Sophie's Path (15 page)

She'd seen him that one time while she was running, but she'd been so certain he hadn't recognized her. He certainly hadn't acknowledged her. Yet he was studying her “style”—presumably from his condo deck.

Easy thing to do. Natural. Even if he hadn't been waiting for her to go by, she would have been easy to spot. Maddie and Nate had often seen her running the trail from their living room window, Nate had said.

Not for a minute did Sophie think Jack was the stalker type. No, Jack was no threat to anyone.

Except himself.

For that she felt pity for him—again.

Sophie's coping mechanisms might not be perfect, but at least she was helping others in the process. If she could make a difference in people's lives, she just might help herself.

If she was truly a generous person, then her desire, her passion, to help others ought to extend even to Jack. Shouldn't it?

She scoffed at her idea. There wasn't a chance in the world he'd accept help from her. He'd deemed her the enemy. He'd drawn the line in the sand. Even though he'd come close to crossing over tonight, he'd gone back to his isolation. Back to his box of rules. Back inside his shell.

Someone had to help bring him out—to save him.

It would never be her.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

S
OPHIE
WAS
GLAD
now that she'd decided to walk to The Louise House from Mrs. Beabots's rather than drive. She needed the time to put her thoughts together. Try as she might, everything in her life seemed just as big a jumble as it had yesterday. And the day before.

“Sophie, there you are,” Mrs. Beabots called from her front porch.

“Hi, Sophie,” two more female voices chimed.

In the soft glow of yellow mosquito-repelling lightbulbs sat Katia, Sarah and Mrs. Beabots in white wicker chairs. All were waving and smiling at her as if she was a long-lost friend.

It was truly odd, if not downright suspicious, Sophie thought, that for years hardly anyone in Indian Lake had made overtures to be her friend. Yet since she'd moved into town and rented this apartment from Mrs. Beabots, she was curiously being included, when before she felt like a pariah. Maybe that was a little harsh. After all, Sophie
had
gone after Nate Barzonni. Then there was that pass she'd made at his brother, Gabe, when he'd come to buy her parents' vineyard. She couldn't blame Maddie, Liz and their friends for keeping their distance.

But lately, they'd been kinder to her, more welcoming, which had to mean they had forgiven, dismissed or chosen to forget Sophie's earlier behavior. Sophie couldn't say if they were better than she, but they were certainly wiser.

Wisdom. Hmm. Something else to add to her goals.

Sophie stopped on the sidewalk and smiled back at the women on the porch. Katia and Sarah smiled with genuine delight as they waved her up. Incredible. She'd spent so much time flirting with men that she'd never considered building or nurturing friendships. She was achingly guilty of objectifying men like notches on a gun belt. Trophies.

And where had it gotten her? She was still alone.

Then there was tonight with Jack. He'd made several friendly overtures. She didn't understand it. He was foe. Wasn't he?

She'd always run from anything long lasting with the men she dated, but she realized she actually did care about Jack's opinion of her. She wanted him to see her in the best light.

But why?

“Sophie, where have you been?” Mrs. Beabots asked, sounding far too much like Sophie's grandmother.

“I was at The Louise House. She's got a new pineapple ice cream that's to die for.”

“Mmm. Bring us any?” Sarah asked, laughing.

“Sorry. I try not to have it around. Next time I go, I'll call and see if you want some,” Sophie offered.

“I'm just kidding. We try to watch the sweets with kids around.”

Sophie climbed the porch steps. “I thought kids and sugar were synonymous.”

Mrs. Beabots snapped her fingers and smiled. “That's why I like you, Sophie. So down-to-earth. Kids aren't kids without treats.”

Sarah frowned. “Frankly, I agree with you both. My mom made pies and cakes for me all the time. I didn't turn out so bad. Luke insists the kids eat healthy.”

Katia shrugged. “As long as the kids are active and brush their teeth, what's the harm? I say we start a blog on this.”

“What's a blog?” Mrs. Beabots asked.

Sarah rolled her eyes. “Katia! Don't even think it. Too much work.” She held up her palms. “Wait, I take it back. I'm with Mrs. Beabots on this. I've never heard of a blog.”

Their lighthearted, friendly banter cheered Sophie up. It had been forever since she'd simply joked around with anyone. No wonder she worried all the time. There was no space left in her head for fun or friendship building.

Sophie climbed the steps and sat in the last empty wicker chair.

