Chapter 15 Fourteen
Fourteen
Sophie
“Oh, come on.” Sophie sighed, staring at the angry gray clouds unleashing slashing rain from beneath the awning of Covey’s lit office building.
Pursing her lips, she glanced back through the doors into the lobby. Maybe I should just forget it and wait for this to let up. How badly do I want to get home, anyway?
Her stomach growled, silently goading her to step into the downpour. Sighing, she lifted her bag above her head.
“Don’t tell me you don’t have an umbrella,” James called from down the block, a dark umbrella over his head.
She turned toward him, frowning. “What are you doing here?”
“I have another meeting with Marilyn,” he explained and raked his gaze over Sophie’s ensemble. “I’m assuming you’re not going to be there?”
What looked like sadness flashed across his face, but it was gone before she could decipher it.
Sophie’s breathing shallowed. “A new staff member is shadowing Marilyn. He’ll be there instead. I was going to stay late, but she pretty much kicked me out of the office.”
James’s eyes flashed and he peered around. “In this weather?”
“It wasn’t forecasted. It’s a quick run to the subway station and besides, I have this.” She patted her bag. “I’ll be fine.”
He hummed and stepped closer to her.
To the naked eye, he was simply ducking under the broad awning.
But to her, he might as well have stuck a thousand needles into her skin as tension prickled.
He passed the dripping umbrella between them. “Here.”
She tilted her head. “What?”
“Take the umbrella,” he clarified. “Hopefully, the rain stops by the time I get out.”
She closed her hand over the handle. “Alright, thank you.”
“Remind you of anything?” He grinned.
“Want me to buy you another muffin to make up for it?” She poked her tongue in her cheek and lowered her voice. “Or I can make up for it in … other ways.”
With the weather and the roar of traffic, no one would hear the words. But a thrill lit up her veins, anyway.
He closed his eyes and let out a long breath. “I’m about to go into a meeting with your boss, Sophie. Don’t make this harder on me.”
She laughed and angled the umbrella over her head. Stepping out into the rain, she glanced over her shoulder and grinned. “Thanks for the umbrella, James Tian.”
The hairs on her neck prickled as she walked down the block, and her smile widened. Pulling out her phone, she tapped in a short message.
Now you’ll have to come see me to get your umbrella back
A moment later, a reply swooped into the thread.
Or you could be waiting at my apartment when I get out in an hour. Give it to me then
Leaning against the door frame of Chloe’s room, Sophie cleared her throat.
Her friend was curled on her bed, scrolling through her phone, and she popped an earbud out. “Yeah?”
“I’m assuming your date with Luc went well.” Sophie perched on the edge of the mattress. “Three dates in two weeks … damn, Chlo.”
Last night, Chloe had texted Sophie updates throughout the dinner date, and instead of coming home, she sent a location to a townhouse.
She flushed. “I mean, yeah. Oh, hey, did you know he’s got an entire room in the basement for wine bottles? Not for work, but just for the wine he likes. He’ll pick up a bottle whenever h—”
“Chlo.”
“Yeah, I know.” She clicked off her phone. “But it’s like I said. He’s a good one, Soph.”
“That’s what I think, too,” Sophie admitted. “I just really hope it’s true.”
If Chloe listened to her friends when they told her something wasn’t right with the men or women she dated, that might not have been the case. But she always ignored them, preferring to see the person through rose-colored lenses.
It led to some fights until Chloe’s last partner cheated on her, and she dumped them, refusing to date for the previous year or so.
“I know what you’re trying to do,” Chloe said. “And I love you for it. But you don’t have to worry. Really.”
Sophie smiled. “Okay.”
“How are things with you and James?” Chloe asked. “Oh, right, sorry. I forgot you guys aren’t doing the couple thing.”
Sophie sighed. “Well, I mean, things are great physically between us—”
“But?” Chloe asked.
“But he asked the other day if we could really date after his campaign was over,” Sophie continued. “Like publicly. And I … I chickened out of giving him anything more than a business answer.”
Admitting she was falling for him was downright terrifying.
Maybe it wasn’t the best measurement, but the last few times she acknowledged the truth, things went down the drain.
James proved time and again that he wasn’t leading her down the route Alex and Brian had.
But a small, cynical part of her held back regardless.
“Soph, y—”
Her phone vibrated in her hand, interrupting Chloe. Sophie glanced down at the caller ID, reading Philip’s name.
Chloe nodded at the phone. “You should take that.”
After a moment, Sophie nodded and left Chloe’s room, answering her phone. “Hello?”
“Sophie, hi,” Philip whispered. Strain ran through his tone, accompanied by panting.
She frowned. “Uh, are you okay?”
