Page 18 of The Longest Wait

Dominic had a sly smile on his face. “She’s a trainer for acollege I recently went scouting for the Warriors. I’m going tomeet her. Can I count on you two to not kill each other in myapartment?”

“I make no promises,” Sofia deadpanned.

He got to his door to leave. “At least I can cross off having tokeep my promises of chick flicks.”

Once he walked out the door, Sofia sunk into the couch.

“All I wanted was Spice World. But of course, I couldn’t keepmy mouth shut.”

WHAT THE HELL was she talking about. Spice World? Did sheneed to go grocery shopping or something? Was there an actualplace called Spice World? Did it have things other than spices?

“Where is Spice World?”

Sofia slammed down the rest of her wine. What a waste shedidn’t take the time to enjoy it. This was a blend he got when hewas in Argentina. These spices must have been important to her ifshe was getting bent out of shape about it.

“It’s on Netflix.” She stood up and walked into the kitchen.

When she came back, she was without wine.

“Ahh, a cooking show, makes sense.”

She put on her coat. “No, it is not a cooking show. It is a

ridiculous movie from my teen years the Spice Girls made. Dominic told me if you and I didn’t get into an argument he wouldwatch any movie I wanted the next time I came over.”

Erin Lynne

Three notable things stood out to him in her swift response:Sofia liked Spice Girls, she came to Dominic’s place a decentamount, and the idea of watching the rest of the game with Alexwas enough to make her want to exist as fast as possible.

“You don’t want to finish the game?” Alex hated he held hisbreath for her answer.

She put her phone in her pocket, ready to go. “Not tonight.Thanks for the wine. You were right, it was good.”

“You can take it with you.”

“And leave you with only beer? I don’t hate you that much.”

Her smile caught him off guard. “I can never be sure.”

She hesitated to leave. “Do you want to talk about why workis hell in a breadbasket.”

Alex laughed and some of the tension of his day left. “Youmean handbasket.”

Sofia gave him an uncertain look. “Who has a handbasket?”

“Who has a breadbasket?” Alex countered.

“Who has a hard time telling me why work sucks?”

This stopped Alex. Work wasn’t something he talked about.Ever. He changed the subject. “Don’t forget the wine.”

He was about to ask her to stay. It was a desperate urge tospend more time with her. Before he could, she went to the frontdoor. She turned to face him before leaving, and said, “I hope yourday gets better. And have a safe flight tomorrow.”

She left and Alex sat there, unable to concentrate on the game.It stung to admit it, but his day did get better and it was becauseof her.

Chapter 6

ONCE SOFIA HIT thirty, there was a change in her life. Nothingphilosophical, like Socrates and Western philosophy or anything,but as she aged, she changed. Common sense and all, but in thepast year all of the subtle differences added up. At the moment,she wasn’t sure if she liked it.