Page 60 of The Hero + Vegas = No Regrets

She shifts so she’s sitting up next to me and leans her head on my shoulder. “Thank you, Worth. For all of this.”

“It’s nothing, Sophia.”

She looks up at me. “Don’t say that. It’s more than I ever could have expected.”

“Then you need to start expecting more,” I say. “You deserveeverything.”

A small smile twitches at the corners of her lips, but she still looks so sad. I wish I could take it away from her. “You say the nicest things.” She looks away and pulls in a breath. “You should sleep. Do you want me to turn off the TV?”

“What about you?” I ask. “You should try and rest.”

She shakes her head resolutely. “I won’t sleep tonight.”

“Then neither will I,” I say. “I won’t leave you alone.”

“You’re right here.”

“You can be near a person and still be alone, Sophia. If you’re not sleeping, neither am I. I’m here to talk if that’s what you want. I’m here for foot rubs if that’s what you want. I’m here to play goddamn charades if that’s what you want. I’m here with you, and I’m not going anywhere.”

She pulls in a deep breath, and when she exhales, her shoulders settle lower than before. For the first time tonight, there’s a sense of peace in her expression. If I’ve been able to help her with that, just a little, it’s more than I could have hoped to achieve. Even though I’ve only known Sophia a short time and logic says it doesn’t make sense, I’d do anything for this woman in my arms.

“After your dad has finished all his tests and been discharged, he should get a full physical. And a second opinion. Just so you all have a little more certainty. I have a number of contacts who would be able to help. I can arrange it if you want.”

She turns her head and presses a kiss to my shoulder. “Thank you.”

“I’m just pleased I could be here. Pleased I could do something.”

“I don’t need foot rubs or charades,” she says. “Just you.”

My chest expands at her words. How is it that I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been on my own with this woman, but I feel so protective of her? It felt like I got hit by a thunderbolt when I met her, but my feelings have only gotten stronger since then. I love her compassion for her friends and the way she can handle my sisters. I love her humor and the way she cares so deeply. I love holding her and helping her. I just want to be with her.

I’m in so deep, I’m worried I’ll never come back up if she doesn’t feel the same way.

TWENTY-ONE

Sophia

Worth squeezes my hand as we exit the elevator and head to Leo’s apartment—Leo and Jules’ apartment. Everything’s changing so quickly. We got back from Cincinnati a few days ago and Worth’s stayed at my place ever since.

It feels like we’ve slotted together in a perfect fit.

“Sophia and Worth,” Jules says as we push the door open, like she wasn’t expecting us to arrive together. I don’t suppose she or any of them can really understand our connection. I can’t fully understand it myself. “So great to see you both.”

We’re the first to arrive, which isn’t a surprise. Worth is a stickler for punctuality—just one of many qualities I find completely adorable.

We greet each other, take off our coats, and get drinks.

“I haven’t seen you since Thanksgiving,” Jules says. “How was Cincinnati?”

“How are things going in Harlem?” Worth asks Leo at almost the same time. I know he’s giving me some space to talk to Jules. I have to tell her what’s going on. I can’t leave it any longer or I’m worried I’ll undermine our friendship.

“I wasn’t planning on going to Cincinnati for Thanksgiving,” I say to Jules.

“You weren’t? You could have come here. What did you do?”

“I ended up going at the last minute.” I take a deep breath.

I tell her the whole story, from finding out about the second family, to the divorce, to Dad’s heart attack, to seeing the other woman in the hospital corridor.

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