“Uhh…”
“Please!” he implores. “Besides, it’s nothing, really. You said it yourself: Sophie and Chad haven’t hooked up recently. So, yeah…guess she did fire him because of his deal with Evelyn…”
I raise both eyebrows, trying to follow this bizarre trail of breadcrumbs. “So, to be clear, her firing Chad wasn’t because she and Chad got together again, had a falling out, and he then hooked up with Evelyn?”
“I thought, but no. Totally wrong. I don’t know,” he stammers, still running his hands nervously through his hair. “Just a stupid hunch. Like I said, I don’t know where my head’s at. Forget about it. Please.”
“But…” I say, eyes trained back at my feet. “This ‘hunch’ can’t be because you really think there’s more to why Sophie fired Chad. Sure she’s a control freak, but—”
“Forget about it.”
I press on, the breadcrumbs slowly leading me further and faster down the path. “That’s not why at all, Conner.” I perk my head up and lock eyes with him.
“Forget it.”
“You said lovesick. You said he still had it bad for her.”
“Jackie, please.”
“Conner, is Chad…” My voice is small. “Is Chad in love with Sophie?”
Conner doesn’t respond.
“Shit,” I whisper. “Omigod! But—but—he’s with Evelyn.”
“And he’s happy with her,” he blurts out. “Really happy. Him having it bad for Sophie…that’s old news!”
“Chad’s been in love with Sophie?” I’m in shock. “At some point in time, has been?”
“Look.” Conner cups a hand to the side of his face. “That’s the past. He’s with Evelyn now, and I was just jumping to conclusions with the whole coworker plural thing. That’s all. Never mind. Forget all of this, please.”
“Well.” I exhale loudly. “Sure. I guess. I mean…I don’t get any hint that Sophie’s interested in him… Seems repulsed half the time, really!” I give a nervous laugh. “And Chad’s obviously with Evelyn. They seem happy.”
“Exactly!” Conner practically leaps out of his seat. “So it’s all said and done, and we’re moving on. Please, Jackie.” His eyes are beseeching. “Please, not a word. No need to cause any drama. For no reason!”
“Yeah,” I say with a half-laugh. “You know I love my drama, but…”
“Please. For everyone’s sake. No drama.”
“Yeah, well…” I shrug. “All right. Okay…”
“Thank you.”
“Besides,” I say, standing, “Sophie would flip her lid if she knew, and she’d probably rag on Chad even more, and it’d be just…messy for everyone.”
“Exactly! It’d be a total mess. And what with Evelyn and Chad moving in together and—”
“Moving in together?” Another surprise for the day.
“Yeah. It’s a big move for Chad.”
“Well, I guess good for them?”
“I’m surprised you didn’t know already.” Conner ushers me towards the hallway, telling me the stuff Claire’s gathered for me is in the spare bedroom-turned-office. “I thought Claire would’ve told everyone by now.”
“Nope.”
“Ah, well, she probably just hasn’t gotten around to it yet. Doesn’t have as big a mouth as I do, apparently.” He smacks a palm to his head and opens the office door, Schnickerdoodle hot on our heels.
“Didn’t know you were the type to spread false rumors and revel in gossip,” I tease as we step into the office.
“When you’re married to a woman who’s slightly obsessed with Lifetime and the CW, what can I say? It rubs off.”
“Whoa!” I halt as soon as I take in the disastrous state of the office. “I thought Em’s place was a mess!”
The room, much like the living and dining rooms, is stacked with boxes, but in the middle of it all is a large desk, wires protruding from all areas of it, two large computer screens and two laptops on top of it. It looks like there’s a printer on one end of the desk, a sewing machine on the other, and papers and fabric are scattered all about.
“It’s kind of a disaster,” he says. “We sold one of the desks, so it’s a little cramped now.”
“A little?” I laugh.
“Here,” he says, spotting a box on top of an end table. It’s marked For Jackie. “She said it’s just one, for now.” He gives a sheepish grin and picks up the box. “She’ll let you know when there’s more.”
