Page 18 of Forever Fallen

“B-But…” Ryan sputtered.

“Unless Sophie doesn’t want you there?” Alpo interjected, looking at the two of them critically.

Sophie immediately put an arm around Ryan’s waist and laid her hand on his chest, looking up at him. She felt him tense immediately at her touch. He said to ‘sell it’… and she was going to.

His friends looked like they were starting to catch on and that was not what either of them wanted.

“He’s listened to me cry more than enough and I thought maybe this would give him a chance to relax with his friends – but yes – I would love him home with me, if you all don’t mind?” she fibbed, blinking back true tears of frustration.

Now what was she going to do?

“She’s such a gentle thing…” Ryan croaked and put an arm around her shoulders awkwardly, as if he was thinking the very same thing. “Thanks, guys, for understanding.”

“No problem – just say the word, Reaper.”

“Are you sure?” Ryan hedged.

“Positive. The first class is at eight, then ten, and noon… we’ll be done for the day around two in the afternoon, if you want to spend time with your new bride alone.”

“You’re the best of friends to my Ryan,” Sophie said weakly before Ryan could open his mouth. “Thank you so much.”

“Of course.”

“Let’s go get you settled,sweetheart,” Ryan said nervously. “Are you really sure, guys, because we certainly don’t mind.”

Alpo and Armadillo were looking at him like he’d just announced that he had some viral contagion – and Firefly was at a loss for words, shaking his head, before muttering ‘idiot’to himself.

“Go. We’ll wrap up here and give you time to get things settled.”

Nodding, they walked out of the office building and across the runway silently before getting in the car. Ryan cursed fluently as he shut the door, and closed his eyes in frustration.

Did he hate her that much?

Sophie swallowed hard, fighting back the temptation to snap ‘language’at him, like he had done to her a few times. She put the vehicle into gear, pulling out onto the road… relieved she wasn’t going to be alone.

Fighting and snapping with him on the plane had kept her mind from things but seeing the house had made her anxious.

“The house has several rooms…” Sophie whispered nervously. “Why are your friends always calling you Reaper? Should I be worried that you already threatened to smother me with the airplane pillow?”

“I just need a couch to sleep on - or a ride to a hotel… and no. Reaper is my call sign in the Air Force.”

“The house is a bed-and-breakfast…”

“Fine. Whatever,” he said flatly, looking out the passenger side window and crossing his arms over his chest. He looked no happier to be in close quarters to her than she was – and this was going to be for the next twenty-eight days.

“You are welcome there…”

“I said ‘fine’…” he bit out.

Sophie pinched her lips shut and bit back a retort as he cut her off a second time when she was speaking. He was probably just as upset as she was at this new dynamic. They thought they would be rid of each other soon – and that wasn’t going to be the case with his friends.

As she pulled onto the small asphalt driveway behind the house, she felt true anxiety hit her. She wasn’t sure if she could actually do this… and the house would be so different now.

Turning off the car, she sat there, reeling at the emotions flying through her and how alone she felt. She kept expecting the front door to open like it normally did when she arrived, and Grammy would lean out, using the door to steady herself, as she would smile at her.

“Sophie?” Ryan began in an indescribable voice.

“I’m fine,” she said instantly, not looking up or acknowledging him. Taking a deep breath, she drew herself up and put on that mask she wore whenever she had to deliver bad news at work or fire someone.

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