Page 18 of Surrender
Sophie let out an exaggerated hunger groan. “I’ve missed your cooking and I’m starving too. Ginny, would you mind getting the plates?”
“Oh, sure! Of course, I will. I’ll be right back in a jiffy. Now don’t say anything about Greece until I get back, you promise?”
“I promise.” Sophie shook her head a little and laughed. The moment Ginny was out of earshot in the kitchen Sophie grabbed her brother by the ear and dragged him into the snug.
“Ow! Easy! What the hell, Soph?”
“What the hell is right! Just what the hell was that look I saw between you and Ginny?” she demanded in a harsh whisper.
“What look?”
“And that nudge she gave you! What the hell is going on between you two?” She should have seen this coming. He’d been lonely for ages now and of course something would start up with Ginny. She was adorable and right under his nose.
“It’s nothing.”
“Nothing? It didn’t look like nothing!”
“Nothing.”
“It’d better be nothing! She’s my best waitress and so help me Jesus if you mess that up, I’ll?—”
“Calm down, killer. You don’t have to worry. Nothing happened.”
“You swear?”
“Cross my heart and hope to die. There was maybe a little, tiny moment—but nothing happened and nothing’s going to happen. Okay?”
“A moment? What kind of moment?” she hissed.
“It was nothing, I keep telling you. Ginny twisted her ankle is all and I helped her.” Okay, so maybe that wasn’t “all” but there was no need to rile his sister up more so than she was.
Sophie knew damn well there was more to that story, but she was willing to drop it—seeing as she’d only been back for a mere five minutes. Why start a fight now? “Fine. But make sure it doesn’t become something,” she scolded under her breath, careful that Ginny wouldn’t hear. “I mean it. Besides she’s not the one for you.”
“Then who is, Your Majesty?” It pissed him off that Nan had been right about Sophie flipping out.
“I don’t know but it’s not Ginny.”
“I thought you liked Ginny?”
Sophie pointed her finger into his chest hard. “You’re not dating my waitress and that’s that.”
Keefe rolled his eyes and plucked her finger out of his chest. “Fine. Aunt Nan said the same thing anyway so you don’t need to get your panties in a wad. But you had better find me someone then. Ginny thinks I’m rather charming actually. I don’t know how long she’ll be able to control herself around me.”
He chuckled and winked but Sophie knew he was only half teasing. The conversation they had had about him being lonely and her finding him someone came to the front of her mind.
Sophie had gone three glorious weeks without thinking about that deal she made with her brother to find him a girlfriend. She could have gone a lifetime without ever thinking about that conversation again. And the fact that he was actually serious made it so much worse.
Sure! No problemo! I’ll find you Miss Right. This will be easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy. It wasn’t gross at all. Surely, the perfect woman would walk straight through their door and voila! Just like magic her brother would have a wife, family and be whole.
And then, with any luck, Sophie’s skin would stop crawling.
“I hate you so bad right now,” Sophie groaned while dragging her hands down her face. “Okay, but there needs to be a time limit on this. I can’t be searching for the rest of my life.”
“Fair enough. Let’s say six months.”
“Six months?” she blurted. She was thinking six minutes. “Okay, but if I haven’t found anyone in that time, I’m off the hook. Deal or no deal?”
“Deal.”