“Thanks.” I lead the way out of the small disaster site. “Oh, and I’ll leave the fliers and cards Claire wanted here,” I say, setting them on the dining table.
“I think it’s awesome you’re starting your own business, by the way,” he says coolly. “Congrats.”
“It’s exciting. Daunting, but exciting. Now I just need a client. A guinea pig, really, for starters.”
“Claire mentioned that.” He sets the box down by the front door. “Too bad we’re moving, because we’d be happy to be your guinea pigs. Lord knows Claire’s hated that office for years.”
I pick up my handbag. “I should be heading to the café.”
“Aww,” Conner moans. “Don’t make my mouth water. I can’t tell you the last time I had one of Sophie’s brownies.”
“Tell Claire I said hi,” I say as Conner puts the heavy box in my car trunk.
“Will do.” He rests a hand on my car door. “And good luck with the biz. I bet you’ll do great.”
I stick the keys in the ignition. “One can only hope.” I smile and thumb the Mercedes symbol on my steering wheel. “Hope’s kind of what I’ve been living on for a while now. Getting kind of good at it.”
“Hey,” he leans down and grins a lopsided grin. “I know it might not be much help what with us moving and all, but if I think of anyone who could be a client, or your guinea pig, I’ll let you know.”
I start the engine. “Thanks, Conner. I appreciate it.”
“And, uhh, about earlier…”
“Swear.” I hold up two fingers. “Scout’s honor or whatever it is.” I hold up four fingers, pressing my thumb against my palm. “I won’t cause unnecessary drama.”
“Thanks.” He’s about to shut my door when a look of surprise crosses his face. “Hey, wait a minute.”
“Yeah?”
“Speaking of Chad. I’ve got an idea.” Conner rubs at the slight scruff covering his tanned jawline. “It’s just an idea. What if you redid Chad’s place?”
“Chad’s place?”
“Yeah.”
“His houseboat?”
“Why not?” Conner slips both hands in his front pockets and leans back on his heels, a look of self-satisfaction about him. “It’s just like any other home. His roommates are moving out; Evelyn’s moving in soon. The place is kind of a bachelor pad.” He pans around the yard, as if giving me time to contemplate the suggestion.
“Hmmm.”
“Maybe you could help him make it more…woman-friendly.” He sniffs a laugh, then ducks his head down and nearer, leaning one hand on the car door frame. “Just an idea. I can ask him for you if you like.”
“Sure,” I say at last. “That’s actually not a bad idea.”
Chapter Fifty-Two
“You’re what?” Sophie says, exasperated, empty teacups in both hands. She pads to the front counter of her café, and I follow closely behind.
“It’s not the worst idea,” I say.
“May not be the worst, but it’s just weird.” She sets the cups down, her voice now lowered so as not to disturb her customers.
“Look, Lara’s right. I need to do some staging. I’m never going to get this company off the ground if I don’t have something to show. No portfolio, no proof of what I’m capable of.”
“And Emily’s place?” Sophie begins to wipe down the counters and the espresso machine, moving about quickly, unable to hide her state of annoyance. “Why can’t you use Em’s place as a staged example?”
“I am.” I turn the café’s tip ja
r around in circles. “That’s just a start. Besides, showing super-budget revamps isn’t really going to be the best model for my business. If I want to make some real money with this thing—actually survive—I need to show I’m capable of a variety of styles and budgets. And I need money.” I raise high my eyebrows.
“And Chad’s houseboat is going to be that step to the upper class?” Sophie gives me a blank look. “He’s going to let you flip that place into a swanky, feminine place?”
“Look,” I say, keeping my voice down. I look to the front of the café. All the customers are keeping to themselves, either lost in conversation, enjoying a baked good or a coffee, or immersing themselves in their morning read. “Conner’s going to ask him for me. If Chad’s up for it, I’m doing it. I need the help, Sophie. I can totally flip that place!”
She folds the damp cloth in quarters and heaves a sigh. “It makes sense,” she finally says, but her tone sounds like I’m twisting her arm.
