Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Sophie
We settled into a corner table at Hooked. I looked around the restaurant, hoping the beachy, Caribbean vibe would help calm my nerves. Jamie was supposed to arrive at my house two hours ago so I could introduce him to my kids before dinner, but a tractor-trailer accident on the highway left him stuck in traffic. Things finally started moving about forty-five minutes ago and he told me he’d meet us here.
This is one of my favorite restaurants, so I already know what I want. As the kids perused the menu, I shifted my eyes between my phone and the door.
I finally spotted Jamie rushing through the door, looking adorably flustered. I waved, feeling my heart skip a beat as our eyes met. He made his way through the crowded restaurant, and I stood to greet him.
“Sorry I'm so late,” he said, slightly out of breath.
“No worries.” I squeezed his hand reassuringly, then turned to my children. “This is Jamie Dunne. Jamie, meet Courtney, Emily, Bobby, and Tyler.”
I had a proud mama moment when Bobby and Tyler stood and greeted him with a handshake. The girls stayed seated, looked him in the eye, and politely said hello as they shook hands. To my relief, none of their faces showed signs of disapproval. They all wore polite, but open expressions.
“It’s nice to meet you all,” he said.
I sat and gestured toward the seat next to me.
“Although I’m sure sitting is the last thing you want to do after being in the car so long,” I said with a chuckle.
“Actually, before I sit, I’d love to hit the restroom.”
“It’s right around the corner.”
He nodded and headed in that direction. As soon as he was out of earshot, Courtney looked at me with wide eyes.
“Holy hell, Mom. Is he one of your cover models?”
Her shocked expression and words made me burst out laughing.
“Seriously,” Emily added. “He’s hot .”
The boys didn’t comment, but they looked stunned.
“You all look so surprised, I feel like I should be insulted.”
“We didn’t mean it like that,” Courtney said. “At least, I didn’t.”
“I didn’t either,” Emily added. “We’re just so used to you being with dad.” She pointed toward the restrooms. “And that man is nothing like dad.”
“What’s wrong with your dad? He’s very attractive.”
Courtney rolled her eyes.
“There’s very attractive…” she used air quotes for the last two words, then pointed toward the restrooms. “...and there’s him.”
Jamie is off-the-charts sexy, but I don’t want my kids to think looks are the most important thing in a relationship.
“Yes, he’s nice to look at, but he’s also super sweet. If he wasn’t, I wouldn’t be with him.”
Before they could respond, Jamie returned to the table and looked around with a warm smile.
“Sorry our original plan got messed up.”
“It’s okay,” I said. “I’m just glad you made it safely.”
The waitress approached and filled our water glasses.
“Can I get you anything else to drink?”
“Water is fine for me,” I said.
Jamie, Courtney, and Bobby just wanted water, and Emily and Tyler ordered Sprite.
“I’ll be right back with your drinks and to take your orders.”
“I guess I better figure out what I’m having,” Jamie said as he picked up the menu. “What do you recommend?”
“I’ve never had a bad item here,” I said. “I’m getting a sushi tower.”
“What’s a sushi tower?”
“The most amazing thing you’ll ever eat. It’s a stack of rice, seaweed salad, lobster salad, avocado, and spicy tuna. Then they top it with eel sauce. After eating pretty much everything on the menu, it’s now my go-to item.”
“That does sound really good.”
“You can have some of mine,” I said. “It’s big enough to share.”
“I’ll definitely take you up on that.”
Before I could get lost in his smile, he asked the kids individually what they’re ordering. They all seem comfortable speaking to him. I know that last thought seems a bit ridiculous. After all, three of them are technically adults. But no matter how old they are, they’re still meeting their mom’s boyfriend for the first time. It could be really awkward, but so far, so good.
Our waitress returned and set down two glasses of Sprite and a pitcher of water.
“I apologize,” she said. “I should have told you the specials before I went to fill your drinks.”
She detailed the three items and they all sounded amazing. But I’ll stick with my original plan and also ordered a selection of appetizers for the table. I was the first to order, followed by Emily, Courtney, Bobby, and Tyler.
“I’ll have the crab crusted NY strip.”
That’s one of the special items and something I’ve never had. Hopefully he’ll share a bite.
“How would you like that cooked?”
“Rare.”
The waitress nodded.
“Anything else?”
“No, I think that’s it,” I said.
“I’ll put this in and be back in a little bit with your appetizers.”
As she left, a silence settled over the table. Before it stretched into awkward territory, I figured I should say something. But before I could, Bobby spoke up.
“So, Jamie, what do you do for a living?”
Jamie met Bobby’s gaze and answered without missing a beat.
“I flip houses.”
“Anything else?” Courtney asked.
“That’s it,” Jamie said with an awkward chuckle.
“I didn’t mean that to sound so rude,” she said. “My mom and dad flipped a couple houses but they were in addition to their other jobs.”
“Since it’s just me, making ends meet is a little easier,” he said. “I also started before flipping became the thing to do, so I did really well in the beginning. And now, I’m lucky to be able to pick and choose my projects.”
“Do you do the work yourself or hire people?” Bobby asked.
“I do most of it. The only things I hire out are electrical and roofing. I’ll hire a plumber too if the job is big enough, but at this point, I don’t buy a house if it needs that much work.”
“How did you learn to fix houses?” That question came from Emily.
This is starting to sound like the interrogations my dad used to put my boyfriends through in high school. But Jamie seems to be taking it in stride, so I decided not to interfere.
“My friend’s father owns a handyman business and I worked for him during the summer and on weekends during the school year.”
