, obviously,” she says like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “And also Ethan and Riley’s wedding. And maybe just an excuse to have Aunt Dotty’s famous apple pie.”
I smile, the warmth in her voice wrapping around me like a blanket. “All right,” I say. “Family dinner it is.”
Mia claps her hands together. “Perfect. Now, unpack, relax, and get some rest. You’re home, Soph. Enjoy it.”
“Mia?” I call as she turns around with a bright smile
“Yes?”
“Do you think I should have ever left? I mean, you stayed and built something amazing for yourself here.”
“We have talked about this a dozen times, Soph. You left because you wanted more. You knew you could do more, and there was nothing wrong with that. What you did was commendable, and I’m so proud of you.” She reaches me and wraps her arms around me. I hug her back, inhaling her sweet scent of roses.
“I missed you so much, Mia. I missed home,” I say.
“And we missed you right back. Now, please, stop thinking about the past, face the present, and embrace the future.” She smiles, pulling away from the hug.
As she leaves the room, I sit back against the plush pillows, letting her words sink in.
Home.
It’s a word I haven’t used in years—not since I left Bardstown behind and built a life for myself in Manhattan. But now, sitting here in this beautiful room, surrounded by familiar faces and the hum of small-town life, I wonder if maybe, just maybe, I’ve found my way back to it.
T he dining room feels alive with laughter and the clinking of silverware against plates. Mia wasn’t kidding when she called this a “small” family dinner, but small doesn’t quite capture the warmth that fills the room.
The table is a mix of old and new—Aunt Dotty’s vintage floral plates set against Mia’s sleek, modern glassware. A candle burns in the center, its soft glow illuminating the faces around me. Ethan sits at the head of the table, his arm draped casually over the back of Riley’s chair. Across from me, Aunt Dotty holds court with her usual charm, a glass of lemonade in hand. Mia, of course, is mid-story, her gestures animated as she recounts one of her infamous adventures.
“And then,” Mia says, leaning forward with a conspiratorial grin, “I told him, ‘Sir, you can’t just borrow a designer handbag for a weekend wedding!’”
The table bursts into laughter, Ethan shaking his head as Riley covers her mouth to stifle a giggle.
“You’ve always been something else, Mia,” Aunt Dotty says, raising her glass in mock admiration. “Only you could turn a scolding into an art form.”
Mia bows her head dramatically. “Thank you, thank you. I’ll be here all week.”
I laugh, shaking my head. Being here, surrounded by the people who know me best, feels good.
“So,” I say, glancing at Ethan and Riley. “Enough about Mia and her escapades. Let’s talk about you two. I’ve heard bits and pieces of your love story from Mia, but I’d like to hear it from the source for once.”
Ethan groans playfully, leaning back in his chair. “You’ve been listening to Mia? No wonder you’re confused.”
Riley chuckles, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Oh, Mia’s version is probably more entertaining.”
Ethan groans, rolling his eyes. “Please don’t let her tell it again. It gets more ridiculous every time.”
Mia grins, raising her glass of wine. “Excuse me, but my version is a masterpiece of storytelling.”
Aunt Dotty shakes her head, her lips twitching with amusement. “Go on, Ethan. Tell her the real version.”
Ethan sighed dramatically but sat up straighter, a small smile on his lips. “All right, fine. So, the first time Riley and I met, I was moving into the house next to Aunt Dotty’s. I was trying to unload a truck full of boxes, minding my own business, when Riley pulled up.”
“She didn’t pull up,” Aunt Dotty chimes in, a twinkle in her eye. “She stopped, glared at his truck blocking her, and let him have it.”
Riley laughs, her cheeks turning pink. “Well, someone had to make sure the new neighbor wasn’t completely oblivious to basic parking etiquette.”
“She called me a city boy,” Ethan adds, shooting her a playful look.
“Well, you are a city boy,” Riley retorts, grinning.
Ethan shakes his head, turning back to me. “Anyway, she barely stuck around. Just told me to move my truck, huffed off, and left me standing there wondering what I’d done to tick her off.”
