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“No problem. Take your time. This isn’t a pressure cooker. It’s a very relaxed event.” He inhaled deeply, then exhaled. “Just breathe.”
Sophie followed his instructions. She inhaled, exhaled, then told him, “I was at Hazel’s house. She was having a gathering about her wedding.” Sophie beamed. “I’m a bridesmaid.”
Noah had observed the close relationship between the two women. He had to admit it was heartwarming. Surely Sophie couldn’t be this terrible person if Hazel and all the residents of Love adored her. Or could she? So far Noah had seen up close and personal the way Sophie could charm birds from the trees. He needed to put up his armor today. Sophie had the ability to wear down his defenses. Every time he was in her presence, he found himself liking her more and more. And every time he spoke to Sussex, he began to lose more and more respect for him. Everything was turned upside down. More than anything else, Noah liked order. He liked for things to make sense, and with each day that passed he found himself more conflicted.
Every time he thought about Sussex asking him to date Sophie to keep her away from other men in town, he wanted to clench his fists in anger. His client radiated entitlement, which rubbed Noah the wrong way. He had tossed and turned in bed last night, disturbed by the turn the assignment had taken.
At the moment he needed to keep his thoughts focused on Sophie and today’s event. There would be plenty of time later to try to figure things out.
He grinned at her, getting a kick out of how excited she was about the upcoming nuptials. “That’s pretty special, to be in the wedding. She told me to look for an invitation in the mail,” Noah said, surprised that he was on the invitation list.
Given the unpredictable nature of this assignment, Noah had no idea whether he’d still be in Love to attend the wedding. The very thought of going back to Seattle didn’t have as much appeal as he’d imagined it would. After all, he’d taken on Sussex’s assignment in order to help his struggling company. Catalano Security still represented his hopes and dreams, as well as the livelihoods of all his employees.
And could he really sit in God’s house and watch a loving couple get married, all the while knowing he was in town under false pretenses? His gut twisted with the implications of the lie he was living. Nothing he’d established here in Love was real. It had all been built on falsehoods. There was no way of getting around it.
Sophie chattered on in a chirpy voice. “It’s really going to be a wonderful day, full of romance and celebration. Jasper and Hazel are this town’s version of Romeo and Juliet.” She had a dreamy expression on her face as she spoke about the older couple
.
“I hope not,” Noah teased. “Look at how they ended up.”
Sophie swatted at him in a playful manner and giggled. “You know what I mean. They might fight and fuss, but they’re the real deal.”
As more customers streamed in, Noah and Sophie could no longer talk one on one, but they interacted with the residents as a duo. Noah would serve up an appetizer while Sophie handed each person a blended coffee beverage. Everything was running as smoothly as possible, without a single hitch. The food and drinks were a big hit.
“Hey, Dwight. How are you? Thanks for stopping by,” Sophie greeted the brown-haired, bespectacled man with enthusiasm and warmth, neither of which was returned. Noah thought the new arrival looked as sour as a lemon drop candy. His eyes radiated unhappiness and a hint of despair. Noah felt a smidgen of sympathy for the nerdy resident, who was obviously not a happy camper.
Noah knew Dwight in passing, as the town treasurer with the no-nonsense attitude, and the annoying habit of leaving customer comments on his receipt at the Moose Café. Suffice it to say, they were rarely compliments. Cameron dismissed Dwight’s feedback. He’d explained to Noah that the guy was a “miserable bachelor” who seemed determined to be unhappy.
“Have you heard anything from Marta?” Dwight asked Sophie. Noah couldn’t help but overhear the question since he was standing mere inches away. It was obvious he had it bad for this Marta woman. There was a desperate quality to his voice and he had a hangdog expression etched on his face. Noah instantly recognized the name Marta. She had been his predecessor at the Moose Café.
Sophie shook her head. “No, we haven’t heard a word. I’m sorry. I wish I could tell you differently.”
Dwight hung his head. “I should have known better than to put all my hopes and dreams in a woman I didn’t know very well. I’m some kind of fool.”
“No, you’re not, Dwight. There’s nothing wrong with holding on to hope,” Sophie said.
He let out a sigh. “It’s hard to keep hope alive when I’m still as single as a dollar bill.”
“Don’t worry, Dwight. She’s out there. I just know it.” Sophie’s voice was filled with sincerity and encouragement. She was buoying him up when he appeared to be at his lowest. Noah had compassion for the man, who likely only wanted love and devotion. No doubt the cranky attitude was a facade he wore to prevent people from feeling sorry for him.
“From your lips to God’s ears,” Dwight said in a low voice.
Noah handed a plate of appetizers to a scrawny teenager, then turned to Dwight. He couldn’t help but add his two cents’ worth. “You’re no different than most of us. At the end of the day, we all want to be happy, preferably with a partner by our side.”
Dwight blinked at him with surprise. There was a world of pain resting in his eyes. “Yes. That’s very true. We weren’t meant to walk through this world alone.”
“We most definitely were not,” Noah concurred, thinking about his parents and their forty years of marital bliss.
Dwight seemed like a good egg, he realized. Sometimes appearances were deceiving.
“And I know you’re lonely, but you’re not always going to feel this way. It’s just a passing thing,” Sophie added. “I get lonely sometimes when I think about being so far away from home, but then I focus on how the townsfolk in Love always treat me like I was born and bred here. That’s an awesome cure for loneliness. Surround yourself with people who care about you.”
Dwight nodded. “Thanks. I’m going to listen to your advice. This town does have a lot to offer. I take that for granted sometimes.” After quickly downing a coffee drink, he headed away toward another booth.
Sophie’s gaze trailed after him. She resembled a mama bird watching her baby leave the nest. “Dwight won’t truly be happy until he finds his match,” she said in a low voice. “He needs someone to give him some pointers in the romance department.”
“Like a tutor?” Noah asked with a chuckle.
