Sophia crouched in front of Teddy and took his face in her hands. He licked a path from the center of her face down to her chin, his breath smelling like hot garbage. She pulled a face, playfully pushed Teddy’s face away, and stepped back out into the hallway. Having the house back to herself felt good, with everyone going back to their usual lives after Labor Day.
Having Darren there, on the other hand, was more than she’d bargained for.
While a part of her appreciated how chivalrous and protective he was being, especially when they still hadn’t been able to catch the intruder, the other part of her knew it was only going to confuse her father.
How was she meant to get over Darren when he was staying in her old room?
When she had to go to sleep every night, knowing he was a foot away?
With a slight shake of her head, Sophia pushed away all thoughts of Darren and stepped into the kitchen. She was chopping up some vegetables and trying to decide between meat or chicken when Darren came in, his hair matted to his forehead and smelling like lemon-scented soap. Butterflies erupted in her stomach as he brushed past her and went straight to the fridge.
In silence, the two of them prepared dinner.
When her father came in, Sophia had music playing through her speakers, and Darren was spinning her around, leaving her breathless and giddy.
Just like when she was a teenager.
It was like falling in love with him all over again.
During dinner, her father kept trying to meet her gaze, but she studiously avoided him. When it was time to clean up, Stu retired to his room early, and she heard his TV through the walls. She helped Darren put the dishes away, smiling whenever their fingers brushed against each other.
She wondered how he still left her feeling like a lovesick girl.
When Sophia wandered into the living room after dinner and picked up the remote to the living room TV, Darren joined her on the couch. He kept trying to wrestle the remote away from her while Teddy dozed off by the fireplace, alternating between looking at them and chewing on his ball. Once Teddy rolled onto his back and kicked his legs up in the air, Sophia took advantage of the distraction and changed the channel Darren had settled on.
“It’s your fault for getting distracted by Teddy.”
Darren grabbed a handful of popcorn and shrugged. “Worth it. He is a cute dog. Still think we should change the name, though.”
Sophia settled on a rom-com and settled back against the couch. “It’s too late. He’s used to the name.”
Darren propped his feet up on the table and sipped on his beer. “Oh, I remember this movie. Didn’t we see it when it came out at the cinema?”
“Zoe got sick all over my new dress right before we were supposed to leave, and I was in tears most of the night.”
Darren draped his arm over the back of the couch. “I still thought you were the most beautiful woman in the world. You still are.”
Sophia blushed and hid her smile behind her wine glass. “Do you remember when the kids locked us out of the house so they could eat all the candy?”
Darren threw his head back and laughed. “I’m pretty sure they’re the reason we have trust issues when it comes to locks.”
“I stopped locking the bathroom for years,” Sophia added, pausing to wipe the tears of mirth rolling down her face. “I missed having my alone time in there.”
“The kids and I had a bet going on about whether or not you were going to put a mini fridge and a TV in there,” Darren added without looking at her. “I hated losing that bet.”
Sophia’s eyes remained glued to the TV, but she shoved his arm and snorted.
A few hours later, Sophia found herself stretching out on the couch and drifting off. In the morning, when her alarm went off, her arm darted out, but she found herself incapable of moving. She pried one eye open, then the other, and realized she was still on the couch, sandwiched between Darren and the back of the couch. He had one arm draped over her and the other hanging limply at his side.
Sophia’s throat tightened as she sat up and rubbed a hand over her face.
Slowly, she removed Darren’s arm and crawled over him.
As soon as she stood, she held her breath and waited.
Darren didn’t stir at all.
She blew out a sigh of relief, tucked the blanket over him, and crept away to her own apartment. After taking a quick shower and lingering over her reflection in the mirror, Sophia changed into a pair of jeans and a shirt. On her way out, she paused to give Teddy his breakfast and patted his head. After bringing Teddy back inside, she tried to avoid looking at Darren directly, lest the butterflies in her stomach erupted altogether. On the drive to work, she couldn’t stop smiling or humming along to the radio.
