Page 37 of Deal Breaker
Serving staff then went on another round of the guests, handing out cake and more champagne. I hadn’t realized I’d managed to down the entire glass during the toasts.
“Mmm, this is delicious.” Sophie had practically inhaled the slice of cake in one go.
I couldn’t deny she was right. The sponge was light, the frosting not too sweet, and it went really well with the second glass of champagne. When one of the servers went past again, I grabbed another glass for good measure.
Sophie raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you think you ought to slow down? We don’t want a repeat of last night.”
“What do you mean?”
“You. Drunk Max. Vomit.”
She made me sound so attractive.
“I’m not drunk, just…” I wanted to say something like “lost in the moment,” then realized how corny it sounded, in spite of nailing everything I felt right now. It was time I stood up and told her exactly how I felt.
“Yeah, whatever.” She placed her glass and plate down on a table. “Let’s dance.”
I hadn’t even noticed that after the toasts were done, the music started up again. The floor had already filled up with couples slow dancing and smooching.
“If that’s what you want.” I extended my hand.
“It is. For now, anyway.” She smiled at me. A warm, welcoming smile, which I hoped boded well for the rest of the evening.
Lewis Capaldi’s song “Someone You Loved” filled the air, the slow tempo matching the thud of my heart. Holding Sophie in my arms, so close, soperfect, I could never top this. If nothing else happened between us, this moment would live in my memories forever. I brushed my lips over the top of her head, hearing her sigh into my chest. But it was no good imagining a future if I didn’t speak to her properly, explain my true feelings, tell her I meant everything I’d said last night.
As Lewis fused into Adam Levine, I stopped dancing. “Soph, I need to talk to you.”
She stepped away from me, sucking in her lips. “What? Now?”
“Not here though. Let’s go back to the cabin.”
“Okay.” She didn’t sound sure.
I took one of her hands and led her out of the reception room. As we walked past one of the tables which had drinks on it, I spotted an unopened bottle of champagne and swiped it.
If everything went to plan, there’d be every need to celebrate later.
Chapter Fifteen
Sophie
The walk back to the cabin was magical, matching the sparkliness of my current mood. There were fairy lights illuminating the patio at the Lodge, plus some on the trees along the path by the lake, making the Holiday Springs resort enchanting. The sky was clear, stars twinkling in the darkness, and if it hadn’t been for the fact it was also absolutely freezing, I could have stayed out there all night. I pulled my wrap tighter around my shoulders, wishing it were Max’s arms keeping me warm instead. The cabin was in darkness when we arrived, Max unlocking the door with undue haste.
“Geez, it’s even colder in here if that’s possible.”
Stepping inside the cabin, I had to agree with him. Max placed a bottle of champagne on the table and went to figure out how to light the fire. It seemed to be a gas fire, and with a couple of clicks, warmth began seeping into the room. He went back to the kitchen, found a couple of glasses—okay, not exactly champagne flutes, but they would do—and popped open the champagne. He poured us both a glass, handed one to me, and moved into the living area.
“Phew, what a day.” Max pulled off his dress jacket and tossed it over the arm of one of the chairs before slumping down on the squishy looking couch, then kicking off his shoes.
“You must be tired,” I remarked. “All the responsibility of being part of the wedding party, making sure everyone got seated, joining in with all the toasts.” The corners of Max’s mouth turned down. I hadn’t meant to sound condescending.
His expression grew serious. “Sophie, come and sit down.” He patted the sofa cushion next to him.
Nerves I didn’t know I had bubbled around in my stomach. I didn’t have a clue what Max wanted to talk to me about. For all I knew, he could be apologizing about this morning, regretting what had happened last night. I swallowed hard. The bruise on my thigh throbbed, reminding me of the rejection. I didn’t know if I could take it again. Shivering, I perched on the opposite end of the couch to him. I slid off my heels, wiggling my toes to try and get some warmth back into them.
He frowned at the distance between us. “Why don’t you come closer?”
It was a completely valid question, and one I couldn’t answer straight away. I didn’t want to misread any signals. Until I knew where I stood, I couldn’t let my guard down again. I couldn’t bear further humiliation.
