"Oh no." Sofia deflated. "Can't you stay a little longer?"
"Sorry, not tonight. Work calls. But I will make a plan to come spend a weekend very soon. Okay?"
Sofia nodded, then stood and pulled him into a warm embrace, clinging to the feeling of having her old friend back for just a few moments longer.
When she finally stepped back, he bent down and extended his hand to Allie, who waved him off. She quickly jumped up and gave him a hug. "It was great to meet you," she said. "I look forward to seeing you again soon."
"Same here, Allie." He pulled away and tipped his head toward Sofia. "Take good care of my girl."
"You know I will." Allie smiled at her and Sofia wished she could fight the profuse blush heating her face from their shared attention.
"Okay, so I will leave you two ladies to your evening." He hugged Sofia once more before taking his leave.
"So..." Allie turned to Sofia with a quirked brow and a devious smirk. "Whatever will we do together all evening?" She wiggled her brows and sunk her teeth into her bottom lip, screaming seduction.
Sofia moved closer, moistening her lips as her arm slid around Allie's waist and pulled her flush against her chest. "I have a few ideas."
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
Camped out in the office to plan a client rendezvous, Reyna laid on the couch, coughing and sniffling. Sofia's heart went out to her. She looked miserable and despite several attempts to send her home, her friend was every bit as stubborn and dedicated to their business as she. Still, she would keep trying.
Sofia leaned forward in her chair to scan the bevy of ideas spread across the table. She reached for the bourbon festival flyer and said, "You should go home, Rey."
"No, no." She blew her reddened nose again. "I promised I'd help plan this. I'll be fine. I took meds."
"So, in other words, you'll be asleep soon?" Sofia looked up and laughed, but sympathized.
"Very funny...and maybe." Reyna tipped her head back against the sofa. A tired, frustrated groan rumbled out.
The front door opened and Runa walked in, decked out in all her athletic-wear glory, with a covered dish in hand. Her brilliant blue eyes quickly found Reyna. "Hello ladies." She gave Sofia a nod, then returned her full attention to her girlfriend, striding with determination toward the couch.
"Ru. Thank the gods," Reyna blurted out with a relieved smile. She reached out with the hand free of a Kleenex and it was eagerly accepted. A tender kiss was placed upon her forehead and she pulled her feet up to give Runa room to sit.
"Hello, Runa. Nice to see you," Sofia said, smiling at the couple. They were adorable and she couldn't be happier for them.
"Good to see you too, Sofia." Runa settled in. "How's Allie?"
"She's good, thanks."
"Good. Tell her hi for me."
"I will. I think someone needs a nap." Sofia motioned to her haggard-looking best friend.
Runa swiveled to face Reyna. "Hey, how you feeling, honey?" She pressed her hand gently to Reyna's cheek.
"Like shite, but I'll survive. I'm very happy to see you though." A smile formed, then grew as she shifted so she could scoot closer. She snuggled into Runa's side, resting her head on her shoulder.
"I like hearing that." The smile on Runa's face turned equally bright. "I brought you something."
"Oh?"
"Homemade soup. Family recipe." Runa held up the container.
"You made me soup? You cook?"
"Yup. I got some skills."
"Like killer trainer skills or hockey skills?" Reyna smirked.
"Did you just Napoleon Dynamite me?" Runa challenged, brow arched.
"Maybe."
"Napoleon Dynamite?"
"Yeah, it's just some silly movie," Runa dismissed the question with a shrug and a hint of shyness.
Reyna smirked and pinched Runa's arm. "A silly movie that my girlfriend can't turn off whenever she finds it on TV."
"Anyway..." Runa changed the subject. A pink hue stained her cheeks. "Since my girl refuses to rest at home, I will leave you two to it. But," she pointed her finger at Reyna, "eat the soup and drink plenty of fluids."
"Yes, ma'am. Or else you'll do wicked things to me." Reyna fought to remain serious, but the corner of her mouth twitching upward put a chink in her charade.
"You have no idea." A seductive smirk joined the teasing twinkle in Runa's eyes.