I won’t lie. The instant I waltzed into the café and saw Sophie, my mind instantly flashed back to my gossip fest with Conner. I promised I wouldn’t say anything about his hunch/slip-up, and if it was all matters of the past there was no point in gossiping anyway, really.
But I still couldn’t help but feel edgy the moment I saw Sophie, and certainly when I brought up the renovation issue with Chad’s home. I know deep down there is no way what Conner’s idea was any more than a silly hunch, but it’s still weird. Really weird.
On second thought, there’s no harm in working out some hunches of my own. Just to clear the air—settle my mind. Maybe if I just asked Sophie if she had any romantic feelings for Chad then I would know for sure the unnecessary drama I promised to keep under wraps with Conner would really be unnecessary.
“What’s the problem, anyway?” I ask Sophie in a casual tone. “So I redo Chad’s place. What’s it to you?”
“Nothing!” she exclaims rather loudly.
“You wouldn’t…” I turn my tone up a notch in pitch, coquettish, “be harboring feelings for him, now would you?”
“Chad?” she practically spits.
I nod and say, “Yeah, you know? You two had an encounter back in college, and now that he’s moving in with someone—taking things seriously for the first time in his life—you’re a little…jealous?”
“Ew, no! Jackie!” She squeezes the cloth in her tightening fist. “You think that one little encounter with Chad has left me pining away for him all these years?”
I purse my lips, awaiting her answer to her own question.
“Please,” she splutters. “How’s this? You two had your own ‘encounter.’ You pining away for him?”
Immediately my face twists into an expression of disgust, and I voraciously shake my head. “Okay, okay!” I hold up two surrendering hands. “I get your point. Moving on. So sorry I brought it up.”
“Yes, thank you.” She heaves a dramatic sigh and tosses the cloth onto the counter.
“You just looked a little upset with the news of Chad and Evelyn moving in together, and me working on his place.” I backtrack over the whole unnecessary parade of drama I’ve started and decide Conner was right: It was all rumors, gossip, hunches… I’m causing more harm than good when clearly that’s not the issue here. “Is there something wrong, Sophie? You seem upset.”
“I’m just—” Her aquamarine eyes turn a tick glassy as she looks just past my ear.
I tug at the sleeve of her shirt and she looks to me. “Talk to me,” I say. “What is it?”
“It’s stupid.” She reaches back for the cloth and squeezes it in her tightening fist some more.
“Sophie?” Evelyn calls out as she emerges from the kitchen. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“No, no,” Sophie waves off with the hand clutching the cloth. “It’s fine. Jack and I are just chatting. No biggie. What’s up?” She stands up a little taller, posture perfect.
Evelyn produces a pink to-go box and says, “The assorted cookies for the pickup you asked for?”
“Excellent.” Sophie eagerly takes the box from her and sets it by the register. “They should be by any minute,” she says as she checks her gold watch.
Evelyn’s about to turn back towards the kitchen when Sophie blurts out, “Actually, I need you up here now, Evelyn. I’ll take care of things in the back.”
“All right.” With an understanding smile, Evelyn assumes the role of managing the front of the café, and Sophie nudges me to the kitchen.
“Sophie, what is going on with you?” I ask once we’re in the back, out of earshot of possible eavesdroppers, our voices registering at normal levels now.
I watch Sophie make her way to the refrigerator. She pulls from it a pink recipe card affixed with a magnet. “Look,” she says, sounding incensed, “it sounds silly and totally stupid, but hearing that you’ll be doing Chad’s place just adds salt to the wound.”
I scrunch my nose and say with a shake of the head, “What? What wound? What salt?” I pause. “It’s just an idea at this point. Chad may not even go for the idea.”
“Oh, the oaf’ll go for it.” She flies a hand up. “He’s got more money than he knows what to do with. He’ll be happy to be your guinea pig. And, he’s so damn smitten with…” She gestures to the front of the café.
“Awww.” I wander over to a free barstool. “Are you really jealous of the new girlfriend? I thought you didn’t have any feelings for Chad.”
“I’m not jealous,” she says curtly. “And you’re right, I don’t have feelings for him. Not at all!” She winces in what is unmistakably pure revulsion.
