Caleb wasn’t prepared to revisit the past and bare all to Sophia about what had really transpired. Nope, he barely knew her, and if she was going to judge him unfairly, then Caleb wasn’t really interested in getting to know her any better.
He was better off alone anyway. The fewer complications, the better.
Hattie clapped her hands together. “Well, I’m glad we’re all on the same page. This campaign is going to be wonderful. Stay tuned.”
Caleb stood up and pulled out his grandmother’s chair for her, then handed the cane to her for support. He resistedthe urge to help her to her feet, knowing she would frown on the gesture. She stood up under her own steam, let out a ragged breath, then made her way to the door. With a little wave, she disappeared down the hall.
And then it was just Caleb and Sophia with another kind of tension crackling in the air between them. He felt some kind of way about her dragging him through the mud with Hattie. It wasn’t cool at all. He couldn’t even look in her direction at the moment.
The sound of Sophia clearing her throat drew his attention. “Caleb, is something wrong? You seem a bit withdrawn all of a sudden.”
He glanced over at her. Caleb wanted to choose his words carefully instead of lashing out at her. “You really went on a tear during the meeting. The way you portrayed me was in a very unflattering light. I’ve had a lot of negativity like that, but I didn’t expect to be blindsided by you.” His voice shook a little as he spoke. He wasn’t good at hiding his emotions.
“I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings when I was talking about the show. I didn’t mean to insult you or put you in a bad light in front of Hattie.”
He studied her expression. Sophia’s face was a mask of contrition. From what he could tell she was being sincere. But, honestly, what did he know about Sophia? She was proving to be a mass of contradictions. And he wasn’t an expert in the female department. Not by a long shot. In his past he’d been made a fool of by someone he’d cared about. His feelings had been completely overlooked. He was sensitive to being an object of ridicule. That probably hadn’t been Sophia’s intention.
“Forgive me for going too far,” she said. “We’re just getting acquainted and trying to feel each other out, so I learned something today about you. I promise it won’t happen again.”
Her tone was way softer than he’d ever heard before and a little bit shaky like his own.
Before Caleb could say anything, Sophia had sailed out the door, leaving him feeling a bit thunderstruck. Just when he thought that Sophia couldn’t throw him any more off-kilter, she did or said something to surprise him. Sophia had reeled him back in, reaching into his chest cavity and tugging with all her might.
Sophia left the meeting at Yukon Cider feeling like a complete jerk. This wasn’t the first time she’d opened up her mouth in an attempt to be witty and funny, only to have it backfire on her. But blabbing about Caleb’s stint onLove Him or Leave Himto Hattie without considering his feelings on the matter was a new low. If only she had stopped for a moment to consider the fact that he might not have wanted his grandmother to know all the details.
So far, she had mostly seen the jovial, always laughing Caleb. Even after being bitten by angry ants he hadn’t lost his ability to joke around. She’d never imagined that his experiences on the show were so painful.
Clearly, there was a lot more to Caleb’s stint on reality TV than she had ever considered. The wounded expression stamped on his face had spoken volumes. Something bad had gone down, and it wasn’t anything viewers had seen.
“Big mouth,” she said out loud as she stepped into her vehicle. She had been too embarrassed to stick around and see his response to her apology. She let out a sigh. Why had she been so eager to believe that Caleb had been deceptive in his on-air relationship? Her relationship with Donny had messed her up. It was difficult for her to believe the bestof people. She needed to let those feelings go. They were clearly holding her back.
How in the world was she going to work with Caleb after this? Tears of frustration pricked her eyes. This job was a wonderful opportunity that could legitimately change her life. A nice salary. Health. Dental. Ample vacation time. All Caleb would have to do was tell his grandmother that he didn’t want to work alongside her. As lovely as Hattie was, Sophia knew who she would pick if pressed. All Hattie had wanted for many years was to be reunited with her three boys, her grandsons. Being terminally ill meant her time with her family was more precious than ever. Sophia may have just killed her chances at the job of her dreams, and she had only herself to blame.
Sophia pulled up to her sister’s house and honked her horn to announce her arrival. As a journalist, Patience worked at home and normally didn’t allow for interruptions during her work hours. She knew that Patience would make an exception for her.
Before she had even made it to the door, Patience flung it open. With her cinnamon-colored skin and light brown eyes, she looked like a mixture of Sophia and their mom. She was dressed in a flannel robe and pajamas, her shoulder-length dark hair swept up in a high ponytail. Her sister always said that working in her pajamas was a great perk that came with being a writer. “What are you doing here? I thought you had a meeting with Hattie?”
Sophia let out a groan as she walked over the threshold and headed straight to the kitchen. Patience trailed after her. “Hello. Aren’t you going to say good morning and tell me what brings you here?”
She sat down at Patience’s kitchen table, put her head down in her arms, and let out a wail. “I am an absolute fool.”
“Uh-oh. Do I need to break out the Oreos?” Patience asked. She began rummaging in her pantry.
“It’s way too early for Oreos, but I will not say no to a mimosa.”
“Coming right up,” Patience said. “While I’m making them, tell me what’s going on. And don’t dramatize. Just give me the cold, hard facts.”
Sophia dragged her head up. Patience was uncorking a bottle of champagne. “I don’t dramatize, Patience.”
Patience didn’t have to say a word. She just sent Sophia a look that spoke volumes.
“At least not much,” Sophia acknowledged. “Just a smidgen.”
“Okay, talk. I’m almost done.”
“I went to Yukon Cider for my meeting with Hattie.”
Patience began pouring champagne into the flutes, holding the glasses at an angle until they were filled halfway. She then slowly poured orange juice into the flutes until they were filled to the rim. “Well that’s good news. Working for Hattie could be a game changer.”