"I'll keep that in mind," Reyna said with a satisfied grin, letting go of her act. "What are you doing the rest of the day?"
"Whatever I want." Runa huffed as she got up and Reyna burst into laughter.
Sofia smiled at their playful interaction, something she found surprising. Reyna was a free spirit, but not known to be goofy and Runa could come across as serious, although very caring. Their dynamic seemed to bring out the hidden traits.
"I have one more session later, then I'll check in on you. You ladies have a good one." Runa kissed Rey atop the head, threw Sofia a smile and a wave, and then walked out, leaving the pair to their work.
Once the door had closed, there was nothing but silence and typing as Reyna set to work on her laptop with renewed energy and a crooked smile plastered on her face. Sofia regarded her demeanor and how the quick visit had given her best friend a reprieve from the misery she'd been in beforehand.
"You're so cute when you're in love."
Her fingers coming to a halt above the keys, Reyna looked up and her crooked smile ballooned into a full-fledged, toothy grin.
"I really am." In dramatic fashion, she fell back into her seat. "Goodness, Sofia. I am so in love with her. I think I fell right away." She shook her head. Concern loomed in her eyes. "Should I be? Is it too soon?"
"What? No." Sofia rose from her spot and planted herself beside Reyna. She draped her arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. "There's no timetable on it. You just…feel it when you feel it. And I am so happy for you. For both of you."
"Thank you. I just hope I don't mess it up. You know I'm not great at relationships. I've been afraid to say it aloud and jinx it or something."
"I understand, but I can say that in the time I've known you, I've never seen you like this with anyone. Besides, you've already made it ten months, so just relax. Don't put pressure. Just let R and R's future unfold."
Rey smiled at the nickname Kat had given them. "I'll try, Obi-Wan. See? That's why you're the Love Doctor." She bumped Sofia's shoulder with her own.
Rolling her eyes, Sofia chuckled and said, "Yeah well, I do what I can."
"And the world is a little better place because of it."
"Thanks."
"Also, I know I've said it before, but I'm super happy you found Allie. You two are great together."
"It feels good with her. Not at all like the others I had tried to date. Those were so forced. She felt different right from the start. Natural. Like Kylar, but not quite the same. It's hard to explain and I pray you never have to experience it. I'm still coping with it all. But she makes it easier."
"That's good. It'll take time. Some things never go away and that's okay. They shouldn't." Silence fell between them for a long minute before she added, "Her birthday's coming up. Are you still planning to…?"
"Absolutely. That will never change. Never." Sofia wiped a welling tear from her eye. Her hand moved instinctively to her necklace.
Reyna pulled her in for a hug. "How about we wrap this up and go get cake?"
Dropping her head to rest on Reyna's shoulder, she said, "You should really eat the soup instead. Sugar won't help you get better."
"Agree to disagree when it comes to Miya's chocolate torte cake. Besides, it will make you feel better and that makes me feel better."
Sofia sniffled, a tiny smile breaking through. "I can get behind that."
"Great. If we hurry, we can beat the rush."
"On it. And Reyna?"
"Yes, Sof?"
"Thanks for always being there. It means more than you'll ever know."
"Alway
s."
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
Later that evening, after Allie and Sofia had enjoyed their pasta dinner, they loaded the dishwasher together and then made their way to the couch, each carrying a hefty helping of chocolate peanut butter ice cream. Talk about a binge day. How long will I have to paddle board to burn off cake and ice cream? After the first spoonful, calories became irrelevant. It was too good to dwell on the negative. Being so active, Sofia had never spent much time worrying about that anyway, but she had noticed a certain trend toward an increase in sweets these last couple of months. Allie was rubbing off on her.
Or perhaps it had something to do with stress. She'd had lots of emotional turmoil to sort through since the first time she'd laid eyes on Allie. All in all, though, she'd done well. Sofia finally felt as if she were truly among the land of the living again and had come to terms with many of the things she had avoided. Now, as they were making huge strides, there was another hurdle she needed to clear, an important one—one that didn't always go well for other widows.
