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I smile at her, and it seems to catch her off guard. I know if I try to say anything right now, it’ll be something likeI’ll stay every night until you fall asleep.I have to remind myself that she left for eight years and might not want anything more than friendship.
I don’t want to do the wrong thing, and I’m not sure what the right thing even is for situations like this.
So, I just keep smiling like a fool.
Her mouth parts, and she looks flustered. She turns and walks toward the sunroom, and right before we get there, she stops.
“Would you mind following my lead?” she asks.
“Of course.”
“Maybe act like…something has progressed with us…more than…it actually has?” Her cheeks flame with pink splotches, and I laugh.
“Sure. I’m game.”
She nods and her shoulders relax slightly.
Hilary and Abby are putting plates and glasses of ice on a card table they’ve set up.
“Who wants their shakes with dinner?” I hold up the carrier of shakes and Sofie snatches it out of my hands.
“That’s a no-brainer.” She laughs. She tries to take the bag of cold burgers, but I hold up the newer bag so she’ll get a hot burger.
“This is the one you want.”
She doesn’t question it, just takes it and places it on the table.
“This was so nice of you,” Hilary says. “What a treat.”
When Sofie moves toward her chair, I pull it out for her, and she only hesitates slightly. Both Hilary and Abby watch our every move and once Sofie sits down, I lean down and kiss her forehead before sitting down myself. I look up, acting like nothing is out of the ordinary, and the looks on all three of their faces are priceless.
CHAPTERSEVENTEEN
BED DECEPTION
SOFIE
“Well, now I feel like we should apologize for springing this visit on you today,” Abby says. “Clearly, you two had plans for this evening.” She winks at me.
My face is already on fire from Theo kissing my forehead, but with Aunt Hilary and Abby beaming at the two of us like they could not be more elated, it’s not calming down. Instead of insisting that I’m just as surprised as they are that Theo is here, I look at Theo and he surprises me again by taking my hand, his fingers linking through mine.
My mouth drops open and he grins.
He’s enjoying this.
I’m not foolish enough to think that my confession last night settled everything between us. Not even close. But the fact that he came back today, that he’s smiling at me instead of the hollow, angry glares he was throwing toward me before…that he’s willing to play along with this little ruse…even if he only ever wants to be my friend, I will take it.
And I will be so grateful for it.
My heart wants so much more than that, but I can’t afford to be greedy.
“So, when did all of this come about?” Aunt Hilary asks, pulling me out of my thoughts.
I take a long sip of my milkshake to think of an answer, and Theo jumps in.
“Things have been building between us for a while,” he says.
He’s not wrong.
