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She’d never needed a bunch of friends and boyfriends and parties. She’d had the dance, and that had always been enough. And then she’d lost it. Her knee twanged, as if confirming the unhappy thought. Sophie paused outside Mademoiselle de Maison and pretended to contemplate the shin length floral dress in the window. She bent and rubbed at her leg.
“A gross hole,” Nicole had said. The words still felt like a punch to the gut. That’s how Christian had reacted, when he’d seen her leg after the accident as well. Before she’d been hurt, he would spend long minutes when they made love kissing her ankles and calves and knees and thighs, caressing her smooth skin and murmuring sensual words about her beauty before moving up to tease her cleft with his tongue.
Afterward he couldn’t bear to touch her injured leg. The few times they’d slept together once she was out of the hospital, he had come into her from behind every single time. She hadn’t even realized it until the one time she’d initiated sex. Sophie had felt him slipping away from her, distancing himself, and had desperately tried to cling to him, hating the way her body no longer responded to her on the dance floor.
She’d dressed in some of Christian’s favorite lingerie and approached him where he sat in the living room of their apartment. There had been heat in his eyes at first, but when she dropped the silk robe, she’d seen him recoil. He’d flinched at the sight of her scarred leg. Christian had recovered, of course. He was not the type of man to turn a willing woman away. He’d pulled her down into his lap and they’d made love there in the chair. But he’d never touched her left leg.
“Is it so horrible?” she’d asked him. Of course, she knew it was. But she’d so wanted his reassurance.
Christian’s eyes had been hard when he answered. “I just can’t look at it, Soph. It ruins you.”
It ruined her. He was right. That’s how Sophie felt about it. Had felt. But Henry had acted like it made no difference. “You have lovely legs,” he’d said, touching her scarred knee. But Nicole’s words tolled over and over in her head like a bell. “A gross hole.” The other woman had never seen her leg. Henry must had told her. And that cut to Sophie’s heart still bled. She clenched her teeth. It didn’t matter anymore. She was done with Henry Medina, once and for all.
The trill of her cell jerked Sophie out of her reverie. In the reflection of the shop window, her cheeks were pale. She snatched the phone from her pocket and pressed it to her ear, turning away from Mademoiselle de Maison.
“Hello?”
“You’re so lucky you’re there. Piper Strickland threw up all over the floor in the front room.” Darren’s voice held a smile. Hearing his soft tones, some of the tension eased from Sophie’s neck.
“You put on Rhythms on Parade, didn’t you? She gets really excited with that tambourine.” Sophie chuckled a little. Piper Strickland was four.
Darren made a gagging noise. “I don’t know what her parents feed her but it’s foul. Anyway, I was just calling to check up because you said you were going to call, but all I got was a text.”
“I know, Dar. I’m sorry I’m leaving you in the lurch. But—”
“Oh trust me, I know ‘but’ what.” His voice took on a sudden edge. Sophie could picture his blond brows knitting together. “And when I get my hands on that snake...” Darren growled.
“What are you talking about, Darren?” How did he know about Henry? Icy fingers tickled Sophie’s spine. Had Darren spoken to him? Darren would never tell him where she was. Would he?
There was a silent moment on the other end of the line, and then Darren continued as if he’d never stopped talking. “Nothing, Soph. You’ve been stressed, that’s all. What with all the...” This pause was microscopic, but she still heard it. “You know. Take as many days as you need.”
“Really? What about the cancellations?” She knew there were important things they needed to decide.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ve got everything under control. Even Piper’s puke. Sawdusted and swept while the tykes were bouncing with their bean shakers.” He shook one of the small, homemade maracas into the phone. Sophie’s lips twitched. As much as she loved her classes—all of them, not just t
he kids or the professionals, but everything in between—she really did need this time to get her head back on straight. Ever since she’d met Henry, she felt like she’d been spinning.
Sophie plucked at her lower lip. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. You have fun. Wallow in the small town delights. Tell your mom and pops I said hi.”
“I will. Thanks Darren. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
He gave a dramatic sigh. “Probably die. Aren’t you glad you don’t have to find out?”
She actually chuckled. “Very glad.”
They said their goodbyes and Sophie tucked her phone back into her pants. She was lucky to have a friend like Darren. Someone who not only loved and supported her, but helped her achieve her goals and was always looking out for her best interests. She knew there were things that needed to be dealt with, business decisions that needed to be made, but Darren was doing his best to hold down the fort and give her the space that she needed. He was a real, true friend.
It was nearly time to meet her mother for lunch. Sophie’s belly grumbled at the thought. She’d had a light breakfast, and strolling along the street in the spring sunshine had gone a long way toward building up her appetite. Her phone rang again, just as she reached the gas station with it’s line of newspaper dispensers. She glanced at the display, frowning at the unknown number, and then froze.
Henry was on the cover of one of the papers. The photo was slightly grainy, obviously taken with a telephoto lens, but she recognized the strong line of his jaw and the wavy dark hair. She fished out a handful of change and snatched a paper from the stack. Bile rose in the back of her throat. She didn’t even read the headline. She didn’t need to. The blonde head inclined up toward Henry was Nicole Rossi, without a doubt.
Her hand was on his arm, pale and delicate. His big hand covered hers. His head was angled downward, tilted slightly. Like a man going in for a kiss. Her fingers tore at the pages, turning to “More photos inside!”
They were strolling down the street. Nicole’s arm was linked through Henry’s. His hands were in his pockets, but he didn’t seem at all unhappy about how close Nicole was pressing to him. According to “an anonymous source,” wealthy CEO Henry Medina and his ex, tech heiress Nicole Rossi, were back together after nearly a year apart.
Henry was “very happy,” according to the source, and “finally ready to settle down.” “He realized what he wanted,” a close family friend reported. The article went on to say that recent rumors of an affair with a young dancer were blown out of proportion. They didn’t come right out and say Sophie was a call-girl. At least not in this article. But the subtext that Henry was drowning his sorrows over his lost love with fast women was heavy in every word. But oh, the reporter rejoiced, the two lovebirds had finally found their way back to each other. How romantic.
