“You did great.” He smiled, as he took a few steps towards her, closing the distance.
“Thanks,” she breathed out, her eyes glued to his. Slowly, Jonathan lowered his head, his lips closing the distance between them. His hands were on her hips, his eyes darker. Just when he was about to press his lips against hers, the door opened.
“You guys did ama–” Ethan’s voice trailed off. “I guess I came in at the wrong time?”
Chapter 10
“I should have gone with him to the airport. Waiting around isn’t really my thing.” Ethan sighed from the armchair, repeating the same sentence for what seemed like the tenth time that hour.
Sophie chuckled and shook her head as she checked over the ingredients of the recipe she was preparing once more. As if through a miracle, she had managed to mix all the ingredients without making a mess of the kitchen. She knew she had probably chosen the worst day to put her culinary skills to a test, but it was what she wanted. It was time she learned how to boil some water without setting the house on fire.
“They’ll arrive soon. Stop nagging, you’re only making time pass slower.” Sophie chuckled as she washed her hands, ready to put the seasoned chicken and potatoes inside the oven.
“Easy for you to say. You’ve been stuck in the kitchen since morning, time surely passed in a blur,” Ethan said. “Who knew a chicken and some potatoes needed hours to prepare.”
Sophie narrowed her eyes and grabbed one of the grapes on the counter, throwing it at him.
Luckily, her aim was not as bad as her cooking and the fruit hit in right on his forehead.
“Just pray it taste good. Last time I tried to cook, the pasta tasted like mud,” she confessed, as she slid the chicken in the oven, the heat hitting her face as soon as she opened the door.
“Come on, no one cooks that bad,” Ethan protested, but stopped once she glared at him with a serious look. “Wow, Jonathan sure chose himself a talented one.”
Sophie rolled her eyes and hung the apron back in its place, as she gazed at the clock again. Ethan had been right, she had been lucky to have something to do, now that her work was done, time was finally taking a toll on her. She was anxious again, wondering when Jonathan would arrive. She began to wonder what Sebastian was like, and if she would get along with him the way she did with Ethan. There was also the matter of his girlfriend. She had heard she resembled Aline in many ways, and by that she didn’t mean that they were both young African-American women.
Jonathan had mentioned that she reminded her of Aline, from her stubbornness to her talent.
Sophie hoped so, it would be great to have some female support amongst all the chaos.
Suddenly, there came a knock at the door and Sophie jumped in her place.
“They’re here!” Ethan said before she even got to react, sprinting down the hallway to open the door.
Sophie didn't move from the other end of the room, she sat there, quietly. She wanted to give them a chance to reunite as a family. As close as she was to Ethan and Jonathan, she was still an outsider, and was probably always going to be.
The second the door opened, Ethan exclaimed loudly, his arms flying to wrap around a man. Ethan’s body was wide enough to block her from a clear view of Sebastian, but that was fine, because while the men were greeting one another, she had enough time to get a clear view of Aline.
She was beautiful. With deep hazel eyes and long brown hair that cascaded down her back in curls. She was wearing a yellow dress that brought out her skin tone. The woman said 'hi' to Ethan, and then moved past him, her eyes set on her.
“Hey! You must be Sophie!” she exclaimed in enthusiasm. Sophie smiled and nodded, surprise washing over her the minute the woman engulfed her in a tight hug. “I’m Aline! I’m so glad I finally get to meet you.”
“The pleasure is mine, Jonathan has told me so much about Sebastian and you.”
“Exactly how much did he tell you? Your life depends on that answer.” Sebastian was the one to talk this time around, a chuckle vibrating through his chest.
The man looked like Jonathan, the same defined features, but with darker eyes and broader body.
He approached her with a wide smile, his arm extended.
“I’m Sebastian.”
“Sophie!” She smiled.
“Oh, don’t worry. I left out all the juicy details for you,” Jonathan interfered. “You may have to pressure them into telling the story. I swear theirs is even more exciting than ours.” He chuckled as he threw himself on the couch.
Suddenly, Jonathan frowned, his nose lingering in the air, as if smelling something. She immediately knew what he noticed.
“Did you actually cook?” he exclaimed.
“I barely survived!” Ethan sarcastically answered, as he threw himself on the armchair again.
“Oh, shush it!”
In that moment, with everyone laughing around her, with teases being thrown from one side to the other she felt like she was truly part of a family. She hadn’t felt that way in a long time, there was no one left to make her feel like that. She knew that the ecstatic feeling was bound to turn to poison soon. The minute the contract ended, she would be out of their lives, and she would be left with nothing more than a bittersweet taste of what a family is like.
“What do you say guys, shall we have a guy’s night out? It’s been a while since we all gathered.”
“We barely even arrived and you already want to get us drunk?” Sebastian asked, arching a brow.
“You guys should go. Give us a chance to talk like girls.” Aline shrugged, as she wrapped her hand around Sebastian’s, her head resting on his shoulder.
“I’ll go on one condition. Jonathan is not allowed to drink. We won’t be lucky enough to have a girl like Sophie twice.” Jonathan threw a pillow at Ethan, while everyone else burst into a fit of laughter.
