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“Too pissed right now, Sophie. I had to cancel a 1:30 meeting,” Derek said. “And it’s so damned hot out here.”
Sophie felt guilty about his canceled meeting, and then she wasn’t. All throughout their conversation, Beth and Stephen were quietly observing their back and forth.
“No one forced you to cancel your meeting,” Sophie grumbled.
“I did because I care about you more than some damned meeting.” Derek sighed irritably. “I’m trying here, Sophie.”
Before she could ask him what he meant, a gorgeous woman with long dark hair sidled up to Derek.
“Derek! Surprised to see you here,” said the bombshell, who trailed her fingers back and forth on Derek’s shoulder, making Sophie want to scratch her eyes out. Sophie hypothesized that this feeling was called jealousy.
Beth was grinning like she hit the lottery, Stephen was looking uncomfortable and so was Derek.
“Layla,” was all he said.
Sophie’s eyes widened in recognition as she exchanged glances with Beth whose head she wanted to smack because her friend couldn’t hide her glee. This was the woman Derek had sex with while Sophie watched. She wanted the ground to swallow her up. Derek made the introductions at the table, mentioning only that they were friends of his.
“Darling, I haven’t seen you in almost two weeks,” Layla purred in her breathy, sultry voice. “You are coming to Dad’s fundraiser this Saturday, aren’t you?”
Derek nodded. “I’ve sent in my RSVP, yes.”
Layla eyed Beth venomously, to which her friend raised an eyebrow. “Well, I hope you’ll be through with whatever arrangements you have so we can hook up again.”
Sophie felt her cheeks burn, whether from anger or jealousy, she didn’t know. But the misconception Layla obviously had that Beth was who Derek was interested in had her bursting out in laughter. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one who found this funny because Stephen was chuckling, and Beth choked on her drink when she tried to divert her amusement to her wine.
“Oh, sorry did I say something funny?” Layla haughtily asked the group.
“Honey, you’re looking at me like you want to claw my eyes out,” Beth said before turning to Derek. “Baby, she seems like fun. Why don’t you ask her to join us next time?” The group laughed harder.
Derek obviously had had enough. At that moment, his beer arrived and he took a quick swig, stood up and pulled Layla off to a corner. Sophie could not make out his words, but whatever he said to Layla hurt her. The beautiful woman’s face transformed to disbelief as she turned her furious eyes on Sophie.
“Looks like Derek is setting the record straight,” Beth observed. “Don’t feel sorry for her, Sophie, she put herself in that situation. Spoiled daddy’s girl thinks she can always get what she wants.” After a few more words were exchanged, Layla squared her shoulders and said loudly so everyone could hear: “Well, when you get tired of your virginal blonde, you know where to find me, but don’t expect me to wait forever.” She stepped toward their table and gave Sophie a once over. “You don’t have what it takes to hold a man like Derek,” she sneered softly. “He thinks he wants this innocent facade, but he’ll be back between my legs in no time. He always comes back.”
Sophie was too shocked by the woman’s crudeness to say anything. Beth stood up angrily, prepared to let the other woman have it but luckily for Layla, Derek intervened.
“That’s enough, Layla,” Derek said angrily, pulling her away.
“Fuck you, Lockwood!” She yanked her arm free and stomped off.
“Damn, sweetie, that was intense,” Stephen said with a low whistle, but Sophie was looking at Beth, who had an evil gleam in her eyes.
“Do not make this fodder for your paper,” Sophie warned her friend.
“What? I could see the headlines now,” Beth quipped. “New Park playboy and Senator’s daughter in sidewalk breakup.”
“There was no breakup,” Derek informed them when he sat down. Their table had caused a scene; the outdoor patio was crowded with every ear straining to listen to their conversation. Derek, aware of this, lowered his voice. “Layla and I were never together, we had an arrangement to fuck, that’s all.”
“She apparently doesn’t want to give up her favorite dick,” Beth said, deadpan.
Sophie shook her head. Beth and Derek tended to devolve into bizarre conversations. “Why me?”
“Sorry about that, Angel,” Derek said softly. “But I made it clear to her that I was seeing you.”
“So you two ARE in a relationship,” Stephen said, almost as if he was demanding a confirmation.
Derek frowned and looked at Sophie accusingly. “Yes, at least this is my understanding. Did Sophie say otherwise?”
“She’s confused,” Stephen added.
