Chapter Three

Sophie

When I finally opened my eyes, I found Katie sleeping in the chair. As I quickly glanced around the room, I realized the fireman, Cameron, was gone. For some reason, I wasn’t sure if the realization filled me with relief or sadness. It seemed I’d scared off another potential friend or suitor. Without thinking, I grimaced.

“Are you in pain?” Katie slowly slid upright in her seat and pulled the blanket up under her chin. “I can have the nurse get you something.”

I let out a hollow laugh, which soon turned to a cough. “Gah. No. That nurse has done plenty.”

Katie smiled and lit up the room. “You slept through shift change. You have a new nurse to terrorize now.” This time she let go of the blanket altogether and stretched before she climbed onto the bed with me.

“What if I didn’t have any nurse at all?” I grinned devilishly. “What if I walked right out of here and went home?”

Katie had moved closer, until she was curled up beside me, her head on my shoulder. “No home to return to, I’m afraid.”

“What?” I could feel my chest tightening in panic. Already I struggled not to hyperventilate. Breathe. I reminded myself. Just breathe. You are completely prepared for this.

“Yup. The building has to be inspected, make sure it’s sound before any of the hundreds of residents can return.” She spoke as though performing one of her newscasts. “The Red Cross and Salvation Army have stepped up. Area hotels are offering discount rates too.”

“Thanks for that.” I looked down at her. I’d never told her about my real estate portfolio. I feared it would make me seem boastful, like I was rubbing her face in the success of Simply Sophie. Plus, I missed her and wanted a chance to bond with my old friend. “So let’s get me into a really nice hotel for one night. We can have a slumber party like old times. Where’s my phone?” I peered around the room but didn’t see it anywhere.

Sitting up, she sighed. “OK. You have no purse, no wallet, and no phone at the moment. Cameron didn’t exactly let you pack a bag or collect your things.”

My eyes narrowed when she called him by name. She’d obviously taken the time to exchange information, which didn’t surprise me but for some reason annoyed me.

“Now had you done that instead of preparing to hole up in there, your life would look a lot different right now.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

In some ways, she didn’t know me at all. I gripped the sheets and asked calmly, “Where are my keys? I know I had those.” I chuckled darkly. “Cameron thought I was going to use them on him. I should’ve.” I grumbled.

Katie poked me in the side. “Don’t say that. He seems like a really good guy. He’s a former marine.”

I hissed and rolled my eyes. I knew how Katie felt about guys in uniform. “Of course, you take his side.”

“Oy.” She sat up abruptly and climbed from the bed. “What side? I’m just asking you to be nice. He saved your life.”

“I wasn’t in danger!” I glared at her. “I was fine. I was safe.”

“You were inhaling smoke,” she countered, arms crossed over her chest as she matched my angry gaze with her own.

I stuck out my chin. “Not until he carried me out into the hall.” Then I threw my hands in the air. “Now I don’t even have my keys, and I know they were in my hand.” I crossed my arms over my chest in an angry pout. “We have to find them.”

A knock on the door announced the arrival of my breakfast. “We’ll set your tray right here.” The woman placed it on the table and in one swift, fluid motion had wheeled it until it was perfectly positioned over my lap.

“Thank you.” My voice was barely a whisper. No doubt the woman was judging me. Everyone did.

“We’ll find your keys.” Katie spoke quietly and evenly as she uncovered my breakfast. Eggs, French toast, bacon, and a fruit bowl filled my tray. There was a cup of coffee and apple juice. “Eat, and I’ll see what I can do about getting you out of here.”

“To go where?” I pouted. At the moment, without those keys, I really was stuck.

She laughed. “I’ll just bring you home with me, silly. Then we’ll figure everything out.” She shrugged and disappeared into the hall.

“We wouldn’t have to figure out anything if I had my keys, like I should,” I snapped. As angry as I felt, the food did smell good. I could eat. Cutting my first hunk of French toast, I dipped it in syrup and stuffed it into my mouth. Katie would’ve been aghast at the size of the bite, but first, I had no one to impress, and second, I was starving.

“Looking for these?” Cameron grinned as he strolled into the room, dangling my keys in front of him.

