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Maddie snorts, and I roll my eyes as I sit across from Sophie. Before I can even say anything, I hear Serena’s voice behind me. She tells everyone hello and sits in the chair next to me.
Serena leans over and gives me a hug. “Look at you, dressed all nice, looking professional.” She tugs on the collar of my shirt, making a show of it, and I shake my head at her mocking tone.
“You need to come around more often if you think this is out of the ordinary.” I laugh, smoothing my hands down my shirt.
Hunter goes to the bar and orders a round of drinks for all of us except for Lennon, who is stuck with water and lemon. “Sometimes being pregnant sucks.” She groans with a frown after we all get our glasses.
Maddie sarcastically sips on her soda. “Sometimes being twenty sucks! But I mean, if any of you wanna buy me a drink, I won’t tell. It can be our little secret,” she goads, putting a finger up to her lips.
Sophie turns and gives her a pointed look, and we all crack up.
“You’re going to be a handful when you turn twenty-one,” I tell her, and she shrugs with a proud smile.
“Going to be a handful? As in she’s not already?” Lennon gives Maddie a wink.
We order food, and while we wait for our food, Serena leans in close to prevent the entire table from overhearing and asks, “You been doing okay? You haven’t been answering my calls. I need to talk to you about something. Something important.”
I give her a look and nod. “Yeah, everything’s as fine as it can be, right now,” I say honestly. “Just been working a lot.”
“So that merits ignoring me?” she teases.
“Sorry, Mom. You gonna spank me for being bad?” I mock her mothering behavior.
I hear Sophie inhale a sharp breath and realize she’s heard that last bit and probably not the first part of our conversation, and I’m not sure how she’s interpreted it. When I look at her, she quickly turns toward Maddie who’s talking Liam’s ear off. Not sure what to think of her reaction, I finish my drink, then use it as my opportunity to speak to her.
“Soph, you want another one?” I ask, trying to grab her attention.
She glances at me and shakes her head. “No, thanks.”
I purse my lips and don’t respond. Once I’m at the bar, Hunter joins me, standing next to me with a cocked brow.
“What did you do to Sophie?” he asks.
My mouth falls open, and I roll my eyes at his accusation. “Nothing. I didn’t do anything at all, but I’m glad to know I’m not imagining shit. Things seemed fine, and then all of a sudden, something changed. Hell if I know.”
He shrugs. “Women. Probably hormones.”
I chuckle, ordering us both a shot of whiskey and a beer for me. “If only that were it.”
“I’m sure it is,” he tells me as we clank our shot glasses together, and we shoot them down.
When I’m back at the table, Serena gives me a mischievous smile. “Thanks for bringing me back a beer. What a gentleman,” she hints.
I smirk, then let her have it before returning to the bar for another. While I’m waiting, I watch the table and notice how Sophie acts when Serena tries to talk to her, and that’s when it dawns on me what her issue is…she’s jealous. Leaning against the bar, I continue to study her and how stiff and rude she’s being, and while Serena may not notice, I certainly do.
Wanting to see if my theory is correct, I go back to my chair and see the side glares Sophie throws at her. Serena tries to start a conversation about the symphony, but Sophie isn’t having it. All the answers she gives are short and to the point and mostly just one word. Maybe I’m reading the situation wrong and she just doesn’t want to talk about work since she hasn’t been there for the past month, but my gut tells me otherwise. She sees Serena as a threat, which is crazy to me. After our dinner arrives, and we finish eating, Hunter and Lennon have to go pick up Allie from the sitter, so they say their goodbyes.
Then we end up by the pool tables just like old times.
“Wanna play with me?” Maddie asks Liam in such a seductive tone, it causes me to nearly choke on my drink. Liam tilts his head at Maddie, looks her up and down, and there’s no denying the attraction. Not. At All. I laugh when I see Liam adjusting himself and actively looking away from her. I don’t know how long their little cat-and-mouse game is going to last, but it’s hilarious to watch.
As the two of them allow their competitive nature to take over, Sophie sits at a high top table and drinks her martini, but she’s quiet. Taking advantage of getting her alone, I walk over to her and smile.