I suppress a laugh and say, “All right. We’ve established this. So what’s the BFD? So Chad’s in what seems like a normal relationship with a nice girl. That’s a first!”
Sophie sighs, leaning against the refrigerator. “A first for what? The normal relationship or the nice girl?”
“Touché.”
“I’m just being dumb.” She methodically thumbs at the corners of the recipe card.
“Is it Evelyn?” I query. “She not good enough for Chad or something? You don’t approve?”
I’m grasping at straws. I really don’t know what the problem is. So Chad’s got a girlfriend, and a nice one at that. So Evelyn works for Sophie; Chad doesn’t anymore. There’s no longer that distraction she’s got to contend with. I don’t see the problem.
“She’s too good,” Sophie says with a chortle. “But that’s not it.”
“Okay. Then what is?”
“It’s everyone.”
“Everyone?”
“Everyone’s finding their someone, Jackie. Everyone’s finding love.” She presses her lips firmly together.
“Ohhh,” I say in a low note. “I see.”
“I told you it was stupid.”
“It’s not stupid. It’s not entirely true, but it certainly isn’t stupid.”
“Uhh.” She gives me a wide-eyed, obvious look. “Look around, Jack. Everyone’s Noah’s Arking it around here, and then there’s Sophie. I mean, even world-trekking Em’s got someone she’s in love with!”
She walks over, takes a seat across from me at the stainless steel island table, and looks into my eyes. “I never would have thought I’d be twenty-eight and single. And what’s more, I can’t even believe I’m bellyaching about it.”
“Oh, Sophie.”
“No, it’s true. I’ve been fine with it for a long while. Honest, I have.” She pauses, looking at the recipe card. “I was angry that Nathan and Lara didn’t work out,” she blurts, “but elated once she and Worth started seeing each other. Emily with Gatz…that’s great. Super!” She pats the card. “I couldn’t think of a better match for those two. Claire and Conner, that’s been in the stars for centuries. Robin and Bobby…thank god the girl caught a break and she’s all peachy. And you and—”
“And who? Andrew? Me and Andrew?” I give her a vacant expression. “Yeah, and that’s a love story.”
&
nbsp; “Oh, it’ll get figured out.”
“Well, fine, if it does. In the meantime, I am the last woman who has a fairytale love story to share.”
“I guess.” She hugs one arm to her waist. “You know, I was even fine with Chad dating Evelyn.”
“Oh, yeah,” I say sarcastically. “That went over real well.”
She rolls her eyes. “Aside from that, I grew to accept it. If they want to date, go for it! He’s not working here anymore so it doesn’t matter. Who am I to stop them? But this moving in thing… This—this—”
I step down from the barstool, walk over to her side of the table, and lean against it.
“It hit me hard for some reason,” she says in a small, childlike voice.
“It’s a more serious move,” I say.
“Exactly.”
“And Chad’s not the serious-move kind of guy.”
“That too.” She begins to rub the sides of her head. “It just all kind of became real to me when Claire told me the news. Like, he’s the last one in our group of friends, aside from me, to take a serious step.” She pushes the card away from her and hugs both arms to her waist. “And I never pictured I’d be the last one in line. Selfish, hah?”
“Ha!” I shriek. “You want to talk selfish? I know all about selfish, babe.” I give her a side hug. “Come on, you’ll find your love when the time’s right.”
“I know. I mean, I need to be realistic here.” She surveys the kitchen. “I have a business to run and barely enough time as it is. Where am I going to find the time to meet someone, get to know him, fall in love…?”
“I may only be starting my business,” I say encouragingly, “but I’ll find whatever damn time I can to try to work on my love life. That is, whenever Andrew’s back in the picture.” I sigh. “When you find the right one, you’ll make the time, too.” I give her a reassuring pat on the arm.
“Still no contact?” Her face goes long.
“Oh, the world will hear from me when that happens. If that happens,” I say. “Ha! Listen to me, being all optimistic.”
When Girlfriends Let Go Page 43