*****
“I can’t believe it, you guys truly met while you were trying to steal his mother’s necklace?” Sophie blurted out, her eyes wide with shock. In her hand, the cup of tea she’d been holding was no longer hot, not even warm. It had grown cold, forgotten as she listened to the story of how Aline and Sebastian met.
“Technically, we met when I ruined his suit. But yea, you can say that too. The thing is, I don’t even know what I was thinking, I guess I was really desperate, you know.” Aline shrugged, her wide smile turning into a sad one.
“Sometimes we do things we cannot justify. It’s just how the universe works, you know?” Sophie exhaled, finally taking a sip from her tea. “I mean look at me! I got married!” she exclaimed, making Aline chuckle.
“Great, now that we finally decided to open that subject, let’s talk about it!” she said, placing her cup on the table.
“What is there to talk about?” She arched a brow, her lips pursed.
“Oh, don’t you try to pull that card on me. I saw the way you two looked at one another, I know something happened.”
Sophie wondered if they were being that obvious, if the subtle looks she’d been taking hadn’t been as subtle as she’d thought. Talking about the subject wasn’t the easiest thing on earth. It required her to face feelings and thoughts she didn’t control.
“You know, when I started to fall for Sebastian, every cell in my brain told me not to do it. We had an agreement, I was to help him and then leave his life as if we had never even met.” Aline’s gaze was now distant, as if she was reliving those days. “Of course, even though my inner voice, my rationality, warned me, my body and heart pushed me towards him. I don’t know how it happened, or where it started, but I fell for him. And he fell for me. It was hard to admit it, even to ourselves.” She took in a deep breath, then looked straight at Sophie.
“What I’m trying to say is that it may be hard to admit when you have feelings for someone. But you have to, or else you’ll only suffer. It may be scary, but life is never easy.”
Sophie looked at Aline, her mind conjuring up memories of Jonat
han and her. Maybe Aline was right. Maybe what she felt for Jonathan wasn’t confusing, it was just a suppressed and rejected emotion. But no matter how much she denied it, she could never forget the way her body burnt under his touch, and how her heart skipped a beat whenever he entered the room. Where they truly telltale signs that she was falling for him?
Had it truly happened to her? Was she really that insane as to fall for Jonathan Hunter?
“Let’s say I admit my feelings. What if they are one-sided? I mean he is Jonathan Hunter and I am just Sophie. Yes things happened between us, but maybe they were meaningless to him. There must be rows of girls that have gone through this pattern.” Sophie spoke before she even realized it, words sprawling out of her mouth without much of a warning.
Aline smiled and placed a hand over hers, her eyes now gentle and caring. She was glad to know the woman had gone through a similar experience, that way Sophie trusted her judgment.
“Love is about taking risks. We never know if we will be rejected or not, we just have to have faith.” She shrugged. “Besides, I’ve known Jonathan for some time now, and I know for a fact he never looked at a girl the way he looks at you. There is a lot going on at the moment, so if he takes a bit of his time and dedicates it to you, then chances are he is as deep in it as you are.” Aline took in a deep breath and stood up.
“Do you have some wine? We can’t spend all night drinking tea and talking about them. Not when they are having fun.”
Sophie chuckled and nodded, already heading towards Jonathan’s liquor closet.
Indeed, Aline told her things she already knew, but hearing them again made her think harder.
The talk she had made her realize things and sort her thoughts. Unlike any other time before, Sophie had a clear view of how she felt towards Jonathan. Indeed, she knew, but the question was, when was she going to act on them?
*****
Jonathan took in a deep breath, welcoming the feeling of liquor. The drink burnt his throat, waking him up. There was a smile playing on his lips. Sebastian’s joke hadn’t even been that funny, but the way he had said it made them all laugh loudly. Jonathan hadn’t realized until then how much he had missed the guys. Being with them felt like old times, before the company, before his father’s death. It was relaxing and fun.
“So, Ethan, when are you going to settle down?” Sebastian asked with an arched brow. “Although, I have to warn you beforehand, judging by the luck that runs in our family your journey to a happily ever after might be a bit rough.”
“It will be a while. Meanwhile, how about we discuss Jonathan’s relationship? Our little fighter here seems to be experiencing a bit of confusion.”
“I am experiencing no such thing!” he protested, gulping down the last drops of whiskey from his glass.
“Is that why you kept gazing at her like a puppy?”
“So you noticed it too? I swear he was going to cry at some point.”
“I don’t gaze! Come on guys, you don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
Yes, Jonathan tried to act annoyed, but inside him, he knew the guys were right. He had been stealing secret glances at Sophie the entire day. He loved the way she fit in, as if she was truly a member of the family. For a second, he had even forgotten that they were pretending and had truly felt like the guys were attending his wedding. He had to mentally remind himself a couple of times of the truth.
“I thought we established already that you can’t hide anything from us. Come on Jonathan, why is it so hard to admit? You like the girl.” Ethan shrugged, patting him on the back.
“Because I think I love her. And I have no idea if its real.”
