“Then you might be waiting a long time, my friend. Now let’s go before these margaritas melt and Mara has my ass.” He smiled as if that was a good thing.
“What is going on between the two of you?”
“Nothing,” he said quickly, all traces of good humor from a moment ago vanished.
“Seems like a whole lot of nothing to me.” Xander kept walking, a clear sign the conversation was over, so I shrugged and followed him back to the table. “Hey ladies, what did I miss?”
“Only Sophie handing me my backside on a silver platter. I think she’s a down-low pool shark.” Babs laughed again and took a dainty sip from her glass. “You two should play next.”
“No can do,” Sophie said as she blindly reached for her purse and slung it across her chest. “I have a few things I need to take care of before bed, so I’m off.”
“What?” Eva frowned and laid a hand on her shoulder. “You’re leaving?”
“I am.” Her shoulders were set, her expression determined. “I have a few ideas I want to sketch out before our next meeting, and,” she put on a totally fake yawn that even Eva didn’t buy, “I’m getting tired.”
“I’m calling bullshit, Soph.” Eva arched those dark brows, daring Sophie to keep up the lie.
“Call it what you want, but I’m leaving.” She turned to Babs with a friendly smile. “It was nice to meet you Babs. Maybe I’ll see you at the Time for Love offices one of these days.” Sophie wore that bland smile that was so phony that it made me want to scream. “See you later Stone.”
I watched with a sinking sensation as Sophie walked away, feeling like I had somehow made things worse between us. “Go after her,” Babs whispered and gave me a not so gentle shove.
My feet were moving before I even gave them the order, following the sway of her hips through The Mayflower and out the front door, where I lost her for a brief second, before she reappeared under the parking lot lights.
“Soph, wait up!”
She turned, an unhappy look in her eyes that hit me right in the chest. “Go back inside, Stone. I’m going home.” She turned without waiting for a response and started towards the sidewalk that provided a leisurely ten minute walk to her place.
She’s serious. Sophie rarely turned down a chance to spend time with me and that fact gave me hope. She was jealous and it had nothing to do with being worried Babs would take her spot as my best friend in the whole damn world. I caught up to her easily, her short legs no match for my six-four frame, and startled her.
“Why would I go back inside when my best girl is right here?”
“Babs is inside and that’s where you should be.”
“Nah, I’d rather be here.” Her steps sped up and that only exaggerated the swing of her hips, which left me half hypnotized. “Babs will be fine. She always is.”
“How long have you been seeing her?” The question was innocuous enough, but the tight lines around her mouth said the answer mattered, and that made it matter to me.
“We’re not seeing each other, actually. Babs is a member of the gym and we’ve become friends, I guess.”
“She’s into you, Stone. And she’s gorgeous.”
I shrugged. “Is that all I need to be interested in a woman?” Sophie was gorgeous, she just didn’t see it because of her idiotic, image obsessed parents.
“No, of course not. But it’s a good start, right? She’s gorgeous and lively, and she obviously likes working out as much as you do.”
There it was again, the green eyed monster. “More, if you can believe it. Why are we talking about Babs?”
“I don’t know. Why are you being weird?”
I laughed. “Why are you being weird?” There had never been any weirdness between us and I didn’t like it. Was this what it would be like if romance didn’t work out between us?
“I don’t know,” she said honestly, the last word came out on a sigh. “I’m tired Stone, and I’m just trying to get home.”
I could see signs of fatigue around her eyes, but I knew there was more bothering her. For now I let it go and held my arm out to her. “Then stop giving me a hard time and let me walk you home.”
Sophie sighed, but she flashed a real smile up at me, the one that went all the way to her brandy colored eyes, and took my arm. “If you’re gonna be pushy about it, fine you can walk me home. But don’t blame me if you miss your chance with Babs.”
I laughed at her attempt at matchmaking. “I think I’ll survive. For now, my best girl needs me so here’s where I’ll be.”
We walked in silence for a full block before Sophie spoke. “Do you think Babs is right? Is our friendship the reason we’re both still single? Perpetually single?”