Dammit. Once again, this man saw me at my best. I held a hand over my mouth as I chewed and struggled to swallow while nodding glumly. “Thanks.” Then I gave him my most discerning look. “How did you end up with them?”

“Well, you had a death grip on them until we arrived at the hospital, where they fell out on the pavement when we moved you into the ER. I forgot I picked them up and stuffed them in my pocket.” He shrugged. “Then I went downstairs, met up with your friend Kate, had some breakfast, and discovered I had keys in my pocket, but they weren’t mine.” He grinned before sobering completely. “In other news, if you get out of here, I need a ride back to the fire station. I left my vehicle there.”

I threw my hands up in the air. I refused to let him get to me. He looked like a fairer version of Luke Kuechly, the Panthers player. I supposed he was hot, if you were into tall, muscular guys with a strong jaw and amazing eyes. Luckily, ever since C. J., I was immune to those kinds of charms. “Do I look like I drove here?” I growled.

“Yeah. I know, but I saw Kate in the hall.” He tugged at his chin. “I’ll bet she’ll give me a ride even if you don’t get out.” His eyes positively gleamed.

I sighed because I knew he was right. Hell, knowing Katie, she’d give him more than a ride if he asked, even having maybe a boyfriend. I’d definitely have to chaperone this drive. “We’ll get you back to your vehicle. Thank you for the keys.”

“You said that already.” He grinned.

I could tell he was trying to tease me, but I had grown socially awkward during the years of isolation. “Yeah. I did. But I’m running out of things to say here, so if you could just work with me, that would be awesome.” A scowl seemed to be in permanent residence on my face while in his presence.

“Whatever you say, kitten.” Cameron laughed as he walked over to the vacant seat. “What if I just babble for a bit while you eat? You look ravenous, the way you’re wolfing down your food. You should slow down. If you choke, it could delay our departure.” Then he winked.

He seemed so happy, it about made me lose my appetite. Who the hell acted like that anyway? “Our departure?” I rolled my eyes and wondered what I’d gotten into. He was beginning to remind me of the neighborhood stray when I was growing up. Dylan thought the dog was an idiot, so he named it Sparky. The name fit, just like now. “Babble on, Sparky.” I went back to shoveling food into my mouth because I was that hungry, and I really didn’t care what he thought. At least, that’s what I told myself.

“Aw, look, we already have cute pet names for each other.” There was no hiding his smile now. It spread completely across his face. The guy practically glowed.

While I chewed, I tried to think of some snarky response, but the meds had dulled my brain, and all I could manage was a half-hearted eye roll. Before we could suffer through an uncomfortable silence, Katie popped back into the room, and Cameron bounced to his feet to give her the one seat. She shook her head and motioned for him to sit. Hesitantly, he slid back down.

“Looks like we can get you out of here.” She seemed pretty proud of herself.

“We?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Me. I can get you out of here.” Then she ignored me and grinned at Cameron. “What brings you back already?” Her tone positively dripped with innuendo.

I struggled to swallow my mouthful. “He had my keys,” I interrupted before they could get too cozy. “And we’re going to drop him off at the fire station on the way.” My fork was poised over the last piece of French toast while I waited for her to acknowledge I’d spoken because she sure hadn’t looked my way. “Hello?”

“Yes, kitten?” His eyes pierced through me as he spoke.

Shaking my head, my chin dropped, and I stared down at my plate. Suddenly I didn’t feel hungry anymore. I pushed the tray back from the bed. My face felt flushed. My emotions were all over the spectrum. Shoot, I couldn’t even express what I did feel. Finding the right words to convey what I needed had always been a struggle for me. Even now, ten years later, I could still hear the therapist in my head. Time to label that emotion, Sophie. Own it. Use the chart if you have to. I hoped I could pull it together before the tears spilled out, before I further humiliated myself in front of them.

Two hours later, I left the hospital. Katie had sprinted off to pull her car up front. I was stuck riding in a wheelchair while Cameron pushed me because of some stupid hospital policy. All I had on my feet were nonskid hospital socks. My clothes had been thrown out after they were cut off me, so I was only covered by hospital scrubs. Without a bra, I felt naked and self-conscious. So I hunched over as he pushed me toward the elevator. Once behind the closed doors, I struggled to breathe evenly.