“I was just in a hurry,” Riley says, though the mischievous glint in her eyes suggests otherwise.
“Sure,” Ethan replies with mock seriousness. “Anyway, the second time we met, I was mowing the lawn at six in the morning. And apparently, that was the wrong move.”
“You woke up half the neighborhood!” Riley exclaims, laughing. “I marched over there to give you a piece of my mind, and you acted like I was overreacting.”
“To be fair,” Ethan says, raising a finger, “I thought it was a perfectly reasonable hour.”
“It wasn’t,” Aunt Dotty says firmly, earning a round of laughter from everyone at the table.
“By the end of that conversation,” Ethan continues, “I knew I had royally screwed up any chances of being friends with her, but look at us now.”
Riley nods, her smile softening. “And the rest, as they say, is history.”
Aunt Dotty claps her hands together. “Well, I think it’s a wonderful story. And proof that good things happen when you’re willing to speak your mind.”
Mia leans back in her chair, grinning. “See? My version wasn’t that far off. I just added some flair.”
“Your version included Ethan getting chased by a broom,” I remind her, shaking my head.
“And it made you laugh, didn’t it?”
The table dissolves into laughter, and I can’t help but smile at the way the room feels alive. This is why I came back—to reconnect, to be part of these moments again.
As the conversation shifts to their upcoming trip to France, Ethan leans forward, his expression turning more serious. “We leave in two days,” he says. “It’ll be Riley’s first time meeting my parents in person. My mom’s already planning everything down to the minute.”
“I can imagine,” I say, chuckling. “Your parents aren’t exactly known for keeping things simple.”
“Not at all,” Ethan agrees, shaking his head. “But it’ll be good to see them. And honestly, I think Riley will charm them the same way she’s charmed everyone else.”
Riley blushes, ducking her head. “I hope so.”
Mia clinks her glass with a fork, drawing everyone’s attention. “Speaking of planning,” she says, her grin widening, “Sophie here has graciously offered to help with the wedding. The famous event planner herself!”
I blink, caught off guard at my sister’s words. “I wouldn’t say graciously. You volunteered me.”
“Oh, come on,” Mia says, waving a hand. “You were going to help anyway. I’m just making it official.”
Riley’s eyes widen, and she beams at me. “Really, Sophie? That would be amazing! I’ve been trying my best, but between the hardware store and everything else, it’s been a lot.”
Ethan nods. “We’d appreciate it, Soph. We know you’re the best at what you do.”
I smile, leaning back in my chair. “I’d love to help. But let’s start small. Before you leave for France, how about the three of us sit down for a quick meeting? I can get a sense of what you envision for the wedding and start putting some plans together while you’re away.”
Riley claps her hands together, her excitement infectious. “That would be perfect. Thank you so much, Sophie. I don’t know what we’d do without you.”
“By the way, I’m surprised you are going to France. Not New York?” I ask my cousin, who just rolls his eyes.
“My parents are doing this thing where they visit countries, and the next one on the list is France. They already booked the flight tickets and everything,” Ethan adds.
I laugh. “Now that makes sense.”
Aunt Dotty clears her throat and raises her glass, her voice warm and full of pride. “To the family—to love, laughter, and the best wedding Bardstown has ever seen.”
The sound of laughter and clinking glasses fills the dining room, and I’m just about to take another bite of Aunt Dotty’s apple pie when a sharp knock at the door interrupts the flow of conversation.
Mia tilts her head, frowning slightly. “Did we invite anyone else?”
Ethan shrugs, already pushing his chair back to stand. “Maybe it’s one of the neighbors.”
Aunt Dotty waves a hand. “Or Mr. Willis returning my casserole dish. He’s been holding onto it for weeks.”
But Mia shakes her head, a sly grin spreading across her face. “No, I think this is something better. Ethan, sit down. I’ll get it.”
