by Kelly, Erika
She gave Sophie a compassionate smile. “I’m so sorry.”
“What’s she talking about?” Sophie fired the words at Ryan, but it was Emma who answered.
“I cheated on him, and he can’t get over it.”
Oh, my God. This gorgeous creature had cheated on him. She was the reason he was blowing up his life. She was the reason he’d become so obsessed with Sophie.
“It was a mistake.” Emma’s voice was filled with regret. “I got swept away in the moment.” And then she approached Ryan. “I’m so lonely over there. And I met him, and it was crazy, and it all happened so fast, but I knew right away that I’d made the worst mistake of my life. Ryan, you have to forgive me. You can’t keep…” She gestured to Sophie without even looking at her, as though Sophie was just residual damage from her error in judgment.
Sophie couldn’t listen to another word. She jerked out of his hold and took off.
“Goddammit. Sophie!” He chased her, but she spun around.
“Don’t come near me. I’m serious. You…you…” Tears blurred her vision. Inexorable pain bore down on her with such force she thought she might collapse right there in the hallway. “Leave me the hell alone.”
“She’s got it all wrong.”
“I saw you in there. I saw your expression. She’s not wrong. Stop torturing your ex and get your damn life back on track. Or don’t. Continue to screw it up. I don’t care. Just don’t come near me ever again.”
“I’ve told you everything. You know I don’t love her anymore.”
“You’ve told me what you wanted me to hear. Go back to her, Ryan. You make the perfect couple.”
“I’m never going back to her. It’s not my fault if she’s not getting it.”
“No, Ryan. I think the only one not getting it is you.” She turned and raced off to the elevator.
“Fuck.” He chased her down the hall. “Stop it, Sophie. I told you everything about Emma from the beginning.”
“Except the part that she was coming here.” She stabbed the call button.
He loomed over her, as if he wanted to touch her but couldn’t. “I found out yesterday.”
“And you didn’t think to tell me?”
“I should’ve told you. But I didn’t want her invading our time together. I shouldn’t have to deal with her. I’ve told her repeatedly that it’s over.”
“But you didn’t really do that, did you? You tried to make nice with her. Instead of telling her the truth, you wanted to keep everything on an even keel. God forbid you upset anybody by owning how you feel. So you played her with your charming smile and your evasive answers.”
He looked uncomfortable, hands digging into his pockets. “Yes, I probably did that.”
“So let’s see if you’ve learned your lesson. What about me, Ryan? Do you want to continue to be with me after we leave here? Or do you want to move on with your life and leave me as your one and only spring break fling?”
“We’ve been over this. You’re not a fling. But I do have to get back to school. I have to play my ass off the rest of the season to make up for this week. And I have to earn back the trust the scouts had in me.”
“And…you’ve learned nothing. Still evasive. Let’s try one more time. Do you want to be with me?”
“I’ve shown you how much I want to be with you, but I—”
“It’s a yes or no answer. That’s all a woman really wants to hear. Yes or no. We don’t want to be strung along. We don’t want to waste time trying to figure out what you’re thinking or what you really want. Yes or no, Ryan?”
His eyes shuttered, the man she’d fallen for gone. He drew in a deep breath, gazing down the long hallway. And then he looked back at her. “No.”
The elevator dinged, the doors parted. The only sound in her head was her heart shattering. “Goodbye, Ryan.”
“He’s not a sociopath.” Stretched out on her bed with a pillow on her lap, Laura reached for another strawberry off the platter delivered by room service.
Sophie had awakened her friends for an emergency meeting. They gathered in Laura’s room because she didn’t want to risk Ryan coming to hers. Of course, he was with Emma. But, honestly, she didn’t know which would be worse. Him showing up at her door to win her back or knowing he hadn’t come at all.
Laura offered her a berry, but the very thought of food made Sophie sick. “Sure seems like one to me.”