“Would you like some of my special mint tea?” Mrs. Beabots asked. “Actually, there's no tea in it. Just mint from the garden, boiling water, bourbon and sugar. It's good for the digestion,” she said conspiratorially, leaning over and picking up an antique rose-patterned teapot.

Sophie's eyes widened. This was fun and unexpected. Katia was right. Mrs. Beabots was full of surprises. “I'd love it,” Sophie replied. “Thank you,” she said, taking a delicate cup and saucer from her hostess.

“Sophie,” Katia began. “We were admiring the sunflowers you gave Mrs. Beabots. She said you grew them in your garden at home.”

“My grandmother's sunflowers are—”

“Legendary,” Mrs. Beabots interjected. “Don't be shy, dear. I told the girls here that your grandmother sells them to florists.”

“That's true,” Sophie confirmed. “The roses are mine and my mother's. We planted only the varieties that have that wonderful perfume and then we give them good doses of manure to keep them fragrant.”

“Well,” Katia said. “I love them all. I've never seen so many colors of sunflowers.” Katia stared down at her teacup and tapped the scrolled gold handle. “Sophie, I'd like to ask a huge favor.”

Sarah interrupted, “
Enormous
favor, Katia.” She looked at Sophie with mirth in her eyes. “Bigger than enormous.”

Sophie frowned. She should have known they wouldn't have been this friendly to her without a motive. People always had an angle.

Katia put her hand on Sophie's knee. “Forget it. It's too much.”

“Wow. What is it?”

“The thing is, I hired Olivia and her mother, Julia, to handle my wedding. And they're doing a great job, but, I hate to say this, my wishes have increased—not that I'm bridezilla. It's just that the flowers are driving them crazy because the florists in Chicago can't get the sunflowers I want. Sophie,” Katia said pleadingly, “I wondered if I could buy all the flowers for my wedding from you. Er, from your grandmother.”

Sophie put her teacup down without taking a sip. “That's it? That's the huge favor?”

Katia's shoulders deflated and she turned a contrite face to Sophie. “It's just that those flowers are exactly what I'd always dreamed about having for my wedding. I didn't think they existed except in some old Judy Garland movie. You know? And when I saw that bouquet you gave Mrs. Beabots, my jaw dropped.”

“It did,” Sarah agreed.

“It did,” Mrs. Beabots echoed.

Katia rushed on. “But I don't want to do anything that would cause you a smidge of consternation. I want to be your friend, Sophie. We all do.”

“We do,” Sarah chimed.

“I
am
,” Mrs. Beabots said soundly, folding her hands in her lap for emphasis.

Sophie smiled, though she felt like crying. Her positive-thinking podcasts emphasized the idea that once she changed her thinking, she would attract everything into her life that she wanted. She'd wanted friends. Real ones. She'd wanted more meaning, even passion—and she'd found it.

Sophie wasn't the demonstrative type. She didn't hug and gush over sentimental moments. Until now.

“I don't understand. You—” she gazed from Katia to Mrs. Beabots to Sarah “—barely know the real me.”

“I wouldn't say that,” Mrs. Beabots replied. “It could be, young lady, that we know you better than you know yourself.” She winked.

Katia searched Sophie's face. “All three of us knew each other a little bit in high school. Sarah is younger and was just a kid to me. Then I moved away. You were younger, as well. There were a lot things rumored about me back then. The same might have been true of you.” Katia glanced at Sarah. “Sarah, not so much, but you know what I'm saying. Those girls are only slices of the women we've become. We got better. We can all see what you're trying to do for this town, Sophie, and it's admirable. And I can appreciate the guts it took to talk to Jack like you did. You were really brave to do that. I'm not sure I could have done the same in your situation, and I've known Jack for years.”

Sophie stared at the painted porch floor. “Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever get through to him.”

“Keep trying,” Katia said firmly.

Sophie had never shared personal feelings with anyone other than her mother. This conversation was groundbreaking, in her book. If she'd been more comfortable with these women, she might have told them she'd seen Jack only an hour ago. Maybe Katia had insight into his feelings, even his condemnations about her. Perhaps he'd confided in her about his anger against Sophie. Maybe Katia knew the best way to make amends to Jack. Apologies certainly hadn't worked. Nor had reasoning with him. Yet Jack had been friendly with her tonight. Sophie was massively confused.

This wasn't the time for intimacies with Katia. Maybe there never would be such a time unless Sophie allowed others into her personal life—her dreams. It terrified her to even think about it.