“I thought you might want this,” he murmured as he draped his shirt across my lap.

“What’ll you wear?” I ran my hands down my lap before reaching for it.

Leaning around the seat, he showed me. “I still have my Under Armour.”

I nodded and tried not to stare, but even Mother Teresa would have noticed the muscle definition. I almost wanted reach out and touch him since he seemed so unreal. Cameron had a body I’d seen only in movies. I breathed in sharply. “Thanks.” Then I looked away and tried to pull his shirt on over my scrub top.

“It’s huge.” He laughed as he squatted beside me and helped me roll up the sleeves. “Looks good on you, though.” He winked and stood as the doors opened on the lobby. “Let’s go.”

As he pushed me through the front doors, I saw Katie there, tucking her long blonde hair behind one ear. Must be she found Cameron even more attractive than I thought. I sighed. It didn’t matter. I’m not dateable. I’m not someone to build a future with, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I rather enjoyed soaking in all of his attention.

Cameron opened the front passenger door, and I could see Katie’s smile slip while he helped me up. “Have a seat, kitten.” His head jerked to the open door.

I stood slowly and discovered his shirt hem was midthigh. “I could belt it and wear it as a dress.” I shook my head in wonder.

“I’d like to see that,” he teased.

I couldn’t help but smile then. He laid a hand on my lower back as he guided me to the seat. “Thanks.” My mouth went completely dry, and I could feel my cheeks warm as I struggled to break eye contact.

“Hey, Cameron.” His name rolled off Katie’s tongue like syrup. “I thought you’d sit in front since you’re so tall.” She smiled at him and cupped a hand around her eyes as she squinted against the early morning sun.

“Nope.” He shook his head vehemently. “Sophie gets shotgun.” Then he pushed the wheelchair back inside.

Katie huffed as she plopped down in her seat and started fiddling with the radio stations. For some reason, she wouldn’t even look at me. I gave her the side-eye before speaking. “Does this make us frenemies?” I joked.

“I don’t know why you’re leading him on,” she grumbled. “It’s not like you’d ever go on a date with him. You barely leave the condo. Hell, you’ve barely done anything at all since the scandal and the suicide.”

She might as well have coldcocked me like I did that girl, Liz, in the school bathroom so long ago. Her words were as effective as a combination to the head and gut. I was left completely reeling. My mind struggled to process what I’d heard as bile shot up from my stomach.

Before I had a chance to recover, Cameron slid into the back seat. “Hey, Soph? You OK?” He leaned forward and rubbed my neck.

Katie rolled her entire head and made this sound of disgust. “For the love of God,” she muttered under her breath.

My head whipped around, and I glared at her. “Just get me home. Now,” I gritted out. Then I leaned back and crossed my arms over my chest as I tried to calm down.

“Soph, seriously, are you OK?” Cameron murmured near my ear. He laid a hand on my shoulder. It felt huge and warm. Part of me wanted to enjoy the closeness, but something in me rebelled against it. Since that feeling was more familiar, I pushed him away.

“I’m fine.” It was a lie. We all knew it. Spoken as I glared Katie’s direction.

Katie expelled some air and broke the silence. “Where should I bring you, Cam?” She all but batted her eyelashes at him as she spoke. I couldn’t watch. Instead, I turned my head and stared out the window.

He was silent, probably considering his options. Finally he responded. “Drop me off with Sophie.” I heard him lean back against the leather.

Katie stared at me, waiting for me to correct him, to challenge his response. I didn’t. And I knew why: Katie had pissed me off and hurt my feelings. Maybe I wanted to reciprocate. This was the only way I knew how at the moment.

“That’s OK with you?” Katie asked in surprise.

Without turning around, I responded succinctly, “Yup.”

The remainder of the ride was spent in a tense silence. In the side mirror, I could see Cameron glancing back and forth between us. Luckily, it was the weekend, and the rest of the city slept. We managed to get to the condo in record time. Of course, it helped that Katie was highly motivated to get away from me.

As we neared the parking lot, I gasped. The floor below mine looked to be mostly demolished, but the entire building had suffered some manner of damage, from broken windows to soot to water. Tape covered the entrance, and a sign declared no one would be admitted until further inspection. I’d pretty much considered this possibility. In fact, I’d been planning for it for years.

