Jilted

by Tess Thompson

  “Only because a certain someone won’t eat them and they go bad,” Nico said.

  Mrs. Coventry shrugged both shoulders. “This happened one time, and he’s punishing me forever.”

  “I’ll get you some berries today.” Sophie smiled, then scooped some granola from the tin on the counter into a bowl.

  “Thank you, dear. That’s so kind,” Mrs. Coventry said.

  “I’m starting to rethink inviting you here,” he said to Sophie.

  “Sophie’s been telling me all about your heroic act last night.” Mrs. Coventry’s cheeks were pink, and her eyes sparkled. Sophie had her under the Sophie spell. No one was safe with the sunshine girl around.

  “It was scary as hell,” Nico said. Not wanting to talk or think about the fire, he changed the subject. Curious to know how long it had taken Sophie to charm Mrs. Coventry, he asked, “What time did you get up, Soph?”

  “About nine. Jen woke me with a wet nose on my arm. She wanted to go out. I didn’t want to wake you. You were sleeping so peacefully, and we’d had such a long night.”

  Hopefully he hadn’t been snoring. Or worse, drooling.

  Sophie turned to Mrs. Coventry. “I’m a light sleeper. Any little noise wakes me.”

  “I’m the same way,” Mrs. Coventry said. “My late husband was the most exquisite sleeper. The man hardly moved and never made a sound. Often, I’d put my ear to his chest just to make sure his heart was still beating.”

  Sophie stirred the sauce and sighed. “That’s kind of romantic.”

  “Sophie let me have honey on my rabbit food,” Mrs. Coventry said as she folded her arms over her chest.

  “Did she now?” He looked from one of them to the other, noting their shared smile. Why did he have this sense that the two of them were conspiring against him? “I’ll have to get up earlier tomorrow.”

  “Honey never hurt anyone.” Sophie shook the wooden spoon at him.

  “She’s delightful, Nico. Why haven’t you brought her over more often?” Mrs. Coventry squinted at him with an accusatory glint in her eyes.

  “I didn’t think you liked visitors.” Nico moved across the room to the espresso machine. He needed coffee desperately if he were to keep up with these two.

  Mrs. Coventry clutched the gold chain around her neck and looked more affronted than even a moment ago. “Whatever would give you that idea? I love people.”

  “You do?” He raised one eyebrow as he pushed the button for a double espresso. The loud grinding of the beans covered his laugh. Once the grounds were ready, he watched as the espresso dripped into the cup.

  Mrs. Coventry lifted her chin. “Just because I don’t have an endless number of people pretending to be my friends and taking advantage of my good nature like some older affluent women do does not mean I don’t like people. I’m particular about who I allow into my home. Do you know how many of my friends have been bilked out of money by relatives and charlatans?”

  “I don’t think you’re in danger of that,” Nico said.

  “Not with Nico here to protect you,” Sophie said, flashing her guileless smile at him.

  “Mrs. Coventry doesn’t need protection,” he said.

  “Quite right,” Mrs. Coventry said. “But I do like having you here. I’ve been lonely since I lost my husband. Sometimes a person doesn’t seem to know they’re lonely until just the right company comes along.”

  “Like a space you didn’t know needed filling.” Sophie’s voice turned husky as she stirred her pot of sauce. “Until you meet the person who fills it just right.”

  Nico avoided looking at her, afraid of what he would see in her eyes. She believed they could fill each other’s hollow spaces. For how long? That was always the question he returned to. How long until she left him with gaps so wide they destroyed him?

  “That’s how it was with my husband and me,” Mrs. Coventry said. “We met and filled each other’s emptiness.”

  Nico crossed over to the island and sat on one of the stools, unsure what to say to either of the women he’d come to love more than he should.

  “I was like you, Nico,” Mrs. Coventry said. “My family never provided the love and support I needed, so I found it with Paul instead.”

  “Do you have children?” Sophie asked Mrs. Coventry.

  He sneaked a look at Mrs. Coventry, curious to see how she would answer. She’d told him once before that they’d tried to have a child but without success.

