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Austin felt like a balloon: inflated, deflated, inflated, deflated.
“She said she was still into you,” Tía Rosa continued.
Austin’s back stiffened, but this time it was pride that filled his stance rather than jealousy. Sofi was still into him. He’d hoped, but to hear that she’d said it today, openly declared it to a guy she’d once hoped she might share a future with?
The longer they’d spent time apart, the more Austin had been able to reflect on their relationship. And what he’d found was that every part of him loved Sofi. Maybe he always had, but he’d put the definition of friendship to what he felt for her rather than facing the truth. But in recent days he’d been learning that it wasn’t normal that he’d fantasized about making out with his best friend, thought his best friend was the most attractive woman on the planet, and thought no one was good enough for her. Well, maybe some people thought the last part about their best friends, but Austin didn’t just feel that most guys weren’t good enough for Sofi—he thought Sofi was too good for any man. Including himself. Thus his dilemma.
He knew most people didn’t think about their best friends in this way, but he’d always thought it was because their best friend wasn’t Sofi. That any man who was Sofi’s best friend would feel the same way. And now, with the analyzing he’s done, what had he come to know? Yes. Maybe they would feel the same way, but that would be because they were in love with her. Because he was in love with her.
He’d loved Sofi for many years now; he’d just never put the right word to what he’d felt. He’d never loved a woman he’d dated, so he thought himself incapable of love. But the truth that he was finally ready to admit was that his love was already taken. By the most perfect woman for him on the planet.
“I don’t know that we should be telling him all of this. This is between him and Sofi,” Tía Melinda said as Darla nodded and Tía Rosa snapped her lips shut. Of all the times they decided not to gossip, they had to choose now?
But even as Austin wanted to beg to hear more, he knew they were right. These words hadn’t been meant for his ears. But maybe one day they would be . . . maybe one day soon? A man could hope.
“So on to our lesson?” Darla asked.
Austin nodded and Tía Rosa pulled out a book.
“Today we’ll be reading some of my favorite poems in Spanish.”
Austin grinned. The perfect lesson, considering he was almost finished with his song but still needed to polish a few things up.
From what the Tías had said, it sounded like Sofi was ready to hear from him. Or at least she was close. So Austin would finish this song and then . . . he guessed he’d better finish his plan soon. He was more than ready to stop giving Sofi her space. Especially if she no longer wanted him to.
* * *
“Uncle Austin!”Amelie scolded.
Austin really had tried to understand the game they were playing. But it was something with shopping and fake credit cards and Austin had zoned out right about the time that Amelie had explained what to do with those credit cards.
To be fair, Austin wasn’t even a fan of real credit cards and truly despised shopping. Playing a game that involved both was a form of torture for him. But Amelie had begged him to play with her most soulful look, and something Austin had recently learned about himself was that he was a sucker when it came to his nieces.
Heaven help him if he ever had daughters. Little girls with Sofi’s dark waves and caramel complexion with just a splash of pink? Austin would be done for.
“I’m not sure what I did wrong this time either. Sorry, Amelie,” Austin apologized with a frown, hoping Amelie would forgive him.
Amelie narrowed her eyes at him, arms crossed over her chest, looking much too grown up considering she was still barely nine. But then her face softened and Austin breathed a sigh of relief. Being in the bad graces of one girl he loved was bad enough. To add Amelie to the mix?
Speaking of which, he really did need to head home and finish up Sofi’s song. Part of him had thought about asking Lake and Logan how he should apologize. It sounded like Sofi might have already forgiven him, but Austin wouldn’t be absolved of his guilt until he gave Sofi the heartfelt apology she deserved. Until she knew he only had eyes, heart, and soul for one woman. Her.
And if he could kiss her again . . .
Austin tugged at his collar as he recalled the steaminess of that kiss. He really should have known in that moment that he was lost to Sofi forever. He was a foolish man, to say the least. But he was here now, all of him. Hopefully it would be enough.
“Uncle Austin, did you hear what I said?” Amelie asked.
He was officially the world’s worst uncle. Here he was fantasizing about . . . he needed to focus on Amelie.
“I didn’t. Repeat it for me please, Sweetheart?” Austin drawled with his most winning, apologetic smile.
Amelie rolled her eyes expertly before saying, “We don’t have to play anymore. I wanted to talk to Mom about the fall fair anyway.”
“Right,” Austin said, grateful he was off the hook, and watched as Amelie ran to the kitchen.
He slipped out the back door, knowing neither Lake nor Logan would mind that he hadn’t said goodbye. He’d likely see them both the next day anyway, and Austin was too wrapped up in his own thoughts to be good company.
The fall fair. He’d forgotten that it was already this weekend. Ever since he could remember, he and Sofi had gone together. He’d always win her a caramel apple and she’d take a bite and then give the rest back to him. It was an unspoken rule, even when they’d had significant others, that they would attend together. There had been some awkward double dates on those years when they both were dating someone. But the strangest year was the one when Sofi had had a boyfriend and Austin hadn’t been with anyone. He’d trailed along behind Sofi and her date and the night had somehow ended with Sofi’s date leaving early and Austin and Sofi just the way they wanted to be: together.
