“I’ve messed up.”
Seph ignored me.
“Seriously, he’s not answering, I should have flown back.”
Seph looked up. I saw the deep sigh he took even though I didn’t hear it.
“He’s shitting himself you were going to call everything off and I don’t think it has anything to do with the place you were buying. Try calling him again.”
I toyed with my phone, willing it to ring. “I’ve left five missed calls. He knows I've been trying to get in touch. I’ll send him a text.”
“You do that.”
I stared at the screen wondering how the hell I could manage a business that had made me a millionaire yet fuck up my personal life in less than a few hours.
I’m sorry I flew home. I should’ve just talked to you. I’m going to head back as soon as I can. One way to get over my fear of flying. Love S x
“Staring at it won’t make it ring any quicker.” Seph closed his computer. “When I spoke to him he said he thought you were past the whole fake relationship thing. He thought it was real.”
“The hotel where we stayed for Max and Vic’s party is up for sale. He suggested buying it so we could have more space for ourselves – as in us together – over there.” So much had bowled me over in the last few days, weeks. The offer to purchase what would cost a couple of million at least was enormous. “Do you think he was just saying it?”
“He’s a bloke. He’s already got in your pants. Why would he need to ‘just say something’?” Seph sat back, his computer forgotten. “Most men don’t have space in their brains to think like that. We’re simple creatures.”
“Why are you still single?”
“I had a girlfriend for years. It didn’t end well and I was a mess afterwards. I didn’t want to rush into anything and I don’t know what I want. All my brothers and sisters are married or engaged, Claire and Jackson have got kids – I’m the only one who doesn’t have someone to take home this Christmas and I’m bothered that I’ll rush into something just to have someone.” He ended his speech with a grin. “Although having the cousins around helps, given they’re all single.”
“And you have Shay as your wing man.”
Seph nodded. “Although I’m reconsidering my life choices. When he tells a women he’s a doctor they fall at his feet. He tells them he’s a paediatrician and they…”
“Say no more.”
He laughed.
“Nothing back from Liam yet?”
I checked my phone. Again. “No. He’s probably like you said, in the pools.”
“Why did you freak out?”
“I’m scared of hurting him.”
“What the fuck, Soph? He’s a grown man. He can make those decisions himself.”
And that was all there was to it.
“You got cold feet. This wedding wasn’t just an agreement anymore. It was real.”
“Got it in one, Brainiac.” I gave Seph a weak smile. “It’s a risk now. It isn’t just about a place that we need each other to buy.”
Seph opened his mouth, about to say something, when my phone rang. I jumped up, almost dropping it, desperate for it to be Liam calling.
I was an unknown number.
“Probably something to do with work.” I grumbled, flicking the screen across to answer. “Hi, Sophie speaking.”
A man’s voice I’d never heard introduced himself. I didn’t comprehend at first, so my initial comment to him was ‘pardon.’