  “No, we couldn’t,” Mrs. Coventry said. “And I didn’t have a sister-in-law around to carry one for me.”

  Sophie’s bottom lip started to quiver. “I wish I’d been there. I’d have had one for you.”

  To his surprise, Mrs. Coventry laughed. “Dear, you can’t have a baby for everyone who wants one or there won’t be anything left of you.”

  “Do you think that’s true?” Sophie brows knit as if the idea deeply disturbed her. “Do we have a limited supply of generosity?”

  “Some of us,” Nico said under his breath. “Not you.”

  “Even people like Sophie have to look after themselves first in order to show up for other people,” Mrs. Coventry said. “Women don’t seem to know this innately. We only learn this truth after depleting ourselves until there’s nothing left to give to anyone, including ourselves.”

  He studied Sophie from across the kitchen island, noting the twitch at the side of her mouth.

  “You might be right,” Sophie said. “But I can’t help but think I’ll probably never do something so meaningful ever again. Which is weird, right? I’m already done at twenty-two.”

  “Dear, don’t be ridiculous,” Mrs. Coventry said. “You have your whole life out there waiting for you. What you did for your brother was a wonderful gift, but it’s not the first or the last. I’ve come to realize the biggest impact on the world comes from the sum of small acts of kindness or compassion made daily.”

  “I agree,” Nico said.

  “Well, for the record, I surely hope my life will mean something. Zane seems to think I should be flitting around getting drunk and laughing at memes on my phone.”

  “Oh, dear God, no,” Mrs. Coventry said. “That’s a deplorable way to live one’s life. I don’t care how young or old they are.”

  The women looked at each other and laughed.

  The sound of Sophie’s sweet giggle warmed him as if the sun had suddenly appeared from behind a dark cloud. Nothing, not even a fire in the dead of night, could keep the sun from rising.

  12

  Sophie

  * * *

  A few hours later, Sophie’s legs trembled as she stood on the sidewalk in front of the smoldering mass that had been her home and business. She’d dressed in the clothes she’d borrowed from Autumn the night before. Later, she would stop by the clothing store and buy a few items, but first she wanted to see what remained. As Zane had said earlier, there wasn’t much recognizable other than the metal parts of some of the kitchen. The singed leaves of the oak rustled above her heads, a reminder of how close she and Nico had come to death.

  They’d blocked off the sidewalk in front of The Oar with crime tape. Clumps of people lingered just outside the boundaries, staring and talking. Sophie wanted to push them all away. This was not some spectacle to gawk at. This was her life.

  Next to her, Nico touched the back of her hand with his. “I know you wanted to see it, but let’s go. I’ll walk you to your car around back.”

  “Not yet.” The hollow feeling in her stomach expanded. “I just realized something. What if the fire had spread? The whole town could’ve burned down.” On the east side of her building was a surf shop, which had remained untouched, thanks to the precautions of the firefighters. A small park separated The Oar and the bookstore.

  “But it didn’t,” Nico said.

  “It didn’t.” She repeated the words, hoping they would sink into her consciousness. “This is the worst of it, right here.”

  “That’s right.”

  “
What are they all doing here?” she asked, gesturing toward the crowd.

  “Curious, that’s all.” He looked down at her, concern in his eyes. “You want me to get rid of them?”

  “I know you can’t, but thanks for offering.”

  He put his hands on her shoulders. “Soph, what can I do to help you through this?”

  “Nothing. I’m fine.” She spoke stoutly as if she weren’t about to cry. “I need some clothes and a phone. And a place to live for the next twelve months. That’s all.”

  He took his hands from her shoulders. “Take this one day at a time. Today, buy the essentials and then come back up to the house. We’ll have a nice Chianti with your red sauce.”

  She nodded, resisting the urge to throw her arms around his neck and cry into his shoulder. She would see him later. Anything seemed bearable with Nico there at the end of the day. “Chianti and red sauce never let you down.”

  “True.” The corners of his eyes crinkled into fine lines as he smiled. She loved his face. God, she loved him.

  “Zane wants to sell the lot,” she said.

