“He said something interesting before he left for the airport.”
“Oh, yeah?” she asked, interest pooling in her eyes.
“Some trivia something or other.”
Kaley looked at me in confusion. “Trivia? Only you would find that interesting.”
“Right? I’m not sure where he was going with that marriage talk at the end.” I shook my head.
Kaley’s eyebrows rose into her hairline. “Marriage? Now that is interesting.”
“I’m sure it was just a coincidence.” I brushed it off with a wave of the scissors and continued wrapping, ignoring the blip that occurred in my heart.
“Oh, I’m sure,” Kaley responded with a small grin.
“What?” I laughed. “What’s that look?”
“Nothing...I’m sure it’s exactly what you said.” Her grin widened.
“Don’t get too excited,” I said in warning. “Even if he was hinting at marriage, I’m not sure I’d say yes.”
“Wouldn’t say yes? Why not?”
“He called me Nicole, Kaley.”
“You said all was forgiven.”
“But not forgotten. It worries me that he may not be as over it as he says.”
“Yes he is,” she insisted. “This was the first time he’s been faced with a situation similar to that of Nicole. Of course he’d react.”
“Okay. I can see that, but think about this. Let’s say he and I get married-”
“I’m with ya,” she said, nodding. “I like it so far.”
“So we are married...and I’m working in a sports medicine clinic. I have as co-workers and/or patients, men, sometimes good looking men, that I am required to be with hours a day. How does James react?”
“Okay. I can see what you’re saying, but it will be different.”
“How? How will that situation be any different from the one he recently freaked out about and the one that occurred with Nicole?”
“So, Matt is good looking?”
“Kaleeeey,” I whined, “That’s not the point.”
“I know. I was just curious. And I know this is serious. Sorry.” She put down her scissors and grabbed my hands. “That little freak out he had on you brought to the surface what he had already known about Nicole and his marriage subconsciously. He knew all along Nicole didn’t really love him. He knew things weren’t right in their marriage.”
My heart ached for him. Nicole didn’t know what an amazing man she’d had. She chose to throw away the love of a decent, honest, hardworking, not to mention insanely good looking, man. For what? A body that would begin to break down over the years. We all die sometime anyway. She gave him up along with the chance of a family- little babies to smother with kisses who look just like their daddy.
“Wanna know what else he realized?” she asked gently. I nodded and my eyes began to burn.
“He realized that when you denied having any feelings for Zeke and Matt, he knew you were telling the truth. He believed you, Sophie. Just as he knew he couldn’t believe Nicole when she denied the same thing, he knew he could believe you.” She pulled me into a hug. “Heaven knows I couldn’t be married to him- and for more than the obvious reasons- but don’t be too quick to shoot him down when he asks. He’s come a long way. You can love him through the rest.”
I hugged her back and then pulled away to find a Kleenex. “Sorry I snotted all over your shirt,” I told her, wiping my eyes and nose.
“Ehhh. I’m a mom,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “Snot is part of the job description.” I laughed and shuddered with a big sigh.
“I do have one question for you, though,” she said with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
“Yeah?”
“How strict is this partnership with Matt?”
“Oh, come on,” I said with a laugh.
“How strict is this partnership?” she repeated. “I hope you wrote a ‘back out without any penalties’ clause into the contract. You’re gonna need it.”
“Whatever,” I said, blushing. I concentrated fiercely on wrapping a Lego set, but I didn’t miss Kaley’s attempt to tamp down her grin.
“Hand me that ring...I mean roll of tape, would you?” We looked at each other and burst into giggles.
James
I looked up from the clipboard when I heard the doors open. I did a double take and a slow grin spread across my face. Setting the paperwork down on the counter, I sucked in a sharp breath at the relief, crazy strong in its intensity, that swept through me at the sight of her. On its heels was a calm sense of rightness that she was here. It’s where she belongs. I couldn’t disagree with what my heart had been trying to tell me all along. Then I choked back a laugh. She looked like she was going to be sick.
“You made it,” I said as I walked to her as casually as I could manage. Although what I really wanted to do was pull her to me and never let go. One day without touching her was too long, and it had been three.
She gulped. “Yup. Couple hours ago.”
I checked my watch again. “I didn’t think you’d be in til later tonight.”
She swallowed. “Surprise.”
My grin widened. She couldn’t possibly be worried that showing up early would make me upset. Why was she so nervous? “Best surprise ever,” I assured her. “Kaley will be excited. You’re all she’s talked about the past few weeks.” With the mention of Kaley, she went a little green.
“I’m actually just coming from her house.” She swallowed again. “It was like Santa’s Workshop, maybe the entire North Pole, vomited on her kitchen table. Things were looking pretty grim. Did you know that people have wrapped gifts since paper was invented in China in one hundred five A.D.?”
I laughed, casually folding my arms across my chest, and bit back a smile when her eyes followed the movement and she visibly swallowed again. She was so nervous. “But you survived the wrapping.”
“Barely. It was touch and go.” She heaved a dramatic sigh and relaxed slightly. “I hope those boys appreciate what I went through for them.”
