Page 75 of Tinder Embrace
"I don't know what you're talking about," I protested.
"Sure," she said, mocking me. "A month ago, you would have avoided me and avoided the question, hermitting away. I've seen more of you since you started dating Sophie than I have in the last year living with you. You might not be able to see it, but she glows around you, and you… blossom."
"Men don'tblossom," I said darkly, not wanting to admit she was right.
I was planning a future with Sophie. The more I got to know her, the less I worried that I’d lose her. At least not to another lifestyle, or because she resented the farm – losing her to my own incompetence or inability to talk about my feelings might be another matter.
"Shelve the sexist sass and listen. You bend toward her like the sun. It's freaking adorable. I'd be worried, if I didn't know Sophie's heart is as pure as they come. You found a good one, Davis. Don't blow it."
Jo's observations sat uncomfortably across my shoulders at first, like an ill-fitting coat. But the more I considered her words, the more I realized they were true. I had changed. For the better. And it was thanks to Sophie.
Telling her how I felt was swiftly moving up my list of priorities. Right after I figured out how. Used to being a man of few words, the idea of baring my heart to her was scarier than our first balloon ride. But Sophie had made that easy, her confidence infectious. Could she work her magic this time too?
Jo watched me process, the hint of a smirk tilting her lips.
"I'll leave you to wash off your triumph and start your day. Let me know when you want to admit that I'm right."
She might have been accurate about me soaking up Sophie like she was my sole source of Vitamin D, but she didn't have to be smug about it. Yet I couldn't find it in my heart to get mad. Jo had probably saved me days of thrashing around on my own. She knew us both well, and if she said we were made for each other, I wanted to believe her. And the more I rolled her words around, the more certain I became.
I loved Sophie. And we had a future together.
It was as simple as that—I just had to claim it.
Restless without Sophie to keep me company, I settled on chores to fill my day and headed out to the barn after my shower.
Shadow wrapped around my ankles, eager for attention, and I stopped to scritch his ears. Frick and Frack tumbled by, chasing one another in an endless race, and I retreated into the calm of my office. The kitten barn was relatively quiet. Dorito had been adopted by a young family during the week, bringing my tiny brood to five.
Princess Buttercup gave me an annoyed meow when I nudged her off my office chair, but I ignored her complaints, focusing on my email and invoices.
Staying focused on work should have been easy. I'd spent my Sundays at my desk countless times in the past. But I couldn't stop glancing at my phone, hoping for a text from Sophie.
At lunchtime, I gave up and reached for my phone.
Davis: Wanna taste the rainbow tonight?
I waited impatiently for a response, giving up any pretense of paying attention to my turkey sandwich. The only thing I was hungry for was Sophie.
Sophie: Is that your way of saying my favorite unicorn is horny for me?
Chuckling, I shook my head, fingers flying as I texted her back.
Davis: SO HORNY.
Sophie: You can’t see it, but this is my shocked face…
Sophie: I had no idea you were such a perv.
Davis: Only for you, B.
Sophie: In that case, I’ll see you at my place later. 6?
I tapped out a quick yes before tossing my phone aside, eager to finish work so I could shower and change for our date.
Chapter 28
Sophie
I spent Sunday scrambling to catch up on my grading and make the rounds to pick up the last few supplies I needed for the balloon festival so I could meet up with Davis. I was able to order high-vis vests for the ground marshals online, but I had to visit the propane distributor in person to review the site layout for fueling propane tanks from the truck, then I needed to pick up groceries for the week.