  “You’re kidding,” Nico asked.

  “He said he’ll give me his half if I want but that he can’t do it without his dad.”

  Nico turned slightly to face the wreckage, his features impassive.

  “Maybe he’s right,” she said. “Seeing it like this makes me wonder if it’s too much to do alone. Without him, I’ll be tied to this place even more than I already am.”

  “You don’t have to decide today,” he said. “Give it some time. Any time I’ve rushed into a decision while in crisis, I’ve regretted it. Right now, you need to get a phone and some clothes.”

  She nodded. Later she would ask him what decisions he regretted. She hoped it wasn’t coming to Cliffside Bay. “And a razor,” she said lightly.

  “Yes, that too.”

  She touched her fingertips against his bare forearm. “Will it bother you if I stay with Judi? I don’t want to go out to the Mullens’.”

  He shook his head, chuckling. “How are you already on a first-name basis with her?”

  “She likes me. What can I say?”

  He turned toward her. “Of course I’m fine if you stay with her. I want you to do whatever makes this easier for you. I’m here for you too. Whatever you need.”

  Her eyes stung. “Don’t say nice things or I’ll cry.”

  “All right then. You and your hairy legs should get on your way.”

  She smiled as she took in a deep, ragged breath. “I can’t look at this any longer. Not until it’s cleared away.”

  “That’s fair.” He tweaked her chin. “Now go do your errands and meet me back at the house. I’ll decant the wine.”

  She glanced back at the rubble. “The wine. All my wine. Just gone.”

  “We’ll get more.” Just as he turned to go, one of the firefighters approached, carrying a metal box. It took Sophie a second to realize it was her fireproof safe where she kept her passport and other important papers.

  “Hey, Sophie,” the fireman said. “We found this. Came through just fine. I cleaned it up for you.” The fireman introduced himself as Jad Stokes as he handed it over to her. “We talked last night. But you were kind of out of it, so you may not remember.”

  “I’m sorry, I don’t.” She wrapped both arms around the safe. Although small, the metal box was heavy.

  “Here, let me take it,” Nico said.

  She handed it over to him, then turned back to see Jad still standing there.

  “You were in shock. It happens.” Jad was the same height as Sophie, which made it easy to look directly into his eyes. They were a disquieting light color between blue and green. “But I certainly remember you. I’m sorry we had to meet under these conditions. I’d much rather be ordering a beer from you at the bar and slipping you my number on a napkin.”

  Was Hot Fireman flirting with her in front of the embers of her business and home? Wasn’t there some kind of protocol against that? “It’ll be a while before you can do that.”

  “Ordering a beer or slipping you my number?” Jad asked.

  Sophie rocked on her heels and gave him a polite smile to hide her confusion. “We won’t be open for a few months, and my phone burned up in the fire.”

  Jad gestured in the general direction of the phone store. “I hear you can just walk right in and get a new one.”

  “I’ll look into that,” she said.

  “Don’t you have fire stuff to take care of, Jad?” Nico’s voice had lowered in pitch. He sounded a bit like a growling dog.

  Jad either didn’t notice or didn’t care because he pulled a business card from the front pocket of his shirt. “I’ve had the same number for ten years, and my phone’s working just fine. When you get a phone, give me a call.”

  “I’m unlikely to call,” she said as she took the card.

  “Why’s that?” Jad tilted his head and grinned. “I promise to distract you from your troubles.” He winked. She suspected Jad wasn’t often turned down by women. Who wouldn’t want to jump right into those muscular arms? She knew the answer. A woman in love with someone else.

  “She’s not interested, that’s why.” Nico’s forceful tone caused her to jump. He stepped closer to her.

  “Are you her spokesman?” Jad turned toward him, and the men stared at each other like two lions ready to fight for the last lioness on earth.

  “She’s just lost her business and home,” Nico said. “Have a little sensitivity.”

  Jad put up his hands. “Whoa, man. You’re taking this a bit far. I was just asking Sophie if she’d like to go out sometime. Unless you’re with her, I’m not sure what business it is of yours.”