She hops up and practically skips to the door, her excitement so obvious it’s impossible not to feel curious. I exchange a glance with Ethan, who raises an eyebrow.
The door swings open, and Mia lets out a delighted squeal. “Oh my gosh! Look who it is! My favorite brother and his wife!”
I sit up straighter, my heart skipping as two figures step into the foyer: Sam and Emma.
“Surprise!” Sam says, his deep voice filling the room as he grins at all of us.
My brother stands there, looking as effortlessly charming as ever in a casual button-up and jeans, his arm slung around Emma’s shoulders. She looks radiant, her sun-kissed skin glowing, her smile as warm as I remember.
“Sam!” I exclaim, pushing my chair back so fast it scrapes against the floor.
He steps forward, his grin widening as I throw my arms around him. “Hey, Soph,” he says, hugging me tightly. “You’re home.”
“It’s so good to see you,” I reply, hugging him tighter.
Emma steps up next, her smile lighting up the room. “Hi, Sophie.”
I hug her just as tightly. “Emma, it’s so good to see you. How was the honeymoon? I want all the details.”
“Later,” she promises with a laugh, glancing at the table. “We didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“You’re not interrupting,” Aunt Dotty says, already on her feet and moving to embrace them both. “Oh, it’s so good to see you two back in Bardstown!”
Ethan stands, grinning as he shakes his cousin’s hand. “About time you got back, man. I was starting to think you were never coming home.”
Sam chuckles, clapping Ethan on the shoulder. “What can I say? We were busy.”
“Busy doing what?” Mia teases, wiggling her eyebrows.
Emma blushes, swatting Mia lightly. “Don’t start.”
Mia laughs, but it’s Aunt Dotty who steps in to diffuse the moment. “Come on, you two. Sit down and have some pie. There’s plenty to go around.”
Sam and Emma join the table, squeezing into the remaining seats as Aunt Dotty rushes to grab them plates. The conversation flows effortlessly as they catch up, and I can’t help but watch them both, marveling at how happy they look.
Sam always had a larger-than-life presence. He was the kind of person who could walk into a room and instantly make everyone feel at ease. Seeing him like this—settled, content, and completely in love—fills me with a kind of warmth I didn’t know I needed.
“So,” I say, leaning forward as I address both of them, “how was it? The honeymoon? The wedding? Tell me everything.”
Emma laughs softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “It was perfect. We spent most of it exploring little coastal towns, trying new foods, and just… enjoying being together.”
“She dragged me to every historical site she could find,” Sam adds with a mock grimace, though the fondness in his voice is unmistakable.
“And he loved every second of it,” Emma counters, grinning.
“I might’ve,” Sam admits, his eyes softening as he looks at her.
“Oh, they’re insufferable,” Mia groans, though her smile gives her away. “Can you two not be so disgustingly cute for five minutes?”
“You’re just jealous,” Sam shoots back, winking at her.
Mia rolls her eyes, but the banter brings another round of laughter to the table.
The conversation shifts to Ethan and Riley’s wedding, and when Sam hears about my involvement, he leans back with a smug look. “Of course. Sophie swoops in to save the day. Classic.”
“Don’t start,” I warn him, narrowing my eyes playfully.
“I’m just saying,” he teases. “No wedding in Bardstown stands a chance of being mediocre with you involved.”
“Thank you, Sam,” I say, though my tone is more exasperated than grateful.
Riley smiles at me, her excitement palpable. “I’m so glad you’re here to help, Sophie. It already feels like such a weight off my shoulders.”
“And Ethan’s too,” Mia adds with a grin. “He’s terrible under pressure.”
“Hey!” Ethan protests, though he doesn’t look offended.
The table dissolves into laughter again, and as the evening stretches on, I feel the tension I’ve been carrying since I arrived in Bardstown start to ease.
This is what I came back for—these moments of connection, of being surrounded by family and feeling like I’m part of something bigger than myself.
At this moment, I feel reassured that coming back here isn’t the wrong decision; it’s exactly what I need, and I am determined to enjoy my time back.