Love Me Love Me Knot

by Deb Lee

  “I think they have a one-nine-hundred number for that.” Ryan could hear the smirk in her voice.

  “I’ll pass, thanks.”

  “How did you do it?”

  Good question. Ryan thought a moment. “I guess pure adrenaline. When baseball and football season overlapped, I lived on Red Bull and vending machine cuisines. Never took any of the synthetic alternatives I was offered. I like to keep my head clear.” Plus, he’d be damned to follow in his father’s substance abuse shoes.

  “That must be really hard. Ever think about not traveling.”

  And there was the ten-thousand-dollar question. One that was in the works of being answered for him by way of a merge, layoff, and promotion. None of which he could to tell her. But he wanted to. He needed to be vague for now, so he answered, “It’s crossed my mind.”

  She stared off in the distance where a trail of tourists in golf carts drove past the Holiday Inn. “I guess you’ll know when the time is right.”

  Part of him felt deceptive. A huge part of him. He needed to tell Sophie the truth. Tonight. The merge was happening. He couldn’t let her find out through someone else. She’d never trust him again. Stupid Johnson and his loose, vindictive lips.

  The conversation tapered off, and Ryan reflected on Phil’s caution that this transition would be hard, yet Red Goldman’s heartfelt been there done that warning burned in his mind. Don’t put your career over your heart.

  Sophie leaned against him again, and he settled one of his hands over her thigh, breathing her in. He had to let her know about the merge before the rumor mill got to her first.

  She fell apart in his arms because everything built up and crashed down on her. How long had she been holding that in? She was such a strong woman, yet she had limits. He didn’t have the heart to tell her that whether she raised five thousand dollars or a hundred thousand dollars, the café would shut down.

  She’d be devastated more about the café closing than what the merge meant for her career. And before he returned to San Antonio, he was determined to help her figure out a way to keep its door open.

  She shifted on the saddle pad.

  “You comfortable?” Ryan adjusted his seat so she could move. Riding horses made butts numb.

  “I’m fine. Just a little embarrassed still. I think everything caught up with me. I’m sorry.”

  Ryan squeezed his eyes. His own regret dwarfed anything she could ever tell him. In fact, he wanted nothing more than to fix what he’d done to her. “I’m glad you told me. I just wish I would have known.”

  Sophie shook her head. “No more secrets, okay?”

  Shit. “I agree.” Only, he still had one. And he needed to tell her about the merge and his promotion tonight. This time, they would figure out their impossible situation together.

  When they got back to the barn, Jamba clomped out of Tia’s house with Dolly slung around his neck.

  “Have fun?” Jamba plucked Dolly from his shoulders and gripped her like a football. “Want some help?”

  Ryan hopped off and Sophie slid down behind him, wobbling unsteadily at first. “Numb legs, right?”

  “Uh, yeah,” she said, rubbing her thighs.

  Ryan handed the reins to Jamba. “Thanks.” The goat bleated as Jamba tossed Dolly on Santana’s back.

  “I’ll put her away and then I’m taking off. Sorry about the pummeling threat earlier. You seem all right.”

  Ryan smiled. “No worries.” The goat eyed him and bleated again.

  The back of Ryan’s pants vibrated, and he pressed his cell to his ear. Phil. Damn. “I’ll be just a minute.”

  Tia stepped out on to the porch. “Mija, come in here, you have to see this!”

  Ryan’s chin jutted, letting Sophie know he’d be right behind her. Then he turned around. “Pike,” he answered.

  “Change of plans. I need you to open the email I just sent.”

  “I’m not on the boat, Phil. I can’t get to a computer just yet. I’ll check my phone and read it.”

  “No, that won’t do. It’s a huge file and I want to talk you through it. It’s a huge cluster so get to one ASAP and call me back. I need to go over a few changes.”

  “Phil, I’m a little indisposed. Can I call you tonight?”

  “This is important, Pike. Just get to a computer and call me. Okay?”

