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“I see you as a man.” He was gorgeous and fit, in addition to be kind and sweet and smart as a whip.
“I know you do, but you don’t see me as your man. You don’t want to be my wife and that’s what I’m looking for, Soph. I want the ugly Christmas sweater postcards, the family vacations that suck as much as they’re awesome, and the loud holiday dinners. I want all of that.”
“I do too.”
He smiled, and again, it was bittersweet. “And you will always be welcome at our home. But first I have to go out into the world and find the woman who wants that. With me.”
I nodded and looked away with tears in my eyes because I wanted that too. I wanted it more than anything, I realized.
But I was struck with fear, so much damn fear, at the thought of reaching out for it, that it rendered me mute. Immobile.
Stone had given me a lot to think about.StoneSucking in a deep breath, I stood on the doorstep of Babs’ Victorian rental and rang the doorbell. And waited. A small internal voice warned that maybe taking Babs to Eva and Oliver’s engagement party wasn’t the brightest idea, but another voice, the devil on my shoulder, said that I was a single man, free to bring whatever date I chose for the evening.
The door swung open and Babs stood before me in a fitted red dress and stilettos so high she was just a few inches shorter than my own six-two height.
“Wow Babs, you look lovely.” The dress showed off her feminine curves as well as the muscle definition she worked hard to maintain. “Very lovely.” Why couldn’t the sight of this objectively gorgeous woman send my heart into a tizzy the way Sophie did?
“Lovely?” Babs scoffed and stepped back as she shoved a dangling earring into one of her ears. “Oh Stone, we really have to work on your game if you really plan to forget about sweet Sophie.”
I frowned and stepped inside, noting the thick history books that littered every flat surface, the art work that reflected her love of world history. “What’s wrong with lovely? It fits.”
“It does fit, if I was your grandmother. Lovely is for old women like spinster aunts and mothers of the bride. Maybe even your best friend’s sister. I,” she said with a cheeky grin and motioned to her sculpted physique with a roll of her eyes, “look stunning. But you are too blinded by love to notice. So, because we’re friends, I’m going to ask you again, are you sure, absolutely sure that you want to do this?” Babs turned and put on the other earring before slicking a brush of red across her lips, giving me time to think.
I nodded to her back, even though I wasn’t completely sure this was the right thing to do. It would probably hurt Sophie, but that wasn’t something I could think about. Not tonight. I had to worry about me and the future I wanted for myself.
“I’m as sure as I can be, but you’re free to back out if you don’t want to go through with it.”
“And waste this killer dress and my brand new shoes? I don’t think so. Besides,” she turned and smacked her red lips together, “there have to be some single hotties at this shindig, right?” Her melodic laughter bounced off the walls as she grabbed the tiniest purse I’d ever seen and tucked it under her arm. “Ready?”
“I’m ready to party with the hottest date in all of Texas.”
Surprise flashed in her eyes. “Much better. It really is too bad you’re hung up on someone else,” she said and slid into the passenger seat.
“Tell me about it,” I grumbled and started the engine. “I’m determined to fix it though, so that has to count for something.”
“Only time will tell Stone.” The party was in full swing by the time we arrived at the recently opened event center, and I was relieved. At least until I saw the couple manning the door to one of the grand rooms.
“Eva. Oliver. Congratulations!” I stepped in and gave Oliver a handshake-hug combo and pulled Eva into a big hug. “You look beautiful,” I whispered in her ear.
“Thanks,” she said and took a step back with a big fat question swimming in her gray eyes, which I was happy to ignore.
“You guys remember Babs?”
“Of course,” Eva said, the question still lingering in her gaze. “Welcome to the party!”
Babs stepped in and wrapped Eva in an energetic hug, squeezing her tight. “Congratulations Eva! You look amazing in this dress. Wow!”
“Thanks. Your dress is killer, you’ll have to beat the boys away with a stick.”
Thankfully Babs just playfully swatted her shoulder with a smile. “I’m so happy for you guys.”
“Thanks.”
Before Eva could voice her question, I took Babs by the arm and tugged her inside and we ran into Mara’s keen eyes. “Hey guys.”
