Chapter Twenty-Two
Sophie sat at Penelope’s table and took a deep breath. She was back in Chicago. As she and Ryder had driven down Lake Shore Drive, the top to her Porsche down, she’d gazed at the skyline that represented everything she’d always associated with home. Her thoughts were overwhelmingly on how glad she was that Ryder was with her.
After they’d settled into their hotel, they’d headed over to Evan and Penelope’s. The four of them had lunch, and then the boys had gone off to meet Shane and play some sport to blow off steam from the car ride to Chicago, and she got to catch up on her girl time.
Everything was perfect.
Sophie grinned at her friend. “First things first. We need to go shopping right this second. I’m in withdrawal.” She held up her hand and started ticking off her fingers. “I want to go to Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Sephora, and Agent Provocateur. If we still have time, we can cruise down Michigan Avenue.”
Penelope laughed. “Let’s digest a bit and catch up. Then I promise we’ll hit the town and you can spend all your money.”
Sophie rubbed her palms together. “I can’t wait. I miss it so much.”
Penelope jabbed a finger at her. “Hey! I think you miss shopping more than me.”
Sophie shook her head. “Not true. In fairness, I’ve seen you more, and we FaceTimed last week. I also called you two days ago and we talked for forty-five minutes. All we’ve missed by me living in Revival is lunch dates.”
Penelope raised a brow. “True. And look at the benefits you get in return.”
“So true.” The dreamy sigh escaped from her lips before she could stop it.
“Hmmm . . . It’s like that, is it?” Penelope picked up her iced tea. “I’m not sure I’ve ever heard you make such a girly sound.”
Sophie wrinkled her nose. “It’s obnoxious, isn’t it?”
“No, it’s great.” Penelope’s voice took on a serious quality. “He really makes you happy, and that’s a good thing.”
Sophie bit her lip. “It’s like he fits me somehow, you know? And he’s up for anything and everything I want to do. I told him maybe we’d go to Great America on Sunday, and he just laughed and agreed. What kind of man would agree to go to Great America on a weekend just to make me happy?”
Penelope tucked a hand behind her ear. “Not many. Evan wouldn’t.”
“Ha! Evan would so totally do that for you, not that you’d ever do anything crazy like go on a roller coaster.”
All prim and proper, Penelope straightened in her chair. “Thrill rides are overrated.”
“Speak for yourself.” Sophie winked. “I’m sleeping with my own personal thrill ride every night.”
Penelope grinned. “I guess that explains the drive to Agent Provocateur.”
“Duh.” She always had to talk Penelope into buying anything impractical, so she patted her friend’s hand. “I insist you shop too, and Evan can thank me later. We’ll get you something super slutty and completely unlike you to shock him with.”
“I’m not sure Evan can be shocked.”
“You’ll have to test the theory.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Penelope tilted her head to the side. “Have you thought about what you’re going to do?”
“About what?”
Penelope shrugged her shoulder. “About your relationship with Ryder?”
“I don’t want to think about it yet, I just want to enjoy what we have now.”
Penelope slowly nodded. “So you haven’t talked about it?”
By unspoken agreement they didn’t discuss their relationship. It was like once they’d decided they were too invested to walk away, they only lived in the moment, not wanting to think about all the reasons they’d been throwing at each other since they met. Sophie shrugged. “We have time, there’s no hurry.”
“Have you considered staying in Revival?” Penelope’s tone was light, curious.
Her chest did a strange little squeeze. “Why would you even think that? You know I live here.”
Penelope took a sip of tea before placing it gently on the table. “Honestly?”
“Yeah, honestly.” Sophie’s chin shot up.
“You seem really happy. Not just with Ryder, but with everything. You are excited about the work you’re doing. The friends you’re making. When I talk to you, you sound happier than I’ve heard you sound in a long, long time.”
Sophie bit her lip. Maybe she’d stopped complaining about living in Revival, and yes, she was having a good time. Yes, she’d even made new friends. She and Darcy Strong had hit it off so well, they’d taken to weekly lunches. And maybe she’d started thinking about her blog again, and a different angle niggled at her, but that didn’t mean she wanted to leave Chicago. Chicago was the only foundation she’d ever had. She couldn’t lose it.
Sophie shrugged. “I’m making the best of it.”
“The only thing you seem to miss is shopping.” Penelope creased her napkin into a razor-sharp edge. “It’s something to think about.”
Sophie looked away. “I don’t want to think about it right now, okay? I just want to have fun.”
Penelope studied her. “You know you’re in love with him, don’t you?”
Sophie gaped at her friend in horror. “I am not.”
Penelope’s brows furrowed. “Yeah, Soph. You are. And he’s in love with you. It’s written all over the both of you.”
Panic, bright and pure, shot through her. She could not handle this right now. She didn’t want to think about it. She screeched, “Ryder is not in love with me and I’m not in love with him. We’re having a good time. Don’t go and ruin it.”
“And being in love would ruin it?”
“Yes!”
“How?” Penelope’s furrow deepened.