“Soph, he’s crazy about you. Anyone can see that.” Laura bit into the strawberry and chewed. “But that’s not the issue.”
“Give him time,” Kat said from the chair she’d dragged close to the bed so she could prop her feet on the mattress. “If anyone’s crazy it’s the ex. Can you imagine showing up at Blake’s resort over spring break?”
“God, no.” Laura shuddered.
“He doesn’t need time. He’s already decided.”
Kat nodded slowly. “I don’t think he knows what he wants. Look, we’re all in a really weird place right now. I don’t have a clue what I want to do with my life because I was so sure everything would magically fall into place.” She gestured to Laura, who grabbed a handful of grapes. “She thought she’d be on the adventure of a lifetime with Blake, playing the sport she loves and seeing the world with her boyfriend. You don’t know what job your family’s going to come up with. And I don’t know Ryan’s story, but I know he’s got one. He wants you, but he doesn’t want to make commitments he might not be able to keep.”
But it wasn’t about that at all. Only she wouldn’t betray the jerk’s trust. “God, I’m so stupid.” She could still see the pleading look on Emma’s angelic face. Don’t drag her into this. You can’t hurt other people just to get back at me.
Pain sliced through her. Emma had cheated on him. That explained everything.
“You’re not stupid.” Laura patted her leg. “You fell for a really hot guy. So what?”
Kat reached for her coffee. “I came here looking for a boyfriend. How stupid is that? But you know what? I figured something out this week. Like you said at lunch the other day, I work so hard to get a guy’s attention. Of course he’s going to give me a chance to rock his world in bed. I dazzle him. I thought it gave me power, you know? You look into his eyes, and you see you’ve got him. You think you can win him with that power. But what I didn’t get is that I only have that power while I’m on my knees with his dick in my mouth.”
“Oh, sweetie.” Sophie started to get up to give her friend a hug, but Kat waved her away.
“No, it’s good. I get it now. I mean, four years and a lot of frat parties later…I feel like an idiot. All those times I thought I was sweeping the guy away with lust or whatever, but really he’s just thinking how he has this hot girl blowing him and how, as soon as he’s done, he’s got to study for that test, but maybe he has time for one more beer before he heads back to his room. That’s…that’s…God.” She nodded with a determined expression. “But, like I said, I’m glad I figured it out.”
Laura wiped her fingers on a linen napkin. “Well, look at me. The only reason I came here was to hurt my boyfriend of two years. At least I thought that’s what it was, but you know what? I don’t think that’s it at all. I was trying to make it look like I found someone else first. I was competing with him. And you know what hit me? Being competitive is awesome. It got me a full-ride to UCLA. And in business, whatever I do for a career, I’m going to kick ass. But in relationships? It’s terrible. I mean, seriously, spending my spring break finding hot guys to pose with me so I can outdo Blake? I wouldn’t even want to know someone who did that.”
“All righty then.” Sophie forced a smile. “Looks like this trip turned out awesome for all of us. ‘Cause, you know, in spite of how it ended with Ryan, I got epic sex.”
Laura smiled. “Exactly. The most gorgeous guy on the island gave you the best sex of your life. You are the winner of spring break. And we all go home with a whole new outlook. It’s not about guys. It’s about us. It’s about fi
guring out what we want. And making kickass lives for ourselves.”
Kat shrugged. “I don’t know, Soph. I don’t think it’s over yet. Give him time. If I were you, I’d keep in touch with him. You never know.”
“Here’s what I do know,” Sophie said. “He’s going to play professional baseball. He’ll be traveling, training, doing interviews, all that same stuff King did only on a way higher level. I’d be on the periphery of his world. And I’m not going to be waiting around for him. I’m just not.”
“You’re in the center of ours,” Kat said. “You’re the reason we all stay in touch and get together as often as we do. We may go off with boyfriends and sports and whatever, but you’ll always bring us back home.”
