“Fiancé,” he corrected me. “I am terribly sorry. I know you wanted that job.”
“It’s fine,” I reassured him.
But it wasn’t, really, and he knew it, just like he knew he couldn’t fix it for me right now. So, he did what he could do and came around the island to pull me into his arms for a scorching kiss. His mouth on mine, the slow sweep of his tongue along my bottom lip and his hand in my hair made me forget myself for an instant.
He could overwhelm me when I least expected it, in the best possible way.
When we stepped apart, I took a moment to steady myself and return to the real world.
“I think they’re going to suspect something is up when you come in with those.” A giddy bubble rose up in my chest, at odds with my lingering disappointment. Maybe telling Emma about th
e engagement really would chase away some of my pouty mood. Every time we told someone, it made it more real to me that Neil and I were officially “forever.”
Emma and Valerie had moved to the living room, probably to give us some privacy. The apartment was gorgeous, but its soundproofing left much to be desired. We were definitely keeping that in mind while looking for a new house; we didn’t need another embarrassing incident like the first time I’d met Emma.
The moment we entered the living room, both Emma and Valerie’s gazes landed on the tray of glasses in Neil’s hands.
“What’s all this for?” Emma narrowed her eyes.
I could have just blurted out our happy news, but what would be the fun in that? “I didn’t get the job.”
Emma looked almost as disappointed over it as I felt. She got up from the couch, and I accepted her hug gratefully. “I’m so sorry. They’re clearly idiots, because you’re fantastic.”
“Yes, terrible luck,” Valerie added, and to her credit, she did sound sympathetic. She was seated on the same sofa Emma had been on, her bare feet pulled up beneath her, her arm resting on the back of the couch, like she was completely at home in my living room.
No, Sophie. That’s your hurt feelings over the rejection talking. Don’t make this into something it isn’t, I scolded myself.
“Thanks.” I stepped back from Emma’s hug and looked to Neil. “But it’s nothing, really. Because I’ve got plenty of other stuff to be happy for. Right, baby?”
Valerie looked from me to Neil with a slowly growing smile, her impeccably straightened slashes of auburn hair subtly swaying as she turned her head. “I’m sensing some kind of announcement?”
Emma’s jaw dropped.
Neil tried to keep a poker face, but a big, boyish grin broke through. “I wanted to tell you in person, Emma. I’ve asked Sophie to marry me, and she accepted.”
“What? Oh my god.” Emma held a hand to her chest. Then she grabbed me and nearly jerked my arm out of its socket pulling me into a hug that was part joyous celebration, part python squeezing its prey. She squealed her happiness directly in my ear, and I couldn’t help but laugh and return her hug. She stepped back, holding my upper arms like I was a sweater in a shop. “Oh my god, finally.”
“Congratulations,” Valerie told Neil, with one of those smiles people have when they know they have to seem enthusiastic about something, but in reality they just don’t care. I didn’t blame her. She was trying to plan her daughter’s wedding in the middle of her own relationship breaking up. If she didn’t have the mental energy to expend being happy for her ex and his fiancée, I wouldn’t hold it against her.
“When’s the date?” Emma demanded, her hands on her hips. “Because I can’t start helping you plan the wedding if I’m busy with my own.”
“I’m sure Sophie has friends who want to help her,” Valerie reminded her daughter.
“I would never turn down the advice of a woman who manages to organize paint bucket wielding career activists into one cohesive fur-coat battling army.”
“Yes, well. We have Emma’s wedding to worry about at the moment,” Neil reminded them. “Let’s get all of that settled first.”
Maybe it was the champagne on top of the scotch India had plied me with, but I managed to sit through a dinner with Valerie without too much unpleasantness. Neil was touchingly exuberant when Emma pressed us for questions about the wedding. It was good to see him so happy. Sue served us an amazing lentil walnut loaf with a side of spinach and soy paneer and an aromatic basmati rice dish.
“This is absolutely delicious,” Valerie said after a few bites.
Emma nodded, but frowned. “Watch out for cloves in the rice. I just bit into one and it was not agreeable.”
“So, Sophie,” Valerie began with an attempt at a friendly smile. “What’s happening with your book?”
“Well, the initial print order is high.” India had assured me that this was good news. “And I’m going to have a launch and everything. It’s getting a lot of interest because people know Neil’s name, and they’re all snoopy.”
“And what is it called again?” Emma swirled the water in her stemmed glass.