Page 4 of The Longest Wait

Tess swatted Sofia’s hand. “Stop. Do your best to ignore yourinner cynic and just look at them. They are radiating love.”

“Did you use that wording on one of your wedding invitations?”

“I’m ignoring your comment, but it isn’t a bad idea.” Tesssmiled at the couple dancing to a love ballad sung by Etta James.“Do you think we will ever find that?”

Sofia saw the hope in Tess’s eyes, so she bit back her bitternessof the notion of love, which was a hard task wearing a bridesmaiddress. “For you, Tess, you’ll find it.”

“What about you?”

What about her?

Sofia cringed at the distant memory of when she was brighteyed and bushy-tailed about the notion of a happily ever after. Allof those dreams crashed and burned the moment she believed in it.

The moment she thought she found someone.

It was better for her if she never went down that road again.There was something about Darwin and his theory of survival ofthe fittest. Sofia concluded after the first and only destruction ofher heart, the only way to not get hurt again was to not give herheart away. Which was a shockingly simple task. Sometimes, shewondered if it was easy because she never got her heart back thefirst time she gave it away, but she always shook the idea off.

She let out a protective sigh. “Some women prefer to be carefree with no attachments. Women who can come and go as theyplease and not have anyone else be part of their plan because it isn’tneeded. I’m one of those girls.”

“Why?” Tess couldn’t wrap her head around the idea of beingalone. “Everyone deserves love.”

Sofia patted Tess’s hand. “Yes, but not everyone wants it.”

“I think you say that because you’re afraid to get hurt. We’vebeen friends for over ten years, and you have yet to do anythingbut casual. Why?”

Sofia was taken aback by how true her friend’s words were. Shegrabbed the champagne from Tess’s hand before she scratched thesurface and uncovered why she didn’t date. That was not a topicopen for discussion. This was another reason Sofia hated weddings.It forced everyone in attendance to reevaluate their own love life.“No more booze for you, Dr. Phil.”

Tess didn’t put up a fight. “Probably better off. One more glassand I’ll have a headache from hell tomorrow.” She averted herattention back to Lucy and Jack. “She’s happy. I know we’ll findthat one day despite your objections of not needing anyone. Evenyou will find love, Miss I Run From Commitment.”

Sofia didn’t have an opportunity to defend her lifestyle becausethey were both drawn to the laughter coming from a table nearby.Naturally, it was Connor and Dominic causing the uproar. Theyalways had a crowd around them, and not only because of theirgood looks. They were two of the funniest men she knew. Theother person sitting with them, he was not. In fact, he was the leastcomical person she knew.

Alex Copeland.

Over the past year, without her consent, he moved to her city.Sure, it wasn’t like he needed her approval to move near her, but shethought it was a given. To make it worse, Alex joined their circle offriends in Philadelphia, and she had to see him all the time.

Sofia hated it.

He spawned anger in her that was enough for her to skipcertain outings if she was given the heads-up Alex was going to bein attendance. Obviously, she refused to bail on the wedding, butshe did wish Lucy’s brother had somewhere else to be.

As if his mere presence wasn’t bad enough, he was the causeof her lack of tequila. One more shot, and she was sure to tellhim what she thought of him, which wouldn’t be pretty. Ugh, hewas annoying. She shot him a glare when his ornery brown eyescaught hers.

She was tempted to look away, but that would mean he wonand she never let Alex have victory that easily. They stared at eachother until he finally tilted his head to the hallway that led to chairsset up closer to the ocean.

She shook her head no to his silent question of meetinghim there.

Like the devil he was, he shrugged as if it meant nothing to himeither way. He was the absolute worst. They remained eye locked,waiting it out until one of them caved and looked away.

If they kept this up, they would shoot deadly stares at eachother all night. Sofia gave him the sultry smile she normally savedfor someone she was interested in, and it worked. Alex turned hishead. It was a small victory, but she would take it. Sofia turnedaround to ask Tess if she wanted to dance, but she was already onthe dance floor with one of Jack’s friends.

Screw it. She turned to the bartender. “Another shot of tequila.”

A deep, husky voice said from behind her, “Make it two.”

Sofia didn’t turn around because she knew the voice. It hasbeen taunting her since she moved into her dorm room, with Lucyas her roommate, her freshmen year in college. It was Lucy’s peskyolder brother, Alex. Also known as her least favorite person to havea staring contest with.

“Drinking alone?”

His voice so close to her sent a rush up her spine. He was upto something. “That was my plan, which you’re ruining. What doyou want? And stop standing so close to me, I don’t want anyoneto get the wrong impression we’re here together.”