  “Sure, Phil.” A chill shot down Ryan’s back. “I’ll call you back as soon as I can.”

  Ryan tucked his phone in his back pocket just as Jamba opened the door to his Chevy pick-up. Dolly trotted to the front porch. “Any chance you can give us a ride back to the ship right now?”

  “Sure. Jump in.”

  “Great. I’ll go get Sophie.” Phil’s urgency made Ryan uneasy. He’d never had him drop his plans to answer an email. And after the conversation they had this morning, Ryan’s hackles stood on end.

  Ryan swung the front door open and a blur of Dodger blue burst through his legs. Dolly jumped on the couch and circled a few times before she collapsed. Sophie and Tia sat on the floor laughing over a photo album. “What’s so funny?”

  Sophie glanced at him, her face red from hysterics. This, he thought, was a much better look on her. No more crying and sadness.

  “You’re so cute in your superhero cape . . . and nothing else.” She snorted and fell back, laughing hard. Dolly raised her head in curiosity.

  Ryan rolled his eyes. “Really, Tia? You have to show her baby pictures?”

  “Naked pictures,” Sophie said, nearly hyperventilating.

  Ryan pointed at Sophie. “Not funny.” Then he stabbed an even sterner finger at Tia. “And inappropriate.”

  The girls burst out laughing.

  “Ha, ha,” he said. “Get your kicks now. Just know that little stud there turned into this stud here.” He flexed his biceps, and the laughing only intensified. “You guys are terrible. Wait until you need a spider stepped on. You can forget about asking me.”

  Sophie pressed her lips in a hard line, but the hysterics made her convulse into another bout of laughter.

  “Whatever. Come on, Sophie, we have to go. My boss needs me to read an email pronto and apparently the attachment is too big to read on my phone.”

  Sophie pouted. “Really? We have an hour before we have to be back, and the ship is only fifteen minutes away.”

  “I know, but I have to go. Jamba’s waiting.”

  Sophie slouched, pursing her lips. “We were just getting to know each other.”

  Something in Ryan swelled with hope. If she wanted to get to know Tia better, could it mean she wanted to be a part of his life? No way he wanted to end this bonding moment between them. Even if it did involve embarrassing photos. But his job. He scrubbed a hand through his hair.

  “I’ll take her,” Tia offered.

  “Really?” Sophie’s gaze cut to Ryan.

  “Okay, yeah.” He crossed the Woodstock shrine and gave Tia a hug. “It was wonderful to see you, and I promise not to wait so long until next time.”

  She waved him off. “Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard that one before. You journalists are all the same.”

  “Hey,” Sophie objected. “Not all journalists.”

  “Touché.” Ryan kissed the top of Sophie’s head. “Would you join me for dinner tonight for the formal dinner? Maybe we can pick up where we left off in the barn.” He winked, and Sophie blushed.

  Jamba pounded on the doorframe. “You ready?”

  “I prefer guys with tattoos, I decided.” She winked back.

  “How about goats?”

  Sophie punched him in the thigh. “How about charley horses?”

  Ryan rubbed his leg, grinning. “See you at seven then?”

  Sophie nodded. “Wouldn’t miss it.”
r />   Ryan blew them both a kiss goodbye and jogged after Jamba toward his truck. He was going to take care of whatever Phil was throwing at him, but then he needed to talk everything out with Sophie. She deserved the truth. And he needed to find a way to break the news to her without compromising her café, his future with Sports Now, and hopefully, his future with her.

  Chapter 31

  To suggest Sophie was a little worried at this moment would have been the understatement of the century.

  She checked her watch for the millionth time. 7:33:09 p.m. On the dot. He had to be on board. Right? They don’t leave people stranded on desolate islands . . . not that Avalon was exactly desolate, but they had a date.

  A date! Ficus, what could be holding him up? Ryan’s face flashed in her mind. Where was he? Maybe his earlier call at Tia’s farm had something to do with his family. Didn’t he say his dad was in Paris? What if something terrible happened. What if he was already packed and off the ship?

