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I set down my cup and swallowed, unable to come up with a response.
“I totally respect that it’s not something you’re comfortable with, so I’m just going to do it solo. It’s probably time for me to strike out like a big girl anyway, right?”
She was grinning, a genuine smile with no malice behind it. I knew she wasn’t saying it to get a rise out of me, but I just kept picturing Lili, and it made my gut clench.
“You can’t do it, Soph,” I said, rubbing both hands over my jaw in frustration. “Please pass on this one.”
“What is your problem with this, Max?” she asked, her voice no longer calm. “Why are you—”
“She’s my ex,” I ground out, feeling like my teeth were going to shatter because every muscle in my jaw was clenched so hard. “The bride is my ex, okay?”
Her mouth fell open and she sat back in her chair, her eyes wide. “Lilibeth istheex? The ex that broke—”
“Yes.” I was trying my hardest not to sound like I was snapping, but for fuck’s sake, I didn’t want to go any further than that tiny detail. “So can you just pass on this one?”
She looked shell-shocked. “Do you still have feelings for her?”
“No,” I said, a little too quickly, making it sound shallow and like a knee-jerk lie.
“So... why can’t I do this solo, then?” She tilted her head and stared at me, quietly watching the play of emotion on my face asif she could read it. “You’re not affiliated with it, I’m not publicly shaming her, and it’s still the same principle that we always follow, so what’s the problem? She’s having an affair and her fiancé is trapped, so I will save him. Why would that bother you?”
“I know she wouldn’t cheat,” I said, fully aware of how weak my argument was. “And it just doesn’t feel right to me. Isn’t that enough?”
“Not really,” she said, resting her chin on her hand. “Why wouldn’t you want to take this piece of total cosmic karma that’s being given to you?”
“Because karma doesn’t work in this situation.”
That made her blink fast, and I could see the wheels turning. “Ohmigod, wereyouthe cheater?”
Some part of me thought it was nice that she seemed to find that an impossible concept.
“No one cheated,” I clarified, and I could tell she was waiting for more.
I looked at my phone, unwilling to say anything else. “I have to get going.”
“So...?” she said, looking irritated now as I stood. “That’s it? We’re done talking about this?”
“Soph,” I said, making sure to say it as nicely as I could. “I told you how I feel, and now you can proceed however you choose. Also, more importantly—what time is your interview?”
Yes, I was changing the subject, but I was changing it to something that actuallywasmore important. She looked like she wanted to discuss this more, but she pushed back her chair and stood. “Two o’clock.”
“Are you ready?”
Of course she’s ready,I thought, because I’d never met anyone who took their job more seriously than Sophie.
“Yes,” she said, picking up her keys. “I just wish it was first thing.”
“The waiting’s going to kill you, isn’t it?” I asked as we headed for the doors.
“For sure.” She glanced over at me, and even though our words were normal, there was something different in her face, like a question mark as our eyes met. She said, “I might have a relapse and bludgeon Stuart to death if he looks at me wrong.”
“He’ll be your human stress ball?”
“Something like that.”
We talked about the weather as we headed to our cars—gorgeous morning though a little humid already—and I told her to call me after the interview, but things felt off.
Like things just weren’t right yet with us.
