“Oh, honey. Are you sure you have to go so soon?” Mom looked between the four of us and frowned. “You’re all leaving, aren’t you?”
I stood up and nodded. “Yep. I’ve heard quite enough gossip for one night.”
Dad shoved his chair into the table. “Gossip?”
Ethan and Noah each took one of my arms. Ethan winked at Mom and nodded at Dad. “We’ve got to get going. We’ve got something to do before going home for the night.”
“Call me later, one of you.” Mom followed us out and closed the door behind her. “It’s the same Sophia, isn’t it?”
I nodded. “She’s not like that, Mom.”
“Of course, she isn’t. I didn’t get that impression from her at all.” Mom patted us each on the cheek. “She’s a woman in the business world. People will always talk.”
“Dad isn’t normally the type to buy into shit like that.” Noah turned away. “I don’t know. I have a headache and I need to go home.”
“Trust your gut, honey.” Mom hugged each of us. “Be careful going home. Tell Sophia hi for me.”
We’d driven together in my truck and the drive home was silent until I parked. I got out and slammed the door shut. “He’s lying.”
Noah scowled at me. “Why would he lie? That doesn’t make any sense, Alex.”
Ethan held up his hands, ready to mediate. “I don’t think he’s lying, but maybe he just trusts that Matthew guy. Something happened, though. Sophia cried.”
I growled. “Someone should have their teeth knocked out.”
“Why didn’t you say anything earlier?” Noah leaned against the side of my truck and crossed his arms over his chest.
“I didn’t want to say anything in front of Sophia. She was fucking distraught. And I promised her I wouldn’t say anythingto anyone.” Ethan looked down at his feet and grunted. “So, I’m a liar.”
“We’ll talk to her tomorrow and figure it out.” Noah ran his hands through his hair. “Fuck this night.”
47
***Sophia***
Istared across my desk at Randal and tried to remember what work was like before the guys had joined us. Things just felt too quiet without them. Gerald had sent a message earlier that morning, letting us know that the guys were moving on to training with a different department. I hadn’t even gotten to see them.
“Missing them?” Randal read me like a book, as always. “I kind of do, too. They grew on me.”
I dropped my pen and sat back in my chair. “Am I that obvious?”
“Only to me.” He tapped his pen against his chin. “Why don’t you take a day off, Soph? When’s the last time you did?”
I shrugged. I couldn’t remember. “I can’t be at home with Ava and Milo right now. They just make sex jokes at me nonstop.”
“Rita has been begging me to invite you to dinner so you can tell her all about the guys.” He laughed at my facial expression. “The chemistry between you four is off the charts. You didn’thave to spell it out for me to get it. I’m happy for you, Sophia. You deserve someone to make you happy.”
Before I could respond Gerald walked into my office and crossed his arms over his chest. “Leave us.”
Randal looked at me and frowned. “Do you-”
“Out.” Gerald barked out the order and the moment Randal stepped out of the office, he slammed the door shut. “Have you lost your goddamn mind?”
I stood up, not wanting to be at such a height disadvantage. “What are you talking about?”
“You told my sons that Matthew sexually harassed you? That’s ridiculous!” He leaned over my desk and glared at me. “You’ve got a lot of nerve.”
My entire body erupted in goosebumps but I wasn’t going to back down. “I panicked and told Ethan that Matthew was the one rubbing my shoulders and talking to my chest because it didn’t feel right telling him that his father was the one doing it.”