Page 46 of Changing Tides

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Hours later,I am feeling much better. I slept an additional two hours before I dragged myself out of bed and downstairs to see Ellie with my tail between my legs. I find her in the kitchen fixing brunch. She looks up at me with a gentle heartfelt smile. “Are you feeling better, Dear?” How can one woman give a virtual stranger so much grace?

“I am,” I rasp. “I’m sorry I missed flower shopping.” I grimace in embarrassment.

Ellie waves her hand. “Nonsense! Liam said you weren’t feeling well. I went with him and Lucy instead. Whenever you’re ready, we can start planting.” My heart swells at the thought of him doing all of that. After I threw myself at him last night and he turned me down, he still finds it inside himself to take care of Ellie and me. My neck heats up and I feel myself blushing just thinking about Liam.How will I ever stay in the friend zone with him?If Ellie notices, she doesn’t say anything. She busies herself making me a plate much like the one I had the first time we shared a meal.

“Thank you so much.” I didn’t realize how hungry I was and we eat in relative silence. I pop the lid off my coffee and reheat it in the microwave. Then I rinse my plate and load it in the dishwasher. “I have to make a call. Can I meet you out front in a bit?”

“Sounds perfect.” Ellie radiates kindness and I get the sense that even if she wanted to judge me for last night, she couldn’t. She only sees the good in people.

Once I’m upstairs I FaceTime Claire. She answers almost immediately, and I fill her in on the events of the previous night. I make every effort to keep her on the edge of her seat.

“Wow, I might actually like this guy, now,” Claire ponders. “He had every opportunity to do you last night and he saidno? Do you think he finds you attractive?”

“Well, when we were standing close together, I got that impression if you catch my drift,” I mutter. “My confidence was in the toilet this morning, but then…” I trail off, teasing her.

“What?!” she screeches. “Sophie Lynn, you tell me right now.”

I cave and fill her in on Liam showing up at my door this morning making me swoon. If he was trying to get me to stop wanting him, he failed. Now I want him more.

Claire physically takes her hand and pushes her mouth closed. “Wow. That’s pretty intense. But hold on. He’sneverhad a serious relationship? Isn’t he like forty? What does that tell you?” She looks doubtful and she’s not wrong. I suspect it’s because of the teenage accident but since Liam didn’t tell me about it himself, I feel funny telling Claire.

“Maybe he hasn’t met anyone worth settling down with,” I shake my head helplessly.

“I’m going to Google him, Sophie. You should havealready,” she scolds with a warning look.

“Okay, okay. Let me know what you find out.” I know if I don’t agree to it, she won’t let it go. Like I said before, Claire means well but she can be very pushy. “I just wanted you to know I am alive but I am supposed to be planting flowers with Ellie now, so I am going to call you later.”

I hang up and I jog down the stairs to meet Ellie outside. Sunshine and girl time with Ellie is just what I need.

26

LIAM

After I take Ellie to the garden center, I decide to put Lucy down for a morning nap and make myself scarce. As much as I would like to help and be around Sophie, I know it’s best if I stare out the window at her instead. I think I am going to really have to work hard at staying just friends with her. I haven’t ever been this enticed by a woman before. I am sure Doc would say that’s because I haven’t let myself, but I don’t think that’s true either. I like to think after all this time, I would have been open to a relationship with the right person.

Is Sophie the right person?I don’t know. I can’t imagine she is ready to be in a relationship with anyone if she’s getting divorced. The sexual tension is obvious, neither one of us can stop looking at each other when we’re together. I know Ellie must see it, but she hasn’t said anything to me—which is very unlike her. I am sure my friends see it too or Miles wouldn’t accuse me of being a cockblock. Speaking of Miles, the very fact that that’s what he called me makes me angry. Just what was he planning to do after a night with Sophie?

My heart twinges as I think about someone hurting her. I wasn’t prepared for the emotions I felt last night, standing in front of our houses. Sophie couldn’t stop touching me. She was running her hands up and down my forearms, touching my chest. When she pulled my neck down and pressed her forehead to mine, I thought I was done. I don’t even know who I am anymore because Old Liam would’ve flung her over my shoulder and carried her to bed, but all I could think about was how she isn’t in the right headspace to go to bed with me. For one, she was totally wasted. I don’t even know if she’d have been that forward with me if she wasn’t. And two, I suspect she couldn’t be ready for anything serious with anyone else given that she’s going through a painful divorce.

Now that I’m home and reflecting in the quiet, I realize how much I don’t know about Sophie. I need to keep my distance, so I don’t move us out of the friend zone, but I also feel an overwhelming desire to protect her. I pick up my phone and look at the muted Perry Street Boys text thread. There are several missed messages that I know I need to respond to.

Danny: Not cool, Liam.

Jack: I wonder if they’re still in bed.

Miles: Liam, you are such a dick.

Danny: Taking Sophie home when you knew Miles wanted her is low even for you, Liam.

Jack: I don’t know, I saw how she was looking at Liam. Maybe Sophie made her choice.

Miles: Shut up Jack.

I groan.I think about how to word this delicately.

Me: Yo. Lay off. I didn’t take her to bed. I took her to her house. She had too much to drink.

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