Page 32 of Saving Sophia

She sat up straighter and brought both fists up to her mouth when the pirate threatened to thrash Ruthie’s backside for misbehavior, forcing me to suppress a grin. Her Little side hovered right there, dancing below the surface, and I would read pirate stories every night if it would coax her out to say hello.

She nodded off before the pirate made good on his threats, so I set the Kindle aside and tucked her in, allowing myself a brief stroke of her hair before I headed off to bed, alone with my thoughts.

Neither of us were in a place to jump into anything new. But if coincidence dropped the perfect woman right in front of me, a woman who hit all my protective buttons and called to all my Daddy instincts, then who was I to argue? I needed to confirm my suspicions about her, and make sure she wanted what I could offer her.

The next morning, I woke up early and eager to see her before I headed into the office. I found her still asleep, curled against the couch pillows, her breathing steady and her face relaxed. I quietly set out a plate with a banana and a mix of strawberries and blueberries next to a bowl of instant oatmeal. All she had to do was add water. I left her a note and signed it with a pirate smiley face, complete with eye patch.

* * *

I headed up the path to the Mt. Tahoma Lodge House, pausing to savor the early sun peeking through the pines and the fresh scent of glacier water and deep forest earth that permeated the air. It was going to be a perfect day to be outdoors, and I couldn’t wait to show Sophia one of my favorite spots on the mountain. The scenery might help her relax and maybe even open up to me about why she needed a whole new life.

Our offices were on the third floor, down a long hallway with burgundy carpet and wood paneling on the walls. Evie had been working on set-up for a week. We had furniture, wi-fi, and interviews for key hires scheduled. She knew how special this place was to me, and she believed in this renovation as much as I did.

I arrived to find her standing next to an industrial-sized printer, deep in discussion with a repairman. I waved, not wanting to interrupt her on the way into my office, but she excused herself, grabbed her tablet, and followed me in.

“Good morning, Ethan. I put the notes for your meeting with the partners on your desk and rescheduled the meeting with the architectural team to two on Friday. The printer tech says he should be able to have the printer up and running before noon.” She consulted her tablet, pushing her glasses absently up the bridge of her nose. “Is there anything else you need?”

“Could you arrange for a car to take Sophia down to meet Aunt Carol at the cafe?” I asked as I flipped through the folder of notes she prepared. “And pull together a nice picnic lunch for us?”

“Of course, Ethan.” Her fingers tapped sharply on the tablet.

“You okay?” I asked. Evie could be intense sometimes, it made her good at her job, but something else simmered in the tone of her voice and the way she was pursing her lips.

“I’m a little surprised, that’s all,” she said. “This girl came out of nowhere. You don’t usually hire anyone without having me do a proper vetting process.”

I smiled. “Hayden ran a background check on her. No need for vetting.”

“Hayden?” Her voice faltered and her eyes narrowed. “Well then, I guess that’s that.”

I sat down at my desk and rummaged through the drawer for a pen.

She opened a different drawer, pulled out a black-ink Montblanc PIX Ballpoint—my favorite—and handed it to me. I clicked it gratefully at her. “What would I do without you?”

“Good question.” Her mouth turned up into a little smirk. “Keep it in mind when it’s time for raises.” We both laughed, but Evie’s faded quickly, and her face turned serious again. “You like this girl?”

I smiled at her concern, always the protective little sister. “I do.”

She blinked back her worry and scooped her tablet up, consulting the schedule. “Five minutes till your call with the partners.” She turned to go, but hesitated, looking back at me. “I just want you to be happy.”

I tapped the pen on the folder and smiled at her. “I’m working on it.”

* * *

SOPHIA

Aunt Carol was a human ray of sunshine, and I still couldn’t believe she was my new boss. I spent the morning going over an inventory of the equipment and documenting what needed repairs with her, while frequently slipping my hand into my pocket to touch the note Ethan left for me. The note he signed with a pirate smiley face. The note that gave me butterflies every time I felt its edges with my fingers.

He was picking me up at one o’clock. I waited in an old, oversized rocking chair on the wide porch surrounding the café. When he pulled up in a big black SUV, climbed out, and opened the passenger door for me, Aunt Carol poked her head out the door and waved.

“Have fun, you two,” she called before puckering her lips and letting out a happy whistling tune.

“The Bangles. Walk Like an Egyptian,” he called out over his shoulder as he settled me into the front passenger seat. “That one was too easy. You’re losing your touch, Aunt Carol.”

I couldn’t stop smiling as he climbed in and closed the driver side door.

“How was your first day?” he asked as he put the car into gear and pulled out onto the two-lane road.

“Aunt Carol is amazing,” I said with a genuine smile that felt really good on my face. I leaned forward in my seat, distracted by the passing trees that stretched up to touch the clouds and the endless amounts of green everything. I spotted two little brown rodent-type creatures scurrying along a mossy log. Squirrels? Chipmunks? Hedgehogs? I had no idea. “Where are we going?” I asked.

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