Chapter Thirteen
Sophie
“I can’t believe Ikissedhim,” Sophie said to Ed on the running trail Wednesday morning. She hit three miles over half an hour ago and didn’t have the energy to run farther. Just as well, considering today was her last run before the marathon. Ed had wandered onto the trail several minutes ago, leisurely chomping leaves as Sophie dumped all of her problems out in the open.
“What was I thinking, Ed?”
Kissing Denver, it was amazing. But so problematic.
The desire to return to the lodge wasn’t strong enough to pull her from her trail, even with memories of that black bear lingering in the back of her mind. With Caroline in school, Sophie felt safer staying away from anywhere Denver might easily find her. Ever since that kiss, she’d been doing everything she could to avoid him.
She’d given in to a moment of weakness that night and risked shattering the one friendship she counted on the most. “Stupid, stupid, stupid.”
Ed turned his giant muzzle in her direction and stared.
“I know what you’re thinking. But I’m truly happy for Tessa. She’s going to be the best mother. I just . . .”It’s never too late. Denver’s words that caused that impulsive kiss haunted deep into the nights lately. She wanted so badly to believe them. “I can’t have more kids, Ed. It’s not in the cards for me anymore.”
When she married Blake, she thought she’d be filling a house full of kids. But weeks after they were married, he hardly touched her anymore. Anytime she’d mentioned growing their family, he scoffed at the idea.Isn’t one kid enough, Sophie?
“Denver wants kids. He wants a family.”
Having no wisdom to impart, Ed returned to snacking.
“What am I supposed to do now? How do I fix the mess I made?” Bless the docile moose, he hadn’t abandoned her on the trail, despite her ability to disturb his peaceful morning. “We have book club tonight, Ed. That means I’ll have toseehim. What if I want to kiss him again? Where will that leave me?” That kiss ignited every nerve ending in her body, creating a spark she only read about in fairytales. Kisses like that weren’t supposed to be real. They certainly weren’t supposed to happen with your best friend.
Sophie had done her best to avoid Denver the past few days, grateful he was so close to his book deadline that he couldn’t afford to come looking for her when she didn’t answer his texts. This close to the end, he rarely let her know what was happening in the story anyway. He liked to surprise her.
But tonight, Denver was the guest speaker of the book club Sophie had recently taken over running. “Do I call in sick?” She laughed.
Her phone buzzed with an alert, reminding Sophie she and her sisters had their monthly business meeting in half an hour. By the time she got back to the lodge, she’d have to forego a shower to avoid being late.
Both of her sisters had been quite curious of Sophie’s whereabouts Saturday night after she and Denver slipped away from the party. She’d been tightlipped about the lip-locking, but sooner or later, she’d break. If she couldn’t talk to her best friend about what was eating her alive, was it really so bad to come clean with her sisters about all the crazy, confusing feelings she’d been having?
She watched Ed sniff around a branch. It would be so nice to talk to someone who could respond with words.
Because as much of a mistake as that kiss was, it was everything too.
“I think I’m falling for him, Ed. Oh, what a mess!” She slowly stood, maintaining eye contact with the bull as she moved away. She had enough problems right now. Running from a charging moose wasn’t one to add to the mix. “Caroline’s birthday party’s tomorrow,” she said to him as she increased the distance between them, hoping by some miracle the moose understood this one request. “Better plan on showing up or she’ll be crushed.”
Forced to head back at a slow jog or face Tessa’s wrath for being late, when Ed was out of sight, Sophie picked up her pace.
“There you are!” Cadence stood in the backyard behind the lodge, arms posted on her hips. “You have about thirty seconds to get inside or we’ll never hear the end of it. Tessa was about to call Ryder to report you missing.”
“Has she always been this dramatic or is it the hormones?”
Cadence and Sophie shared a quick, quiet giggle as they slipped in through the back door. “Better not mention that to her!”
They hurried down the hall to the lodge office.
“Thought you got eaten by a bear,” Tessa said in a flat tone when Sophie entered the office. She sat in the loveseat near the window, feet tucked under her.
“I ran into Ed,” Sophie said with a shrug and a smile, hoping against hope that her sisters wouldn’t press her any more about Denver and Saturday night. She was nearing a breaking point and just couldn’t take the added pressure. She wanted to tell them, but she didn’t want to be forced into it. Too many months in a row forced to hold it together were catching up. “I’m here now. Let’s get started.”
Cadence dropped into the tall chair behind the sturdy desk. “Sit down, Soph. Please.”
Cautiously, she sat on the opposite end of the loveseat, never taking her eyes off Tessa. She’d been extra moody lately, and now that the news was out, it made sense. Still, Sophie would do her best not to rile Tessa up for no good reason.
“Our financials look good,” Cadence said. “Really good. The reserve Aunt Patty left us has hardly been touched. In fact, we’vemademoney on it from the interest. If either of you want to see the books, I can show you.”
