Page 98 of A Simple Reminder

What happened? Are you okay?

Leora

I’m fine, I promise. Doctor’s orders. Apparently, I’m at ‘heightened risk’ for long-haul flights, and Lucas isn’t having it. He’s been acting like a mother hen, hovering, stressing, basically losing his mind. Now he’s saying he might not even travel himself. But don’t worry, I’ll make sure he gets on that plane.

I miss her.

Me

Listen to the doctors and Lucas! All we want is for you to be healthy and have another healthy baby. I’ll see you soon.

Leora

Missed you too, babe. And don’t think I’ve forgotten you said you had something to tell me. So spill. What’s going on?

Dammit, I don’t want to do this by text. Should I call her? No, I don’t have time to do it now, and this call will probably take hours.

Me

It’s a long story, and I want to tell you everything, but it’ll take more time than I have right now. Can we talk later?

Leora

Oh, come on! You’re killing me here! Fine, but you owe me the FULL story when you call. And don’t even think about leaving out the juicy parts. Deal?

I smile despite myself, imagining her dramatic eye roll.

Me

Deal.

Sliding my phone into my bag, I exhale. It’s not that I don’t want to tell her—I do. But talking about Liam feels…delicate like it could either solidify everything we’ve rebuilt or expose how fragile it still is.

Later. I’ll call her later when I can sit down and actually talk properly. For now, I turn my attention back to the project that has consumed my days—and, let’s be honest, a good chunk of my nights. The hotel’s interior is finally coming together after weeks and weeks of meticulous planning and execution. All the rooms are complete building-wise, and what’s left is the coloring in a few suites, the arrival of furniture shipments (which always seem to be delayed), and the delicate, finishing touches that breathe life into a space.

I smile to myself, satisfaction swelling in my chest. The opening is still six months away, but being this close feels incredible. Every element, every corner, every decision—it's all finally coming together. And it’s not just the hotel. Over the past few weeks, two major companies have reached out to me, wanting to hire me for their own projects. Big ones. It feels surreal. For the first time, I feel like I’m truly carving out my place in the design world—all on my own.

Can I have it all? The dream job and the dream guy. I know it happens for other people. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. I think about Leora and Lucas, and how they’re practically perfect for each other. But I never thought it would happen for me.

I laugh to myself. Why is it like that? Why do we always cheer for others, rooting for their success and happiness, but never truly believe it’s possible for ourselves? Why do we assume that good things are meant for everyone else but us?

Today, though, I feel it—just a sliver of hope. Maybe Icanhave both. Maybe I’ll finally open my own company. Anderson Interiors? No, that sounds bland. And who knows if I’ll even have that last name for much longer?Stop. Don’t go there.I might be delusional, but notthatdelusional.

Sophie’s Spaces? Ew. That’s even worse. Too cheesy, like some discount furniture store.

A small grin tugs at my lips. Forget-me-not Design. Hmm. Now that has potential. It’s cute, memorable, and meaningful.

“Sophie, are you even listening?” Jared’s voice breaks through my thoughts, and I blink, startled. His tone is as grating as always, but this time, it’s even more annoying because he’s interrupted my train of thought. My future plans are more important than him.

I quickly flip my notebook closed, hiding the scribbles of potential business names. “What?” I say, looking up at him with as much patience as I can muster.

“You’ve been zoning out for the last ten minutes,” he says, crossing his arms and looking at me like he’s the boss here. “I was saying we need to finalize the furniture selections for the lobby. The shipment delays are screwing everything up.”

I resist the urge to roll my eyes. He’s so dramatic. “I already handled that yesterday,” I keep my tone professional even though I can feel the irritation bubbling beneath the surface. “I’ll send you the updated timeline after this meeting.”

Jared frowns, clearly annoyed that I’ve already solved the issue he was trying to lecture me about. “Fine,” he mutters, turning back to his notes, but I catch the tightness in his jaw, and it makes me smile.

Yeah, asshole. I do my job, and I do it well. The smile lingers, small but satisfying, even as a pang of guilt creeps in. Some days, I wish I had a different heart that didn’t care so much, so I could let Liam fire him without a second thought. But I don’t. I feel guilt too deep.

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