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Chapter Nineteen
Ryder watched Sophie stand and greet yet another Revival business owner, beaming at them with her killer smile and charming the socks off them. They were at dinner with Griffin and Darcy at the famous Rock’s Steakhouse, and between the three of them they’d had almost nonstop visitors.
Even after sleeping with him for the last three weeks and spending all her free time with him, she managed to keep him surprised.
Of course, the entire town knew they were together, and Ryder couldn’t help thinking about how seamlessly she fell into his life. They were dangerous thoughts he couldn’t control. She was everything he could want in a woman. Fun and insatiable, and every day with her was an adventure.
He was addicted to her. And as one day bled into the next, he stopped thinking about her leaving and entertained the possibility that she’d stay. She seemed happy.
It might be a foolish thought, but as she kissed the cheek of Mary Beth Crowley, the town’s matriarch and all-around hard-ass, and made her laugh, he couldn’t help hoping.
Sophie had stopped complaining about the lack of Starbucks.
Stopped speaking of Nordstrom with longing.
Stopped talking about Chicago as home.
How could he not hope? Especially when they were so damn good together.
Sophie sat back down and Darcy, the first lady of Revival and fellow hellion, raised her dark brows. “You won over Mary Beth?”
With a smirk, Sophie picked up her menu. “She was easy once I figured out her only motivation was the success of the town.”
“Well, you’re a wonder,” Darcy said, smiling. She took a sip of wine. “How are you liking Revival?”
Sophie tossed a sassy look in her direction. “It’s hard to complain too much.”
Darcy laughed, waving a hand. “When I first moved back from New York, I thought I was going to die.”
Sophie shook her head. “I don’t know how you did it.”
“Well, it was different for me, I suppose. I grew up here.” Darcy slid her hand over Griffin’s, and their fingers entwined. “And there was this boy I never forgot.”
Sophie bit her bottom lip. “Do you miss it?”
“Sometimes, but this is home now, and I truly feel this is where I’m meant to be.”
An expression Ryder couldn’t decipher slid over Sophie’s face. “That must be a nice feeling.”
I could be that for you, I could give you that, if you let me.The thought was hard and demanding, and truthfully a little frightening.
“It is.” Darcy stroked her thumb over Griffin’s palm. “After a while, I realized I missed the convenience of it. The noise and activity that allowed me not to think, if that makes sense.”
“It does.” Sophie’s expression creased before clearing. “Griffin told me you run a blog.”
Darcy’s expression widened. “Did he now?”
“Yes, he said you’re a freelance writer and write a blog,” Sophie said.
“I do.”
Sophie smiled. “I had a blog in Chicago. I miss it.”
Darcy took a sip of wine. “Well, there’s no reason you can’t start one here.”
Sophie shook her head. “I ran an entertainment blog, and since Revival doesn’t have any entertainment, it would be kind of skimpy.”
“True,” Griffin said, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “All you need is a different angle.”
