Page 27 of More than Fiction (Misty Springs #1)

Sophia

It was early Saturday afternoon when a knock sounded at my door. I peered through the peephole, not sure who to expect, since Landon wasn’t arriving for a few more hours.

My heart swelled when I saw Devyn standing outside with her boyfriend, Sam.

I opened the door slowly, feeling like I wanted to bury my head in the ground like an ostrich. Devyn didn’t deserve my anger. I wasn’t even angry at her. I was angry at Landon and myself—at this whole situation I found myself in.

We stood silent for half a second before we both started crying, and hugging, and apologizing. Her head nuzzled into my shoulder, and her arms wrapped around my waist as we walked inside my apartment, talking almost simultaneously through our tears.

Sam followed behind, holding a black duffel bag and huffing a laugh. “Wow, I don’t know how you ladies even understand what each other is saying right now.”

We both looked at him, batting our eyes.

“It’s girl frequency. It’s too delicate a sound for male ears to pick up on.

” Devyn sniffled as she walked over and pulled the duffel bag from his hand, turning to me.

“I hate that you are going with him, but I trust you, and if you think this is the best way to get him out of your life completely, I support you. I brought a peace offering.”

Devyn lobbed the bag onto my kitchen bar.

“Oh! The treasure trove.” I ogled, searching through the bag .

Devyn’s aunt worked as a makeup artist for celebrities, and she always ended up with the most luxurious samples or partially used products that she handed down to Devyn.

“I’ll be fine, Dev,” I promised, swirling a bright red lipstick tube. “Just a few hours of misery. We’re taking a red-eye back to Misty Springs tonight. And then, I’ll be completely rid of Landon Norwood.”

A knock sounded, followed by Cassie and Lana strolling into my apartment, with Trevor and Brent lagging behind them.

Cassie hauled drink carriers with coffee, and Lana had a small pink box of pastries from her shop. They set their things down on my kitchen counter and smothered me with hugs.

“What are you all doing here?” I asked.

Brent punched me lightly on the arm, his hulking frame making the delicate gesture seem near impossible. He wasn’t just Cassie’s older brother—after all the years we spent growing up together, he felt like mine, too.

“Devyn said you needed an intervention.” He scratched at his beard, overgrown and rough around the edges.

“What?” I crossed my arms and gave Devyn a piercing glance.

She shrugged innocently.

“Cassie, Devyn, and Lana are all talking about how you lost your mind and are taking Landon back,” Trevor weighed in, squeezing past me directly to my fridge.

“That’s not true,” Cassie yelled.

“Shut up, Trevor,” Devyn snapped.

“That’s not exactly what we said,” Lana added.

All three of their voices overlapped.

Trevor just shrugged as he grabbed one of my sodas and popped it open without asking. His hazel eyes widened as he loudly sipped the soda with his pinky in the air.

“Okay, let’s hear it then,” I told the group as I made a come-at-me motion.

“We just want to make sure that you are sure about this. And that it isn’t opening the door for Landon to come back into your life,” Lana started, her soft tone calming the room.

“Yeah, he’s a manipulative jerk who will say anything to get back with you,” Cassie added, elevating the room back up a notch with her fire .

“Guys, please, listen to me.” I held my three fingers up in a salute, just like Cassie and I used to when we were little girls in Girl Scouts together. “I, Sophia Carlson, vow to never have a romantic entanglement with Landon Norwood ever again for as long as I live.”

“Scouts honor?” Cassie asked.

“Scouts honor. Now, if we really want to have an intervention, can we focus on Brent and his Duck Dynasty-audition beard?” I said, trying to steer their attention away from me.

Brent stopped a scone midway to his mouth. “What? You guys don’t like the beard?”

“Dude. That isn’t a beard. It’s a burning bush on your face,” Sam chimed, squinting slightly as he scratched at the back of his chocolate-brown hair.

“Yeah, man, what started as a ginger mane has now become a full-fledged forest fire,” Trevor added.

Brent’s eyes flickered with doubt as he looked at all the nodding faces in the room. His eyes lingered on Lana’s face, the one we all turned to for the sagest of wisdom.

She shrugged. “Sorry, Brent, it’s gotta go.”

My plan to divert attention away from me seemed to be working.

“Great, with Landongate behind us and Operation Red Beard finally executed, we can move on,” Devyn said, turning to me.

