Page 51 of Stone Cold Touch (The Dark Elements 2)
I glance back at Adeline; she’s wearing light green sweatpants and a matching hoodie. “Is that your dinner outfit?” I tease, struck by the strong contrast between her outfit and Sophie’s. Knowing Adeline, a sweatpants set is hardly her choice for a night out. This girl loves to go all out, every chance she gets.
“Dinner? Honey, I’m not leaving the apartment for the whole weekend; I need to write,” Adeline replies without missing a beat.
Didn’t Sophie say they were going out for dinner?
“But, Soph said…” I begin, but the corners of Adeline's mouth lift into a mischievous grin.
“You must have misunderstood. My girl is going on a date. It’s about time she got taken out, don't you think? She deserves a nice evening after all the work she’s been doing,” she clarifies. “Jared is taking her to that new Italian place downtown.” She glances at the clock. “Actually, she better hurry. Their reservation is at eight.”
The realization hits me like a punch to the gut.
A date.
With Jared.
Why am I shocked? I know Sophie dates—of course, she does—but the idea of her going back to Jared, of all people, doesn’t sit right with me. It churns my stomach. I don’t like it. Not one bit. As knowledgeable and talented as Jared is professionally, I don’t trust him.
“Ah, I see,” I manage to say, the words feeling a bit strained. Adeline's mischievous grin remains unshaken, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she observes my discomfort. My body tenses, my hands involuntarily clenching at my sides as I grapple with the news.
“It's a great restaurant,” I add, trying my hardest to sound casual. “I hope they have a good time.” My attempt to seem indifferent is weak, and I know Adeline can tell. She nods, still smiling, knowing I understood her message.
“Yeah, they should,” she agrees, her tone light. “Sophie deserves it.”
I nod, having a hard time swallowing, yet alone answering. Just then, Sophie reappears, and my body stiffens involuntarily. Nevertheless, I muster a smile and manage my goodbyes. As I turn to leave, the vision of Sophie, radiant in that stunning dress and heading out with someone else, stubbornly clings to my thoughts. It's deeply unsettling how much this bothers me. Like,deeplyannoyingly bothering me.
My mind races, imagining them together—their bodies inching closer, a goodnight kiss that might linger a bit too long. Maybe even more. A chill of dread sweeps through me, turning my insides to ice. Yeah, that’s not happening on my watch.
Clearly, a good meal—that’s all I need. Something to give me energy, to clear my head. That’s the logical choice here. Nothing more, nothing less. Italian always calms me down.
The restaurant is lively,with chatter and clinking glasses. I don’t know what drove me to show up here.Yes, I do.
But now that I’m here, scanning the room under the pretext of finding a friend–always that same friend. I actually owe Micah by now.
In the far corner, under the soft glow of candlelight, I first spot Sophie. Then my gaze lands on Jared, and my mood shifts. This is why I’m here. To stop her from kissing that damn frog. No one’s turning into a prince while I’m around. Not that Jared ever would. Maybe atoad. But never a prince.
I navigate through the restaurant, no one noticing me. When I reach their table, I can’t help but add a bit of drama to my greeting. What can I say? I’m half-Lebanese. “Well, what a coincidence, my two favorite employees on a date. How sweet,” I say loud enough for both of them to hear, layering my tone with mock surprise.
Sophie chokes on her pasta at my sudden appearance, her hand flying to her mouth as she reaches for her wine glass to wash it down. I step closer, tapping her back lightly. “You okay?” I ask, unable to hide the smirk tugging at my lips.
She coughs again, slowly regaining her composure, and quickly retorts, “It’s not a date.”
Jared’s eyes snap to her, lips pursing as irritation briefly crosses his features.
“It sure looks like it,” I mutter under my breath, unable to resist the jab.
“Liam, what are you doing here!” Sophie exclaims, her fingers tightening around the edge of the table.
“Oh, it’s my favorite restaurant,” I say with a casual shrug. “You don’t mind if I join, do you? As it’s not a date, let’s make it a team dinner. It’s on me.” Without waiting for a response, I pull a chair from a nearby empty table, wedging myself between Sophie and Jared. “Would you mind scooting over, Jared?” I ask, settling myself comfortably, ready to see how the evening will unfold.
The waitress approaches our table with a menu in hand and asks me what I'd like to eat. “I'll have what she's having; it looks delicious,” gesturing toward Sophie's pasta. Both Jared and Sophie remain completely silent, the tension palpable.Well, isn’t this awkward?
“And some red wine, I'll just grab the same as they are. Let's make this as easy as possible for you.” I laugh, attempting to lighten the mood with a little bump to Jared's elbow. The waitress nods and walks away, leaving us wrapped in a thick, awkward silence.
“So, what’s new with you two?” I probe, aiming for nonchalance but not particularly caring if I sound too forward. My curiosity is piqued, and I want a response.
Sophie takes another sip of wine, her grip on the glass tightening as she does so, her shoulders slightly hunched in a defensive posture. Jared speaks up, “Not much, we thought we should celebrate finishing the project,” he says, deliberately avoiding my gaze. Lies. You’re here on a date. With your colleague that you once hurt. And your green suit is ugly.
“What are you doing here, Liam, seriously?” Sophie asks, setting down her wine glass with a slight clatter. Her tone is tinged with frustration, and there's a hint of challenge in her eyes as she finally meets my gaze.
