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This was the first time I’d been at an event like this when I’d been truly comfortable. Not desperate to leave. Not trapped in small talk with some random person I didn’t care about. Not listening to my friends being happy and living their lives while I sat there and simmered in my own grumpiness.

I found myself smiling much more than I would have and even getting up on the trampoline when Carson dared me.

I jumped and did some leaps that the kids thought were pretty cool. I thought about doing a flip, but I didn’t want to end up in the hospital even though Torrin was an EMT. The potential embarrassment wasn’t worth it.

“Come on, Soph. Jump with me,” I called, and she scrambled up on the trampoline with me.

“I can’t remember the last time I’ve done this.” She giggled and took my hands as we bounced together, getting higher and higher with each jump. She let loose a laugh and I couldn’t help but laugh with her.

“Who are you and what have you done with Reid?” Cade asked as Sophie and I bounced in a circle, laughing our asses off.

“Shut up,” I told Cade.

“Leave her alone. She’s happy,” Stace said, putting her arms around Hunter and kissing her head. My friends hadn’t pulled me aside and interrogated me about what I was doing with Sophie, but I knew I was going to hear it in the group chat later. I appreciated them holding off and not making Sophie uncomfortable today.

Sophie and I jumped until we couldn’t breathe and then got off the trampoline, collapsing into our chairs.

“Do you want dessert? I’ll grab it for you,” Stace said. She got her hosting skills from her mother.

I requested a plate with anything chocolate and Sophie said that she wanted a little bit of everything.

Stace saluted us and went to fetch our desserts.

Cade had taken the seat next to Sophie and I could hear them talking together, their voices getting progressively louder. Eloise sat on Cade’s other side and shared a knowing look. It wasn’t a shock that Eloise and Sophie would get along. Add Stace in the mix and the volume would really go up.

Sophie and Cade got going about books and then they were off to the races. I added a comment here and there, but I was happy to sit back and watch my girl go.

My girl?

Sophie wasn’t my girl. We had literally just started dating. I hadn’t called her my girlfriend or anything. We were seeing each other. That was it. This thing between us was new and fragile. So fragile.

I didn’t want to do anything to break it.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Sophie

Reid’s friends were wonderful. I’d known they would be, but I’d needed to see for myself. To shut up the mean anxiety voice in my head.

Cade and I had especially bonded over books and I had a whole list of new titles to read, and I’d given her some too.

Then there was Eloise. Eloise freaking Roth. The famous author. Famous by anyone’s standards. She’d published dozens of bestsellers and traveled all around the world promoting them. She rubbed elbows with so many other famous people, not just authors. Just talking to her was a privilege.

“I can’t believe Eloise said she’d help me out,” I said for the tenth time. I couldn’t stop gushing to Reid on the way back, but she didn’t seem annoyed or anything. She just smiled at me from the passenger seat.

“She’s cool like that. I should have hooked the two of you up sooner. She could definitely help open doors for you with your career.”

That was something beyond my wildest dreams.

“So, you had a good time?” Reid asked.

“Yeah, I really did. Honest.”

“You didn’t have to use your safe word,” she said, reaching across the console to set her hand in my lap. I laced our fingers together.

“I didn’t.” But I’d had it in my back pocket. Just in case. That meant more than I could express to her. That she’d known this would be hard for me and had given me the support I needed.

“You’re a good person, Reid,” I said, and she scoffed. “You are. But don’t worry. I’ll keep it a secret.” I whispered the last part.