Page 198 of Between Regrets and Promises

“Can I ask you something?” Sophie’s voice is quieter than usual as if she’s nervous or embarrassed.

“Of course you can. Anything,” I tell her, adding in a pinch of salt to the water.

“Are you sure you’ve neverlikedSerena? I understand she’s Emma’s sister, so it might be weird to ask that, but I don’t want there to be any secrets between us. So if there ever was an attraction there or still is, I just want to know.” She bites down on her bottom lip.

I raise my brows, surprised by her question after the way things went down the last time Serena was here.

“Never,” I tell her honestly. “Not then, not when she moved in, and not now.”

Sophie nods as if she understands, her cheeks reddening.

I tilt her chin so our eyes lock. “When I said before that I had no interest in dating after Emma, I meant it. Didn’t look at women, had no desire to move on, didn’t feel like I deserved to. That was, until I met you.”

She blinks at me with sad eyes. “Really?”

“You lit something inside me that I can’t explain. I met girls at bars, but I didn’t take any of them home, or to bar bathrooms…” I tease. “But you were different, and although I couldn’t get you off my mind, I wasn’t ready to date. I didn’t want tobewith another woman until I met you. Soph, you ruined me.” I wink, wrapping my arms around her waist.

“I think Serena likes you in more than just a friend kind of way,” she tells me, her cheeks flushing. “So I wanted to ask if there was something more there than your shared history.”

“The only history Serena and I have revolves around trying to get her sister help. We’ve only ever been friends, and that’s all we’ll ever be. I can promise you that.”

“Do you think she’s on the same page now?”

“Well, she’s aware that I’m head over heels in love with you. That’s all she needs to know.” I shrug, confident Serena wouldn’t interfere with a relationship that makes me this damn happy. “She’s so career driven, she’ll probably end up with someone in the same field.”

“I’m kinda surprised Liam didn’t try to score with her once she moved in,” Sophie says, laughing.

I snort, nodding. “You and me both. But Liam’s smart enough to know you don’t shit where you eat. Sleeping with someone who lives with you would be his definition of stupid.”

“Why doesn’t he want to date?” she asks, emptying the noodles into the boiling pot of water. “I know he travels for work a lot, but has he ever dated for real?”

“Nope, not since I’ve known him. From what I gather, he doesn’t want a relationship because he doesn’t trust himself not to hurt the other person. He’s jaded when it comes to that stuff.” I stand behind her and wrap my arms around her. “He has issues. Eventually, the right girl will come along and change him. And he’ll marry her in a heartbeat.”

“I sure hope so. I’d like to see him happy with someone.” Sophie smiles. “When he’s ready to settle down, that is,” she adds.

“You might be waiting a while.” I chuckle.

“Oh, that reminds me of something. Does Liam gamble?”

“Like poker? He did in college but mostly for beer. Why?” I furrow my brows, then reach into the cabinet and grab two plates. After setting them down on the counter, I grab us both a drink.

“Well, I was doing his laundry, and when I checked his pockets, I found a receipt and a poker chip from a casino in Vegas. I found it weird because he never mentioned going there to either of us.” Sophie turns down the burner before stirring the pasta.

“He must’ve been there for work or something.” I shrug. “Was it for a lot?”

“Yeah, sixteen grand,” she says, and I spit out my beer. I took a drink at the wrong time.

“What? Really? Holy shit. That’s definitely something he’d be way too happy and brag about.” I grab a napkin to wipe the beer off my shirt.

“So it’s weird, right? Do you think I should ask him?”

“I don’t know. Maybe say something when you give him the chip back, but without it coming off like you’re being nosy.” I smirk, knowing Sophie will want to pry anyway.

She thinks about it for a moment, pursing her lips back and forth, then smirks. “Yeah, I think I can do that.” She fists my shirt, pulling my mouth to hers. “And then you’re gonna tell me about your day while we eat.”

I can’t hold back the grin that forms because my girl knows how to read me so damn well.

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

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