Chapter Nine
Sophie
“Caroline will love that sweater you found her,” Cadence told Sophie as they unloaded their haul from the car, setting everything on the kitchen table. They’d sort everything out after the car was emptied, and hide the birthday decorations before Sophie went to pick up Caroline from Denver’s.
“I wonder when she’ll outgrow her moose obsession,” Sophie said, fighting a yawn and losing. Long drives always made her sleepy, which was just as well. She’d been tossing and turning since that check bounced. Maybe tonight, she’d finally get some real rest. “I know it’ll happen eventually, but I hope I have a couple of years yet.”
Sunlight was fading into the horizon, and soon it would be dark. With any luck, the clear sky would offer a display of Northern Lights later. It was one of Sophie’s favorite things about living in Alaska. But she doubted she’d be up to see them tonight.
“That girl better still love moose for all the trouble we just went through,” Cadence teased. She touched Sophie’s arm as they stared at the pile on the table. “I know we didn’t find everything you wanted, but we’ll make it work. Aunt Patty has so many moose-themed things in this place, I’m sure we can pull off something amazing.”
“Thanks.” Sophie gave Cadence a side hug. “I’d be lost with you guys, you know.”
“I think we all would.”
“I’ll hide the decorations upstairs,” Cadence offered as Sophie looped shopping bags of school clothes over her arms. Though she’d only budgeted for a couple of outfits, once they got started shopping it was hard to stop. Sophie made the difficult decision to pass on the rental property so Caroline could have the clothes she desperately needed. Tomorrow, she’d have to call and give Jolene the news.
“Just don’t hide them in your closet. Caroline is worse than you when it comes to that room.” During the summer they’d spent at the lodge as kids, Cadence had repeatedly been caught sneaking into Aunt Patty’s room and staring out the floor-to-ceiling windows. The room was now hers, but Caroline liked to pretend it was her own personal haven.
“Guess we know who’s going to take over the lodge someday.”
Cadence grabbed the remaining shopping bags that Sophie couldn’t quite carry. “I’ll help with these, and then I’ll hide the other stuff so you can pick up Caroline.”
Because Sophie didn’t want to disturb the sleeping guests, she waited until they were inside her lodge room and closed the door. “Thanks again for taking me along,” she said as they dropped bags in the corner near the closet. She’d have Caroline try everything on tomorrow and wash the ones—hopefully all of them—that fit.
“Thanks for not making me drive alone. Ford is so busy right now, I didn’t want to pull him away. Plus, it was nice to spend some time together. When was the last time we ate dinner one of us didn’t prepare?”
“Honestly? I can’t remember.”
“Hey, what’s that?” Cadence pointed at the bed.
Sophie spun around, spotting a flat box with a light pink ribbon tied into a bow. “I—I don’t know.” She approached the package with the same caution she might’ve used to near a potential bomb.
“I bet it’s from your secret admirer.”
Just what I need. “I still think you guys are wrong about this whole secret admirer thing.” But the words held no conviction, because the contents of this gift box would likely shatter that theory in seconds.
“Open it!” Cadence urged. “You can’t leave me in suspense.”
Sophie carefully untied the ribbon, admittedly curious what was inside. When she and Blake first started dating, he took her to fancy restaurants and bought her expensive clothes. Looking back now, Sophie understood he only spent money on things to keep up appearances. Nothing had ever been personal.
“What is it?” Cadence hovered at Sophie’s side.
On top of folded pink tissue paper lay an envelope with Sophie’s name written in elaborate curly handwriting that did not belong to any man she’d ever met. The card read:Every beautiful woman deserves something pretty to complement her best qualities.
“What does it say?” Cadence demanded.
Sophie handed her the card before she unfolded the tissue paper. “Oh, wow! This—this is too much.” Inside, she found the ivory silk scarf adorned with stargazer lilies she’d admired for weeks in the storefront window of the Forget Me Not Boutique. One with a price tag too steep for a frivolous purchase. She’d considered buying it for herself as a reward for completing her first marathon next week, but that was before the monthly check fiasco.
“Your scarf!” Cadence slipped the card back in its envelope. “Still think it’snota secret admirer?”
“I can’t accept this.”
“Sure you can. Besides, how do you propose to return it if you don’t even know who it’s from?”
Sophie slid her fingers slowly over the silk, unable to tear her gaze away. She’d been more than happy to give up high-end clothes, jewelry, shoes, the lot of it when Blake told her to move out with Caroline. Those very accessories had paid their first couple months’ of rent while Sophie tried one miserable job after another. “Keeping it sends the wrong message.”
“Soph, it’s okay to date again. You know that, right?”
