Loss united them. Will it also tear them apart?
When her staff abandon her before opening her new restaurant, Sophie, an aspiring chef who refuses to move past the death of her fiancée must let the charming military man Max into not just her bed but...
Glued to her seat, Sophie's pulse jackrabbit'd. Part of her hoped Mary was teasing, fabricating a scenario to force Sophie to realize her feelings for Max. Another part of her silently prayed he was there. That despite the hurtful words she'd said, he had enough faith in their love for the both of them.
It was, afterall, what he promised as he placed that gentle kiss on her cheek before he'd left the condo a few hours ago.
She closed her eyes and lived in the possibility of turning and finding Max there. The shard lodged in her chest the instant she'd made the decision to cut him out of her life dulled a smidge. After confessing her love to him last night, he'd fallen asleep draped over her and the impact of what they had just done, of what she'd admitted, had slammed into her. Despite all her walls and protections, Max had slipped under her defenses and his love had nourished a long-ignored corner of her heart. He'd brought sunshine into the darkened patch and in his light, love once again bloomed.
But love was a double-sided coin. Finding love, being loved, giving love was like a garden in summer, flowers flourishing, colouring her world in every vivid shade of the rainbow. Warm air encouraged blossoms and nothing seemed impossible. To live in that pleasant pasture was the ultimate joy of life.
Yet, like summer itself, love didn't always last. Some people grew apart, naturally ending a relationship. Others weren't as lucky and love was taken from them. Life after losing love was that same garden, but in winter. A cold, colourless, barren place where the wind bit at your skin and layers were necessary to protect yourself. The remnants of the summer past echoed in the land, but the flowers were gone, untouchable, the warmth evaporated, leaving only pleasant memories that soon turned to dust.
The day Thomas had died, the seasons of Sophie's life had changed, bringing unbearable pain as she had the roots of their love ripped from her. She'd lost more than a fiancée that day, she'd lost a part of herself.
Despite her resistance, Sophie had opened her heart to Max and the seed for another garden had planted themselves in the barren earth. Different flowers from the ones she grew with Thomas, but still a colourful patch with promise. Last night, her heart had overflowed into a field of potential blooms with her love for Max.
Then morning had come, and her phone had chimed, dragging her back to reality. Max would need to leave soon and the tiny new green shoots, so fragile and precious that had sprouted in their love garden, shivered in a cold spring wind. Her soul ached, already missing Max.
And that was just missing him. His job was dangerous. Max had been lucky this time. What if he wasn't the next time? She couldn't afford to lose any more of herself and the certainty of what she had to do had hit her. Break things off with Max before their garden grew any bigger.
Sophie had done what was necessary, sure that crushing those tiny saplings now was better than chopping down the whole tree later. The agony she'd seen in Max's eyes reflected her own, but she'd done it for the both of them.
His words to her, before he left, had sliced through that resolve. Max rarely asked anything of her. Rarely took what he needed, desired. His declaration that even if she didn't want it, she'd have his heart forever lodged in her chest.
Could she find some balance? Some way to let the love they shared blanket the anxiety of losing that very love? Was the act of loving Max more powerful than the worry over eventualities that might never happen? She planned every moment of her life to eliminate what ifs, yet what ifs still happened. The big horrible of losing her job had resulted in the ability to have the space to be available to help her friend in a time of need. Another bonus was born, giving her time with Mary and a chance to get to know Simon, her husband. Mary contrived to find Sophie a purpose in Bridgetown by convincing Simon to hire her. That manipulation had led to a partnership with Simon that gave her the opportunity to design her own kitchen and now run that, creating her own memories.
Even the troubles Finn experienced paved the way for Max to be situated in a bedroom where he shared a bathroom with Sophie. A hum of electricity buzzed along her spine.
Bad things happened.
There was no way she could eliminate that element.
Things changed.
She couldn't control everything.
Sophie took a steadying breath. She could stick with her plan, cut Max out of her life, hurt them both. Damage them both. She might be able to maintain control a little longer, until the next speed bump in the road.
Or she could take a chance.
Rather than let fate take its course, she could control one thing. She could choose love. Choose to love Max.
Sophie opened her eyes and looked at the faces of her friends around the table. Emily smiled encouragingly. Finn's brows were furrowed, like a reflection of Max's pain. Mary tilted her head, daring Sophie to act or disappoint her friend.
The skin on Sophie's finger pulled as she twisted the engagement ring that had never left her hand since the day Thomas proposed. She silently promised Thomas that she would love him forever, would never leave him behind, never forget him. She'd tell her children, Thomas's brother's children, stories about the passionate, caring man who had first captured her heart. About his love for the game of chess, his dislike of olives, how he'd rescued a stray cat they found behind the restaurant where she'd first worked. Sophie silently asked Thomas to forgive her for letting go and whispered a final I love you to him.
The band glided along her finger with ease, as if Thomas guided it with his own, giving her his blessing to let go, to move on, to be loved. Sophie raised the solitaire diamond to her lips, kissed the cold stone, and placed the ring on the tablecloth.
Pulse pounding in her ears, Sophie pushed out of her seat and turned toward the entrance to the restaurant.
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Hey everyone. DL here.
What do you think?
Is Sophie too late with her decision?
Did Max come to the restaurant afterall?
This chapter is again a bit short, but its the other half of the chapter before. I promise next week there will be lots of content for you to read.
