Shaking himself back to the present, he rosefrom his chair and headed back into the house. Somehow, despite theintellectual irritation with him, she enjoyed his eyes on her legs.What was wrong with her?
She probably should have just made friendlyconversation, but his tone had been downright brusque. Judgy. Whyaccounting? She loved it. It was where she belonged.
Her aunt had blown through every penny sheever brought in. Blew through her own inheritance before Sophie waseven born. Ever the struggling actress, she made her way with bitparts in commercials and an occasional soap opera. Rarely would shestoop to waitressing.
Any nonsense like that stopped when Sophiecame into the picture. More importantly, when her income came intothe picture. Well, what little of her income was available due toclever planning on her mother’s part.
Unlike her aunt, Sophie made sure herinheritance stretched to pay for college, grad school, and leftenough to give her a good start at life after. After watching heraunt, she was extraordinarily motivated to make it last. She wantedto buy a house one day, vacations with the family she hoped tohave, never worry about living paycheck to paycheck.
Clearly, Asher had more trouble talking abouthis decisions than hers. According to Pippa, he was planning tojoin Paul at the family hardware store. But he’d just gotten homeand needed time to settle in. She understood that more than shecould say.
From what she heard about him from Pippa, hewas an overconfident thrill-seeking rogue that tended to leapbefore he looked. As quick to jump in the sack as he was to diveout of a plane. Seeing his brutal pace on his run, then histranquil moment watching the sunrise, she could see a glimpse ofwhat he had been, followed by the serenity that he valued now.
***
Later that evening, stretching every achinglimb in her body, Sophie took up half the booth at her new favoriterestaurant. “I’m ordering everything on the menu. Who knew weddingerrands were so exhausting? Especially the dang dress fitting? AndI didn’t even have to try anything on.”
Perusing the menu, Pippa nodded blankly,“Agreed. I suddenly see why women go on a crazy diet beforehand.That was a close one when she almost couldn’t get the zipper up,and I didn’t gain a pound.” Pouting pitifully, she held the menucloser to her face, “I can’t even read the menu, and it’s writtenin gigantic Times New Roman font.”
An adorable, sunny server, maybe twenty-oneat best, dressed in black jeans and a black polo shirt with a blackapron, glided over to take their orders. “You ladies look like youcould use a drink.”
Sophie wanted to argue, but Jillian, as hernametag read, had a point. “God, yes. I’ll have a glass of yourhouse white.”
From across the booth, Denise and Pippa addedan order of the same. Denise’s phone chirped like friendly littlebirds tweeting in her purse. Reading the message, she nabbedJillian before she left the table. “Wait, add an IPA to that. Myson will be here in a few minutes.”
Feigning a smile Sophie knew to be fake,Pippa nodded, “I’m glad Asher’s getting out. He didn’t want to haveto fend for himself tonight, huh?”
Rolling her eyes, Denise sat up in the boothand gulped half her water in one sitting. “I think he’s more afraidof dinner alone with your father.” Denise ignored the forcedpleasantries. She knew her children and their headbutting wellenough by now.
Sophie, however, wasn’t comfortable with therivalry. With no siblings of her own, nor any cousins, uncles,grandparents, or even a mom or dad anymore… just the one horribleaunt, she really didn’t comprehend the stubbornness. It was hard tosee why Pippa couldn’t just suck it up and make amends with herbrother. Or why Asher would go out of his way to avoid his father.Regardless, she didn’t say anything. She supposed one had to havefamily to understand.
Sitting quietly, engrossed in the menu,Sophie kept silent. Macaroni and cheese or fish and chips? Even acheeseburger sounded good right now. Hell no on the salad; as muchas she loved a spring mix with fresh fruit, she needed carbs andgrease today.
Before long, Asher strolled up to the tablelooking outrageously sexy, as usual. He’d clearly just showeredafter a day working on his truck; his hair still damp, crisp whitet-shirt clinging to his very nicely sculpted chest and broadshoulders, with low slung faded, but clean, jeans and pristineblack running shoes. Sophie tried not to sigh, but he was afreaking work of art.
Pippa hadn’t been wrong in preventing theirmeeting, that was for sure. How her best friend hadn’t noticed theblazing hot chemistry already, she’d never understand. Although,with the incredible hyperfocus Pippa had, often to excess, she maynot notice anything but the wedding for the next few weeks. Whenstudying for her GREs, she hadn’t even noticed Sophie had choppedoff her hair into a regrettable pixie. She envied women that couldpull off a short, spunky do.
“You ladies look wiped out. Dresses chasingand attacking you all afternoon?” Flashing an amused smirk at theheavy-lidded table of women, he slid in the empty seat next toSophie. Under normal circumstances, she might have scooted to thefar end of the booth to make room. Like a moth to the flame, shecouldn’t seem to move away from him.
Jillian appeared with drinks a moment later.“Alright, drinks plus some more water for the table. What are wehungry for this evening?”
Swimming in chaos, the words on the menu madeno sense to Sophie’s exhausted eyes. “I need comfort food,” shepouted.
Quite helpfully, Jillian took charge.“Macaroni and cheese with an added layer of cheddar andtomatoes.”
Lightbulb shining over her head, Sophieadded, “Brilliant. Plus jalapenos. Lots of them.”
“You got it.” Jillian made the rest of therounds before walking away with a swing in her hips. Sophie enviedthat sort of energy right now.
Asher nudged her with his knee. “Jalapenos onmacaroni? That sounds just plain weird.” Rather than pulling awayafter the friendly nudge, his knee stayed, their legs melting andfusing together.
Taking a slow sip of her wine, Sophie lickedaway a stray drip from her upper lip and looked up to find his eyeson her mouth. Maybe she ran her tongue over the crease of her lipsdeliberately, knowing he was watching, or maybe not. It couldn’t behelped. Turning slightly, the distance between them closing as aresult of the motion, she flashed him a sly grin, “Jalapenos makeeverything better. Adds a little heat.”
His eyes managed to leave her lips and reachher eyes, but he was no less flirty, the corner of his mouth turnedup mischievously. “What about on ice cream? Apple pie?”
“Amazing combination.” Briefly, she allowedher gaze to get lost in his warm, whiskey eyes. With a flipflop inher chest, her heart took a moment to remember how to beat, as ifit had been getting it wrong all these years.
A timely interruption from Pippa brought herback to the moment. “Sophie adds spice wherever possible. I’mactually not sure she willingly puts anything in her mouth thatdoesn’t set her on fire.”
