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She blinked and whispered, “I’m in love with Ryder.”
Maddie nodded. “I know.”
Panic sliced through her, blocking out that one second of understanding and blaring in loud brightness all around her.
She shook her head. “I need to get out of here.”
“Okay,” Maddie said, already raising her hand to signal the waitress. “Go ahead. I’ll take care of the check.”
Sophie picked up her purse and, without looking in Ryder’s direction, rushed out into the warm air, sucking in breath like she was asthmatic. She raced down the street in the direction of Maddie’s car, and when she cleared the diner’s window she sagged against the building, putting her hand on her forehead and tucking her head down to quell the light-headedness.
She loved Ryder.
For the first time in her life she was in love.
And it changed absolutely nothing.
Her life was still in Chicago. His life was here. There was nothing to hope for, no joy in the knowing, just utter panic and blinding despair.
* * *
“You okay?” Charlie asked as Ryder stared at Maddie at the cash register, frowning.
“Yeah.” He nodded, not looking away from the redhead.
Sophie had clearly been upset. She’d practically run from the restaurant, and she wasn’t a runner.
But the worst was, he’d seen her face. Her pale complexion, the shadows under her eyes, the strain across her now-prominent cheekbones.
He clenched his hand around a water glass, suppressing the urge to follow Sophie out just to assure himself that she was okay. He narrowed his eyes at Maddie.
He could stay away from Sophie but still find out how she was doing. Maddie was right there, waiting to pay.
The women were fiercely loyal to each other, so he didn’t expect any betrayals of confidence, but he could at least make sure. It was something to help deal with this need for Sophie, who was like a drug in his system.
“Give me a second.” He got up before Charlie could say anything and walked over to Maddie.
She glanced up at him, with a frown. “Hey.”
Ryder didn’t intend to beat around the bush. “Is she okay?”
The frown deepened, and she shrugged. “What do you want me to say?”
“The truth.” Ryder lifted his baseball cap and ran his hand through his hair before pulling the cap back low over his eyes. “She looks terrible.”
“You don’t look too great yourself.”
“I’m not important.”
Maddie glanced around the restaurant, tucking a lock behind her ear. “She’s my best friend, you know I can’t say anything about her to you.”
Desperation was an ache in his chest. “I’m not asking for that. I just want to make sure she’s okay. The way she left, she’s worrying me.”
Maddie nibbled on her bottom lip, much the way Sophie did when she was thinking. It didn’t surprise him they shared similar traits, considering they’d spent more than half their lives as friends, but it didn’t cause the same reaction in him.
Maddie cleared her throat. “Honestly, Ryder, I don’t think she’s okay.”
It was like a punch in the gut. He felt helpless and impotent. “What can I do?”
