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“Maybe I’ve hadmy sights set on the wrong brother,” Rachael said as she leaned her chin in her hand, her elbow resting on the picnic table in front of her. She gazed longingly in Phoenix’s direction as Leia and Sofi exchanged a look.
When Trent had decided to throw a BBQ in his backyard for his nearest and dearest friends, Rachael hadn’t been on the guest list. But Leia and Sofi had decided together that their friend could probably use an afternoon in the sunshine and an evening by a bonfire. She’d seemed alright since calling off her wedding, especially after she’d talked to her parents and they’d seemed to be relieved instead of upset that they were footing the bill for an event that would never happen, but Leia and Sofi had been sure she was feeling more than she appeared to be.
Yet, apparently all she was feeling was some attraction toward a specific football player who’d recently announced his retirement as well as a breakup from his beautiful girlfriend.
The whole reason Trent had tried to keep the guest list as small as possible was for Phoenix’s sake. He knew most of the single women in town would be chomping at the bit to get near the man. Sofi and Leia just hadn’t realized Rachael would be one of those women. She’d broken off her engagement just a few weeks before; surely she needed some time to grieve before moving on.
Sofi, on the other hand, was biting back disappointment. She hadn’t heard from who Rachael had deemed the wrong brother in over a week. That was the longest they hadn’t communicated since the eighth grade, when they’d both gotten cell phones for Christmas. She’d read his text and understood his sentiment. He was right that Sofi wasn’t giving her all to any of her relationships, the way Austin didn’t give his all either. And she wanted to be grateful he was willing to step away so that she could have a real chance with Bash. She’d been on three dates with him in the last week and had begun to really like him. But her pervading emotion at the moment, stronger than the Bash-induced butterflies, was missing Austin. A lot. She thought about him nearly every hour of every day, even while she worked, and while that sounded a bit obsessive—it probably was—Austin was just that much of a part of her life. And now he was suddenly gone.
She’d hoped that Trent’s invitation would extend to Phoenix’s brother. Although maybe it had, but Austin was just that intent on avoiding Sofi for the time being. Even as she knew he was doing this out of love, as they were too reliant on one another if they wanted futures with other people, she hated it. Probably because Sofi didn’t actually want a future with anyone else. Even Bash, much as she liked him.
Did it make her a terrible person that she was still dating him? But then again, she held out hope that her feelings would change, that she had a real chance of finding love with Bash. As hard as this time away from Austin was, she hoped she would one day soon jump out of the absence-makes-the-heart-grow-fonder phase with Austin and into the I-can-love-you-like-I-want-to phase with Bash.
She wasn’t even sure her hopes made complete sense, but she clung to them. Because otherwise, she wasn’t sure she could keep going.
“Just don’t do anything about it now,” Leia urged Rachael after a few long moments of silence.
Rachael turned to Leia, her head still in her hand. “Why? Do you want a chance at the gorgeous ex-Lightning?”
Leia’s cheeks went immediately red and Sofi wanted to draw their attention away from Leia but knew Rachael wouldn’t move along in conversation until she got an answer.
“No, not at all. Can you even imagine Phoenix going for a girl like me when there are women like you around?” Leia constantly put herself down, and Sofi hated it. Yes, Leia was a brunette, whereas Rachael, as well as Phoenix’s last girlfriend, were blondes. And if that were the only preference Leia was indicating, maybe Sofi would let it go. But Sofi knew that wasn’t at all what Leia had meant. Leia was all curves that she abhorred and tipped the scales at a number higher than Phoenix’s last girlfriend, and she was incredibly self-conscious about her size. In Sofi’s mind, Leia’s curves just served to enhance her feminine appeal and if Phoenix couldn’t see that, it was his loss. And he was an idiot.
“Leia,” Sofi admonished. She wouldn’t let anyone talk about her friend in that manner, even Leia herself. “Not nice.”
Rachael grinned. “I agree. As well as completely untruthful. If a man had us both side by side and he chose me? I’d have his vision checked.”
Leia laughed as if Rachael’s words were a joke and Sofi frowned. It bothered her that Leia really couldn’t see her own worth. And Leia’s appeal to the opposite sex didn’t stop with her pretty face and curvy figure. She was the most loyal and kind friend, a nearly flawless aunt, and was willing to put others before herself. If a guy couldn’t see her as ideal girlfriend material, he was, again, an idiot.
“Thanks for the ego boost, but beyond that, I’d never date Phoenix Ashford. No offense to him, but . . . ”
“I have to say, quite a bit of offense has been taken,” Phoenix’s deep voice interrupted Leia. Rachael squeaked in surprise, Sofi’s eyes went so wide her eyeballs ached, and Leia froze as her entire body flushed an uncomfortable red.
“Um,” Leia managed but then pinched her lips shut.
Sofi didn’t blame her; what was Leia supposed to say?
“Aunt Leia, will you push me on the swing?” Leia’s cute nephew came up beside Phoenix.
Leia’s entire body relaxed as she let out a sigh of relief.
“Sure!” Leia jumped up so quickly that she swiped Sofi’s leg with her foot as she moved, but Sofi couldn’t care less. She figured she was lucky if her injuries were as minimal as a slight bruise, considering the kind of embarrassment Leia was fleeing.
Leia turned quickly to Phoenix, patting his shoulder and blurting, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend. I promise my reasons have more to do with me than with you. You have to know what a catch you are, and if you don’t, let me tell you now. You’re a catch. Just not my catch.” Leia finished her stumbling apology and shrugged as if that was the best she could offer.
She began to follow her nephew toward their swing set when Phoenix called after her, “I’d love to hear those reasons sometime.”
Leia froze for a moment before trying to walk again as if nothing had happened. “Okay.” Her voice sounded tight as she responded and Sofi knew her friend was hoping that ‘sometime’ would never come.
Phoenix walked away, chuckling, and Sofi turned back to Rachael, her eyes still wide.
“And just when I think I have a chance, another Ashford brother falls for another of my friends.” Rachael pursed her lips.
“He does seem like he’s into her, right?” Sofi said, schooling her features, but her eyes were dancing. She hadn’t even thought of Leia and Phoenix together, but now that the idea was in her mind, she couldn’t help but be excited by the prospect. They really would be great for one another.
“Mm-hm,” Rachael muttered unhappily.
“Wait, but what other Ashford brother is into one of your friends?” Sofi asked as Rachael’s words replayed in her head.