Thanks to my . . . anxiety issues, I’d become a prepper before it was a thing. After a particularly challenging panic attack, which left me crying in a corner of my room, I’d sat down and made a list of worst-case scenarios. It was my way of conquering my fears, I suppose. Then I set to work at making sure I solved each and every one of them. Some of it was as simple as stocking my cupboards and freezer so I could go for long periods of time before having to leave the condo. Other efforts were more extreme. I bought a house, south of the city on a lake. It was a thirty-minute drive to get there, secluded enough on its dead-end road to keep others away and close enough to grocery stores and restaurants that I could get deliveries if I didn’t want to leave. In my vehicle, I had a bug-out bag. Of course, back when I’d packed it, it was just an overnight bag. I kept it filled with a variety of clothes for all seasons, my favorite toiletries, and probably most important, a spare wallet with duplicates of everything: my license, my credit cards, and all my insurance information. I even had a disposable phone for emergencies. If nothing else, I was thorough.

I gripped my keys and smiled. Some time at my lake house might be just what I needed. With a smile, I stepped out of Katie’s vehicle. “Thank you for the ride.” Without waiting for a response, I shut the door behind me and walked to my SUV. I glanced over my shoulder at Cameron, who was staring at me, frozen in place beside the car. “You coming?” He nodded hesitantly and took a tentative step toward me. This was all the answer I needed. Inhaling deeply, I murmured, “Good. Let’s go.”

Katie’s tires squealed as she flew out of the parking lot. We’d fix our friendship later, or we wouldn’t. She’d been mean. Still, I hoped the years of history could help us pull through. After all, I’d forgiven her long ago for her part in my fall from grace. Using the key fob, I unlocked the vehicle. Cameron walked toward the passenger-side door, but I went to the SUV’s cargo bay instead. He paused and met me at the bumper.

“Whatcha doing?” His eyebrows furrowed as he watched me work.

Pulling the duffel bag closer, I pulled out my spare wallet, then yanked out a pair of sneakers to wear over the hospital socks. “What’s it look like I’m doing?” I frowned at him.

Cameron ran a hand through his hair. “I guess I’m surprised. You’re . . . different than I expected.”

I let out a hollow laugh. “I get that a lot.” Leaning against the bumper, I balanced while getting the shoes on. He watched me silently, a look I couldn’t quite decipher on his face. Then I asked him the most telling question of all. “Where to?”

Cameron

 

Shaking my head, I pondered over how to respond. I know she expected me to ask simply to go back to the firehouse. After all, I let both of them think that was my plan in the car, but now I finally had a chance to be alone with her, talk to her. For years, I’d been waiting for this opportunity, and there was no way I’d give it up without at least trying to get some answers.

“Not sure.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “Where are you going?” I tilted my head while waiting for her response.

Sophie ran her tongue over her teeth while considering. Based on what I’d seen in her duffel, she already had a plan. If I had to guess, I’d imagine she was trying to decide whether to share it with me. I decided to call her bluff.

“I think you know where you’re going, but you don’t want to tell me.” I took a breath. “Where I go is based on you.” I shrugged like it didn’t matter; it took everything in me to hide how much it truly meant to me.

“Based on me? How’s that?” The often-dull look in her eyes was replaced with a sparkle.

“I want to make sure you’re safe, that you’re taken care of, before I do anything else.” I glanced over at what was left of her building. “I know you’re mad at me for making you leave, but surely by now, you can admit you couldn’t stay there.” I frowned. “Let me look out for you.” I gradually leaned closer to her while resting against her vehicle.

She sighed. “Like a rescued kitten? Like I’m all helpless and needy?” Her eyes narrowed.

“No. Like a friend.” Then I waited. And waited. I could feel her measuring me, contemplating my response.

Sophie huffed. “Get in. I’m driving. You agree to tell no one.” She stared at me. I nodded. “No. Say it.”

“Fine. I’ll tell no one. It’ll be our little secret.” Then I held out my hand, even as I wondered why I was initiating contact.

“What’s that?” She nodded toward my outstretched hand.