So cute. My body screamed for me to reach out to her, touch her. I didn’t want to push her, but her coloring was mostly back to normal now. I reached a hand out. She sucked in a breath and slowly lifted her hand to mine. I laced our fingers together and pulled her to me. My body sighed and then she answered with an audible sigh of her own as I wrapped my arms around her. I buried my face in her neck and breathed her in. How had I survived months without her?
“This is what’s been missing,” I whispered. I grinned when she shivered and tightened my hold on her. “Sophie-” I sighed.
“Who you suffocatin’, Doctor?”
Sophie raised her head from my chest and squealed. “Ms. Gina!” She pulled out of my arms and ran to the lucky nurse.
“Ms. Sophie! You’re back. ‘Bout time, child.” I watched as they threw their arms around each other and Ms. Gina commenced suffocating her. “I told the doctor he’d better quit sneaking around with all those women.” Sophie threw an amused glance at me over Ms. Gina’s shoulder. I felt color rise in my cheeks and dread in my stomach.
“It’s good to be back,” Sophie told her.
“You’re back to stay, aren’t you, missy.” It wasn’t a question. “The doctor can’t think straight without you here. All those women couldn’t make up for the lack of ya. I told him so.” She turned angry eyes on me. I squirmed under her condemning stare.
Great. Time for an intervention. “Ms. Gina, would you-”
“You don’t need to tell me, Doctor,” she said with a dismissive wave. “I’m goin’.” She gave Sophie one more squeeze and walked away, calling, “Don’t you let her get away this time, Doctor, or you and I will have words. Don’t think we won’t.”
Sophie put a hand to her mouth to cover her grin.
“Good to know what team she’s on,” I said with a shake of my head.
“I’m not complaining,” Sophie replied, her grin still in place.
“
Her and every other person I know.” I reached out and took her hand again. “What are your plans tonight?”
“Well, this is not only a holiday, but it is also a vacation for me-”
“You know in other parts of the world those are the same thing?”
“Very funny, Doctor,” she grinned and squeezed my hand. “What I was saying is that if this is my vacation, I’m going to do whatever I want.” She took a step closer and gazed into my eyes. I tugged on her hand to bring her the rest of the way to me and wrapped my arms loosely around her waist.
“I think you deserve that with all the work you’ve been doing to open your clinic. So, what are you going to do?” I nuzzled her ear and smiled at the stuttered breath she took.
“I don’t care as long as it’s with you,” she breathed and wrapped her arms around my neck.
“I was hoping you’d say that.” I was a breath away from her lonely lips when the doors opened behind us. I suppressed a frustrated sigh and straightened causing her arms to fall from around my neck.
“Well, this looks familiar,” Zeke said, strutting over to us. “Except unlike the other thousand or so women you’ve paraded through here the past few months, I’ve actually seen you with this one more than once.” I felt Sophie stiffen in my arms. “How ya doin’, babe?” he asked Sophie.
“I’m good, Zeke,” she responded even as I said, “She has a name, Zeke.”
“Oh, I know she has a name,” he said, looking her over from head to toe. “But she prefers I call her something else, right, ba-”
“We were just on our way out, Zeke,” Sophie interrupted. Which was a good thing, because if he stepped any closer to her or eyed her like that once more, I’d punch him in the face. My blood was dangerously close to boiling. “Merry Christmas,” she called to him over her shoulder as she laced her fingers through mine and pulled me toward my office.
“I don’t know why you let him get to you,” she told me when we got to my office. “He’s just trying to get under your skin.”
“I know, but he does it so well I don’t even realize he’s doing it until I’m ready to-”
“Let’s not waste our time together talking about Zeke,” she said softly, putting her arms around my neck and playing with the hair at its nape.
Zeke who? My heart rate kicked up way above normal levels when she leaned forward and whispered in my ear.
“You need a haircut, Doctor. I thought you were going to get that taken care of weeks ago.”
I put my arms around her waist. “I told you after the first time there was no going back,” I managed. Let her read a double meaning into that one if she would.
“You hungry?” she asked.
You have no idea. I cleared my throat. “Sure. I could eat. Let me just grab my stuff and we can go.”
“Elevator or stairs?” I asked as we made our way down the hall.
“Race ya,” she called as she shot in front of me.
“No way…” I said in disbelief then took off after her.
Our footsteps pounded down the stairs, echoing through the stairwell along with her laughter. I stuck out an arm as I rounded a corner, holding her off and pulling ahead. She sped up and latched on to the back of my shirt, simultaneously pulling me back and placing her in the lead when I almost fell over backward and sat hard on the stairs.
“What have I told you about cheaters?” I called after her.
“Don’t remember,” she called back and then let out a surprised squeal when someone turned a corner coming from the opposite direction. She jumped around him, apologizing, and kept running full speed down to the parking garage. I caught her arm when she slowed to fling the door open.
“Uh, uh,” I said, picking her up and throwing her over my shoulder.
“James!” she shrieked. “What are you doing? Put me down. You’ll hurt yourself.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? You wound me. I’m as fit as any twenty-five year old.”
She caressed the muscles along my back. “I know,” she said with feeling. I gently dropped her to her feet.