Just as she opened her mouth to pose the question, nerves got the better of her. Rather than tackle the hurdle, she sank into her spot and ate in silence. Sofia observed her girlfriend, smiling as Allie laughed at a silly joke on the sitcom. The amusement in cheesy humor had Sofia wondering more about the woman who'd jumpstarted her heart. The earlier conversation between R and R popped into her head and her curiosity won out. "Allie, have you seen Napoleon Dynamite?"
"Oh geez. Unfortunately, yes," she said with a laugh. "Kat and Runa used to watch it all the time. I never got it, but they were entertained." Curling her feet under her body, Allie rested the bowl on her knee and pulled her hair back over her shoulder. "Why?"
Sofia shook her head and assumed the same position by Allie's side. "No reason, really. It came up at work today and I guess I just wondered if you enjoyed those kinds of movies too."
"I mean, sometimes I enjoy campy films. Just depends, I guess. And I'd watch that one if you wanted to, but otherwise..."
"Good to know." There was one more Allie fun fact. She relished each and every new nugget of knowledge. "So, is there anything you're in the mood to watch tonight?"
"You," Allie answered without pause, then seductively sucked the spoon clean of its ice cream and smiled wide. She waggled her brows and sucked her bottom lip between her teeth.
Such a delicious tease. Heat swelled deep between Sofia's thighs and spread up her neck, setting her cheeks on fire. Allie could most certainly turn it on in a hurry.
Allie leaned in and kissed Sofia on the cheek, then whispered, "Anything you want. I don't care."
Sofia smiled, kissed her back, and then got up from the couch. She marched right over and reached for her go-to box. An unexpected laugh barked out from behind, freezing her in her tracks.
"Star Trek Voyager again, huh?"
Uncertainty crept in. Sofia suddenly looked back and asked, "Is that not okay? You said anything, so..."
"It's fine." Allie waved her on. "It's just funny. How often do you watch it?"
"I don't know," Sofia replied, her voice timid, now rethinking her choice. "I just binge it here and there when I'm in the mood. Not just Voyager, but all of them." Probably a gazillion times over the last few years.
"I get it. I do that sometimes with Law and Order SVU. Mariska Hargitay can be pretty addicting."
"Yeah, so can Jeri Ryan."
"Who's that?"
"Seven of Nine, the Borg in Starfleet." She slipped the disc into the player, then returned to the couch.
"Ah yes. I love her costume." Allie laughed and bounced her brows.
"It's a uniform," she playfully admonished. "And me too. I used to have a huge crush on her."
"Used to? I'd bet she's the reason you still binge watch."
"Might be part of it." Sofia shrugged with a playful smirk.
"Hey, no judgement here. I'm all for watching shows with beautiful women in skin tight outfits."
"Okay, so yes, I still have a crush." She picked up the remote and pressed pause. Sofia was unsure which conversation was worse, this one or the one she would have had if she'd had the guts? She remained frozen in place, bringing an awkward silence to what had been lighthearted banter. Allie stared at her, questions filling her eyes. There was no sense in torturing herself longer than needed, right? If Allie didn't want to go, she would have to deal with it. Better to get it out in the open now.
"Allie, I have a question to ask you." Her tone was far too serious, especially given their current conversation.
An arched brow came in response to the change in mood. Allie paused, then said, "I love you, but I don't think I'm down with role playing Star Trek."
"No! Really, Allie?" Sofia admonished. "Geez! Never mind." Definitely never mind. Abort. Bad idea. Well…great idea, but wrong time, wrong place.
Allie laughed hysterically and pulled Sofia into her arms, unaware of her plight. "I'm just kidding. You should have seen your face. You know I am totally down with that." She continued to laugh.
Sofia rolled her eyes and suppressed a grin. "So noted."
"Seriously though…" Allie caught her breath and settled down. "What is it? You can ask me anything."
"I'm not sure I want to after that. I think we'll watch something else."
"Nonsense. It'll be fun. Especially if you go put on that uniform you have." She wriggled her brows and bit her lip.
"I am not wearing that."
"Then why do you have it?"
"I- um..."
"Yes?"
"It was for Halloween."
"Mhm."
"Anyway, we can watch something else tonight."
