Page 24 of Forever, Never, Always (Forever #2)

She steps back wordlessly, letting me in.

Harry’s toys are scattered over the floor, and there’s a cartoon playing quietly from the television.

Harry bounces in his chair, his chubby legs kicking harder when he sees me.

“Hey, little man,” I say, tugging his toes.

He gives a gummy grin then takes his attention back to the bright colours on the television.

The cosy normalcy only makes the tension worse as I follow Sofia into the kitchen.

I linger in the doorway, afraid to push her too much in case she explodes. “She kissed me,” I repeat, “and I pulled away and left. We didn’t even talk about it.”

“Tell me the details,” she whispers, her arms still crossed like a barrier to keep me out.

“I went over because . . . Hugo told me she was in a bad way Saturday night. Jimmy had to pull her out of a situation with some guy trying to take her home. I just wanted to check she was okay. I swear, that’s all.

” I take a breath. “We got talking. I explained why we’d never work, and I think she got the wrong idea. ”

“How? What did you say?”

I sigh. “I can’t even remember.”

“You rushed here to explain your side, so explain,” she yells, taking me by surprise.

I stuff my hands in my pockets. “I told her I was looking for a wife. That I want kids and a dog. All the things she doesn’t want.”

“What did she say?”

I avoid her eyes, focussing on the clock behind her. “That she would have changed for me.”

More silence weighs us down. She turns, busying herself with some dishes in the sink. I move closer. “I told her she didn’t need to change. She just needed someone who wanted the same things.”

“How did she get the wrong idea, Ric?”

I wince. “I said some things . . . just to make her feel less . . . sad.”

She grips the edge of the worktop and soap suds run down to the floor. “What things?” When I don’t immediately answer, she adds, “I could just get Meg to ask her.”

I swallow the lump in my throat that’s restricting my breathing. “I said she was perfect as she was. Unapologetic. Strong.”

She gives me a side glance like she’s wishing me dead. “Where were you sitting? Where was she sitting?”

I look up to the ceiling, silently praying to the gods. “She was on the couch, and I was on her footstool.”

“Opposite her?” I nod. “Close?” I nod again. “Touching?”

“Yes,” I say, my voice laced with anger at how stupid I’ve been and how ridiculous this all sounds. “Yes, we were touching but not like you’re thinking.”

She spins to face me. “And what am I thinking, Ric? What do you think I’m picturing?”

“I was just trying to be nice. She’s sad and it’s my fault.”

“And now, I’m sad, and that’s your fault too.”

I groan. “I know. I fucked up, Sofia.”

“You did.”

“But if you just give me a chance.”

“Why should I? You’re going back and forth between us. Is this a game to you?”

“Christ, no,” I say, desperation lacing my tone. “I didn’t mean to give Zoe the wrong idea. Fuck . I just wanted to do the right thing, and I made it worse. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“What do you actually want, Ric?” She looks tired, and guilt hits me. I step closer, hooking my finger around hers.

“I want a wife. I want kids. And I really want a dog.”

Her eyes meet mine, and they glisten with unshed tears. “I don’t know if I can keep doing this.”

“I want those things with you, Sofia. I want a life with you and Harry. We had the best weekend. I want that life every day.”

“I told Meg about us on Monday.”

I nod. “I gathered she knew by the way she ripped me a new arsehole after school.” Sofia gives a small smile. “I’m sorry, Sofia. I really didn’t mean to make it all worse.”

“I have no right to feel betrayed,” she whispers, and more tears gather on her lower lashes. “When I’m the one betraying her.”

“Our weekend was so perfect. I wish we could just lock the world out and be like that forever.”

I close the gap between us, and she rests her head against my chest. “Me too.”

“Why don’t you sort Harry, and I’ll make us some dinner?”

She glances up. “That does sound nice.”

“And then we can watch a film, and I’ll rub your feet.”

This earns a bigger smile. “Umm, you really feel bad, don’t you?”

I nod, placing a kiss on her lips. “Maybe I can stay over and spend the night making it up to you?”

She laughs. “I mean, that might be a good start.”

I cup her face and tip her head back to give me access to her mouth. “Just a start? I better get a move on.”

Zoe

When the rest of the world is winding down for the weekend, I’m just getting busy.

I can’t complain. My job is amazing, and I love what I do.

Even now, as I search through boxes for the missing shimmered backdrop with my client’s name sewn across the front, which I had specially made for her ‘One Million Followers’ party, I’m smiling.

The last couple weeks have been . . . hard.

But my weekend on a self-sabotaging bender opened my eyes.

Or at least Jimmy Chadwick’s intervention did.