  Paranoia, much?

  She sat at a two-person table on the Lido Deck, looking hot if she did say so herself. She was dressed in a long black gown, wearing Amy’s dangly diamond earrings she had insisted Sophie use, with her hair twisted in one of those buns YouTube’s Pin it in a Minute said would be easy. It wasn’t easy at all. YouTube was quickly becoming her enemy, but her hair looked really good.

  She stirred a mug of hot tea and checked the time again. 7:33:26. Ugh.

  A coldness bit into her bones. Aggressive waves splashed against the side of the boat swaying everything from the teacup in her hand to the butterflies in her stomach. The rain hadn’t started yet, but occasional drops of mist seeped into her pores.

  Fidgeting her fingers, she played with the key card to Ryan’s cabin. He’d dropped it outside the barn, and Sophie grabbed it on her way to Tia’s small electric car. So she assumed he wasn’t in his room, unless he got another key. But she had checked. Twice. It doesn’t count as stalking until at least the third visit in thirty minutes.

  A two-note whistle signaling someone else thought she looked hot came from behind. She turned around, fully expecting to see Ryan.

  Who approached couldn’t have been further from what she expected.

  “Where’s our fearless leader?” Asher said. His smugness was a bane to her existence. Why must he bug her incessantly?

  “Shoo, tiny excuse of a man. I don’t have any more time for you today and I don’t feel like fighting.”

  “I’m not here to fight. I just wanted to say good game. And, damn, girl, you look good tonight. How come you never looked like that when we were together?”

  “You were never worth the effort,” Sophie chided. “And are you really bringing up the scavenger hunt again? Do you want a trophy or something? I quit, remember? So bye.”

  “Aw, that’s too bad.” He sat in the empty chair, Ryan’s chair, not catching the hint.

  She glared at him. “I didn’t say you could sit.”

  “Why? It doesn’t look like I’m interrupting anything.”

  His cynicism grated on her. “I said shoo.”

  “Humor me.” He had a piece of paper in one hand and his stupid, beloved schnapps in the other.

  Sophie checked the time again. Where was Ryan?

  “This,” he held up the paper, “is five thousand bucks with the name of my charity of choice to be added. My winnings from the scavenger hunt.” He lifted his schnapps. “Here, here,” he chorused.

  Sophie narrowed her eyes and her muscles tensed. Visualizing throwing him overboard brought a ray of sunshine to this dismal night. “You’re lucky you didn’t get caught playing, though I’m sure you’re disappointed you don’t get to keep the money. Pity.”

  Asher rolled his eyes. “I don’t care if they catch me. Whoever they are. They won’t do anything anyway. It’s a stupid rule. I was, however, awarded a complimentary three-day cruise in addition to the five grand. Sweet deal if you ask me.”

  “I didn’t.”

  “Don’t be sore.” Asher smiled, or simpered rather, and tossed his winnings on the table. “It’s just a game, princess. My Johnny Depp autograph gave me more points than everyone else combined.”

  “Bravo. You done here? Because I am.”

  “They actually asked if they could keep the autograph to frame it. I said no, of course.” Asher mouthed the bottle of Schnapps and tossed his head back.

  “Whatever, Asher. Like I said, congrats and all that. I’m tired. Go away.”

  “Here,” Asher said, pushing his winning certificate across the table.

  Sophie glanced at the certificate, her eyes snagging on the name of the charity. She stared for one moment, then two, not quite comprehending what she was seeing. “Is this for real?” Her eyes cut to his.

  “It’s just the chase, Sophie. Come on. You know me. I don’t really care about the money. But your café needs it. The girls need it.”

  Sophie hesitated, baffled. “But why? You have been a number one, class-A prick for over a week now.”

  He shrugged, and a familiar smile draped across his face. The one he used to give her before he traded her in for an overly endowed Trixie Bell. “Ah, I was just messing with you, babe.”

