"What?"
He stands there, glaring at me with that look—the sameone my mother used to give me when she knew I was lying through my teeth.
"Just let me know if there is anything else going on," Lucas says. "It would not be great if the paparazzi or some nosy reporters fabricated their own version of the truth."
"There's nothing going on," I insist.
"Fine."
He leaves me alone with thoughts of Sophia, and my mind wanders back to her body pressed against mine. I'm getting hard just thinking about it.
I wanted to give in to her, sink into her lips, and run my hands down her body. I wanted to pick her up, carry her into the guest house, and lay her on the bed. I'm drawn to her. She has this magnetic pull over me; it's almost like a trance I fall into.
I shake my head like I'm shaking the thoughts of her off my brain, and as I'm attempting to get back to work, my phone lights up.
WYATT
Jake and I are nearby. Want to grab lunch?
The guilt and shame that wash over me are palpable. Wyatt is Sophia's brother and a really good dude. I also met him at thePink Slippremiere last year when I accompanied Blair as her date. But they ended up disappearing together, and that's how I ended up getting to know Sophia better.
Since then, I've gotten to know Wyatt better, too—and, by extension, his best friend, Jake. Our circles had overlapped before, given the kind of deals Jake brokers for actors and directors, but back then, he was just another name in theindustry. Now, after a few shared conversations and crossing paths at all the industry events, he's become a good friend. He's sharp, quick with a comeback, and loyal to a fault.
ME
Yeah, tell me where and when and I'll meet you there.
It's probably better for me to get out of the office and reset anyway. And I need nothing more than a stark reminder that trying to do anything with Sophia is a bad idea. Between working with her, hanging out with her brother, and the huge age gap, the obstacles are high. Not to mention that whole "I have a daughter" thing. Sophia doesn't even know if she wants kids.
As I cross through the heavy wooden doors of The Smokehouse, I alert the hostess I'm meeting Jake and Wyatt. She walks me through the maze of white tablecloths and past the old-fashioned red leather booths until we're on the other side of the bar, and I spot the two of them seated at the farthest table back, nearest the windows that face the studio lot.
The restaurant is iconic and popular with industry professionals, and there's always a chance you'll see a few celebrities with a basket of cheese bread and a few bottles of wine. I see the guys already have the cheese bread ready to go.
Guilt rushes front and center at the idea that I almost kissed—kinda kissed—Wyatt's baby sister. Does he even know she's staying with me?
"Jake, Wyatt, I trust you both are well?"
I decide right then to lock down any mention of Sophia. If she wants Wyatt to know she's staying with me, then she can tell him. I'll let her handle that conversation.
"Living the dream. Literally," Wyatt says. He's beaming, and I have no doubt it's because of Blair. I can't imagine what it must feel like to have love, lose it, and then find each other again. It sounds painful.
The server arrives and takes our order, and we slip into the small talk. That's better than what's really on my mind.
"Did you settle on a venue yet?" Wyatt and Blair are finally getting married. I'm pretty sure he would have married her the minute they agreed to move in together, but she was focused on opening her new agency, and Wyatt finally left the chains of his father's law firm to work over at Hays and Cole. They both decided to tackle one big life change at a time.
"We're close. All the places we like are either way too big or way too small."
"There's a joke in there somewhere," Jake says as he reaches for another slice of cheese bread.
"What about you?" I ask. "How's wedded bliss?"
A deep sigh escapes Jake before he answers, and I worry it's not going well.
"Fantastic. I love being married. Someone to come home to and share your day with. A hand to hold, a body to love. I love the idea of having someone to share my hopes and dreams with or being able to share the details of a hard day." He trails off as if he's remembering a recent conversation he had with Lauren.
I'll admit, all of that sounds nice.
"Sounds like you're still in that honeymoon phase."
