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“What does that mean?”
I pinch the bridge of my nose, sighing. “Never mind. I don’t think it matters if I love him.”
“Yes, it does. My mom always said that you can fix anything with love.”
My lips press together, something tugging at my heart. “She did?”
“Yes.” Sophie nods enthusiastically. “So if you love him, we can fix it! You can come back, and then he won’t send me away, and everything will be okay again!”
“Sophie, it’s not that simple.”
“But if you—”
“Just trust me,” I huff, cutting her off. “I wish things were different, but they aren’t.”
Sophie hangs her head, and I feel that hole in my chest—the one I’d been so sure was starting to heal—throb with fresh pain as if it had been opened moments ago. I would give anything for things to be as simple as she thinks they are; I would love to take her back and apologize and throw myself in Aiden’s arms or even at his feet, but I know that’s not how the world works. She didn’t see the look on his face when I told him that they were more than I signed up for. I took every warm moment we had together during my time there and threw it right back in his face. I don’t think there’s anything I can say to come back from that.
“But I do have to take you back to him,” I say resignedly. “So I’m going to need you to call the restaurant and see if he’s still there or if he’s gone home.”
I can’t even imagine the level of panic Aiden is at right now; he’s probably got the entire San Diego police force out on the streets right now. Sophie looks dejected, and I know none of this is what she wanted to hear, and I wish that I had better answers for her. I wish I could make everything okay for her—but I don’t think it’s in the cards. Not for me, and not for us.
I help Sophie dial the number to the restaurant and hand over the phone, because I’m way too much of a coward to call myself. Ihold my breath while she dials, realizing in a very short time I am going to be forced to see Aiden again. I can’t imagine what kind of speech Aiden will have for Sophie when she gets back to him, and I can see that she’s thinking the same thing, judging by the nervous look on her face, but I think I have more to be scared of.
Because I doubt Aiden will even talk to me at all.
—
Aiden had already left the restaurant—his coworkers said he left immediately after discovering that Sophie had snuck out, and he headed back to his house to try to look for her there. I had been right about his level of panic; it’s evident by the flashing lights we are met with outside the town house when we pull up alongside the street. Sophie looks at me with fear in her eyes as I park in front of the gate, obviously regretting her decision entirely as she is no doubt anxious about how her dad will receive her when she gets inside.
“Will you come in with me?”
I frown, looking from her in my passenger seat to the front door that is awash with red-and-blue lights. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea...”
“But he wants to see you,” she urges. “And maybe if you come with me, he won’t be so mad.”
“Oh, I think he’s still going to be mad,” I warn her. “You did a silly thing, Soph.”
She hangs her head. “I know.”
The idea of seeing Aiden again is something I am torn between wanting terribly and wanting terribly to avoid, but the helpless look on Sophie’s face tugs at my heartstrings, and I know that despite my discomfort, I owe her this much. Probably more.
“Okay,” I concede. “I’ll go with you. Just to take you inside, okay? Then I have to go.”
She nods eagerly, looking a tad relieved. “Okay.”
I feel likeI’mthe ten-year-old in massive trouble when I walk behind her through the gate, my hand gently between her shoulder blades as I urge her up the path. The front door is ajar, and all the lights are on in the house, but the first floor is empty when we step inside. I can hear voices upstairs, a cacophony of different people talking over each other, but above them all, I can hear one that I recognize. One that makes my stomach flutter, even now.
Sophie reaches for my hand at the bottom of the stairs, giving me another worried look as I wrap my hand around hers. I don’t let go of it as we ascend, and at first, when we reach the top, no one notices us. They’re too busy taking notes and making calls, and there, in the middle of all of it, is a frantic-looking Aiden Reid. He’s still in his chef coat, his arms crossed tightly across his chest as he speaks heatedly with an officer, and I can see that his hair is messy like he’s been running his fingers through it repeatedly. He looks out of his mind with worry.
I can tell when he finally sees us; he stops midsentence and turns his face with wide eyes and open mouth, like he’s completely forgotten what he was about to say. I watch as he looks from Sophie to me and back again, trying to make sense of her being back, especially with me.
“Sophie,” he breathes, stomping across the carpet and falling to his knees to pull her against him. “Where were you? Do you have any idea how worried I was about you? You can’t disappear like that.” He pushes her back, looking over her body. “Are you hurt? Are you okay?”
She nods feebly. “I’m okay.”
“Where did you go?”
“To Wanda’s,” I offer quietly.