Home. Where the hell was home? The house she’d grown up in hadn’t felt like home in years. Her sister said she’d feel differently when Sophie had kids of her own, but the age difference would never change. They’d always be in different phases of their lives.
She finally got it. She sat up, shoving the cart aside to get out of bed. “I’m moving.”
“What?” Laura held a grape in front of her mouth.
“I haven’t told you guys the truth. And I have to trust you to keep this completely confidential.”
“Of course,” Laura said.
“You know you can trust us, honey,” Kat said.
“My sister and brothers are negotiating to sell Crazy Hearts.”
When her friends started to protest, she continued. “I’m working out the details of whether or not I can buy it and manage it on my own. Jake gave me a ton of information, and I think it’s really do-able. That’s why I was talking about Montana. I love it out there. I’m going to get a place right on the mountain. I can ski, hike, fish, boat…I mean, it’s perfect for me.” Her friends looked a little sad. “It’s the biggest ski resort in the country.” She leaned over and shook Kat’s foot. “I’ll get a big house so you guys can visit whenever you want.”
“I want to say you’re being a selfish bitch leaving me all alone in LA, but I’m a little turned on by this whole idea.” Kat smiled. “I don’t know about the fishing thing, but a cool ski town? That sounds fabulous.”
“Oh, shut up. You can’t make a decision like this when you’re upset.” Laura tossed a grape at her. “Go home. Finish school. See how you feel this summer. You’ve got all the time in the world.”
“Time?” Ha. Good one. “Do you know how long I’ve waited to start living my life? I’ve been waiting for everyone—for King to move to LA to be with me, for my family to include me in their little circle of exclusivity. I’ve stayed in that damn mausoleum because they don’t want to lose their childhood memories. Well, guess what? I want to make happy memories of my own.” She slid her feet into her sandals and leaned down to buckle the straps.
“Where you going?”
She hadn’t been this sure of anything in ages. “Don’t be mad at me, but I’m done here. I want to go to Montana before I head back to school. And, come on, you know there’s no way I’m going to risk running into Emma and Ryan hanging out together.”
“How many times does he have to tell you he’s over her?” Laura shoved the cart aside and got up.
“It doesn’t matter what he says. The only thing that matters is what he does. He knew Emma was coming, and he didn’t tell me. Me, the woman he’s sleeping with. How awful is that? And if he really doesn’t want to get back with her, why would she fly out to Santa Grenada? He’s playing both of us because he doesn’t have the balls to own what he wants.” And she understood why. She really did. With all the chaos of his childhood, she could understand why he’d need to placate everyone. Look what had happened the last time he’d upset someone. His mother had gone to the ER, and his family had blown up.
“It’s weird that he didn’t tell you.”
“Yeah, it’s weird. And you know what? No matter how great we are together, he’s not ready to jump back into another committed relationship. Of course he isn’t. You guys are right. We had great sex.” She drew in a sharp breath because it hurt. It hurt so badly, but she was finally moving forward. “I had a great time with him, but it’s over. And I want to move on. I want to start my life.”
Her friends walked her to the door. “I’m going to talk to Jake. He’s frustrated working for his family. His dad and older brother won’t listen to any of his ideas. I’m going to see if he wants to help me with Crazy Hearts.”
“I don’t know whether you’re truly happy or just racing off on another adventure to cover up Ryan’s assholery,” Kat said. “But I don’t want your sister steamrolling you, so go. Figure out your shit. Just let us know how it’s going.”
“Take lots of pictures and put them up on Facebook so we can all be jealous of your exciting plans for after you graduate,” Laura said.
“Did you just hear yourself?” Sophie asked, and all three burst out laughing.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“You can’t stay here.” Ryan looked at the woman he’d grown up with and understood she’d lost her way.
“They’re booked, Ryan. There’s nowhere else for me to stay.”
He didn’t feel even the slightest inclination to give in. “That’s not my problem. I told you not to come out here.”
“After I was on a plane.” She used her soft voice, the one that usually made him feel sorry for her.