To make it worse, the minute Katia had brought up Jack's name, Sophie's heart had skipped a beat. Her breath had caught in her lungs. It was only for a second, but it had happened. What was that all about? She hadn't been running. All she'd done was think about Jack.

In the past when she'd gone after a guy, she'd felt a rush of adrenaline like she imagined a climber might feel when he reached a mountain peak. It was all about the conquest.

Her reaction to Jack was completely different. She empathized with his sorrow, sensed, more deeply than she was willing to admit, his guilt about Aleah and she craved his friendship and respect. These women wanted to be Sophie's friend. They'd told her they admired her. She realized she did want friendship from them. To be part of their warm and caring group.

Earlier, she'd wondered if Jack had wanted to be friends. But her feelings for Jack included attraction, guilt, disappointment and respect. Actually, there wasn't an emotion she couldn't attach to the man. She was slowly coming to realize that Jack had taken a foothold in her mind, if not her heart.

Her heart?
What was she thinking? That wasn't possible. Not for “love 'em and leave 'em” Sophie. There was a great deal of comfort in her bolt-and-run tactics. Suddenly, she was out of her comfort zone—way out. Yet, there it was. She did want more than friendship from Jack. And she didn't like that one bit.

When she'd been with Jack tonight, she'd gotten the feeling, for a few moments at least, that he wanted something more from her, too. But what exactly?

Katia picked up her designer purse and pulled out a cream satin-covered box that had an opening down the center. It was tied with a thick black ribbon and clipped with two antique rhinestone brooches. “This is for you.”

“It's so elegant,” Sophie replied, staring at the gorgeous box but not taking it.

“Go ahead. It won't bite.” Katia chuckled.

“What is it?”

Sarah couldn't contain her excitement any longer. Her knees were jumping with nervous energy. “Oh, for Pete's sake, it's her wedding invitation. She's hand delivering every one of them!”

Mrs. Beabots beamed at Sophie. “Isn't it exciting? We got ours earlier this evening. I thought you were upstairs. That's why I made the mint tea. To celebrate.”

“Invitation?” Sophie didn't want to appear stupid, but people, brides especially, did
not
invite Sophie Mattuchi to their weddings. Her reputation cast a long shadow of doubt and fear that she was the black widow who'd weave a spell and kidnap the groom.

Sophie blinked several times to dispel the image in her head. Clearly, she was on a new playing field and these rules were beyond her comprehension. She inhaled and let her face show her pleasure. “It's for your wedding. Of course.” Sophie took the box. “It's so beautiful I don't want to open it.”

“I've never seen anything like it,” Sarah added.

Katia grinned at Mrs. Beabots. “I had help. Just pull back on the brooches.”

Sophie opened the invitation to reveal gold parchment, with black French Script. Sophie skimmed the invitation, but her eyes latched on to the words
our family and friends
. It took her a moment to move past the fact that she was being included in Katia's special day. Sophie felt a rush of warmth that went straight to her heart and tugged at the door there that had never been opened. Her eyes stung and her throat constricted with emotions she hadn't experienced since she was a little girl—and even then it was only with her mother and grandmother.

Sophie tried to keep a grip on her composure. She forced herself to read the rest of the invitation, then she looked at Katia.

“This is only a month away.”

“I know. It's getting here faster than I'd thought. We just picked out our rings today. There's so much to do.”

“I don't know what to say.”

“Sophie, our wedding is very small and it's being held at home. I only want my friends there. Please say you'll come.”

Sophie rose and put her arms around Katia. “Thank you. I'd be honored.”

As Sophie sat back down, she carefully closed the invitation. “I'll keep this all my life.” And she meant it.

“Me, too,” Sarah said.

“And, Katia,” Sophie began, “I think my grandmother would love to help you with your wedding flowers. She's a romantic, and when you explain how you've dreamed of flowers like hers, she'll be thrilled.”

“Do you mean it, Sophie? Because if it will cause any trouble, or jeopardize—”

Sophie waved her hand to stop Katia's words. “Nonsense. Besides the romance, she loves to make a profit. I'll take you out to the farm tomorrow night after work, if that's okay.”

Katia's eyes gleamed with delight. “Perfect!” Then she frowned. “Uh, I forgot. I have a late appointment at the office. Can you pick me up there?”

“Sure,” Sophie replied without thinking.

“Great. Then it's not far for you from the hospital, either. It's a date!” Katia clasped her hands together. “Oh, my gosh! I think I'm truly going to have my dream wedding.”

Sophie forced a smile as the others chatted about the other arrangements. She was lost in her own thoughts.