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Corey: I’m an intellect. At least that’s what my mom tells me.
Tyler: You’re a nerd.
Hunter: Getting off track here. Lance, just do what you think is right. She’s obviously already falling for you, just make her see that she needs to stay instead of run from her feelings.
Me: I actually think talking to you doofuses helped. I have an idea, one that’ll end this back-and-forth once and for all. I hope.
Hunter: Good for you, man. Good luck.
Corey: Yeah, go get your girl.
Tyler: What they said.
I looked up and was surprised to see Sophie standing in front of me, blocking the sun from my eyes.
“You busy?”
I shook my head and gestured to the spot next to me. “No, I’m actually on a break right now. Please, join me.”
She sat down and crossed her legs, obviously settling in for a heart-to-heart or something like that. “I heard what happened with you and Gemma.”
“She told you?” I cocked a brow and whistled. “I guess I’m just surprised. She told me she hadn’t even told you about our fling years ago, so why tell you now what’s going on?”
“I am her sister, you know,” she practically admonished. Then she lowered her voice. “Plus, I didn’t really give her a choice. She came in late this morning and although she changed clothes, I knew she never came back in last night.” She raised a brow and dared me to say something different. “Don’t try telling me it was all innocent between the two of you last night.”
I held up my hands and scoffed. “I wouldn’t dare. Especially because it seems you already have all the facts, so I’d just be lying and you’d know it.”
“True,” she said. Then she pointed a finger in my face. “You need to know something about my sister.”
I tried to search her eyes, which was proving to be difficult with her large-as-life sunglasses covering them. “What do I need to know?”
“She’s complicated,” she said, blowing outward and uncrossing her legs, relaxing a bit. “It’s her thing.” I saw her roll her eyes. “See, Gemma has never put herself first. It’s always been about me or my parents or her business and clients. It’s never been about her. She doesn’t believe it should be. She thinks of herself last.”
“That I know,” I confirmed. “I’ve tried telling her it’s not right. And if she’s not going to take care of herself and put herself first, then she needs to let someone in to do that for her.”
“And you want to be that someone?”
I nodded. “I thought I could be.”
“Thought? What changed?” She crossed her legs and leaned forward, waiting for my answer.
“Your sister. She said she’s leaving, and she’s right.” But Sophie knew this already.
She waved her hand in the air as though brushing my comment aside. “Forget what she said. She’s missing the big picture and so are you.”
I arched a brow, waiting for her to elaborate.
“I’ve never seen her happier than when she’s with you. She’s not as high-strung, she worries less. You make her lighter, if that makes sense.”
I listened carefully and took in every word she was saying.
“I told her she has to see this thing through this time and give you guys a real chance. She didn’t ask for my two-cents,” she said, using her hands to gesture as she spoke, “but she got it anyway.”
“Something tells me she always does.”
She pursed her lips. “You’d be right.” Then she added, “Listen, don’t give up on her, okay? Gemma’s special and you make her happy, which means I’m sort of rooting for you two.”
I ran a hand through my hair and shifted in the sand. “It’s not that easy, though. I have an idea, but not a clue if it’s actually going to work.”
