Page 38 of Lighting Up Christmas

“You like him,” Sophia stated as if it were the most obvious fact in the world. “What’s wrong with admitting it? We tell each other everything.”

But Sophia had had far more everythings to share than Riley ever had.

“I texted you the minute Enrique walked away after we bumped into each other the first time we met.”

“You were here the day I met Zhang.”

“Exactly.” Sophia’s eyes glittered with amusement.

“Nothing to see here,” Riley mumbled. “We done?”

“Yes,” Sophia said, her voice warm. “Thank you, Riley, for all your help.”

She’d escaped Sophia’s scrutiny.

“When are you going to see Zhang again?” Sophia asked innocently, as they each pulled off their Santa hats. Sophia put hers in a drawer.

“Tomorrow.” Riley tried to keep any emotion out of her voice. “For work. I’m going to help him with his website.”

“You’ve got mad skills,” Sophia said as she locked up the store and slipped her arm through Riley’s. “I love my website and get lots of compliments on how interactive it as, and you made it so easy to navigate, but isn’t Zhang like some tech guru genius?”

“Yes,” Riley admitted. “I was trying to be friendly by offering. Zhang doesn’t seem to see himself as a vintner at all, and I thought I could help him tell his story.”

“Really?” Sophia stopped in front of her Jeep. “His story?”

“Yeah,” Riley said looking down at her toes. “I mean, his winery story, obviously.”

“And is he going to help you write yours?”

“What?” Riley looked up. “I got my story out there.”

“Right. Like your website with your lighting designs.”

“I’ve been busy with my dad and uncle taking off on their big vacation of a lifetime with my aunt and stepmom.”

It still felt so strange to use that word. Riley was happy her father had found someone he wanted to share his life with, but she couldn’t help feeling that first her mom had been replaced and now she had in her dad’s life—which was exactly how she’d triednotto feel when Sophia and Enrique had become the happiest and most loved-up couple she’d known.

“I talked to them tonight. They all seem so happy.” Riley had to force bounce in her voice.

“That’s good,” Sophia touched her hand, her face sympathetic, seeing through Riley’s façade. “What about Zhang? If you like him, let him know. Flirt. Have fun. Let him know you want more than a work relationship.”

“How?” Riley demanded. “There’s no way, no way at all he’d be interested in me like that.”

“Why not?” Sophia’s eyes narrowed.

“He’s just not.”

Sophia pulled her into a hard hug. “Girl, I love you. I love you so much, but you don’t see yourself as you really are. You are smart and fun and kind and ambitious and beautiful, but you always go into the best friend, one-of-the-guys mode when you meet a man.”

“No, I don’t. I date.”

“In a group, like when we were teens. You need to put out some signs,” Sophia said, tilting her head. It felt like Sophiawas sizing her up for some transformative makeover where she wouldn’t recognize herself.

Is that what she needed? A complete overhaul? That was dispiriting.

“Sometimes dress to show off your figure.”

“I don’t have one.”

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