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Still, I tested the waters. “We could be.”
She shot a glare in my direction and shook her head. “Stop playing around, Alex.” A strand of hair fell into her face. “We’ve got boxes to unpack.”
“Alright,” I relented, though not entirely.
I walked over to Sophie, squatted down until we were on the same level, and tucked the rogue strand of hair behind her ear, letting my hand linger on her cheek.
“But logically, it would make sense if we just moved in together,” I said, holding her gaze for a moment, taking in those four flecks of brown in her right iris.
Sophie seemed to be holding her breath. It became apparent when I stroked my finger along the curve of her jaw, and paused at her chin, feeling a slight tremor under her skin. She didn’t say anything, only kept her eyes locked with mine.
“We could even get a bigger house,” I continued. “One with four bedrooms if you really prefer having your own.”
Still, she said nothing.
After a few seconds, I let my hand fall away and stood up. Just as I turned to head to the open-plan kitchen, I heard a sigh slip from Sophie’s lips.
“I’m just going to get the last two boxes,” I said, pointing at the hallway, biting back a smile as a flush of red crept along her cheeks.
She lowered her head, avoiding my gaze, and rushed over to the far side of the room to straighten the curtains. I let her be and headed out to the driveway.
Just like Sophie’s house, there was a large tree shading the front garden, except it wasn’t a sycamore. I had no ideawhat kind it was—my knowledge of trees was limited. Grabbing another box of kitchen supplies from the back of the truck, I headed back inside.
“My brother wants to meet you by the way,” said Sophie when I walked back in. She was ambling across the living room, carrying two cushions for the couch.
“Danny?” I asked while I packed out the coffee machine and all its extras. “I’d love to meet him. When?”
“Tomorrow night. At my place,” Sophie said, heading into the hallway and coming back with another three cushions I didn’t even remember packing. She kept her eyes down as she walked.
I might have been imagining things, but it seemed to me that Sophie was still trying to avoid my gaze, as if I had some sort of hypnotizing power over her. One look and she’d be under my spell. If only it could be so easy.
“I’ve got work till six,” I said, “but I can be there after. What can I bring?”
“Just yourself,” she said, glancing down at the rug and then bending down to straighten it.
“I’ve got everything we need. Wine for you. Juice for me. And all the ingredients for chili.”
“Wait,” I said, walking back into the living room and sidestepping a box labeledStudy, only to trip over a set of hangers. At least I managed to stay upright, and at least Sophie was finally looking in my direction again, even if she was biting back a laugh. “Chili is literally my favorite.”
It was true. When I was younger and my mom had to work late shifts, she had always made a big pot of chili the night before. It had been our thing.
Sophie laughed, finally locking her eyes with mine. “I know. That’s why I’m making it.” “How did you know?” I asked, perplexed, not remembering ever mentioning it to Sophie.
“You talk in your sleep,” she said, then burst into a fit of laughter.
CHAPTER 19
Sophie
Yesterday, when Alex mentioned the possibility of us being together, I felt a mix of emotions. On one hand, I was elated that he saw a future with me and our children. On the other, I was frustrated because he had never openly expressed his feelings for me, making me question if they even existed at all.
“Why do you look so nervous?” asked Danny, stirring in the spices, smells of cumin and paprika filling the kitchen. “Is it because you’re scared of what I’ll think of him?”
“No,” I said matter-of-factly. “It’s because I’m worried about what you’ll do and say tonight.”
Danny gasped in his overly dramatic way, abandoned the spoon on a small plate, and walked toward me, his arms folded across his muscly chest. “Do you really think I’ll go out of my way to embarrass you?”
“Yes.”