“Sealing a deal? Shaking on it?” I grinned. “Maybe you’d prefer a pinky promise?”

She scowled. “No. I’ll just take your word for it.” She shook her head and inhaled deeply as though trying to calm her nerves. “I’m going to regret this. I can feel it already.” Her eyes rolled to the ceiling.

Me, I leaned back in the seat and concentrated on where we were going. About fifteen minutes into the drive, I realized we had taken the highway and were driving toward Gastonia. “Gas house?” It was the nickname for the city.

She shook her head. “Belmont.” Her knuckles tightened on the wheel. “I have a lake house.” Her side-eyed look told me she cared about my opinion more than she’d ever admit. This realization made my heart skip a beat.

“So you own a condo in the city and a lake house?” I tried to wrap my mind around it. We were twenty-three. Most of our friends still lived at home or had roommates. Some were still in college. Here she was, living large. What hadn’t Katie told me?

“Among other properties.” She grinned at her vague response.

Leaning toward her on the console, I smirked. “I think you enjoy torturing me.”

Sophie held one hand up and pinched the air. “Just a little.” She giggled. It was a magical sound that had my stomach doing flips while I stared at her in wonder. Then she sobered. “I have no social skills to speak of.” She sighed. “And I don’t know why I’m telling you any of this, other than I know you talked to Katie, and I’m afraid of what she might have said. I guess this is damage control.”

As if Sophie finally realized where we were, she turned sharply onto a dirt road, barely noticeable through the dense trees and underbrush surrounding it. I scrambled to hang on and not crash into her. Then we suddenly arrived, parking in front of a beautiful Craftsman-style cottage with a paved circular driveway. I sat there and stared at it for a moment. The yard was well kept, right down to the flowers around the mailbox and the planters on the porch steps.

“Yellow mums. They are my mom’s favorite fall flower.” I don’t know why I said that. It was so random. Instantly, I regretted it and felt incredibly stupid.

Opening the door, I hopped out of the vehicle and ran to the back to carry in her bag. As I opened the cargo bay, she stopped me.

“What are you doing?” She frowned at me with her hands on her hips.

I shrugged and kicked at a rogue stone on the pavement. Suddenly I was the same stupid, insecure kid who’d liked her so long ago. “I thought I’d carry the bag in for you.”

“It’s not coming in. It’s for emergencies.” She turned on her heels and started up the walkway, climbed the front porch, and had her keys in the door before I’d even slammed the hatch.

I was soon jogging up behind her while she waited impatiently by the door. “This isn’t an emergency?” My eyebrows quirked in confusion.

“Go on,” she urged, motioning for me to enter.

I passed her, walking through the door, trying to take in everything about this place and the girl I used to know. “Wow.” I shook my head in wonder.

Her head fell back, and she laughed. “No, this isn’t an emergency. Losing the condo was an inconvenience. I’d have stayed in a hotel in town with Katie, if I could’ve convinced her, but instead, I’ll stay out here in my house for free.” She tilted her head and seemed to be studying me. Then she gestured to encompass the interior. “So what do you think? Am I safe enough?”

Already I was stunned. This was nothing like what I expected, although I had no idea what to expect. There were hardwood floors throughout the open-concept main living area. There was nothing rustic or cheap about this place. Sophie had a gorgeous contemporary home. The great room had a comfy-looking beige sectional with a leather ottoman in the center facing toward the stacked stone fireplace, which went all the way to the cathedral ceiling. At the back of the house was a big kitchen with all the modern conveniences, like stainless-steel appliances, granite counters, and a beautiful white farmhouse sink. There was seating at the island for four, and where I expected to see a dining room, she had instead created an office. To the right of it was a door. Without thinking, I walked over and opened it, only to discover her bedroom.

There was an enormous king-size bed with what looked to be a fluffy down comforter covering it. The doors to the bathroom and walk-in closet were open, so I peeked in both. Sophie had a second fireplace in her room, which opened into the bathroom. This place felt completely different from her sleek uptown condo. Her lake house felt like home.

When I returned to the main living area, I found her sitting on a barstool at the counter, coolly eyeing me and waiting for a reaction. “Come here often?” I swallowed hard. God, I couldn’t stop being stupid around her.