Page 33 of Heat It Up (Off the Ice)
And not for the first time since last night, I realize that if Sofia hadn’t shown up at the nightclub, I would have gone home wasted. My parents and Cody were right.
I am a mess.
I look up from the ground and as if my thoughts summoned her, Sofia walks toward me. With Joni.Shit.
Sofia seems as shocked to see me as I am to see her with Joni. Joni is the only one who isn’t surprised. His expression tells me he’s swooped in to pick up the pieces. His expression also warns me he’s not about to give her up if he can help it. I might only be thinking about friendship with her, but he’s thinking about something more, and for some reason that’s settling in my stomach like a huge pile of boulders.
Sofia’s shocked expression transforms to pain. I put that pain on her face. While Nik might have been the asshole who told her I had a wife, I’m the one who held onto the fucking dog tag as a reminder. Not a reminder of what Gabby and I once had. It’s a reminder of the asshole who destroyed everything because he figured it was okay to toss back a twelve pack and get behind the wheel of a deadly vehicle.
The image of Gabby dead in her seat flashes in my head. I clench my jaw together so hard, I’m surprised my teeth don’t disintegrate.
“What are you doing here?” Sofia says, her voice cold.
The knot inside me tightens. Joni folds his arms across his chest, ever ready to be her protector.
“I found this.” I hand her the phone I discovered in Nik’s apartment.
Sofia turns it on, and some of the tension in her body eases, but there’s still plenty to keep her heart frozen against me.
“Can we talk?” I glance briefly at Joni. “In private.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He steps closer to her and places his hand on her lower back. If I hadn’t been paying close attention to Sofia, I might have missed her slight flinch at his action.
“I don’t have anything to say to you.” She attempts to step around me. I reach out to stop her and my fingers brush against the soft skin of her arm. An electrical undercurrent spreads up my hand and travels throughout my body. She gasps, and that plants a tiny seed of hope. Despite what she might believe, she can’t deny she felt the same reaction I experienced. The same electrical undercurrent she didn’t have when Joni touched her.
“What Nik told you…it was a lie.”
“Why would he lie and say you’re married?” Joni asks, frowning. He’s not frowning out of confusion. He’s frowning because he doesn’t believe me.
But I don’t care what he thinks. I only care about Sofia. I narrow my eyes at him. “This is between me and Sofia.” I turn to her. “Can we go somewhere and talk?”
Sofia looks between me and Joni, torn as to who to believe, who to trust. Taking comfort that she didn’t instantly tell me to go to hell, I place my hand on her arm. Joni’s frown deepens.
If it weren’t for what’s at stake here, I’d rejoice at his reaction.
She raises her chin. “Whatever you have to say you can say it in front of Joni.”
Joni’s frown smoothes out. He doesn’t smile, but the corners of his mouth twitch in their own victory dance.
I let out a heavy breath. If this is the best I’m going to get, it will have to do. It’s better than no chance to explain my dumbass roommate’s lie.
I nod. “Okay…I was married. My wife’s name was Gabby, but she died over a year ago.”
Sofia’s face softens. “I’m sorry.”
I can tell she wants to ask how Gabby died, but she doesn’t want to bring up that pain, and I don’t want to talk about it. My entire body tenses, waiting for Joni to ask the inevitable question, but when he remains silent, the tension drips away.
“But why did your roommate lie to her?” Joni says, asking the other question I hoped wouldn’t come up.
The returning tension slams into me full force.
Shit. How do I answer this without revealing what happened between me and Sofia last night? If she’s mad at me now, that revelation will push her too far and she’ll never forgive me.
I’m about to pretend I didn’t hear him and change the subject when Sofia says, “I’d like to know why too.” The way she says it, cautious and full of pain, I can tell she already knows the answer.
“Because…because he saw us kissing and was concerned Sofia would”—shit, I’m going to whip Nik’s ass for this. I have no idea what to say to prevent further damage—“He was worried she would get the wrong idea—”
“And think there’s more to your fake relationship than there really is,” Joni finishes for me. I’m not sure if I should cringe at what he said or be relieved. He’s saved me from explaining what happened last night between me and Sofia.
