Page 26 of Saving Sophia

“Good to see you, Aunt Carol,” he responded, his eyes crinkled with happiness.

“How’s Hayden doing?” She released him with a parting pat to his shoulder.

“What am I? Chopped liver?” Rook grumbled and opened his arms to her.

“Oh, quit it and come here.” She stepped into his arms and gave him a squeeze. She didn’t even come up to his shoulder. “Don’t act like you weren’t at my house for supper last night.”

“Hayden’s doing well,” Ethan replied. “Sends his love.”

I tried to imagine the gruff, bearded detective being swooped into a hug from this delightful woman. The image made me almost giggle.

She turned to face me, her blue eyes twinkling with curiosity. “And who is this?”

“This is Sophia,” Ethan said.

“Hi,” I said, too quickly. Then I stuck out my hand.

She looked at it, hanging in the air between us. “No.”

I froze, horrified. What had I done? Did she see me fall? Did she think I was trying to steal her son?

“I’m a hugger,” she announced. Then she stepped up and enveloped me in her arms. It was warm and kind, and I was so surprised I could only surrender to the fresh baked cookie vanilla of her perfume. I tried to remember ever getting a hug like this from my mother. Nothing came to mind.

“Now what brings you here?” she asked as she finally released me. “In fact, what brings us all here?” She looked at Ethan expectantly.

“Woodland Ridge.” He waved his hand toward the main building behind us. “I bought it. Including Carol’s Café down in town.”

“What?” Disbelief spread across her face. “You didn’t?”

“I did,” he said. “And I need you to run it.”

Her mouth dropped open as she turned from Ethan to Rook to me and back. “Are you serious?” Before he could respond she asked Rook, “Is he serious?”

“Apparently.” Rook waved his hands in the air like he couldn’t be held responsible for his brother’s crazy ideas.

She looked at me like I might be the only one who’d tell her she was dreaming. I bounced on my toes and shook my head happily up and down, swept up in the moment, as if I’d been a major player in the surprise. I couldn’t help myself.

“I …” She grabbed at her shirttail and dabbed at one eye. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Say yes,” Rook said.

She swatted playfully at him. “I suppose you knew all about this too?”

“He couldn’t possibly take on a project like this without me,” Rook said, giving a not-very-humble bow of his head. “There’s a lot of fuckin—I mean fricken’—work to be done.” He offered a guilty grin at the slipped-in curse. “Sorry, Ma.”

“Well, you boys have really managed to surprise me, so I’ll let it slide.” She rested her hands on her hips. “I just can’t believe you did it. And you kept it so secret. Evie didn’t breathe a word, and I saw her yesterday.”

Evie. His assistant. Of course, Aunt Carol would know her. Why did that fact make my tummy churn even more?

“She knew I wanted to tell you myself,” Ethan explained.

I let out a tiny sigh, trying not to picture Ethan and Evie, hatching this lovely plan together.

“And Sophia?” Aunt Carol was looking at me again with that bright, piercing curiosity.

“You’ll need an assistant,” he said. “Sophia’s here to help.”

I tried to give her a helpful smile, even though I still had no idea how I was going to do that.

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