Back to You (17 page)

“If you say so,” she said with a little laugh.

“And you’re as beautiful ever,” he added. “That part was true too,” he added, licking his vanilla cone.

She smiled. “That’s bull.”

“It’s not. You’ve never been so beautiful to me.” She truly was.

She smiled shyly – not quite able to look at him. Sophie had never been very good at taking a compliment.

“But, I’d probably think the same if you were ninety,” he confessed. “I love you too much.” He had said the words without thinking, and she had frozen. He noticed and they both didn’t say a thing for a few seconds.

He didn’t want to take the words back – they were true. He loved her.

“Nice… John,” she finally managed. “That really doesn’t help… telling me I’ll be just as beautiful when I’m ninety,” she said playfully. “You should have stopped while you were ahead.”

When they got back to the house, Sophie was greeted by a house chock-full of family and dozens of pink and white balloons and streamers hanging off every available surface.

“Who did all this?” she asked, hugging her mother.

“Jesse and I,” Gloria replied with enthusiasm, “and Ian and the gang.”

Sophie reached out to her brother and his wife Shelby and hugged them tightly. She hadn’t seemed them in ages, and they had changed – they seemed older. And she wondered if she seemed older to them as well.

“Happy birthday, Sophie,” Shelby offered. “We’ve missed you so much.” Not only was Shelby her sister-in-law, but she had also been her best girlfriend in high school, which was how she had met Ian.

“It’s so nice to see you and the kids,” Sophie told her, her emotions getting the best of her. “They’re getting so big,” she added, hugging Trevor and Cassidy. Sophie noticed there were a lot of kids at the party; her brother’s kids, Jesse, and even Paige was there.

Sophie was a little overwhelmed. She turned to look at John who gave her an easy smile, and she felt instantly better.

“How old are you now, Cassidy?” she asked her niece who was sitting on one of the temporary folding chairs retrieved from the basement for the occasion.

“Thirteen, going on thirty,” Shelby threw in with a roll of her eyes. “And Trevor’s fifteen.”

“Did you have a chance to meet Paige,” Sophie asked Cassidy, looking over at Paige who was chatting with her dad.

“Yes, she’s great,” she said. “We went for a walk on the beach earlier.”

“That sounds nice.”

“Cassidy, you should go talk to her again,” Shelby hinted to her daughter. “I want to catch up with auntie Sophie.”

As soon as Cassidy was out of ear-shot, Shelby didn’t waste any time getting down to business. “So what’s the deal with you and John?” she asked in a whisper.

Sophie smiled. “I’m not sure. Nothing… really,” she replied, realizing she was completely lying. Shelby was someone she could confide in, but this wasn’t the place or time. She decided to keep mum, and helped herself to a bacon covered scallop from the tray Gloria was passing around.

“He’s gorgeous,” Shelby said, as if Sophie had been blind.

Sophie smiled again. “Oh really? I hadn’t noticed.”

They both laughed heartily.

“You haven’t changed a bit, Sophie.”

Sophie spent the next few hours catching up with her brother and his family. It was when she had the chance to talk to them – and hear about all the stories she had missed that she realized how much she had missed them.

Gloria had set out a table with all the pizza fixings: pepperoni, cheese, onion, pepper, mushrooms, and even pineapple and ham.

The kids loved making their own pizza and gorged on the cheese, and Sophie had to shred some extra.

“You’re not allowed to do that,” she heard John’s voice behind her. “The birthday girl should never work on her birthday.”

She laughed. “I’m just shredding some cheese.”

“You should be sitting on the comfiest chair, being waited on, hand and foot.”

“Oh really…”

“Here, I’ll do that,” he offered, taking the cheese shredder from her hands. “What do you want on your pizza? I’ll make it for you.”

“What a gentleman,” she said smiling. “I’d like pepperoni, cheese, mushroom, and onion please,” she told him. “Oh wait,” she quickly added, “hold the onions.” She loved onions, but she was hoping for the unexpected on her birthday. “And
absolutely
no pineapple.”