And since then, I’ve thrown myself into work.

The last two weekends have been packed with social media events.

The weekdays have been spent promoting my business and filming for my own channel, which I’m growing each day.

Things are certainly looking up, and best of all, I’ve managed to avoid Ric.

After I tried—and failed—to seduce him, I realised that maybe I’m not the problem at all.

I’m strong, like he said, and I have something great to offer.

If he can’t see it, then that’s his problem. There are plenty more fish in the sea.

I finally lay my hands on the backdrop and hand it over to my helpers, who rush off to pin it up.

I saunter into the main event room and look around. Yep, my hard work is certainly paying off. I’m good at what I do, and after a few snapshots for my own channel, I leave my team to finish off.

It’s Harry’s first birthday, and I promised I’d nip in for an hour before my client’s event starts.

Sofia’s house is exactly how I imagined—chaotic and loud. Kids are running around tripping on E-numbers, and as I dodge them to get into the kitchen, I’m already thinking up an excuse so I can leave early.

Izzy rushes to me, clamping her little arms around my legs. She’s one kid I actually like, her and Harry. “Aunt Zoe,” she cries excitedly, and I realise she too has consumed too much sugar.

Meg looks up from her mobile and smiles, reaching for me and placing a kiss on my cheek. “I’ve snuck wine in,” she whispers, pointing to the cupboard under the sink.

I grin, grabbing a mug from the shelf and rooting around for the wine. “I can only stay an hour,” I explain. “I’m so busy.”

“We’ve hardly seen you,” Meg complains.

“I’ve been manifesting a dream place in Spain. Apparently, it requires money to buy it, so I have to do the boring bit and earn it.” She laughs, clinking her mug to mine.

“You better not be drinking alcohol,” says Sofia sternly as she enters the kitchen with Harry on her hip. We both place our hands over our mugs at the same time, laughing when we realise we’ve made it so obvious. “Christ, can’t you two follow the rules, just for once?”

“It’s a kids’ party,” says Meg. “There are no rules.”

I kiss Harry on the forehead and fight to get his present out my bag. “It’s a truck,” I say with a shrug. “I asked the guy in the shop.”

Sofia smiles. “He’ll love it. Thank you.”

“Can we get some more meat out here?”

I look up at the sound of Ric’s voice and my heart rate doubles. Damn, he looks good in shorts and a shirt. His shades are perched on his head, and he’s sporting a nine o’clock shadow over his square jaw. Our eyes connect, and I immediately look away.

“Yep, coming,” says Sofia, grabbing some packs from the fridge and heading outside.

“What’s he doing here?” I ask.

Meg frowns. “Erm, he’s her neighbour. He’s Hugo’s brother. Take your pick.” And then she heads out too, leaving me with a bad taste in my mouth. What am I missing?

I find myself watching Ric and Sofia.

They’re comfortable around one another. Too comfortable. Like they share secrets. They throw each other lingering looks when they think no one is watching, and I even saw him trail his hand over her back as he passed her.

I sigh heavily. I’m imagining it, because there’s no way Sofia would do that to me. No way.

Before I leave, I head up to the bathroom to freshen up.

My eyes scream tired as I examine them in the mirror. The black residue left by my very expensive eyeliner doesn’t help, and I vow to complain to the company that promised me the forty-pounds price tag guaranteed long-lasting and smudge-free. Lies.

I look around for makeup wipes, knowing Sofia uses them. I crouch down and open the bathroom cabinet. It’s full of crap. Nappies, spare toothpaste, and a man’s electric shaver. I frown, taking it out to examine it closer. There are definitely signs of thick chin hair. A man’s thick chin hair.

I place it back and pull out the basket from the bottom shelf. A toothbrush. Aftershave. Dread fills me. It’s the same aftershave I bought Ric as a gift.

I put everything back exactly how I found it and head for Sofia’s bedroom, makeup wipes forgotten.

I stand in the middle of the room and look around. Nothing stands out, but the things in the bathroom were hidden, so maybe . . . I pull open a drawer. It’s full of Sofia’s underwear. The second drawer has her clothes. There’s nothing belonging to Ric, or any man for that matter.

I head for the wardrobe and pull the double doors open.

There, hanging neatly amongst her clothes, is a couple men’s shirts.

I raise my shaking hand to the first one and pull it closer, burying my nose into the cotton and closing my eyes as I inhale deeply.

Pain ripples through me at a slow rate, making sure I feel every spike of betrayal.

Footsteps rush up the stairs, followed closely by a second set. Heavier. Louder.

I don’t have time to think, so I jump into the wardrobe and pull the doors closed, praying it’s just people using the bathroom.