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Enough to let her go.
He’d done Sophie a favor cutting ties with her. She’d gotten what she wanted and he’d gotten what he wanted.
End of story.
…
Sophie sensed Zane’s eyes on her again. He’d been keeping track of her all afternoon from afar, and her nerves tingled every time she felt his company. Even across the well-manicured vibrant green grass of the Cultural Center, he affected her.
And she hated it.
Hated him.
Loved him.
Despite his awful, heartbreaking words, she couldn’t deny a piece of her still loved him. The piece that chose to believe their time together hadn’t entirely been insignificant.
Whether he wanted to admit it or not, hehadlet her in.
She zoned out of the conversation with guests from Florida for a minute, thinking back to this morning and how Zane had touched her. There weren’t enough words to describe the different ways he’d been gentle one minute and deliciously wicked the next. He’d navigated every inch of her body and left her in complete happiness. She’d read romance novels where the heroine’s eyes rolled to the back of her head while intimate with the hero, but she’d never thought it would happen to her.
Had the passion she’d felt really been one-sided?
Feeling herself flush and sure her cheeks were bright red at the turn of her thoughts, she looked across the courtyard. So many people had turned out for the closing reception, and she gave herself a mental pat on the back.
She’d done it. She’d hopped on a plane and left her hesitations at home. She’d supervised the biggest event of her career. And she’d made it a success. All afternoon she’d received thanks and praise from the film participants and the townspeople of White Strand. She kind of felt like a rock star.
“Would you excuse me?” she said to the group and backed away.
But trusting Zane had been the worst—and best—mistake of her life. She sought somewhere private and out of the sun to get over the terrible stab of nausea that hit her with unwelcome force. With silent thanks that no one in the crowd stopped her, she hurried to the tiny Spanish-tiled courtyard at the back of the gardens. She remembered seeing a bench there.
Grateful to find the spot and area empty, she sat and let her shoulders sag.
This morning, surrounded by the translucent turquoise sea and slow, rolling waves, Zane had carefully helped her stand on a surfboard and ride her first wave. It had taken sooo many tries. But he’d stuck beside her, offered encouragement, kissed her. She’d never been more determined to do something after that. And when she finally caught the whitewater at the perfect time and popped up on the board with near-perfect balance, she’d wanted to laugh and cry at the same time.
Zane had gifted her with so much this week, and she’d be lying if she said she hadn’t dreamed about being with him forever.
What a silly, stupid, naive girl she was. He’d only been biding his time until he could say good-bye.
She wiped a hand under her nose. She refused to shed one more tear over Zane Hollander. She’d been blinded by his charm but learned an important lesson. The brain had no power over the heart.
Chapter Twelve
Four weeks later
“This has been such a great day.”
Sophie smiled as Honor plopped down on the couch with another large bowl of microwaved popcorn. They couldn’t finish watchingWin a Date With Tad Hamilton!on her TV without it. Or in Honor’s case, without combining the M&M’s still left in the giant bag with the salty goodness. “I’m so happy you came to visit,” Sophie said.
After Sophie had picked Honor up at the airport, they’d taken a scenic drive so Sophie could give Honor a taste of Great Falls on their way to Sophie’s smaller hometown. They’d also stopped for lunch at one of Sophie’s favorite restaurants and checked out a few antiques shops and consignment stores.
“Thank you for saving me from having to go to my cousin’s daughter’s first birthday party this weekend. The drive on the 405 to Santa Monica is bad enough. But who in their right mind invites a hundred people and hires a petting zoo for her one-year-old?”
“Yeah, things are a lot more low-key here.”
“And guaranteed my cousin will be walking around in four-inch heels and a short skirt.” Honor gently shook the bowl back and forth, the M&M’s mixing into the popcorn. “Don’t get me wrong. If she wants to dress that way, it’s fine by me. But she’d take one look at my flip-flops and roll her eyes.” She handed the bowl to Sophie. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” It felt so good to relax for the first time in a month. And to do it with Honor was a wonderful bonus. As soon as Sophie had gotten home from White Strand, her boss had assigned her to a huge anniversary event at the Civic Arts Center. “You’re in trouble now,” her boss had said, referring to the job well done for the film festival and the increased responsibility that now meant.
