Sophia’s heart dropped to her knees. “What’s wrong?”

A warm hand covered hers and squeezed. She glanced at Ryder, finding the warmth and concern in his eyes a welcomed comfort.

“She has stomach pains. Apparently she’s had them for days and hasn’t said anything. I married a stubborn woman,” her father huffed. “I told her to go easy on the pepperoncini, but does she listen? No. Now they want to admit her to take out her gallbladder.”

Gallbladder?

Okay, she breathed a little easier. That was kind of routine.

“She keeps going on about a night coat or house shirt, or something,” her father continued in a frustrated rush. “I don’t know what she’s talking about. I need you back here to help me get what she wants, and to help her when she’s home recovering. I won’t be able to stay home. I’ll need to get back to work. And you know how willful she gets. I can’t trust her to overdo it. Someone has to watch her.”

“It’s okay,” she rushed to say, already mentally going over the set schedule in her mind. “I’ll leave in a few minutes and drive straight to your house to grab what Ma needs.” She glanced at the clock on the dashboard. “I should be at the hospital by two. What time is her surgery?”

“Don’t know yet.” He sighed. “I’ll call you when I do.”

“Okay. I’ll see you soon,” she said before hanging up.

Ryder gently squeezed her hand, regaining her attention. “You okay?”

She nodded, feeling exhausted and full of adrenaline at the same time. “I have to go home. Well, to my parents’, then the hospital. My mother needs—”

“Her gallbladder out,” he finished for her, slight smile on his lips. “I heard.”

A snort escaped her. “Yeah…my family’s kind of loud.”

Understatement of the year.

“What can I do?” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

Her chest warmed, and everything inside her softened. “You’re doing it. Thanks. And I’m sorry. I’ll be gone a few weeks. I’ll need to be there while my mom recovers. Family comes first, right?” She smiled, but he didn’t return it. Not even a flicker.

As if realizing she was waiting for his reply, he nodded. “Right.”

But she got a weird vibe, like maybe he hadn’t quite been there. That he was lost in the past. A bad one.

Trepidation skittered down her spine. She brushed it off. It was just shock from the unexpected call, she told herself.

“What about Phoebe, and the youth show?” he asked, releasing her hand.

“It’ll be okay. I’m sure she’ll understand,” she said. “We’ve already got some of the sets built. And all the instructions are done. I know you and the others will do an amazing job.” A technical director is usually the one who oversaw the construction, anyway. It wasn’t usually the set designer, but Sophia didn’t bother to explain since she was doubling as both for Phoebe. “I trust you take over…if that’s okay?”

He nodded, but his mind seemed far away.

Reaching over, she cupped his chin and leaned close. “Thanks,” she said against his lips. “I’m going to miss you.” It took all her control to keep from blurting out that she loved him. The timing was wrong. She couldn’t just say it and then leave.

But she could show him. And did, pressing her mouth to his.

After hesitating long enough for her heart to stop and rock, he finally slid his hands into her hair and returned the kiss. Once the tightness in her chest eased, she relaxed against him. But all too soon, he broke the kiss and set his forehead to hers.

“I’m going to miss you, too,” he said, running a finger from her temple to her jaw.

And as she left him to go inside the theater in search of Phoebe, Sophia’s chest tightened once more.

What if he closed up again? She didn’t think she could bear if he shut her out now. It wasn’t just sex anymore. It wasn’t just a good time. Not for her, and not for him. She knew it, felt it.

She just hoped it was still there when she came back.

***

Ten days without Sophia might as well have been two lifetimes. Ryder was shocked to realize how much he’d grown accustomed to having the woman in his life. He missed her smiles, and laughter, her teasing, and taste, her sexy cries, and soft curves.

He was an idiot. He should’ve told her he loved her before she’d left. It would’ve given her a reason to come back, in case their great sex wasn’t enough.

Christ, he missed hot sex with her.

“Hey, buddy.” Ben dropped into the booth across from him, bringing his mind back to the fact he was in his dad’s restaurant, stirring sugar in an empty mug. “You may want to add some coffee to that.”

He snickered, reaching for the carafe in the middle of the table. “Definitely need caffeine.”

Ben chuckled. “That’s not all you need. It’s Sophia you’re lacking, not coffee.”

He blew out a breath and nodded, filling his mug. No sense in denying it. His buddy was too astute, and a really good bullshit detective. 

“She still in the city helping her mother?” Ben turned his mug over and emptied the carafe.

“Yeah.” He nodded. “Probably for another week.”

He wasn’t going to last. The withdrawals were murder. His chest fucking ached. What was up with that?

“Jammed at work?”

Not as much as he’d like to be, but he hadn’t lost any of his recent bids. “No more than usual.”

Right now, he had three remodels going on. Two residential, the other commercial. And on Monday, he was scheduled to break ground on the ice cream parlor.

It was the free time at night that was killing him.

“How about the theater?” Ben asked, pushing the carafe to the end of the table with the lid up to let Elle know it was empty.

“Finished up the last set last night.” He hoped they did Sophia’s designs justice. Phoebe seemed pleased, so he had to assume they’d hit the mark.

In less than thirty seconds, Elle dropped off a full carafe, and removed the empty. “The usual today, guys?”

They both nodded.

“How’s Sophia’s mom?” she asked.

“Good,” he replied. Driving her crazy, from what she’d told him last night on the phone. His lips twitched because there might’ve been a more colorful version involving bats and shit. “Her follow up doctor’s appointment is tomorrow, I believe.”

Ben smiled. “That’s good. Maybe she’ll be back sooner than expected and cure your lonely-ass blues.”

Idiot.

“She has a big family, right?” Elle asked.

“Yeah.”

“So, it’s safe to bet there are others around in the evening?”

He frowned, too clueless to see where this was all leading.

Ben snorted. “You’re going to have to spell out whatever it is you’re getting at, Elle. Neither of us have had enough coffee in our system to decode women’s logic.”

“Not sure it has anything to do with coffee,” she said dryly, meeting his gaze. “Okay, bottom line, Sophia can’t come here because she’s taking care of her mom. Why can’t you go there?”

He stilled, his mind reeling at something so obvious, yet he’d been oblivious. “Visit her?”

Elle nodded. “Yes. If she has a big family, I’m sure someone could sit with her mother while she goes out on a date with you.” Winking, she slapped his shoulder with her order pad, then headed toward the kitchen. “I’ll be back with your food in a bit.”

His gaze met Ben’s.

“Yeah. Never would’ve thought of that,” his buddy said, shaking his head. “But don’t tell your sister. I’m starting to get a reputation for being sensitive to her needs, and I don’t need to disillusion her.”

Ryder’s stomach instantly clenched. “Ah, hell. Did you have to go there?”

“What?” His buddy reeled back. “I wasn’t talking about those needs…although…”

“Don’t even think it.” He held up his hand and glared.

Ben chuckled. “So…what time you leaving for the city?”

He sat back in the booth as excitement rushed through him for the first time in days. “As soon as Sophia tells me. I’ll have to get her parents’ address, too.” No sooner had the words left his mouth when his phone vibrated on the table with her caller ID on the screen. He grinned. “Hi, Ben and I were just talking about you.”

“Good things, I hope.” Her tone was light with amusement.

“Of course,” he replied. “I was just telling him I need to get your parents’ address so I can maybe come to see you.”

There was a slight pause, and his excitement nosedived.