“Cadence already said she’d come with me Thursday. She doesn’t like to run, but she’s willing to walk.”
“Good.” Denver breathed a little easier. He wanted so badly to see Sophie succeed at this marathon, but he worried she was sabotaging herself. “Got your meal plan down for the next few days?”
“Carb-loaded and ready to go. I asked Tessa to design it.”
“Good. I think you’re ready.”
She finally turned and looked at him. “You do?”
“Yes. I know you can do this.” If they were together, if they were a couple, he’d take her hand right there on the path and spin her toward him for a kiss. It was the perfect moment to steal the breath she’d just regained.
Sophie stopped and took another swig of water. “Are you coming to Tessa’s party tonight?”
“Yeah, I’m obligated now.” Denver waited for her to recap the bottle and urged her to continue walking forward. “After Liam mentioned it the other day, Tessa requested my cheesy potatoes.”
“Wonder what it’s about.”
Denver had a pretty solid suspicion, but if he was wrong, he’d get Sophie excited over nothing. So instead, he shrugged. “No clue. You Whitmores sure do love an excuse to gather around food and festivities,” he added with a wink.
They walked half a mile in silence, letting the cool morning air dry the sweat from the run. He wondered if she’d keep running after the marathon was over. Would it give her a new hobby or would she move on to something else? He wanted to ask, but something held him back.
“The lawyers won’t call back,” she finally said, breaking the silence.
Denver was careful with his response, shocked that Sophie offered that much on her own. He waited for her to continue.
“His check bounces, andhislawyers won’t call back. What do you think it means?”
Because his brain always turned like an author constructing a mystery novel, he instantly came up with several scenarios. None were particularly cheerful. “Maybe he won’t callthemback.”
“But why?” Sophie went on. “And to be clear, I’m just ranting. I’m not asking for you or anyone else to fix it.”
The worst-case scenario popped right into his head, as it usually did when writing a book.He’s dead. But Denver didn’t voice that idea out loud. He was likely wrong, and it wouldn’t do any good to add to Sophie’s stress level. He’d let the PI provide him facts before he speculated further. Sophie counted on that monthly check, and he hoped very much that Blake’s lawyers were simply busy with sending a new one.
“He makes so much money, Denver. It’sinsane. Writing a check for a thousand dollars a month—I bet his newwifespends more on shoes.”
Are they broke?he wondered. He almost offered Sophie financial help again, but she shut him down so quickly last time, he refrained. She didn’t like help or handouts. She was on a mission to prove she could handle whatever life threw at her on her own. Denver wished she never felt the need.
They could handle lifetogether.
Nearing the edge of town, they crossed the street and leisurely strolled down the main strip. “I’m sorry you have to deal with any of this.”
“Maybe Mr. Jenkins is right,” she said. “Maybe I should just figure out my budget without that extra help. Get another job. I’m sure I can find something part-time. Nights maybe?”
Denver fisted his hands at his sides in frustration.
“Speaking of jobs, I better get back to the lodge,” Sophie said. “We have three check-outs this morning, and three reservations taking those same rooms this afternoon. Too bad the rooms won’t clean themselves.”
He wanted to scream,Marry me, Sophie. I want us to be a family. Let me take care of you and Caroline.Between his disability check, part-time job, and his steadily increasing writing royalties, he had more than enough for the three of them. But instead, all he said was, “See you tonight, Soph.”
* * *
As requested, Denver prepared another batch of cheesy potatoes for Tessa’s special dinner party. Time had been scarce with his looming book deadline, and Malcom wasfinallybeing cooperative. But Denver could stay up until midnight if he had to. Better than facing Tessa’s scorn should he show up emptyhanded—or worse, with burnt potatoes.
“You are amazing!” Tessa gave him a huge smile when he walked through the back door and into the lodge kitchen. The few who had arrived loitered outside on the deck, leaving the two of them alone. “Thank you for making those. I don’t know what your magic secret is, but I can’t seem to replicate them.”
“Distraction?” he joked. “That might be my special ingredient.”
Tessa looked over her shoulder, then back at Denver. They were alone for the moment, though he heard padding feet coming down the hall. “You might want to cool it on the gifts for a couple days. Not because they aren’t brilliant, but because you’re starting to freak her out a little. They’re a littletooon point, you know what I mean?”