“Got it… no pineapple,” he said smiling. “Now you go sit and catch up with your family.”

“Here is your pizza birthday girl… created just for you,” John said as he handed her the paper plate.

Sophie smiled, “Thanks, John,” she said just before she noticed the singular piece of pineapple sitting smack in the middle of the slice.

“John,” she sighed. “I said no pineapple. Why do you always–”

He laughed at her. “I don’t know. I just have the urge to constantly annoy you. It’s kind of strange, isn’t it?”

She frowned at him. “It is weird… and annoying.”

“You can just pick it off,” he laughed. “It’s one piece.”

“But the taste will linger,” she stressed, completely exasperated.

“I see Johnny hasn’t changed,” Shelby broke in. “He’s still annoying you on a daily basis?”

“Yes,” Sophie said, thinking she probably wouldn’t have it any other way. Life with John was unexpected, because he always had little tricks up his sleeve – it was fun. And even at forty, she wasn’t too old for fun.

Sophie sat on her mother’s old armchair and opened a wonderful collection of gifts, among which, were a second edition Julia Child cookbook, a very beautiful jeweled cardigan from her mother, and a very practical compact kitchen storage kit from Jesse. She guessed he had paid attention all the times she had complained about the Tupperware mess and the lack of space in the kitchen.

“Grandma helped me order it. I saw it on TV,” he proudly told her – it was so sweet and thoughtful.

Ian and family had gotten her a wonderful plush throw and a whimsical set of tea cups, which she loved.

“Wouldn’t these look beautiful displayed in the new kitchen,” she asked Gloria who agreed. “Of course, I’d take them back after you sell.”

Sophie had peeked before opening her gifts, studying the birthday cards attached to the various bags and boxes, trying to guess which gifts were from whom – she had always had an insatiable curiosity.

She looked at the last two gifts sitting on the side table; a flat box wrapped in a daisy covered paper, and a small glittery silver box. She was dying to know what the silver box contained, and she had wanted to rip it open before all the others – but had ultimately decided to save it for last.

She opened the card stuck to the flat daisy covered box. It was a wonderful hand-drawn card from Paige – pink toed feet and hands and hearts covered the front, and a big ‘
Happy Birthday to the Mani-Pedi Queen, love Paige XOXOXO
’ was scribbled on the inside.

Sophie laughed. “I love it,” she told Paige. “You’re a great artist.”

She then opened the gift – a beautiful sheer white blouse with matching camisole.

“Thank you, Paige,” Sophie said with a smile as she held the blouse in her outstretched arms. “I love it. It’s beautiful.” It truly was – the girl had some serious taste.

“Daddy helped me pick it out. He said it would look pretty on you.”

The thought of John picking out a blouse for her warmed her. She turned to him, and met his quiet smile with her own.

“He paid for it too,” Paige admitted.

The crowd laughed – every single person there.

Except John and Sophie, whose eyes were glued to each other.

She reached for the tiny box, no longer able to look at him – she guessed the silver box was from him –she had opened everyone else’s gifts.

She opened the small card first, not believing how nervous she was. It was a beautiful handmade card – a delicate butterfly sitting atop glittery flowers. The cover read:

Remembering when I first saw you…

And as she flipped the card open, the rest of the words followed:

I knew a part of my life,

you would always be.

A friend forever.

I just knew.

Happy Birthday
.

It was signed ‘
love, John’
. She knew he wasn’t a man of many words, but she had a feeling he had spent a lot of time searching for just the right card. Tears started building as she smiled at him, and she took a breath to contain herself – she couldn’t let them flow.

“Thank you, John,” she said simply – she had no other words.  She pulled the ribbon on the silver box in anticipation, and lifted the cover of the box slowly.

And there it was – a beautiful silver chain and pendant – a sterling silver seahorse with a swirly blue opal inlay. She loved it. It was so thoughtful and so very much… her.

“It’s perfect,” she said, looking over at John, who smiled broadly. He seemed happy with her reaction.

