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“Tell me you don’t think about that night in Detroit all the fucking time,” I said, needing to remind her. “We’reunrealtogether, Soph, it’s so good.”
Sophie swallowed and closed her eyes, but when they opened again, I just knew. There was a decision there, in the depths of those whiskey eyes, and I hated it. She said, “Please go.”
“Please go?” I felt the knife go through my heart and shook my head, pissed. At her. “Is that really what you’re going to say when I just bared my goddamn soul to you?”
She wiped at her cheeks, looking so sad that it broke my heart, and said, “Please, Max, just go.”
forty-five
Sophie
Max:Can we talk?
I wanted to cry when I saw the message, because already, everything had changed.
I still had the same Pavlovian response to seeing his name pop up, where my body betrayed me and felt happy that my best friend was texting, but then my stomach clenched and reality rushed back at me.
He hadn’t texted or called since he left last night, which made me both relieved and so sad I could barely breathe. It felt empty already, not talking to him all day, but I’d get used to it.
I hadn’t even known him all that long.
I glanced over at Edie’s office, glad she wasn’t in today, because I didn’t have the energy to fake happy. It was much better just burying myself in work. I hadn’t even stopped for lunch, desperate to just keep working, but Max’s message had been like a record scratch, and now I was frozen.
I texted:I don’t think that’s a good idea.
Max:So what—that’s it? We’re just not friends anymore?
I sighed and sat back in my chair. Replied:I just want to pretend yesterday never happened.
Max:Please let me take you to dinner or coffee and talk to you. I promise it will be painless.
Painlessno longer applied to Max Parks.
Because somehow the universe had gotten inside of our harmless friendship and screwed up all the gears, lacing in feelings that made my whole heart violently ache when I found out he’d warned Lilibeth.
It felt like a betrayal, even though in the end I knew it wasn’t—but I almost felt more hurt by Max than I did by Stuart.
My phone started ringing, but instead of Max, it was Rose.
Just what I need.
I sighed. “Hello?”
“Hi, um, Sophie?”
That wasn’t Rose, even though it was her number calling. I said, “Yes?”
“This is Benny. From next door...?”
Benny Ginsburg, my very nosy next-door neighbor? Why the hell would that guy be calling me? “Hi, Benny. Is Rose okay?”
“Roseis,” he said dramatically, and I could tell he was waiting for me to ask.
“Why are you calling from her phone?”
I didnothave time for nonsense today.
“Yeah, well, she asked me to.”