  “Don’t call me that. And no. You tormented me.”

  Asher leaned across the table. “Well, I’m sorry. Call it a lover’s quarrel. We good?”

  Disconcerted, she crossed her arms. “Cheating is far more than a lover’s quarrel. Nobody hands over five thousand dollars. What’s the catch?”

  “Let me buy you a drink.” He waved a server over.

  Sophie lifted the certificate and rubbed the fibers against her fingers. She should probably decline the drink, but maybe this was genuine? Perhaps Asher’s heart grew three sizes today. He basically just saved her café . . . at least for the short term. She could tolerate him through one drink. “Yeah. I think I can handle a drink.” She could give him that.

  “So, what happened?” Asher asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean you’re here alone, looking smokin’ hot, and obviously waiting for someone. Call it intuition, but something happened. Tell Uncle Asher all about it.”

  “Ew. Don’t ever call yourself that again.” She shook her head. “It’s a long story.”

  “I’ve got time.”

  Even she didn’t fully understand today. The last thing on Earth, nay, the universe, she would do is use Asher as a sounding board. Like ever. “I’m sorry, Asher. I’m just tired.”

  He took her hand from the tabletop and caressed it with his thumb. “You want to come back to my cabin for a bit?” He cocked his head to the side and raised his eyebrow like a bona fide sleaze.

  “Absolutely not.” She snatched her hand back.

  “Come on. It’ll be fun. We can just hang out or . . . explore. Nothing serious. No big deal.”

  Bile seeped up her throat. “Asher, has anyone ever told you you’re like a tick that imbeds its head into your last nerve and then sucks the very life right out of you? Did you already forget? You broke up with me. You cheated on me. You pushed me in a pool, and before you deny it, I am sure I can get security footage to prove it. So, no. I don’t want to go back to your cabin and ‘explore’ anything.”

  He leaned back in his chair and killed his schnapps in one gulp just as the server brought them each a Mojito. “Don’t think so hard, Sophie. You don’t always need to read into things. It’s just a drink. It’s just a night of release. You and I both know something’s askew with Captain Perfect leading the training. Let’s just exercise some journalistic privileges.”

  “Journalistic privileges? That’s not a thing. And trust me, you and I will never exercise anything together.” She couldn’t believe it, he was propositioning her like a whore. It was low, even for Ash
er. She glanced at the certificate. “Is that what this is?” Lifting it, she suddenly felt its immense weight. “Are you trying to coerce me?” she growled, “into bed with you?”

  “Okay, fine. I can see you want to release your tension another way. Go to your bathroom and use your finger already.”

  As soon as Asher said it, his face went pale, and Sophie could see he knew he’d gone too far.

  “I didn’t meant that,” he said. “I’m sorry.”

  “You said it. You meant it. You are a coward and an ass. And I can’t believe I ever had a momentary lapse in judgment to go out with you.” Sophie didn’t feel the need to yell or scream or fight him. She felt calm, serene even. She’d never let him goad her again. He wasn’t worth it. And she could tell that scared Asher more than if she went crazy on him.

  “I’m really sorry, Sophie. That was uncalled for.”

  “You’re right. You are sorry.” She leapt to her feet and grasped the glass so tightly, her knuckles turned white. “So much so, you’re not worthy of a response. Except to say you’re completely out of line. Trust me, Asher, you did me the favor by ending us when you did. You must live in some fantasy world if you think you can buy me off with some two-dollar drink and dirty money. But consider this my direct warning to you. If you ever even utter a syllable to me about anything outside of journalism or work, I will slap a sexual harassment suit on you so fast, your head will spin on an axis even the earth can’t compete with. You get me?”

  Sophie shoved her chair back and took a long pull of her drink as the mist turned into a downpour.

  As people began to run for cover, she threw the remaining contents in his face then crumpled up the certificate and threw it at his feet. “Ashface.”

  Chapter 32