“Let us see it,” Gloria eagerly called out.

Sophie turned the box to the crowd, to ‘ooohs’ and ‘aaahs’.

“That’s beautiful,” Shelby gushed, walking closer to inspect it. “You should wear it right now.”

Sophie looked over at John, who nodded.

She took the chain out of the box and fiddled with the clasp.

“I think John should help you out,” Gloria suggested, that old familiar playful grin on her face. “…you know, since he’s the one who got it for you.”

Sophie smiled at her mother the matchmaker, and looked over at John who seemed both eager and hesitant.

“Yes, Johnny should definitely put it on her,” Shelby agreed, all smiles.

It was an ambush.

John slowly made his way to Sophie and smiled at her shyly. She knew he could be quite obnoxious and arrogant one minute, but he could also be brought to his knees the next.

As he stepped behind her, she lifted her hair for him, and he skillfully wrapped the delicate chain around her neck, hooking the clasp swiftly and efficiently. She wished he could have lingered there a little longer – his barely-there touch was so soft and she wanted more.

She wanted much more.

And she wanted everyone to leave.

Chapter 15

THE PARTY had actually been a lot of fun. And Sophie realized she had been acting like a big baby, not wanting to acknowledge her birthday. It had been a wonderful day – one of the best in ages, in fact.

Ian and his family were staying over for the night – everyone was going to sleep on blow-up mattresses – a big grown-up sleepover. Unfortunately John wasn’t staying over – he had to take Paige home to her mother.

John and Paige stood in the solarium, ready to leave, surrounded by Sophie’s family wishing them the best.

Sophie wished she could be alone with him for just a second to say goodbye – no birthday kiss for her tonight.

But just before he left, he hugged her lightly and wished her a happy birthday. And then he whispered a little something in her ear. “Dinner tomorrow… my place.”

Her heart fluttered and she smiled with anticipation.

And with those four words in her mind, she knew she would be tossing and turning
all
night.

***

It was a strange sensation, being alone in the house. The house was so quiet – Sophie could hear the creaking of her steps on the new flooring. The new flooring wasn’t supposed to creak – she would have to officially lodge a complaint with the contractor, she thought with a wicked smile.

Every thought of John brought on that wicked smile, and delicious anticipation. Tonight was the night they would finally take that next step. And she hadn’t been this nervous in ages – if ever. She hadn’t been able to eat, having forced down a piece of toast at lunch. She had been pacing back and forth around the house all day.

Gloria and Jesse had driven back with Ian and his family to stay a few days at their house. Sophie loved the idea – Jesse would get a chance to get to know his cousins. Jesse had been pretty excited because his cousins were spoiled enough to have a pool
and
a trampoline.

When she had kissed the top of Jesse’s head goodbye, she had done so with a mix of excitement and anxiety.

Sophie was insanely nervous about her date. She wasn’t twenty anymore, and the thought of John seeing every part of her unnerved her a little.

As she rummaged through her underwear drawer, she settled on the pink lace underwear and bra set she had brought not long before. She had walked by a small women’s wear and lingerie boutique in town, and when she had seen the beautiful lace set draped on the mannequin in the window, she had imagined herself wearing it, and John taking it off. So on a whim, she had gone inside.

She shaved her legs with care and buffed her skin. She painted her nails a dramatic red, all the while wondering what John was doing right at that moment. She concluded that he would most likely not do much with himself. She wondered if he might shave for the occasion. She hoped he wouldn’t. His unshaven jaw was one of the sexiest parts of him. She wanted him exactly as he was every day – in all his unkempt, messy gorgeousness – every hair out of place.

And she wondered if he was as excited as she was.

***

John couldn’t keep his mind on the task at hand, which wasn’t like him at all.

“Boss, I thought you said you were gonna bring in that quarter round,” Jimmy pointed out as John made his way back in.

“Right,” he said, half-dazed. “I’ll go back out.” Geez… it was a good thing he didn’t have a date with Sophie every night, or he could possibly completely lose his mind – and his business too.

