Sophie crossed to the island bar and grabbed the drink she’d made for him.
“I thought you could start with a nice bourbon before dinner,” she told him, handing him the tumbler of amber liquid. “I’ve set us up over next to the balcony so we can still see the beautiful view, but not freeze.”
Nigel tipped back the drink and sat the glass back on the bar. He shoved his hands in his pockets, but remained silent. Work must have really kicked him down today. She’d never seen him so worn or quiet.
“I have good news,” she told him. “I got in touch with my brothers and they can be here tomorrow. I’d love for us to all do a nice dinner if you think you can leave the office early enough.”
She turned toward the island to start filling the plates with pasta.
“Your brothers,” he repeated slowly. “Would that be Vaughn and Kellan Blackwood?”
The plate dropped from her grasp and shattered onto the floor.
“And that would make you Sophie,” he added.
Sophie glanced over her shoulder. Nigel held up his phone to show her a muted video from her YouTube channel.
“I had no idea you were so popular until I discovered this,” he went on. “Sophie Blackwood, a YouTube sensation and brilliant interior designer.”
Sophie gripped the edge of the counter. “Give me a second to explain.”
“A second? Oh, I think you’d need much longer than that, don’t you? I mean, you’ve clearly been planning this for a long time.” He dropped his arm and shoved the phone back into his pocket. “How long would you have gone on with this charade, Roslyn?”
Tears pricked her eyes, but she needed to put up a strong front and not be seen as weak. She needed him to understand her actions, her reasoning. He understood family loyalty, didn’t he?
“That’s why I wanted you to meet my brothers,” she explained. “I wanted to tell you everything with them here so they could help me explain what we were up against.”
Sophie started to step toward him, but glanced to the shards of the broken plate near her bare feet.
“You’re going to cut yourself.”
Nigel muttered a curse under his breath and stepped over the mess, the broken plate crunching beneath his shoes. He gripped her by the waist and lifted her up and over, setting her down safely a good distance away.
Even in his anger, he was still a gentleman. How could she not be in love with him? He obviously cared for her or her actions wouldn’t have hurt him so much.
That sliver of information gave her hope. She knew he’d be hurt no matter how he discovered the truth, but she just wished she could’ve been the one to tell him. Now the betrayal seemed so much harsher.
“Who told you?” she asked.
Nigel shook his head. “That doesn’t matter. You’re the one who lied and used me.”
Sophie recalled the flash of red yesterday.
“Miranda,” she murmured.
“What?”
Sophie held his gaze. “Miranda told you, didn’t she? I saw her at the office yesterday.”
Nigel’s eyes widened. “You saw her and didn’t say anything? Afraid of getting caught?”
“I have valid reasons for everything I did.”
The muscle in Nigel’s jaw clenched and he propped his hands on his hips. “Miranda didn’t tell me anything, so clearly she doesn’t know you’re here.”
In that case, Sophie had no idea how he found out, but it really didn’t matter. All that mattered was that she’d hurt him. She had to find a way to make him understand why she’d done this. Would he believe her if she told him she’d give up the vendetta against Miranda for a second chance with him?
At this point, no. The shocking news was too fresh, the pain too raw.