She didn’t know quite how because she didn’t even know what to do with the information. She did not love Ryder. That was impossible.
Yes, she spent all her time with him, and they practically lived together, and she wanted to talk to him all the time, and they texted all day when they were apart, and he knew all her innermost thoughts and understood her like no one else, and they had the best sex on the planet, but that didn’t mean she loved him. And there was no way he could love her.
That was just crazy.
Sophie rolled her eyes. “Oh my God, Pen, don’t be such a planner. Are you ready to go shopping?”
Penelope’s mouth creased, and she studied Sophie for a few moments before she nodded. “All right, let’s go.”
* * *
Ryder and Evan had played racquetball and then ended up at his house shooting the shit and watching a Cubs game while they waited for their women to return from shopping. The last time he’d spoken to Sophie, she sounded like she’d been let loose in a candy store and rode a sugar high.
“I’m scared.” Ryder tossed his phone on the table after Sophie sent him a picture of red shoes. “I’m getting texts about shoes now.”
Evan laughed. “I have no experience with a woman who loves shopping, but I fear for your soul. Penelope’s too practical to get caught up in the adrenaline rush other women seem to experience.”
Ryder shook his head. “How exactly did they become best friends? They’re so opposite.”
Evan shrugged. “Penelope keeps Sophie and Maddie from going crazy, and they keep her from becoming a workaholic.”
Ryder thought of Sophie’s parents and figured Penelope provided the grounding presence she lacked growing up. “I’m glad she has them.”
A sly smile slid over Evan’s features. “Sophie’s always been a bit of a wild one, I never thought anyone could tame her.”
He laughed. “I haven’t tamed her. Don’t see the point. I like her wild.”
Loved her wild. But since he had no idea what to do with that piece of knowledge, he avoided thinking about it too much.
“Good point,” Evan said, scrubbing a hand over his jaw. “So what are you going to do about her?”
“Do about her?”
Evan grinned. “Figured we’d better get to the point instead of beating around the bush.”
“Do you mean about her coming back to Chicago?”
“Yeah.”
Ryder shrugged. “I don’t know yet. I’m letting it play out for a bit longer.”
Evan narrowed his eyes. “Are you hoping she’ll stay?”
The hope sat in the pit of his stomach. “Yeah.”
Evan shook his head. “I can’t imagine her living in a small town.”
“Why’s that? Everyone loves her, she’s great at the job she’s been hired to do, and she’s having fun.”
“It’s just hard for me to picture.” Evan shot him a sideways glance. “You could move to Chicago.”
“I could,” he said carefully. Although it was premature, he’d entertained the idea. But he had a job that didn’t exactly translate to Chicago PD, and his family was in Revival. And, well, he couldn’t quite get rid of the notion that she was supposed to stay in Revival.
It was like she belonged there, if she’d let herself.
Although maybe that was wishful thinking.
He didn’t want to discuss it further, so he shrugged. “We’re a long way from that.”
Evan chuckled.
Ryder raised a brow. “What?”
“Nothing. It’s nice to be on the other side of this.”
“Side of what?”
“When everyone sees how deep in you are except the two people involved. It hasn’t been too long since I was there. It sucks when you’re in the thick of it, but turns out it’s pretty fucking funny from the other side.”
Ryder sat back and didn’t say anything. He knew he was in the thick of it, but he was pretty sure Sophie wanted no part of that discussion. And he was content to ignore it. Content to show her how good it was between them.
The front door opened and Sophie bounded in, followed by a more poised Penelope, who looked at her friend with a loving exasperation.
Sophie dropped about twenty bags onto the floor before rooting around in the middle of them to come up holding a pink and black bag. She ran over, held it out in front of his face, and said, “Do you understand what I hold in this bag?”
Ryder hadn’t a clue. He sat back on the couch. “Can’t say I do, darlin’.”
She shook the bag, which had tufts of tissue paper sticking out of it. “This is going to rock your world.”
He laughed. “And how’s that?”
She shook it again, her entire face practically glowing with excitement. “The contents of this package come from the best lingerie store known to man. Do you understand?”
“I see.” He grinned at her, loving her enthusiasm.
Evan peered at Penelope. “You don’t happen to have one of those bags as well, do you, Pen?”
She gave him a very prim look and crossed her arms over her chest. “Of course.”
“Excellent,” Evan said.
They seemed to share a private look that told Ryder that Penelope Donovan was only proper on the outside.
“I think both you guys are going to be happy,” Sophie said.
“On that note.” Ryder glanced down at her. “You ready to go?”
“Yeah.” She beamed up at him, and his heart skipped a beat.
He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “You know you’re still going to get fucked before dinner.”
“Oh, I know.” She brushed her lips against his cheek. “Just not in expensive, slutty lingerie.”
“How slutty?”
“You’ll find out.”
“Tease.”
“Absolutely.”
She was the absolute best.
* * *
Over the third course of their meal, Sophie smiled at Ryder. “So what do you think?”
