Page 42 of Plot Twist
Sophie had absolutely nothing to lose, so she pressed on, “You never even told me why you broke up with me.”
Carla smoothed the fabric of her shorts across her thighs. “Sophie, do you remember the first time I told you I loved you?”
“Yes.” She did. Of course she did. They’d been lying in bed with their bodies tangled up in the sheets and each other and been just drifting off. And Carla had reached over, pushed hair behind Sophie’s ear, then whispered,I love you. And Sophie knew she should say it back. They’d been dating for six months. That’s what you did when someone loved you. But the truth was, she hadn’t loved Carla back. Or maybe she had. She wasn’t sure what her feelings were, but she couldn’t say the words. So instead, she’d kissed Carla long, and hard, and then made love to her. The only way she could express what she’d felt.
And the next morning, over tea and croissants, Carla told her she didn’t need to hear it back until Sophie was ready. But then a month passed, and another, and eventually Carla ended their relationship.
“You were so closed-off with your feelings. But I thought that if I gave you a little push, you might fall with me.” Carla’s gaze flicked over Sophie’s face.
“I’m sorry.” She instinctively reached a hand toward Carla, then stopped herself. “I wanted to get there, but I needed more time.”
“I don’t really know what to say to that.” Carla rested her hands on the arms of her chair. When they’d dated, Sophie knew every single expression Carla made, and what each one meant. But now, Sophie couldn’t read her at all. “We dated for close to a year, and if you don’t know whether you love someone after a year, then there’s probably a bigger issue. I don’t want to be mean about that, but it’s true.”
“There is an issue, you’re right,” Sophie admitted. “That’s what I’m trying to work on now, and I’m aware that it’s completely a me thing. I’m just hoping that you might be willing to give me a chance—”
The sharp ring of a cell phone interrupted them. Carla hesitated, then frowned and pulled her cell out. “Shit, I have to take this. Work.” She caught Sophie’s eye with an apologetic look, then stood and walked out.
Sophie exhaled sharply and sat back in her seat. She didn’t know why she felt exhausted, exactly. If anything, she should be energized about being in the same room as Carla. But the way that Carla used to make her giddy didn’t seem to be kicking in. Maybe she’d been so worked up and stressed about whatcouldhappen leading up to their date that her body was just starting to catch up?
Sophie checked her phone and saw a new message from Nina. She sucked her lip in. It’s not that she was avoiding her sister, exactly, but she knew that Nina was still (rightfully) pissed off, so she thought it best to give her some space.
You are coming to see me on set tomorrow. No excuses.
Well, now she had no other choice. Even though she’d hoped Nina might take time to cool off, she suspected her sister was still very much in the land of being mad. She gave the text a thumbs-up, put the phone in her pocket, and went back to waiting.
The waiter dropped off a bowl of edamame, and Sophie nibbled at one. As she looked up, Carla walked toward her.
“I’ve been trying to take more time off and set work boundaries,” Carla said as she sat back down. “But I have a few patients who’ve decided boundaries don’t exist for them. Apparently, I need to make a house call tonight.”
Carla’s shoulders pinched up around her ears in a shrug, and she grabbed a piece of edamame. “Do you mind if we take dinner to go? I’m so sorry, Sophie.”
“It’s okay.” Sophie waved away Carla’s apology and smiled back to reassure her. Sophie had, after all, been one of Carla’s patients once upon a time, which is how they’d initially met (though, Sophie got a new doctor as soon as she realized there was more to explore with Carla). So she understood that when there was a medical issue, people needed her.
“I’ll drive you home.” Carla signaled a waiter to bring their check.
“You don’t have to do that. I can call for a ride.”
“No, no, I insist. I’d like more time with you.” Carla’s hand reached across the table, and her fingers threaded through Sophie’s. Sophie waited for butterflies to swarm, but none came. So she swallowed down something that was either edamame or apprehension as she held hands with her ex and wondered why things felt so very different between them.
Which is how Sophie ended up in a Tesla with a to-go box of sushi on her lap. When they pulled up in front of Sophie’s place, Carla parked the car.
“I’m sorry we had to cut the night short.” Carla’s hand reached again for Sophie’s, and she willingly gave it.
She should’ve been thrilled that Carla wanted to spend more time with her, so why wasn’t she?
“Maybe we can see each other again, like, for a date?” Sophie cautiously asked. She knew that something didn’t feel exactly right about being with Carla in that moment, but they also hadn’t seen each other in a very long time, and maybe they just needed to warm up again. She wasn’t going to throw away the opportunity to find love because it didn’t feel as exciting as when Dash held her hand.
“I’d like that.” Carla gave a generous grin, and Sophie softly smiled back.
Good—they’d have another date, and another chance to try this out. If Sophie really wanted to fix her writer’s block, falling for Carla might be the only real way to do that.
“You’re really hard to say goodbye to,” Carla told her. Then she leaned across the car’s console, brought her fingers to Sophie’s chin, tilted her head up and...kissed her. One tentative, soft kiss. And Sophie returned the kiss, just as tentatively.
She wanted to feel the spark of absolute electricity she’d had with Carla when they were together, but as she kissed her back, and harder this time, she didn’t feel the same jolt. She reached a hand behind Carla’s neck and pulled her close, willing the chemistry between them to show up.
But then Carla pulled away as she said, “Guess you missed me, huh?”
“Of course,” Sophie said. And shehadmissed Carla, so why wasn’t her body reacting the way her mind had? She forced a warm smile.