“So can we talk about this Hottie McHottie, who Terry said was all over you Monday?” She grabbed a cheese danish from the pink box of pastries, handing it to me like she was passing me a grenade.

So much for diverting attention .

I hadn’t shared anything about Corbin with my friends. He was confounding—even to me—and I didn’t even know where to start.

Was he the handsome stranger I accosted with my eyes at the airport and then stole his seat?

The guy who gave me a ride home earlier this week and gave me one of the most stimulating and enjoyable conversations—followed by the most earth-shattering, mind-altering kiss?

My, hopefully , future boss?

Something clicked at that last thought—I remembered what Andi said in passing about Ned: “Besides, we have a strict no- relationship policy here, so if he tries anything with you, I will gladly get him fired.”

This job could be everything for me. It could be a turning point in my previously rudderless life. And if I got it, Corbin and I couldn’t be anything other than the COO of Buescher Enterprises and Associate Editor at Buescher-Jones Publishing.

“That guy was most definitely not all over me on Monday night. Terry was mistaken. His name is Corbin Buescher, and he’s… an executive at the company I’m applying for. That’s it.” I took a bite of my danish to stop me from saying anything more as my thoughts continued to swirl.

“Oh damn. I didn’t realize he was an executive,” Cassie remarked. “Guess I should’ve figured with all the suit-wearing. I’ll take it a little easier on him. It’s been a little too much fun to torment his arrogant ass at Elijah’s.”

“Aw, Cass, I thought you saved all your evil schemes for me,” Trevor quipped, jutting his lip out.

He spun his Chase Construction baseball cap backward—identical to the one Brent wore—his butterscotch-colored tresses rustling with the movement.

I chuckled, thinking of all the clever ways Cassie had no doubt found to irritate Corbin. She was a master at reading people and exploiting weaknesses. She had a gift for finding ways to get under anyone’s skin.

“So we’re definitely sure she’s not going back to Landon?” Sam asked, snagging a bite of Devyn’s pastry.

She protested immediately.

Cassie scoffed from her new perch by the window. “Of course, she’s not getting back with Landon. She just scouts honored us. We live and die by the Girl Scout code.”

Brent crossed his arms, inflating his already overgrown muscles. “But you’re still going to New York with him?” he asked in a big brother tone.

“I have to.”

All six of them groaned in unison.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

None of my friends were quiet about their dislike for Landon. I thought they just hadn’t gotten the chance to know him yet. And according to Landon, it was hard for an “outsider” to fit in with our tight-knit group.

I thought maybe they just didn’t see the real him, or didn’t give him enough of a chance. It turns out they saw exactly who he was the whole time, and it was me who didn’t see him clearly.

A knock sounded at the door again.

We all looked at each other, confused, like we were all counting and realizing that no one else should be showing up.

Sam walked to the door, peering through the peephole before letting out an exasperated sigh. “Speak of the devil.”

“Landon is here?” Cassie hissed.

“Good,” Brent said as he cracked his knuckles.

Landon was early.

I took a steadying breath and moved through my crowded apartment, opening the door as Sam stood aside.

Landon stood on my welcome mat, holding two cups of coffee and a self-assured smirk. He nudged a cup of coffee toward me. “I thought you might need a pick-me-up before the flight.”

“She already had her coffee, thanks,” Devyn announced from inside.

Landon’s smirk wavered slightly as he glanced over my shoulder into the apartment, his gaze landing on the group. “Oh good , you’re all here.”

Brent gave a malicious wave while Trevor winked at him.

Landon stepped back, giving himself some additional distance from the group that he insisted never gave him a chance.

“We should go. We’ve got a tight schedule,” Landon said, impatience seeping through his tone.

“Let me just get my bag.” I backed into my apartment and motioned for my suitcase. The gown Landon gifted me earlier this week was carefully folded inside, along with a few new products from Devyn.

“I’ll wait for you in the car,” Landon announced before turning on his heels, not giving anyone inside a second glance.

“Let me help you with that,” Brent offered as he grabbed my suitcase, not missing the opportunity to face off in front of Landon outside.

The rest of my friends hugged me and wished me luck.

“We’ll lock up, Soph!” Lana called out as I walked away .

Brent walked out with me, carrying my bag down the stairs of my apartment complex.

He pulled me in for a hug, eyeing Landon as he stood near the open trunk of his town car. “Don’t you dare get back with that loser,” he not-so-quietly said in my ear.

“Never,” I promised as I hugged him back.