Page 80 of The Suitcase Swap

‘I can see,’ Sophie said finally.

Kenzie smiled at her, an understanding expression on her face. ‘I’ve given you a lot to think about, I know. Sleep on it. Run it past your family and that boyfriend of yours if that will help.’

‘He’s not my boyfriend,’ Sophie said. ‘But yes, I’d like to discuss it with my family.’ Tom and Marisa might see things she was missing.

‘He’s not? Sorry for the assumption,’ Kenzie said. ‘But that dancing video . . .’ She looked at the ceiling and fanned herself with both hands.

Sophie laughed. ‘The one with me, or with Dazzle Camouflage?’

‘Touché,’ Kenzie said. ‘But I meant what I said. Think on it. Talk to the important people in your life. Just don’t take too long – I’d like to move forward on this if we can. No matter what, it was great to meet you, Sophie.’ She held out her hand.

Sophie took it. ‘It was good to meet you too, Kenzie, and I appreciate the opportunity you’re trying to give me.’

‘Don’t get me wrong,’ Kenzie said. ‘I’m not giving you anything except a chance you’ve earned, but I’ve been around long enough to know that just because something is an opportunity, it doesn’t mean you’ll want to take it. There are lots of different dreams out there. Maybe this one isn’t yours.’

‘Wise,’ Sophie replied, and they said their goodbyes, Sophie promising to get in touch soon. She thought Kenzie might be on to something when she said that there were a lot of different dreams out there, but as she made her way back to her flat, she was pretty sure that this opportunity, this dream, was one she wanted very much. She just wasn’t sure what it was going to cost her in the end.

And whether or not that cost would be worth it.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Mike didn’t get a good chance to really hear about Sophie’s meeting with the editor until two days later, because work had been busy. He must have been feeling nostalgic, because he’d asked her to meet him at the carousel. They were walking hand in hand along the water, the sun shining, the sky blue, everything looking like one of those no-filter Instagram posts.

Which was a shame, really, because Mike’s good mood was evaporating by the minute. No, that wasn’t entirely accurate. It wasn’t that he was unhappy; he wanted this for Sophie. Mike wanted her to have this success, to hold that book in her hand and to shove it down her crappy ex-husband’s neck. Even though the last part would probably never occur to Sophie, Mike wanted her to have the perfect revenge of living well. She deserved that.

Even if he got left behind in the process.

‘So you’d be here indefinitely?’ Mike asked, keeping his voice level. He didn’t want to give any hint of his turmoil, didn’t want to do anything that would bring down her joy and sense of accomplishment.

‘I guess that’s one way to put it. I’ve started putting together an outline for the proposal for Kenzie. It’s going to take weeks to get enough content to fill out the kind of book she’s talking about. Obviously, I’ll come back to London at some point, but in the meantime, I’ll be happy getting more time with Tom and Marisa.’

He hadn’t missed thatI’ll.Mentally, for her it was a done deal – at least her part of it. He forced himself to smile. ‘That sounds great. How are they doing?’

Sophie considered her answer for a minute as they walked, her head turned towards the river. ‘Better, I think. The kind of things they’ve been dealing with . . . it lingers. Grief takes as long as it takes, and I’m happy that they’re not pushing each other to try and get better, faster – whatever that means. I’m not as worried about either of them as I was, so that’s a relief.’

Mike nodded, his chest feeling tight. ‘You’re going to have your plate very full. Is it . . . that is, do you still want to see me? You know, while I’m still here? I don’t want to get in the way of your work.’

She tipped her face up to him, bemused. ‘Of course I do.’ She grinned. ‘I need someone to go with me to all of the stuff that Tom and Marisa won’t go to.’

‘I see how it is,’ Mike murmured. ‘But I will be forever avoiding table five, at least metaphorically.’

‘Speaking of which, what are you doing tomorrow?’

Tomorrow he’d be duct-taping his own mouth shut to keep himself from trying to talk her into coming back to London with him, that’s what. ‘Work, of course. After that, no plans.’

‘How do you feel about roller skating?’

‘Like I’m going to break a hip, why?’

‘There’s a place Manny was telling me about that’s part roller rink, part bowling alley. On Wednesdays one of Dazzle’s friends does tarot readings at a table in the roller rink. I’d like to get my fortune read. I want to see if there’s a dark-haired stranger in my future.’ She batted her eyelashes at him.

Me, he thought.I’m your dark-haired stranger. He was also hoping she’d take a long trip to faraway lands, or whateverthe usual tarot reading clichés were. He didn’t care who told her to come back with him, to stay with him, so long as she did it.These thoughts circled in his head, quiet but constant, and he dismissed them all, because ultimately he’d rather punch himself in his own face than step between her and her chance. She deserved that at the very least. He wouldn’t say or do a single thing to make her feel otherwise. ‘I’m definitely up for bowling. Fair warning, prepare to thrash me. I’m basically shit at bowling.’

‘Understood.’

‘And I can’t tell you whether or not I’m going to be able to roller skate at all. It’s been ages since I’ve tried, but I’m up for whatever it is you’d like to do, as always.’

Sophie beamed up at him, her smile wide. She pressed her lips to his chin, his cheeks, his mouth. ‘Thank you, Mike.’

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