Page 27 of Designing Love (Bluewater Cove #2)

HIDDEN LAYERS

Ethan

T he cozy hum of chatter and laughter wraps around us as Sophia and I step inside the Old Oak.

The place is packed tonight, full of familiar faces and the mouthwatering scent of greasy comfort food and freshly poured pints.

Sophia brushes a strand of hair behind her ear, her eyes sparkling beneath the warm glow of vintage Edison bulbs.

“Wow,” Sophia murmurs, taking in the noisy scene. “Is it trivia night or something?”

“No,” I chuckle, gently steering her toward an empty booth in the back. “Trivia nights involve much more yelling — and, sadly, fewer right answers.”

She laughs, sliding into the booth and scooting over to make room for me. Her knee brushes mine beneath the table, and my pulse jumps. The simplest touch from her sends electricity racing through my veins.

“So,” Sophia begins, her smile teasing as she picks up the menu, “are we celebrating the official eviction of our furry tenant or that we didn’t accidentally demolish the Miller House today?”

“Both. Honestly, though, I’m still shocked that the raccoon didn’t put up a fight. He seemed scrappy.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Oh, he’ll be back. That was far too easy.”

“You think?”

“I know.”

I feign a dramatic sigh. “I’ll have to beef up security.”

She leans closer, mock-serious. “You mean like putting up posters of Simon’s face? That would scare off anything with eyes.”

I laugh out loud, almost choking on air. “Now that’s just cruel. Poor raccoon.”

She giggles softly, cheeks flushed, eyes dancing. Her laughter trails into a thoughtful pause as she studies me curiously. “Ethan, can I… ask you something?”

“Shoot,” I say lightly, though her sudden seriousness sends a nervous ripple down my spine.

She hesitates, fingertips absently tracing the rim of her water glass. “Things between us — they’ve happened pretty fast. And I realize I still don’t know much about you. Like your work. Your life before this.”

“Oh.” I clear my throat awkwardly, feeling suddenly self-conscious, mesmerized by her delicate fingers circling the rim of the glass. I can’t look away. “Yeah, I suppose we kind of skipped over some details, didn’t we?”

She smiles softly, reassuringly. “Maybe just a few.”

I run my fingers through my hair, searching for the right words. “Well, for starters… I do freelance IT work. Coding, software solutions, that kind of thing.”

Her eyes widen slightly. “With all the time you’ve been investing the in the Miller House, you haven’t been doing much work it seems.”

“True.”

She smirks. “No contracts? No deliverables?”

I shrug. “I got lucky. Jumped on the Bitcoin bandwagon pretty early, invested wisely, and now… well, let’s just say Simon wasn’t wrong about me having questionable real estate taste.”

Sophia’s lips twitch into an amused smile, but her expression grows thoughtful. “That’s impressive. I mean, not the Simon part. Just… being able to do whatever you want, whenever.”

“Yeah. I guess I’m lucky. But money only solves so many problems.”

Her eyes soften as she reaches for my hand, gently tracing circles on the back of my knuckles. “What problems can’t you solve?”

I exhale slowly. “Loneliness.”

Sophia laughs softly, “Unless you can buy a house to get someone to help you fix it up?”

I laugh.

She nods slowly, eyes focused on our entwined fingers. “My parents died when I was in my early thirties. They didn’t like Daniel, and Sage just told me they left my inheritance with her.”

I squeeze her hand gently. “That must have been a surprise?”

She smiles faintly, her gaze meeting mine. “Exactly. Leaving Vancouver was impulsive. It’s the first thing I did entirely for myself in years. I was worried about money, then suddenly, I didn’t have to worry about it anymore.”

“So, you’re saying we’re both secretly wealthy loners looking for something real?” I joke softly, but there’s a pull now, subtle, electric, something we both feel.

Her laugh breaks the tension, eyes shining brightly. “Seems that way.”

Our server appears, sliding two steaming burgers and crispy fries in front of us. Sophia digs in enthusiastically, groaning in satisfaction at the first bite, and it’s a sound I’d like to hear again. “How does this pub make a burger taste like heaven?”

“It’s probably the heart-clogging amount of butter,” I grin, taking a huge bite of my own. “Delicious, artery-clogging butter.”

