Sophia

 

 

Ever since I've understood the concept of high fashion, I've followed the careers of the trailblazers in the industry. I'd read every magazine I could get my hands on and study the designs that the world was talking about. Then I'd hide away in my bedroom in my parents' home in Florida and use those pieces as my inspiration.

I never copied what anyone else was doing. Even back then, I knew that creativity is born from within and every person who presses the tip of a pencil to a sketchpad needs to find themselves in their designs.

I'd sketch page after page of dresses, skirts, and tops and then at the end of each month, I'd trash most. I'd always choose one as my favorite and when I'd gather enough money from babysitting the neighbor's kids, I'd go to the fabric store and buy whatever was discounted.

Then I'd work after school and on weekends on creating my design. I'd take buttons from the jar of odds-and-ends my mother and I would find on the ground whenever we were out. I'd rip zippers out of my brother's old hand-me-downs to use to fasten the dresses I'd sew.

When I'd wear those items to school, I'd draw the attention of my classmates. Sometimes their glances were accompanied with compliments but more often than not it was insults and giggles that were leveled at me.

I didn't change. I'd design, sew and wear my own clothing because I knew deep in my soul that one day I'd be in New York City launching my own collection. What I couldn't have imagined is that I'd be in a room with so many people I idolize.

"This is all for you, Soph." Cadence wraps her arm around my shoulder. "I can't stop crying."

She hasn't stopped since I got here. I saw her across the restaurant when I first arrived. She towers over most when she wears heels and it's easy for her and Tyler to stand out in a crowd. They're a beautiful couple, especially tonight. He's dressed in a gray suit and she's wearing a maternity dress that I know was designed by Evlin Dawn.

She apologized profusely in a text message earlier but I told her that I understand. If she could, Cadence would be proudly wearing one of the dresses I made for her to this event, but she can't. The designer label that's sewn into her blue dress doesn't change how much I love her or how grateful I am that she's here on the most important night of my life.

"It's overwhelming." I lean into her. "Sometimes I feel like I'm living a dream."

I feel her breath hitch, so I look up at her face. "Did the baby kick?"

She shakes her head slowly, her eyes glued to the entrance of the restaurant.

I turn to look but I don't see anything but a steady stream of unfamiliar people walking through the door. "Do you see someone you know?"

She nods, her mouth closed tightly.

"It's not your ex, is it?" I inch up to my tiptoes, using her arm as leverage. "You had that same look on your face when we saw him at the movies last month."

"It's not him." She tugs me closer. "It's your ex, Soph. Nicholas Wolf is here."

 

***

 

"This party is invitation only, Nicholas."

He slides his index finger over the screen of his phone and turns it toward me. I scan the view and instantly realize it's the same email Cadence and my parents received. He's on the guest list which means Mr. Foster is behind this.

"I'll leave if you'd prefer," he offers. "For the record, I'd like to stay."

"For the record, I'm still mad at you," I bite back through a smile. People are looking in our direction and I know it's not because I'm the head of Ella Kara's design team. It's because Nicholas Wolf, author extraordinaire, just walked into the restaurant.

"I'd like to discuss that." His hand rises in the air as he waves at someone.

He looks way too good in a suit. I try not to focus on that and let my ever present anger take the reins. "Not here."

"I agree." He swallows hard. "What about after this? There's a quiet bar near here that we can go to."

I should say no. There's no reason why we need to talk. He destroyed me emotionally the last time we were in this restaurant together.  "I don't think that's a good idea, Nicholas. What we had is over. We can't go back."

He steps closer to allow a server, carrying a tray of champagne flutes, to pass behind him. "I don't want it to be over. I fucked up. I own that but I can make this right again."

I don't know how. It's not that I can't forgive him for what he said. Words are words and sometimes the pain they cause is deep but I've always been able to move past anything said to me in anger by someone I care for.

What I can't get over is the fact that he believed that I was responsible for the leak of his book.

"I don't think that's possible," I whisper. "You don't even know me."

"I know me," he counters. "I know that I felt exposed and vulnerable. I know I lashed out at you without considering who you are. I regretted what I said to you immediately, Sophia. I knew that I'd made a mistake before I left this place."

I glance around the room. "I don't think we can come back from this."

"Do you want to?"
"Do I want to?" I parrot back. "What does that mean?"

His hand brushes my forearm. "Do you want to try and rebuild this? Are you open to giving me another chance?"

"I can't answer that," I say honestly. "I thought what we had was special. I felt a lot of things when we were together. Now, I feel let down and bitter."

"Sophia." I hear a deep voice call my name from behind me. "Come here. I want you to meet someone."

"Gabriel needs me." I don't look at Nicholas. "I have to go."

"I'll be waiting by the door at midnight. I've told you before I just want thirty minutes, Sophia. Give me that."

I glance back over my shoulder to where Gabriel is standing next to a woman I don't immediately recognize. When I turn back, Nicholas is staring down at me. "I'll have one drink with you, Nicholas. You can say your peace and then this is over."

A smile ghosts his perfect lips. "I'll count every second until midnight."

I will too. In three hours, I'll be sitting face-to-face with the man who broke my heart.