Page 34 of The Longest Wait

She joined him at the table.

“You must be Sofia,” the waitress gushed. “Alex was telling meall about you. You prefer a red mixed blend, right?”

Oh no. Alex flirting with the waitress was one thing. Him chatting about her to the waitress was another. Sofia wasn’t preparedfor this. She grabbed the wine glass meant for her and took a sipto calm herself. Why was he talking about her? This didn’t seemlike behavior a friend would pull. Alex was a friend.

Kind of.

They were getting dinner together as friends.

The two of them meeting was nothing more than sorting outwhat they will tell people about their newly developed, kind offriendship. Get it together, she told herself. Alex talking about herwas nothing to note.

“Yes, and this is the perfect mix.”

The waitress hopped away, leaving her alone with him. She wasabout to thank him for the wine, but when she got a good look athim, her heart raced. He mastered the casual look better than shehad. He didn’t even bother shaving his scruff, which only addedto his appeal. What was it about a five o’clock shadow that was sodamn sexy? Alex, as always, looked delectable.

“I bet you thought I was flirting,” he spoke immediately witha cocky attitude.

They were back to normal rather quickly.

“Even if you were, I wouldn’t care. This isn’t a date,” shefired back.

“As you have said.” He scrolled through his phone, reading

93

something. “Five times in text and too many times to count verbally. Yes, I got it, this isn’t a date.”

Okay, maybe she overkilled on reminding him this wasn’t anything to write home about. Mostly to reassure herself not to getcaught up in the current of Alex. She did that once and drowned.No way was she doing that again.

Food arrived and Sofia was pleased Alex ordered for thembefore she got to the restaurant. She was starved. Sometimes, whenshe was in the grind at work, she survived off water and smallsnacks until she finished. For a few minutes, they munched on thetapas in companionable silence.

“What is your plan to explain why we get along?” Sofia gotstraight to the point.

Alex leaned back comfortably in his chair. “Are you opposedto telling them we fucked it out of our systems?”

His statement confirmed what she wasn’t ready to hear. Shewas out of Alex’s system, where she only got a taste. Embarrassingto admit, but she wanted more with him. It was probably betteroff this way they didn’t give it another round. Alex and her wouldnever end well. She knew that first hand. She even got the recap ofhow horrible they would be together from Lucy as well.

“Yes, I can see everyone loving your colorful rendition of whywe get along well,” she sarcastically responded. “Especially, mybest friend.”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “You mean my sister.”

Stalemate.

Neither said anything when their waitress returned, refillingtheir wine glasses. She was a smart woman and must have seen thetension build. Cue in the wine; it had to be needed. She left andthey drank in silence.

“Maybe no one will notice?” Sofia was optimistic aboutthe situation.

Alex laughed. “Doubtful. Every time we see each other, wealways have something to say. We are never in favor of each othereither. Our friends think we hate each other.”

All of this was true.

When Sofia first went down the yellow brick road of despising Alex, it was her defense mechanism. Then, as the years past,it became a habit. It was easy for her to focus on his faults and tomake sure everyone else heard about them too.

“Maybe we can say we just got tired of fighting?” Sofia threwa suggestion out there.

Alex rolled his eyes. “That will put us right back to where weare now. They will want to know why.”

She thought about it for a minute. It was like her and Alexmade this a bigger deal then it needed to be. “Let’s not say anything. If anyone asks why we’re getting along, let’s stick as close tothe truth as we can.”