She giggles, nudging my shoulder playfully. “Worth every bite.”

We linger over our meal, comfortable silence broken by easy banter and quiet laughter. When the check arrives, I reach for it automatically, but she stops me with a playful glare.

“You paid last time. Let me handle this one.”

I raise my hands in mock surrender. “Yes, boss. Or should I call you my sugar mama?”

Her smile turns mischievous. “Please don’t. You’ll remind me that I’m robbing the cradle.”

“Stop it…” I shake my head. “Does my age bother you that much?”

She looks down. “Maybe not THAT much… but…”

I stand up, take her hand, and invite her to stand up. “Age is just a number, and I’m mature for my age!” I wink at her, leaning in and kissing her cheek.

She chuckles, shaking her head.

After settling up, we step outside into the crisp night air, the faint glow of streetlights casting gentle shadows on the sidewalk. Sophia shivers slightly, pulling her cardigan closer.

I instinctively wrap an arm around her shoulders, pulling her gently into my chest. “Better?”

She nods, leaning comfortably against me. “Much.”

We stroll down Main Street. Sophia grows quiet again, chewing her lip thoughtfully.

“Penny for your thoughts?” I ask cautiously, sensing hesitation.

“Sorry, I just — I’m still thinking about the Miller house. Our office. Your office. What kind of space would we need to set up for you?”

“I don’t need much. A small space for coding. Good internet. And maybe enough room for a ridiculously expensive espresso machine.”

She laughs, bumping my hip playfully. “Priorities.”

“Exactly.”

We arrive at my truck, and I open her door. Once I climb into the driver’s seat, the comfortable silence settles again, filled with unspoken possibilities.

“So…” I start softly, nerves building in my chest. “Should I drop you off at Sage’s tonight? Or…?”

Sophia hesitates, glancing shyly at me, her cheeks flushed pink beneath the dim glow of streetlights. “Actually… Ethan, can I — can I come home with you?”

My heart nearly stops. “Yes. Absolutely. Of course... wait, really?”

She laughs softly, nudging me gently. “Yes, really. Unless… you don’t want…”

“No, no — I want!” I stammer quickly, face reddening. “I mean… yes. You’re welcome. More than welcome. Always.”

“Good,” she whispers, eyes sparkling with amusement.

I start the truck, pulse kicking as I try to keep my cool. The Tragically Hip’s Bobcaygeon is playing.

“Nice to know you have good taste in music,” Sophia teases me.

“Of course, they’re a Canadian legend.”

We drive quietly toward my beach house, comfortable silence filling the cab. Sophia’s gaze drifts thoughtfully out the window toward the moonlit shore, fingers gently tangled with mine. I steal glances at her, my heart hammering with anticipation.

Finally home, we step onto the porch, the distant waves whispering soothingly beneath the stars. Sophia leans into me, head gently resting against my shoulder, exhaling softly.

“I think I’m starting to love this town,” she whispers, gaze thoughtful. “It feels more like home than Vancouver ever did.”

“It does that,” I murmur gently, wrapping an arm around her waist. “I’m glad you stayed.”

She tilts her face to mine, moonlight dancing softly across her skin. “I’m glad you gave me a reason to.”

My chest tightens, emotions flooding me as I brush my fingertips softly against her cheek. Sophia leans into my touch, eyes fluttering closed briefly.

“I can’t promise things will always be this calm. Life tends to surprise us.”

She smiles gently. “I know. I just…” Sophia whispers hesitantly, eyes searching mine again. “I’m serious about this — about us.”

“So am I. No matter what surprises life throws, Sophia, I’m not going anywhere.”

She exhales shakily, visibly relieved. Her fingertips graze my cheek softly, her eyes vulnerable and tender. “Good. Because neither am I.”

I gently tip her chin upward, kissing her softly, sweetly. Her lips part gently beneath mine, warmth blooming between us. We linger quietly, breathing mingled softly beneath the stars, the waves a quiet, steady rhythm beside us.

Standing beneath the quiet stars, holding Sophia close, I finally feel entirely sure. Sure of her, of us — of the hidden layers we’ve revealed tonight.