Grey Skies - A Military Romance (Complete)

Grey Skies: Chapter 5

Sophie swiped at the bead of sweat trickling down her neck and regretted, not for the first time, skipping this month's transit pass. She'd opted to walk to work and save the one hundred and twenty-eight dollars. Or rather pay her cell phone and other bills. Etienne, the head chef at La Terra, often gave her a ride home, so the decision had seemed prudent.

She hadn't factored in global warming and the high humidity that hung over Washington, DC, the first two weeks of August. The weather made the forty-five minute hike to the restaurant on Commisionary St. feel more like swimming to work than walking. Especially this afternoon. The additional stress of having to be at work an hour early for the last minute all-hands-on-deck meeting the owners called yesterday had Sophie longing for the air-conditioned ride on a bus.

Hopefully, this meeting was about a change in the menu, something to entice the walk-ins off the busy street and fill the restaurant to capacity. While La Terra's regulars raved about the food, the classic dishes on offer didn't seem to draw potential customers like some of the fusion restaurants in the area.

"So the plan is to meet you on the train? Finn promised to give me a ride to the station." Sophie ignored the whine in Mary's voice as she pronounced her brother-in-law's name. After her apartment flooded, Mary accepted Emily's offer to stay at the Lakehouse until the repairs were complete. "I can't wait to get out of this one stop-light town and be with... civilized people. I miss fresh sushi and bars with men in suits."

Like Sophie, Mary loved living in the city. The hustle and bustle was in their blood and one of the things they'd bonded over. The other being their perpetual single status. Mary had what she called "high standards" which meant rich and influential, whereas Sophie serial dated for a different reason.

"New York is full of both." Sophie sidestepped a woman pushing a baby carriage, narrowly missing the wheels that were about to roll over her black ballet flats. The train ticket purchase had maxed out her credit card, and she'd worked double shifts almost every day since the July 4th weekend to get the three days off for her annual visit with the Harrington's.

"Please. I need to see someone in Tom Ford, stat." Mary's tone changed. "I suppose Sam and Ali will be at the party."

Sophie's feet stopped at the red light, but her stomach lurched. "Of course. He is Thomas's brother." The summer soiree started as a get together to mark Thomas's birthday, but the family rarely mentioned him lately. This year, however, his mother had insisted she'd make all of his favourite foods and hinted at home movies she'd uploaded to the cloud. The thought of seeing Thomas again, even if only in 2D, hearing his voice, his laugh, both frightened and thrilled her. He was frozen in time in the photos she had on her phone, in a silver frame by her bed, etched into her mind. "And she's his wife."

"Lucky break." Sophie swallowed her retort. Sam Harrington was one of the few men that met Mary's dating qualifications and her friend was still sore she'd missed out on the opportunity to snag him for herself. "Suppose she might divorce him soon too?"

"Mary. Be nice." Sophie shook her head. "Besides. Aren't you dating that Senator's Chief of Staff?"

"Hard to date when he's in Washington and I'm stuck out here in the sticks."

Her phone chirped, and Sophie glanced at the text.

Etienne: Where are you? They want to start.

"Crap. I have to go. I'm late for work." Sophie hung up and broke into a jog, her messenger bag whacking into her hip with every stride.

"At last." Etienne held open the side door, lines of concern etched across his shiny forehead. "Everyone's by the bar."

Sophie's dry mouth ached for water, but she bypassed the fridge and cracked open the door to the dining area. A wall of backs faced her. Everyone's attention was on the man in the pinstriped suit leaning against the brass rail that outlined the wooden bar.