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“So,” Mason started, “are we all going to act like we don’t know where you two were or…”
“Yes,” Alexis and Blake answered in unison, causing everyone to laugh before returning to whatever they were doing.
Alexis looked around at her friends and family. A year ago she wouldn’t have believed they would be where they are all now. She watched Sophia bouncing Archer in her arms as Reese slept soundly on Chase’s chest. Harper and Tucker were still running around the backyard and Alexis wasn’t sure who was having more fun.
Everything felt perfect. Looking over at Blake, Alexis smiled.
“What?” Blake laughed.
“Nothing.” Alexis smiled. “I just love you so much.”
“I love you, too. Always and forever.”
Chapter 14
Sophia
After arriving home from the party, Sophia poured herself a glass of wine and took it out onto the balcony. It was quiet in the Cove at night. Peaceful. Only the sounds of the occasional train passing through town overtook the sound of the ocean a few blocks away. Sophia enjoyed the quiet; she needed the quiet.
Especially since everything in her life had been flipped on its axis in the last year. From meeting her biological daughter to Alexis and Harper moving out of the apartment, nothing was the same.
Granted, Sophia was happy for those events. Alexis and Blake having a house of their own was the best thing that could have happened to them. Especially with Archer and Reese appearing on the scene. And it wasn’t like the house was far away. It was barely a ten-minute drive, but Sophia knew she could make it in less than that if needed. Not having Harper barging into the apartment at random times would be something she dearly missed. She would also miss not getting to watch Archer and Reese grow up across the hall.
But she knew those were selfish thoughts. It wasn’t like Sophia would never see them again. Hell, Alexis had already invited them over for dinner in a few days and Sophia knew their door was always opened. And vice versa.
Then there was the whole situation with Callie.
Ever since she met Callie last summer, she’d kept in contact with her as much as Callie wanted. Sophia thought it best to let Callie come to her and not force her desire for a relationship on her. Callie clearly had something going on in her life that she was holding from Sophia, but so far she hadn’t figured out what it could be. Their twice-a-month calls were always casual, mainly sticking to a brief recap of their lives since their last call. The conversations were never deep, not that Sophia expected Callie to open up to her. She only wished that, with time, it would happen.
However a year had passed and she felt they were in the same spot. Callie had even been postponing her trip to the Cove for months. She was supposed to come for Christmas last year but a coworker quit right before the holiday rush. Sophia was proud of her; the owners of the inn Callie worked for loved and valued her deeply.
Which meant that, once again, Sophia was being selfish.
She lit a cigarette to calm her anxiety.
Never in her wildest dreams did Sophia think she’d have the opportunity to meet her daughter. And now that Callie was in her life, Sophia didn’t want to lose her again. She knew she could send Callie running if she pushed her too hard. It’s what Sophia would have done if the roles were reversed.
She just wished Callie would visit so she could see her again. Callie’s face told her emotions. They had that in common. Even in the short time Sophia was around Callie in Paris, she could read her emotions like a book. And the look in Callie’s eyes when she talked about her parents was one Sophia couldn’t forget.
“You’re smoking.” Emily stepped out onto the balcony wearing her pajamas. She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned onto the railing as she looked down at Sophia. “What’s wrong?”
“Just thinking.”
Emily sat down in the Adirondack chair beside Sophia. “Care to elaborate?”
Sophia sighed. Taking a long drag of her cigarette, she blew the smoke away from Emily.
“Callie.”
Emily nodded.
“I figured it was her or Alexis.”
“Alexis I know. I know when she’s okay and when she’s not.” She took another drag of the cigarette. “I know she’s fine because she has Blake, Harper, and the babies. I miss her, yes, but it’s not like I can’t see her anytime I want. But Callie…”
“Callie’s different.”
Emily knew. Even if they didn’t talk about it all the time, she still knew. No one knew Sophia better than Emily.
