Page 70 of Tangled Up In You

“It’s all right,” he whispered and stroked her hair.

He held her closely and his arms were strong. And when he kissed the top of her head she felt safe.

But he wasn’t Gavin.

She began to really cry then, although quietly, and her whole body trembled.

“Shh, now,” he told her, pressing his lips to her temple.

He was being sweet to her. The tenderness was too much, though, veering on intimacy. The sudden need to see Gavin overwhelmed her. She pulled away from Conor and wiped at her eyes, careful to keep from smudging her makeup.

“Thanks, Connie. I really need to go.”

This time there was no stopping her.

40

SOPHIE

Though she desperately wanted to see Gavin, she didn’t know what she would say to him. The lights were on in the house and she stared at the front windows from inside the parked car until her vision lost focus. She was nauseous and opened the car door to force air into her lungs.

After a silent count to ten, she went to the door and let herself in. Gavin was in the front room, crouching down by the sound system as he sorted through CDs. His feet were bare and he had a bottle of Smithwick’s Ale in one hand. He was the picture of ease, the exact opposite of what she felt.

“Hey, darlin’,” he said breezily. “That must’ve been another epic shopping session.”

She wondered if he would continue to lie, so she baited him. “It was. How’s Conor?”

“Good,” he said shortly, and set down his beer. “You all right?”

So Conor hadn’t called to warn his friend that he’d better work on his story. That was interesting.

“How’s Julia?” she asked. “Did you make up with her?”

Recognition flooded his face as he realized his misstep. He stood and moved toward her. “Listen?—”

“To what? More lies?No. I don’t want to hear it.”

She started to move toward the stairs but he quickly blocked her way.

“Come on, darlin’, don’t overreact,” he tried.

“Let me by.”

“Talk to me. You can’t just run off without talking to me. Give me a chance.”

Her anger rose and she looked at him, wanting him to see the hurt in her eyes. And the fury. “I gave you every opportunity to tell me the truth. I didn’t get jealous and demand to know why this girl kept crying to you. And you still chose to lie to me. And before you tell me that you didn’t lie, stop and think about the fact that you didn’t tell me the truth either.”

“You’re right,” he said, surprising her. “I didn’t. Because I didn’t?—”

“Everything is wrong here. Everything,” she said. “I need to go home.”

“You are home, Sophie. Don’t be rash.”

“All I’ve ever done is be rash when it comes to you. I spent my whole year in school here devoted to you. I left everything I had in L.A. for you. I didn’t once question whether you already had a goddamn girlfriend. And now look at what I’ve gotten myself into. I’m in another country, playing house with someone who isn’t really there.”

“That’s not true.”

She laughed bitterly as she finally pushed her way past him. Hurrying up the stairs to their bedroom, she pulled the diamond engagement ring off her finger. It was a dramatic gesture but she wasn’t interested in being reasonable at the moment.

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