Saying it out loud had been a relief. The words were foreign to his ears, but his mind knew them all too well. The thought had been in his mind weeks prior to the guy’s arrival. He knew Sophie was more to him than just an agreement, he had felt it even before their first kiss.
“What do you mean?” Sebastian asked.
It was hard to put it all in words. The idea was confusing even to him, he doubted they would even be able to understand half of it.
“What if it’s all an illusion because we have been playing family for too long? What if it’s just me? What if–” Jonathan groaned, burying his face in his hands, once again feeling the need for a drink.
All traces of humor were erased, both Sebastian and Ethan stared at him with a mix of emotions. Ethan shrugged, unsure of what to say. If it was one man that had less experience than him in the field of love, it was Ethan.
“Your mind may be able to pull tricks on you, Jonathan. But your heart can’t,” Sebastian began, taking in a deep breath. Slowly, he poured each one a drink, his eyes distant. “Take a few days to think–until the wedding. Until then, listen to your heart, see what it says. But this time, truly listen, don’t try to mask it all under confusion.”
Jonathan listened to his cousin, but didn’t answer. He thought of them, pondering their meaning.
He sipped from the newly poured drink, the alcohol making his mind fuzzy–luckily.
“My, my,” Ethan said. “Aline surely turned this one into a softy.”
Sebastian punched his uncle in the shoulder, and chuckled. Indeed, his cousin had turned into a softy, he was a man in love. And if he truly admitted to himself–so was he.
Chapter 11
Sophie had seen the avenue in pictures, although Marcus had kept his promise and took care of almost everything, he still kept her updated. In pictures, the avenue had looked like a place taken out of a fairy tale. She had seen the pillars scattered across the isle’s length and the wooden benches on each side. She had seen the back garden of the mansion where their wedding was to take place. But in pictures the place had been bare, its only decoration being the rose bushes and stone path.
In reality, with almost all the final touches in place, the place looked like a piece of heaven.
Sophie was standing in front of the altar where she was bound to swear her love to Jonathan, with him by her side. Marcus was looking at them through his blue lashes, watching their reactions. He was barely breathing, nibbling on his black painted nails.
Sophie felt like she was going to cry. The place had been everything she had ever imagined. The place was decorated in different white flowers, with rows of veil hanging from one pillar to the other, reaching the altar up front. She imagined herself walking down the aisle, the long veil draping down the ivory carpet. She wished her parents would have been there. Her mother would have cried and her father would eye Jonathan deadly, even with less than twenty-four hours separating them from the big event.
“Marcus..” Sophie trailed off, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “This is beautiful!”
Jonathan nodded from beside her, approving without as much as a thought. Marcus proudly smiled and sighed in relief, his shimmering shirt twinkling beneath the light of the sun.
“Did you guys prepare your vows?” he asked suddenly, making both of them frown.
“I thought we were going for the traditional ones,” Jonathan said, panicked. Sophie would have chuckled at his reaction had she not been just as panicked.
Although the vows were the most important part of the ceremony, they had failed to think about them but once. They had been so caught up with things, with making sure everything was going according to plan, that they had completely shrugged off the thought.
“Of course, we’re not going for the traditional ones. You guys are the couple of the year. Your wedding has been the most expected event for the past couple of weeks. Do you really think people would want to hear those ‘till death do us apart’ words?” Marcus objected. “They want to see your story, your love. If they don’t see that, then all my hard work will go down the drain.
All this–” He pointed around him “will be meaningless.”
Of course, Marcus was right. The whole point of the wedding was to sell their love and through it, please the guests that began to arrive even since mo
rning. The least they could do was write a couple of vows.
“We’ll have them by tomorrow. I promise.” Marcus smiled, although it wasn’t as bright.
Sophie could tell he was experiencing the same internal dilemma as her. She would have comforted him, but with what words? She was in the same boat. Writing some words shouldn’t have been that hard. But vows weren’t just a couple of sentences and a big smile. No, they were from the heart–an eternal promise you made to someone you truly loved. They were all the more important now that they were supposed to write them.
“If they will look as somber as the looks on your faces, I would rather go with the priest’s vows,” Marcus said sarcastically as he walked away.
“Sophie!” Aline’s voice came from behind, making both of them turn. “Sophie! The dress–” She must have been running the entire way, her breath shallow and fast.
Their church where they decided to have their ceremony was only a few meters down from the mansion where their reception would take place. They had rented the entire place for their family and the nearby hotel for their guests. The entire wedding had cost a fortune so far, but if things went according to plan, it was bound to save so much more.
“What dress?”
“Your wedding gown, silly!” Aline exclaimed, as she took in a deep breath. “They just got it delivered.”
Sophie felt her heart skip a beat. Having the wedding gown was the final piece to it all. The event now truly felt real. Everything was ready, everything except her. Don’t get her wrong, she was thrilled about the event. And that thrill worried her. She shouldn’t have been that excited, not even after admitting to herself that she loved Jonathan. At least not until he talked it out with him.
She had tried to open the subject so many times now. But every time she even uttered a word, she would go back, fear taking over. She wasn’t sure when she would have the guts to confess, or if she ever would.
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