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I grinned. Everything was looking up, and I thought nothing could ruin it.
***
A week later, that thought changed when Sophie revealed her news.
“I got the job!” she announced, her voice filled with a giddiness that I hadn’t heard in a while. That was because it took a while for us to finally rid the internet of the uploaded videos of her confrontation with her ex and the first two companies that she applied to got wind of it and immediately rejected her. It had been hard watching her look dejected as she fought to keep her hopes up, but her expression now told me this current company was different. “There was no mention of any videos, and they were impressed with my work experience. I guess Sam had some decency left in her to keep the scandal quiet and give me a glowing recommendation.”
“More like she was afraid to get exposed and get sued,” Rupert muttered. I elbowed him and smiled when Sophie was too distracted to notice. She held out her hands and grinned.
“Anyway, you’re looking at La Corp’s new assistant sales representative.”
“Sales?” Matthew asked, surprised. “Not secretarial?”
She shook her head. “I discovered that I like talking to people when I worked for you, and my experience there helped convince them to give me a shot in that department. I want to keep talking to people and finding their interests. I want to help them market their goods while still maintaining control over what they look like to the world, and I think giving them a lot of options and convincing them to get the right one is a good step.”
That was how I knew she was going to excel in the new field she had chosen. I realized her news didn’t exactly ruin things, but dread still filled me as I braced for what was coming next.
“When are you starting?” Rupert asked.
“Next week. The benefits are good and the salary’s good, so I signed the contract.” At that, she finally hesitated. Silence filled the living room as we waited for her to continue speaking, but she waited until Matthew popped open the bottle of champagne to proceed. “Actually, the salary’sreallygood, and I think I can finally afford a good apartment closer to La Corp. I contacted a friend who’s a real estate agent, and she’s looking at vacancies right now.”
Rupert went to the fridge to get a beer while Matthew poured the champagne into the readied glasses. I lingered somewhere in between them and Sophie.
“Is this what you want?”
She met my gaze at my query, conflict in her eyes. There was so much sadness that it made me ache, but the hope also present stopped me from reaching for her. I knew she wanted this, maybe even needed this. I knew moving out would come eventually, especially when that had been the plan all along.
But my heart screamed, not wanting to let her go. I turned away, not wanting to be selfish when it meant her happiness. Coincidentally, I chanced a glance at Rupert and found him holding his beer bottle too tightly, close to breaking it. But he met my gaze and shook his head, understanding the importance of staying quiet.
“It’s what I want,” she finally replied
Matthew cleared his throat. “Moving out?”
“No, of course not.” Her words caught my breath. “Not the moving out part, but the job. I want this new start. I want to do what I enjoy and what I suspect I’m good at. I want to have a career and an income and… it’s too far. This apartment, I mean. If I stay here, it would be hard to commute. The new place is closer and much better location-wise. I have to do this.”
And there it was, the slight hitch in her voice that clued me in on her helplessness. Again, I wanted to ask her to stay, but I knew it wouldn’t be practical. A hand grabbed my wrist and I looked at Rupert again, startled when I realized I was already walking toward her. But he was looking at Matthew, not at me. So I focused on him, too.
Matthew tilted his head.
“Is there any chance your agent could find a four-bedroom apartment in the same location? Maybe a penthouse?”
“What?” Sophie asked.
“What?” I blurted out at the same time.
“Something as comfortable as this one,” Matthew continued. “Maybe five bedrooms if we’re looking at transforming one of them into a gym. Unless you guys have other requirements…”
Belatedly, it dawned that he was looking at us now for confirmation. Rupert nodded.
“I’m fine with four or five bedrooms.”
My heart soared and I tried not to laugh. “I’m okay with anything. I can always sleep on the couch. Or in Sophie’s room.”
Sophie made a sound in her throat. It brimmed with hope and disbelief.
“But this is your home,” she protested weakly. “And the location’s on the other side…”
At that, we all stepped forward, our minds in sync. Matthew took her shoulders in his hands and turned her until she faced us fully.