“Yeah. Are you free now?” he hissed. “I’m at James’s because—you know, never mind. Listen, how fast can you—Mierda—can you come over here?”
“Should I be—”
“?Ay, venga! Sophie, just get over here, okay? ?Oye, mocosa malcriada, callate!”
The line ended and she yanked her cell from her ear, staring at it. What the hell? Is he okay? Oh, God, is it James?
Panic seared through her blood.
Collecting herself, she tugged on her shoes and shouted a hasty goodbye to Chloe.
“What? Where are you going?” She rushed out of her room after Sophie, using the wall for support.
Sophie threw open the front door. “Something’s going on with Philip, and I’m worried James got pulled into it. Philip asked me to hurry over.”
Chloe’s eyes widened. “What? I should go with you, then.”
Sophie shook her head. “I’ll be fine. Just stay here, and I’ll call you if I need help.”
She had never been more grateful that James put her on the list of approved visitors.
After checking in, she got into an elevator, swiped the fob, and tried to keep her foot from tapping.
When the doors slid open, she breathed a sigh of relief.
James leaned against the doorframe to his living room, unscathed and rubbing the back of his neck.
“Hey,” he said. “Security called to let me know you were coming up. What are you doing here?”
She resisted the urge to smother him in a bear hug. “Philip called me.”
James frowned. “Why? It’s only—”
They both winced as something crashed into a wall, followed by a bellow of rage.
“?Ay! What the hell, you almost killed me!” Philip yelled.
“Good! Honestly, Felipe. I should cut off your balls and feed them to the dogs!” a woman shrieked.
Sophie peeked behind James’s shoulder. “Lina’s here?”
James nodded. “You know Philip’s girlfriend, right?”
Sophie nodded. She’d never actually met Mariana, but Sophie heard the two had been going out for a few months after meeting at a party, and—she paled. “She’s … also from Spain, right? Two years younger?”
James’s lips twitched.
Sophie closed her eyes. “Don’t tell me—”
“My best friend?! Really?!” Lina screeched.
“Hey, you said before you forgave us!”
“Newsflash, I lied! Just like you two did.”
“Oh, fuck, did he—I mean, he had to know, right?” Sophie asked.
“He knew,” James confirmed. “He just didn’t know that my brother had some business to take care of this weekend, so Lina decided to take a quick vacation to New York. She surprised us by walking into Pip’s office where the three of us were having lunch, and—”
A high-pitched yelp that sounded suspiciously like Philip rang out, accompanied by angry shouts in Spanish.
“And?” Sophie prompted.
James grinned and cleared his throat. “And Lina saw her best friend kiss her brother.”
Philip dashed out of the living room, hiding behind James.
“Please don’t let her get me,” Philip begged. “She’s terrifying.”
“I know.” James stepped out of reach. “But you’re currently destroying my apartment, and she’s your sister.”
Philip ran behind Sophie, cowering as Lina flew in, her wavy brown hair streaming.
“Get back here!” she seethed.
James walked over, pulling Sophie from Philip’s grasp.
“Don’t use her as a shield, dumbass,” he muttered and leaned against the wall. “Lina, Sophie knows your brother messed up.”
Lina spat hair out of her mouth and switched on a megawatt smile. Stepping forward, she pressed her cheeks to Sophie. “Hi! It is so good to see you again. I am sorry for my brother being so stupid.”
“Ay, listen here, mocosa malcriada—”
Lina shut Philip up with a simple wave of her hand. “I hope he has not caused any trouble for you.”
Sophie laughed, shaking her head. “No, he’s been great. But I’m confused. Why are you mad at him?”
Shouldn’t you be happy your best friend might become your sister-in-law?
Lina rolled her eyes. “He and Mari did not trust me enough. They decided that instead of telling me right when they got together, they would keep the truth from me for months because they did not know how I would react to the situation.”
“But wasn’t Mariana at fault, too?” Sophie asked. “I’m sorry if this is crossing a line, but why are you only mad at your brother?”
“It is not only my brother. I am not happy with her, either. Mari and I have been friends since we were young, and we have always known we could trust each other with our secrets. But her choosing to keep this from me … it went against that.”
Sophie’s eyes widened. “I see why you’re frustrated. I’m sorry.”
Lina shook her head. “Ay, do not apologize, it is not your fault. When all is said and done, I think I am more hurt than angry. It is just going to take me some time to come to terms with it.”
Sophie nodded, understanding completely. “Of course. Oh, I hear the wedding is happening soon.”
Lina smiled. “Yes, in Granada, but as James must have told you, we are having our engagement party in Shanghai this weekend. Are you sure you cannot come?”
Sophie shook her head. “Thank you, but unfortunately, I have plans.”