He hadn’t particularly wanted to work late today, but they were running behind on the Miller estate because of various previous unfortunate mishaps. That was the job – he was used to it – occasionally putting in longer hours and working on the weekends. But this particular day was proving to be rather challenging.

All day, he had been going over his grocery list for dinner. What wine would he buy? He would have to ask for advice because if anyone knew wine, it was Sophie. He couldn’t believe how nervous he was – and how much he wanted everything to be perfect.

He had also been preoccupied with thoughts of Sophie, naked in his bed. He was a man after all, and his mind couldn’t help but go there. He was surprised by the details his mind was able to conjure; the softness of her skin, the silkiness of her hair on his body, the feel of her hands on his chest, the softness of her lips.

He hadn’t been able to get that steamy workshop tryst out of his mind. He had wanted her so much. But now, he was glad they had waited.

“Watch out,” Jimmy called out just in time. John stepped back quickly – a split-second later and a strip of crown molding would have taken his eye out.

“What’s up with you, boss?” Jimmy asked, all smiles, knowing the answer.

John smiled. “I think I’m in love.”

Jimmy laughed. “Well, good for you Boss, but just try to focus a little before you get yourself killed.”

John rushed out as soon as he could, and went and bought the items on his shopping list. He asked an over-eager clerk about wine selections.

“Well that depends…” the clerk said with a smile, eyeing him up and down. “What will you be having for dinner?” she asked, inching towards him with a smile and a slight flutter of her lashes.

He smiled a polite smile, instantly recognizing her expression and behavior – she was clearly attracted to him. And she was very attractive as well – blond and curvy. But no amount of eye-lash batting could get his attention – his thoughts were all Sophie.

“I’m making spaghetti and meatballs.”

“Oh… big date?” she asked, suddenly very nosy.

“You could say that,” he confessed, “the woman I’ve been in love with all my life.”

“Oh…” she said with a slight hint of defeat in her eyes. “Well, in that case… nothing but the best,” she suggested, pointing him towards the more expensive reds. The cost was a non-issue – nothing was too good for Sophie.

When John got home, he glanced at his watch as he ran inside. He was running late and he had to get started on dinner. He set the groceries on the counter and bounded up the stairs.

He hopped in the shower and lathered in body wash – there was no time to shave or try to do something with his hair – whatever that might have been. He had intended on doing something with himself, but unfortunately, time was of the essence.

He rushed downstairs, hair still wet and shirt unbuttoned, and got started on the food preparations. Right about then, he was regretting having made the decision to make a homemade dinner rather than going out. Thankfully, he had made preparations the previous night; perfectly round spiced meatballs were sitting in the fridge, along with cut-up vegetables, and all the fixings for a Caesar salad. Usually, he would have prepared home made garlic butter, but he decided to forgo the garlic, for obvious reasons.

***

The folds of her red cotton skirt were pointing in all directions and Sophie tried to flatten them out. She regretted not ironing the puffy skirt, but she smiled when she thought about it further – it was doubtless John would notice the frumpy appearance of her skirt – he would most likely be looking at her legs or at the scoop neckline of her cherry-print top. The top was whimsical – it said ‘not trying too hard’, but still sexy in a not-so-obvious, rather innocent way. 

When she got to the door, she swallowed hard and took a deep breath. Why was she so nervous – a heady mix of elation and pure fear.

When John opened the door, his had the widest grin she had ever seen on his face.

“I like that top,” he told her with a hint of mischief. “Come in.”

Well, the outfit was apparently a hit.

Sophie took a seat at the kitchen table. “It smells delicious,” she noted, fully aware of the knots in her stomach. She wasn’t sure she could eat a single thing.

“It’s my grandmother’s recipe,” he told her.

She smiled. “Oh yes…” she said. “I keep forgetting…you’re a quarter Italian,” she added in a teasing tone.

He laughed. He’d always gloated about that fact – in young John’s opinion, it gave him a certain mystique. Sophie used to joke that it didn’t make a difference at all – that it made him no less boring.

