Page 23 of Back On Ice

The waitress comes by and takes our orders, and Tom turns to Sophie. “We missed you at dinner last night. Mom wouldn’t stop going on about how you work too much and that’s why you had a headache.”

She had a headache last night? Was that… after? I turn my head slightly towards her and can tell immediately that there had never been a headache. Based on the way her eyes keepdarting to me and the way she taps her fingers on the table like she’s anxious, she had faked it the night before.

I’m a master of Sophie-ology.

“Yeah, well, she’s the one who can’t stay out of the flower shop long enough for her arthritis flare-up to go down,” she mutters, and I wonder just how much Sophie has on her plate. She manages the Twin Rinks and helps at the flower shop, but I’m sure there’s more than even Tom knows. Sophie’s always been about helping people.

Sometimes it’s because she can’t tell anyone “no”, but most of the time it’s just her big, gentle heart calling the shots. Though based on our interactions, I don’t doubt she no longer has any issues telling people “no” if she needs to.

Jordan jumps in, “Aunt Fee, why didn’t you tell me you used to date Carter Williams? That would have made you my favorite aunt!”

“I’m your only aunt.” She scowls at him playfully, and then when he looks at her, still expecting an answer, she tosses her hair back over her shoulder. “I… forgot. Yep. I forgot I even went to the same school as him. So weird.”

Tom and I look at her blankly. “You forgot?” Tom’s tone is amused, and she just shrugs, a smirk appearing on her lips. Even though I know it’s not true, that she didn’t really forget about me, something primal rises within me, bristling at her words.

Just then, our food comes, and we all eat in silence before I feel like getting a little payback.

“It’s good to see you again today, after our meeting yesterday. You know, I think it went great. I’m convinced this contractor can really give this place thekissof life. What are your thoughts, Sophie?”

I watch, barely holding back my shit-eating grin as Sophie turns so red, I might have thought she was choking if she didn’t take a deep, measured breath. Even her ears are burning as shefinishes chewing the bite she had brought to her mouth.I’m not so easily forgettable after all, am I Sophie?

Is she remembering how I explored her mouth with my tongue? Or the little noise she made when I gripped the back of her neck?

I know my dick’s been remembering it.

Repeatedly.

Finally, she swallows the bite, and clears her throat. “It was solid. Don’t get me wrong, it was really lacking in certain areas, but nothing that can’t be fixed with some coaching later on.” She takes another bite of food, while maintaining a calm facade and completely avoiding eye contact.

Well, bend me over and fuck me sideways. The girl’s got bite. I think I’m really going to enjoy this different side of her.

The silence is charged with tension as we all finish eating. Sophie keeps her eyes on her plate, and I can’t stop mine from constantly wandering over to her.

“So… um.” Tom looks between the two of us, trying to figure something out before he ushers Jordan out of the booth. “Jordan, I think it’s time to head out and leave these two to their, uh… business discussion.”

“Bye, Carter! Bye, Aunt Fee!” Jordan calls, scooting out of the booth.

“Bye, Jordy,” Sophie says, smiling fondly at her nephew.

“Cya, bud.” I wave a hand.

As soon as they round the corner, Sophie whirls on me. “What are you doing here?” she snaps, narrowing her eyes.

“Um…” I look between her and my plate, “eating breakfast?”

“No, you know that’s not what I’m asking. Why are youhere,with my brother and my nephew on Breakfast Diner Monday?” Her voice is a half whisper, but harsh all the same. Almost as harsh as the finger she jams in my chest. “Anddon’tthink what happened last night is going to happen again.”

A dopey grin appears on my face. “Do tell, Angel. What happened last night?” Her nostrils flare at the mention of her old pet name. The one I gave her when we were in first grade because in her pristine white dress on the first day of school, she looked just like an angel.

Instead of answering me, she flags down the waitress.

“Can I get the check, please?” Her voice is ten times more polite than it was a second ago.

“Mr. Williams picked it up when he got here, honey,” the waitress smiles at me and I give her a small salute as she heads to her other tables.

A feral noise leaves Sophie as she turns back to me. “You know, it’s too late for you to come in here, trying to save all the relationships you left behind. You had your chance after the accident, and you made it perfectly clear where your priorities lie. We needed you.Tomneeded you. I mean, I get that you couldn’t make it out here right away, but you didn’t even show up for thegod damned funeral.” Her last words have me flinching back. “You’re acting like you suddenly care, but you’re going to pick up and leave the second whatever PR you’re hoping to get from this comes through. You chose to leave us, and we were doing just fine without you.”

With that, she moves her napkin from her lap to her now empty plate, gives me the coldest look I’ve ever seen from her, and scoots out of the booth. Cool, calm, and collected, she walks gracefully towards the door of the cafe and leaves me behind, dumbstruck.

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