“I thought we’d walk.”
Pushing the board game aside, Sophie finished her breakfast to appease Tessa.
The inevitable question slipped out on her second-to-last bite. “Something happen between you and Denver?”
“Why do you ask?”
“It did, didn’t it?”
Pushing her chair back from the table, Sophie carried her empty plate to the sink and rinsed it off. She wished Ed would appear in the kitchen window and save her the impending interrogation. Sophie wasn’t ready to talk about what happened with Denver. She needed time to process it all. To decide what she wanted to do.
Soon, she’d have more than five hours to sort it all out.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Sophie said with what she hoped was finality. Denver’s taunting words had whispered to her all night long, about not trusting anyone, including her sisters.Is it so bad to ask for Tessa’s advice?“I need to grab my shoes.”
“He wanted to ask you out to dinner, you know. Denver. A year ago. He showed up to Caroline’s birthday party all starry-eyed over you.”
“What?”
“I went all mama bear on him. Told him you weren’t ready. Asked him to be your friend first. To wait.”
Sophie’s head spun faster as this new information. “I had no idea.”
“Whatever happened between you two, it can be fixed. He loves you. And I’m no mind reader, but I can tell you love him, too, Soph.”
“Meet you outside on the deck?” Desperate for a solitary minute alone, she hurried toward the hall to retrieve her shoes.
On the walk to the start line, Sophie was able to divert attention from her situation with one simple question about the baby. From there, Tessa didn’t allow Sophie a word in edgewise. Her sister’s happiness lifted her spirits, but it didn’t stop her from scanning every street in search of Denver.
Helovedher.
He’d been in love with her for an entire year.
Hewaitedfor her.
“Got everything you need?” Tessa asked as the start line came into view.
Sophie swallowed, intimidated by the sheer number of people bunched together behind the line. “There has to be five hundred people here.” Her stomach churned as her flight instinct kicked in. Was running a full marathon so necessary? On her most grueling training day, she’d run twenty miles. Wasn’t that enough to brag about?
“You okay?”
“Maybe this was a stupid idea.”
Tessa stared her down. “Are you kidding me, Soph? Cadence and I both helped clean rooms and do laundry, took Caroline to school, picked her up, all so you could stick to your training schedule. You’re running this marathon. That’s final. Now, go get checked in.”
Sophie turned toward the registration table.
“Wait,” said Tessa. She pulled Sophie back and wrapped her in a hug. “You got this, Soph. You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met. You’re going to cross that finish line with a giant smile on your face. We’ll all be waiting for you there.”
Denver will be waiting, too.Wanting an answer.