His gaze hooded. “I think it would taste a lot better if I knew what you were wearing under your dress. Other than it not being black, I can’t tell a thing.”
Sophie wore a white dress that dipped onto her shoulders, hugged her curves, and fell to her knees. It was form fitting and she couldn’t be happier with how it looked on her, but it was nothing compared to what was underneath.
She took a bit of goat cheese, sliding it off her fork with her tongue, moaning a little at the tangy flavor. She waved the utensil. “Do you like the restaurant? I chose it with you in mind.”
“I do. Is it places like this that made your blog so successful?”
“It is.” She glanced around the upscale pub. It was one of her favorite places in the city, so much so that she’d become friends with the owner and his significant other. “This was one of the last places I reviewed. I love hidden gems and this was a unique idea. Whoever would have thought of combining upscale dining with pub food?”
He sat back in his chair and took a sip off one of the beers in his flight, a dark amber ale made locally. “Do you miss it?”
“Chicago?”
Jaw tightening, he nodded. “You haven’t mentioned it in a while.”
Fear knotted tight in her sternum. This wasn’t a conversation she wanted to have. Not now, when everything was so perfect between them. She smiled. “You’ve been keeping me so busy it’s hard to mind.”
His lashes flickered. “But do you?”
She shrugged one shoulder. “This is my home. Of course I miss it.”
“What do you miss?”
Time to distract. “Wouldn’t you rather find out what I’m wearing under this dress?”
He studied her, intent and coplike, and she resisted the urge to squirm in her seat. “Can’t we do both?”
Ugh. First Penelope and now him. She didn’t want to talk about this. She wanted to have fun, show Ryder the city, and have sex all night. She didn’t want to think about anything serious. Her mind scrambled for what to say, but she was saved when she heard her name behind her. “Sophie, darling girl, you’ve come back to me.”
A muscle in Ryder’s jaw jumped as he looked over her shoulder. Sophie peered around to see the chef and owner coming their way.
She sprang from her seat and opened her arms to her friend. “John-Paul! It’s so good to see you.”
The man, a few years older than her, swooped her up in a bear hug. Very handsome, he was around five-ten and had sharp cheekbones, brown eyes, and sandy hair. He kissed her on both cheeks, saying in his French-accented English, “You vixen, why didn’t you call?”
She laughed. “I wanted to surprise you.”
“I am. I am thrilled you’re here. I’ve missed you, and François has been asking for you.” After she’d written her review, he’d called her personally to thank her for the glowing recommendation and invited her to a private dinner. Sophie couldn’t refuse such an offer, and she’d become fast friends with John-Paul and his partner, François.
John-Paul looked past her and gestured. “And who do we have here?”
Sophie turned to face Ryder, whose expression appeared too calm, contrasting the tension radiating off him. “This is Ryder, my . . .” She trailed off and realized she had no idea how to identify him. She’d never needed to. In Revival, everyone knew they were together. “My . . .” Friend was too impersonal, boyfriend too juvenile, and significant other too clinical. “My . . . person.”
John-Paul beamed and held out his hand. “Well, hello, Sophie’s person.”
Sophie said, “John-Paul is the owner and chef of this place.”
Ryder shook the offered hand, nodding. “Nice place you have here.”
“Thank you.” John-Paul put his arm around Sophie’s shoulders and pulled her close, kissing her temple. “Your handsome man is looking as though he may murder me. Perhaps you should put him out of his misery.”
Sophie laughed, tilting her head. “John-Paul is married to a French media mogul named François.”
Ryder’s expression instantly eased and he had the good nature to shrug. “Sorry. I’m feeling ... protective.”
John-Paul graciously lowered his head. “I understand.” The door opened and he glanced over in that direction. “Ah, how lucky, there’s François now. One moment, I’ll bring him over, as I know he would love to see you.”
He returned a moment later with an equally gorgeous man with jet-black hair and vivid blue eyes.
François swept her up, again kissing her on both cheeks. “Sophie, I’ve been thinking of you and was going to give you a call, but here you are. What a happy coincidence.”
“Oh? How so?” she asked, winking at Ryder.
He didn’t wink back; instead he studied her as though he’d never quite seen her before. Before she could think any more on it, François’s voice pulled her back to him.
“My vice president of marketing left for a job in New York, and you are the perfect person to fill the position. Of course, we’ll need to go through the formalities of an interview with other members of the team.” He laughed, waving a little. “But I am the boss and have the final say. As soon as he handed me his resignation, I told John-Paul you were the only person I’d accept. I’m hoping to get you in for an interview in the next couple of weeks.”
Sophie’s heart leapt with excitement. This was huge. François’s company was one of the top companies in Chicago. A job with him would make her entire career. And he was in media, so she’d be invited everywhere. Attend all the best parties, travel the world.
She’d get to come home. She’d have her old life back, only better.
She turned to Ryder, ready to share it all with him. Ready to jump up and down in elation. Everything stilled. The excitement drained away. As reality sank in, her stomach turned to lead.
But it would cost her Ryder.