The table fell silent for a moment as the waitress returned with the appetizers. Once everyone took a selection, I figured they’d pick up where they left off asking questions. Instead, before popping a piece of calamari into her mouth, Courtney looked at Jamie and smiled.
“You’re passing the test so far.”
Everyone laughed and I felt a wave of relief wash over me. This is going to be okay.
Jamie
The pub buzzed with Friday-night energy, but I barely noticed as I nursed my beer, lost in thought. Elliott, Josh, Eddie, and Michael talked around me, their voices a distant hum in my distracted mind.
“Earth to Jamie.” Elliot snapped his fingers in front of my face. “Are you still with us?”
I blinked and slapped his hand away.
“Yeah, sorry. Just zoned out for a second.”
“A second? You’ve been in your own little world since we got here.”
Normally I’d tell Elliott he’s being dramatic, but in this instance he’s not wrong.
“I’m just tired. It’s been a long week.”
Both of those things are true, they’re just not the main reason I’m distracted tonight.
“I'm surprised you're even here and not in Scranton,” he said.
“I was just there last weekend.”
“So?”
“Wait a minute,” Eddie chimed in. “I didn’t know you went there again.”
“Yeah. Sophie has a big Memorial Day picnic every year and invited me.”
He looked around the table.
“Am I the only one who didn’t know this?”
Everyone nodded.
“That’s what happens when you miss Tuesday-night dinner,” Michael said. “You miss out on all the gossip.”
“I was upstate fishing. Someone could have texted me.”
“Why is where I spent Memorial Day such big news?”
“That particular fact isn’t huge, but the fact that you and Sophie are getting serious is,” Eddie said.
I’m not even sure what to say to that, so instead of answering, I took a drink. Just as I set my mug down, the waitress approached with our food. I had a few more minutes of peace as everyone dug in.
I’d just taken a big bite of my burger when Josh spoke.
“Was her whole family there?” I narrowed my eyes at him as I chewed. “Don’t look at me like that,” he said with a chuckle. “You avoided sharing the facts at dinner so I figured I’d ask now since the subject came up.”
I nodded as I swallowed, then took another drink to wash it down.
“It seemed like half of Scranton was there,” I said. “Her family, her ex-in-laws, neighbors. It was a fun day.”
That last sentence wasn’t a lie. I had a great time playing corn hole, horseshoes, and a three-on-three game of basketball. Sophie and I even hung out in the pool together after some of the crowd cleared out.
The one awkward and confusing factor of the whole day was her ex-husband Rob. My stomach twisted at the memory of him completely at ease in a way that only comes from years of familiarity. He manned the grill and navigated the house and yard with confidence. Which makes sense because he used to live there.
Elliott's voice pulled me back to the present.
“You got quiet again.”
I sighed, running a hand through my hair.
“Yeah, I'm fine. It's just…”
I trailed off, unsure how to voice the thoughts that had been swirling in my head all week. These guys are my best friends, but admitting my insecurities feels vulnerable, and a little silly considering the way Rob welcomed me.
“Just what?” Eddie prompted.
“It's Sophie's ex-husband, Rob.”
The table fell silent, all eyes on me. I blurted it all out before I lost my nerve.
“He was there. And I mean, of course he was, right? They have four kids together. But he wasn't just there, he was...comfortable. Like he belonged.”
They remained silent as I took a long drink of my beer and gathered my thoughts.
“He was flipping burgers, chatting with Sophie's family like they were his own. Which I guess they are, after being married for so long. His whole family was there too. It was just...a lot.”
Eddie nodded.
“That must have been tough, man.”
“It's not that Rob isn't a great guy,” I continued. "He is. We even had a long conversation about construction and house flipping. But seeing him there, so at home in Sophie's life…” I shrugged. “It's a lot.”
“What’s your main concern?” Michael asked
I shrugged, searching for the best way to explain what I’m feeling.
“Sophie and I have only been dating for a few months, but things feel serious. Meeting her kids a few weeks ago, that was a big step. And they're great kids, really. But seeing Rob there, so entrenched in their lives made me realize just how complicated this all is.”
The guys exchanged glances and I braced myself for their reactions.
“Jamie," Elliott said, sounding more serious than I’ve heard him in a long time. “I get why this is bothering you, but you have to remember, Sophie and Rob are divorced. There's a reason for that.”
Josh nodded in agreement.
“Elliott's right. Just because Rob is still in Sophie's life doesn't mean there's anything more than friendship and co-parenting between them.”
“Exactly,” Eddie chimed in.
“Logically, I know you’re right.”
“But all your fucked-up past relationships are making you second guess yourself,” Elliott said.
“I’m sure that’s partly it.”
“Oh, I’m sure that’s mostly it,” he said. “But Sophie is different from the other women you dated. The other ones all had some kind of agenda, she doesn’t.”
“Have you talked to Sophie about this?” Michael asked.
“I didn’t even want to talk to you guys about it,” I said with a chuckle.
“That’s fair, but you do need to have a conversation with Sophie.”
“You’re right,” I said. “She’s coming here in two weeks. I’ll talk to her then. I’d rather have a conversation like that in person.” I let out a long breath, feeling some of the tension leave my body. “Thanks, guys. I guess I needed to get all that off my chest.”
Eddie raised his glass.
“That's what we're here for.” He took a quick drink and set his glass down. “Now, can we please talk about something else? Like how Michael's adjusting to civilian life and dealing with being married to our sister?"
As the conversation shifted and laughter filled our corner of the pub, I found myself truly relaxing for the first time in days. They’re right. I can’t let my past or hers overshadow what’s between Sophie and me.