"Nope. I wanna see the hottie in the tights."
"Uniform."
"Whatever."
Sofia rolled her eyes, but hid a ridiculous grin. "Fine." She pressed play with greater force than necessary. Allie chuckled and snuggled into her side.
Two episodes later, they turned off the television and headed for bed. As she held Allie in her arms, tiptoeing on the edge of sleep, she was glad she had held off dampening their evening with such a deep topic. The night had been filled with silliness, but Sofia wouldn't have had it any other way. Just another day in the life of Allie and Sofia, she thought. As her eyes drifted shut, she sent a silent request to the heavens, hopefully, there will be tens of thousands more to enjoy together.
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
"So…" Allie began casually. "Our one-year anniversary is next month. Anything in particular you would like to do?" She sipped her water, then set the glass on the end table as she awaited a response. They hadn't celebrated little anniversaries like other couples did—one-month, six-month, and so on—so she wasn't sure how Sofia felt about the topic. Was it a sore spot somehow?
"I don't know," Sofia groaned. "All I can think about right now is dinner. I'm starving."
They had enjoyed a long day at the beach filled with paddle boarding, which Allie was certain Sofia had suggested to burn off yesterday's carb fest. They'd had little to eat since their breakfast yogurt. Allie had become more than familiar with the grumpy mood that surfaced whenever Sofia got hangry. She rubbed gentle circles on her girlfriend's back as they brainstormed dinner. "Okay, well, let's get you fed. What about some Mexican?"
"I'm more in the mood for some pizza."
"Oh, I could do a chicken pesto with goat cheese." Allie was practically drooling. She loved indulging in a specialty flavor now and again.
"What the...?" Sofia bolted upright, her face the epitome of shock and disgust. "That's not pizza. You need red sauce, a ton of cheese, and grease."
"It is too, pizza. It's on the same crust and it has cheese."
"How have I not known this in the last year?"
Amused at her girlfriend's passionate argument, she couldn't help but prod her a bit more. A fired-up Sofia was hot. "Sorry, I didn't realize you were a pizza purist or I would have warned you."
Sofia ignored the tease and conti
nued to mutter, "Next you'll probably say you prefer Chicago style over New York." She threw her hands up in frustration.
Shaking her head, Allie was doing her damnedest to suppress a laugh. They'd gone from toppings to style and she wondered how many other food products got the woman's panties in a twist. "I don't discriminate when it comes to pizza. I love it all no matter what kind or where it's from, but I do prefer the thick Chicago style pie, yes. It's got more stuff on it. So, now what?"
Sofia's mouth dropped open. "Well, we obviously aren't getting pizza tonight."
Allie laughed. "We've only had pizza a few times and I didn't really care what it was, so sue me for wanting something different tonight. Is it a deal breaker?"
"Probably not," Sofia grumbled with a shrug.
"Good, because one of these days, Sofia Delacruz, I'm gonna marry you." Did I really say that? Is it too soon? Though Sofia's unreadable expression gave her pause, Allie couldn't even begin to contain her smile.
♥♥♥
She's gonna what?
Had she heard that right? Sofia's heart skipped a beat. Her irritable mood succumbed to the crashing waves of love for the woman next to her. Just like she had told Ricky, Allie had stolen her heart, so she would definitely be up for marriage. "I would marry you anywhere, any time," she said. Then, after a peck on Allie's lips, she added, "As long as you don't try to make me eat Chicago style pizza." A grin slowly hiked up the corners of her mouth.
"Is that the only caveat?" Allie asked with a gleam in her eye.
"Hmmm..." Sofia pretended to think hard. "Oh, and no pickles. I hate them. I also hate stuff that's pickled. Except beets. Somehow, they're sweet, but anyway...that's it."
"You sure?"
"Wait." Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip before she added, "We really do need to do something about your fitted sheet skills. Mashing them into a ball is unacceptable."
"Fine." Allie feigned exasperation, then smiled. "I don't mash it, but whatever. If that's your biggest peeve, I'll put more effort in. Anything else?"
"I don't think so." There were no real reasons that came to mind and her heart certainly hadn't lodged any protests.
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