  Hot Fireman guy had made Nico jealous. She may not know much about men, but she knew a jealous one when she saw him. It was about time. Most women would flirt right back, but she wasn’t that type of girl. Nothing good could come from playing with a man’s heart. Jad was probably a nice man and didn’t deserve to be used as a device in the seduction of Nico Bentley. Judi’s words came back to her. She had to prove to Nico that her love was unconditional and that he could trust her never to hurt him. Actions, she’d said.

  “Jad, it’s sweet of you to ask me out,” she said. “But I’m in love with someone else.”

  Jad turned his full attention back to her. “I didn’t realize you were with someone. My bad.”

  “I’m not with him, but I hope to be soon,” she said.

  “Well, you have my card in case you change your mind,” Jad said.

  “Have it right here.” She lifted her hand to show him.

  “Awesome. Got to run now. Duty calls.” He winked again as he walked away. “Talk to you soon, Sophie.”

  “We should go too,” she said.

  “Can you believe that guy?” Nico had crammed his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

  “He’s harmless,” she said.

  “He’s too short for you.”

  “I think he’s exactly my height.”

  “You’d never be able to wear heels,” he said.

  “Guys hit on me all the time. It’s not a big deal.”

  “All the time? What does that mean?” Nico’s voice seemed to have taken on a permanent growl.

  She bit the inside of her lip to keep from smiling. “Happens a lot when you’re a bartender.”

  “For God’s sake. Men are pigs.”

  “Let’s go to my car. I have a key hidden in one of those magnetic lock boxes.”

  “How come you have one of those?” Nico asked, sound surprised.

  “My dad insisted.”

  “I wish I’d thought to get your keys and purse.”

  “Nico, you save my life and you went back for the journal. I don’t think you need to feel bad about anything else.”

  “Fine then.” Nico gently tugged her by the arm. “Come on. I’ll walk you to your car before another fireman accosts you.”

  “He was just being friendl
y. Anyway, I told him I love you, so there’s nothing for you to be jealous about.” She kept her voice light as she followed him, enjoying the view of his trim backside in those jeans.

  “I’m not jealous,” he said.

  They had to walk through the park to circle around to the back lot of The Oar where her car and the others had managed to escape harm.

  When they reached her car, he crossed his arms over his chest and glowered at her.

  “What’s the matter?” she asked as she knelt down to retrieve the lock box and used her secret code, Nico’s birthday, to open it.

  “You can’t do that—tell people you love me.”

  “Why not? It’s the truth.”

  “Because, Soph, people just don’t do that when the other person doesn’t…” He trailed off, then kicked a pebble with the tip of his shoe.

  “When the other person doesn’t love you. Is that what you were going to say?” she asked.

  “Yes.” He leaned against her car and looked up at the sky.

  “If a man asks me out, it’s not fair to accept when I know I’m only interested in one man. Really, your feelings for me don’t factor into the equation.”

  “I’m such a jerk. I’m sorry I’m acting like a jealous boyfriend. I want you to be happy. I shouldn’t hold you back.”

  She raised one eyebrow and poked him in the chest with her index finger. “Given your jealous behavior just now, it seems like you want me for yourself.”

  He caught her hand in his. “Dammit, this is not a joke.”

  “I know it’s not. I’m about as vulnerable as a person can get. I’ve opened my heart and soul to you.”

  He let go of her hand slouched against her car. “You should go out with the obnoxious, overly confident fireman.”

  “He’s too short for me.”

  “He’s exactly your height,” he said.

  “No, I’ll keep waiting for you to come to your senses, if it’s all the same to you.” Sophie patted the top of her sporty compact SUV. “In the meantime, I still have Mildred.”

  “And your surfboard,” Nico said, pointing at the back.

  “Wait, what? I forgot it was in there.” She let out a happy yelp and threw her arms around his neck. “My board. I have my board.” His arms seemed to instinctively wrap around her waist. He smelled woodsy and spicy. “You smell so good.” She looked up to meet his eyes, but his gaze appeared fixed on her mouth. “What is it?” she whispered, knowing full well exactly what it was. He wanted to kiss her.