“And what’s that supposed to mean?”
“What?” she asked innocently. “What’s what supposed to mean?”
“That last ‘I know,’” I repeated in my best imitation of her breathy exclamation. She giggled and blushed. Talk about adorable. I reached a hand up and brushed her cheek with my thumb. She closed her eyes at my touch and leaned into my hand. I stepped closer and placed a soft kiss on her forehead causing her to sigh and stumble into me. I steadied her with a hand on her elbow.
“You want me to follow you in my car, or do you want to go together and come back for one of them after?” I asked in a low voice into her hair. Her hair. I reached up and fingered its silky softness.
“I had my dad drop me off.” she murmured, her eyes still closed. “We can take your car.”
“You were pretty sure you could pick me up, weren’t you?”
“I bet you say that to all the girls,” she said batting her eyes at me- her upturned face so close, teasing lips begging to be kissed.
“The only woman I’ve ever said that to is you,” I told her, looking her square in the eyes so she would know I was serious. “All those other girls were a lame attempt at finding some sanity when I let you walk away. It didn’t work.”
“Because there’s no cure for your type of crazy?” she asked, biting her lip to keep from grinning. Sassy. I couldn’t take it anymore.
I put my hands on either side of her face and pulled her to me. “I think if you kiss me right now, we’d be on our way to finding a cure. You’d be a medical miracle.”
“You’d be the medical miracle, Doc,” she said all breathy, glancing at my lips.
“Right. You’re just the miracle.” As I lowered my lips to hers, I knew I’d never said anything more true. She was a miracle. My miracle. And I wasn’t letting her go again.
Sophie
“Okay. Spill,” Adri demanded. “You’ve been there two days and I haven’t heard from you. Not one little text. Was he surprised?”
“There’s nothing to tell,” I told her.
“What a bunch of bull. If things weren’t going well, we’d have been crying together by now, talking about how all the good times in our lives have the common theme of bowls of ice cream and chocolate chip cookies.”
“I thought those were our comfort foods during the worst times in our lives.”
“Let’s just agree that ice cream and chocolate chip cookies make everything in life a little bit better.”
“Amen,” I cried.
“So? Don’t keep me in suspense.”
“Oh, Adri,” I sighed dreamily. “He’s so perfect.”
“Yeah, this week.”
“I know. But we’ve worked through a lot of stuff the past couple weeks, and I feel like we are in a good place now. He’s not perfect, but he’s perfect for me.”
“You’re right. He is,” she said wistfully.
“What’s that tone?” I asked.
“Just that...he’s going to ask you to marry him and you’ll move there and leave me.”
“If that happens, you should come with me.”
“No thanks. Newlyweds are nauseating. Besides, I couldn’t afford a place on my own and I don’t know anyone to room with.”
“It will all work out,” I said.
We were both quiet for a time, lost in our own thoughts, until I broke the silence. “This is the first Christmas in almost nine years that we won’t be together.
“Can you believe it?”
“I still think you should have come with me.”
“I’ll go visit my grandparents. It’s been awhile. There wouldn’t have been room for me at Trevor’s anyway.”
“You and I are crammed into one bedroom at home, what’s the difference? Kaley would have let you crash at her house.”
“I know, but you need this time with James to figure things out. When the clinic opens, you won’t be able to
get away to see him for who knows how long. You don’t need to be worrying about keeping me entertained.”
“You are the best friend a girl could have, you know that? I don’t know where I’d be without you.”
“Well, living at your parent’s house, for sure.”
“And I thank heaven everyday that I’m not.”
“So tell me what you guys are doing tonight and tomorrow for Christmas.”
As I told her about the family parties James and I would be attending, I couldn’t help feeling a little melancholy. Change was in the air. I could feel it. Where would that leave me and Adri- my best friend who I loved like a sister? I didn’t like thinking of her being alone.
Chapter 14
James
“You’re sure it’s okay that I crash this party with you?” Sophie asked for the hundredth time as I pulled away from the curb.
“Soph, my mom would be furious if I didn’t bring you.” I reached out a hand to caress her soft cheek. She looked amazing tonight in her new black dress. My eyes strayed momentarily to her tan, toned legs before moving back to the road. Wow! Not that she didn’t always look beautiful, but there was a sparkle in her eye, when combined with her adorable nervousness, I didn’t want to go to any party. I wanted to take her somewhere and keep her all to myself.
She leaned into my palm and closed her eyes. “I’m sorry I keep asking. I don’t know why I’m so nervous.” She turned her face slightly and kissed my palm. “It’s just been a while.”
“And they still love you as much as the first time you captured their hearts. If I were you, I’d be more worried about being mauled to death. Besides, Kaley will be so happy that she’ll likely monopolize as much of your time as I’ll let her- which won’t be much,” I assured her, taking her hand and bringing it to my lips. “Aside from your family, I’m the only one allowed to monopolize all your time. I only get you for two more days.”
“I’d rather not talk about that, James.”
“I know. But we need to talk about it sometime, Soph. I want to know when I get to see you next. I’m not going to be content with just a text now and then.”
The Heart of the Matter Page 15