Only, this time he didn’t feel much of anything. He was done. “Why are you here? Why would you come all the way out here for one day? I told you I didn’t want to see you.”
“I thought you were upset.” Tears welled. “I thought you needed me. I came here to help you. Your teammates are worried about you. Everyone back home is freaking out.”
“You did that. No one knew anything. Jake, Dixon, and my dad were the only people who knew what I’d done. And then you went and stirred up trouble. What the hell?”
She cocked her head, eyeing him carefully. “You’re different.”
“I sure as hell hope so.” He needed to get to Sophie. Ironically, he’d been ending his relationship with Emma when Sophie had shown up in the restaurant. He hoped his ex finally got it, that they’d never get back together. But even if she didn’t, that was her issue. He’d hurt Sophie, and that killed him. “Look, I have to go.” He tried to usher her out the door, but she stayed by her luggage.
“I’m not going anywhere.” Tears spilled out of her big, brown eyes. “I’m not giving up on you, Ryan.” Her breath hitched. “I can’t believe I did this to you. I’m sorry. I’ll never forgive myself.”
Was she serious about this shit? How did he even address it? With the truth. “Emma, listen to me. I don’t care that you cheated. I really don’t. We should’ve ended things a long time before that. Now, come on.” He lifted her suitcase—Jesus, what had she packed for a weekend on an island?
“Look, baby, just talk to me. We never talked. You saw the tabloids and you just shut me out. And now look at you.” She held prayerful hands over her mouth. “God, you were so perfect. You had everything. And now…You’re spiraling out of control. Sit with me, talk to me, just let it all out. Even if you still don’t want to get back with me yet, at least let it all out.”
“Let what all out? What’re you talking about?”
“Ryan, baby, it’s me. No one knows you better. No one gets you like I do. Come on, your mom let you down all the time, your dad wasn’t there for you. I know. Why do you think my dad started bringing you home with him after practice? Because of me. Because I couldn’t stand that no one came to pick you up. And then you gave me your whole heart and what did I do? I trashed it. For a stupid fling with some guy in a boy band.”
Clarity struck like the flare of a match. Why had he never seen this before? “I never gave you my heart.”
She flinched, as though he’d slapped her.
“I’m sorry, but I didn’t.” He got it. He got it so clearly. “I liked going to your house. It was peaceful. Everyone got along and laughed with
each other. But I was on my best behavior. All the time. I was so polite, so careful not to say the wrong thing. I didn’t want to be kicked out. And believe me, after all the trouble I caused at home, I locked my shit down for your family. I wanted them to like me.” A terrible feeling crawled up his spine. Some kind of understanding shifted like a shadow at the back of his mind, but he didn’t have time for this. He needed to get to Sophie.
“It’s not true. Nothing you’re saying is true. You had a terrible home life, and you got to be yourself around us. You’re only saying this because I hurt you. I wish I could go back in time. I hate myself. I hate what I’ve done to you.”
“Emma.” He shook his head, holding her gaze. “I’ve never been myself around you. I’ve always been polite, a gentleman.”
“You are a gentleman. You’re such a great guy. The best. I’ve never met a guy as kind and gentle and sweet as you. Everyone loves you. I love you.”
“I don’t love you, Emma. Not that way.”
“Are you saying you love that girl? You just met her.”
“I’m not talking to you about Sophie.” She’s mine.
“You’re using her to hurt me. You can’t love her.”
“But I do.” Oh, holy hell. The truth hit him like a body blow.
He stopped in the doorway, letting it sink in.
He was completely and totally in love with Sophie Valentine.
This wasn’t about escaping his troubles or going hard for a week. This wasn’t about lust.
He fucking loved her. Everything about her—from her independent and fiery spirit to her warmth and sensuality to her sense of humor and adventure. He loved her.
And he had to have her.
Opening the door, he set Emma’s suitcase outside and waited for her to pass. She stood immobile, looking dazed.