“Can I offer you something to drink?” he asked, “…water? wine?”

“Actually, I’ll take a glass of wine please,” she said. She really needed to calm her nerves. She couldn’t remember ever being so nervous. She studied John as he grabbed a bottle, all the while stirring the pasta, and checking something in the oven. He didn’t seem nervous at all.

It figures.

“I can do that,” she offered, taking the wine bottle opener from his hand. “You look like you have your hands pretty full.”

“Thanks,” he said, grabbing an oven mitt.

She studied him further. Yes, John was probably used to this. He most likely had had a lot more experience than she had. She had only been with two men. He, on the other hand, judging from the hard sleek lines of his body and head-turning looks, had probably been with his share of women. And how would she compare?

This train of thought was not helping at all. She rushed to open the bottle of wine – she needed it – badly.

“You’re working
really
hard on that,” John pointed out, noticing her rush.

“I really need a drink.”

He smiled. “You’re not going to drink too much I hope,” he said. “I need you with your wits about you for what I have in mind,” he added with a smile full of mischief.

Oh geez… she felt a rush of intense heat at her core, and her legs go wobbly. Yes, he had definitely been around this block a few times – he was
so
good at this.

“I…I’m…” she stammered. “I’m going to sit at the table,” she decided, taking a generous glass of wine with her. She sipped the wine rather swiftly, needing that release, because she was wound-up tight as a clock. “Mmmm...” she sighed, closing her eyes. “This is really good.”

He smiled at her – he seemed pleased.

“I’m sorry. I probably seem like a real lush right now,” she pointed out, taking another sip. “It’s just that…” she hesitated. “I’m really nervous.”

He smiled. “I am too,” he confessed.

“You are?” she asked, surprised.

“Very,” he told her. “I just hide it better.”

They sat down to a lovely spread. Sophie was so touched he had gone through all this trouble. He had even bought fresh flowers for the centerpiece. Despite the fact that there were a few unsightly carnations in the mix, they were beautiful because they were from his heart. He was so darn sweet.

“I love the flowers,” she offered. “They’re nice.”

He smiled. “I try to please.”

“I know,” she said playfully, biting her top lip.

She spotted a glint in his eyes. She wasn’t even sure they would make it though dinner, at this rate.

“And thank you for the beautiful necklace,” she offered, sliding the seahorse charm between her thumb and finger. “I love it.”

He smiled. “I’m glad you like it.”

“I do,” she said softly. “And the card… it was beautiful.”

“I meant every word.”

They sat in silence for a moment, and Sophie wished they could skip dinner and go straight up to his bed.

“How much,” he asked as he served a prong full of pasta.

“Actually, I’m not too hungry,” she confessed, “just a little bit.”

“Did you have a big lunch?” he asked, setting a small portion on her plate.

“I told you…I’m nervous.”

“You don’t have to be,” he said softly, his gray-blue eyes looking right into hers. “It’s us. Whatever happens will be great,” he added, setting down the bowl of pasta. “Nothing even has to happen at all, if you don’t want.”

“Oh… I want,” she blurted out before catching herself.

He laughed. “Let’s just take it easy,” he suggested as he plopped a single meatball on her pasta.

“I apologize for my sorry appearance,” he told her. “I meant to shave, but–”

“I’m glad you didn’t,” she said mischievously, imagining the rough edge of his jaw sliding against her bare stomach, that spot just below her belly button. Her imagination was carrying her away again.

“I know you think I’m a little bit of a mess.”

She smiled. “You’re perfect,” she said. “I like you just the way you are.”

He smiled – that delicious sexy smile.

The food was delicious too. It truly was. She just couldn’t eat a thing.

“This is great, John,” she told him, nibbling at her pasta.

He smiled. “Then why aren’t you eating it?” he teased.

“Like I said–”

He closed his eyes and smiled. “I think I need to take care of something,” he suddenly said, “before we can eat comfortably.”

She sat up straight, suddenly rather curious. “What?” What could be so darn important? What could justify interrupting their very lovely supper?