Page 130 of Worth the Risk

“Leo called and told me everything. This is still too surreal for me to understand that Amber did what she did. I would never have thought she could do something this awful.” She shakes her head in disbelief.

“However, I did notice a change in her when Leo came back to New York. She was always wanting to be around him. I was headed back to college, so I didn’t much care, but when I was home and we would see her, she was often making advances toward him, and he kept shooting her down. I slowly started to distance myself from her.”

When she looks me in the eyes, I see the hesitation, but she eventually says, “I’m so sorry for not believing you, for yelling at you, and for pushing you. I’m embarrassed by my behavior, and I regret it deeply.”

I guess we’re getting right into it.

“Sophie, I would have never done that to you, and I sure as hell would have never done that to Leo. Nash wouldn’t do that either.”

She takes a deep breath at the mention of Nash’s name.

“You must understand that Nash loved you. He came back that weekend to be honest with Leo, and he wanted to try with you. Unfortunately, Amber’s manipulations didn’t just hurt Leo and me that day. She took you and Nash down in the process. She didn’t care who she hurt. Hear me when I say this, Sophie. Nash wanted to be with you.”

After a moment, she regains her composure and waves a hand in the air in front of her. “We would have never worked out anyway. It was for the best. Nash was just a crush I needed to outgrow.”

She is trying to convince herself rather than me, but I let it go. For now.

Riley runs into the room holding two dolls. “Mommy, Mommy, look at the princess dolls Daddy bought me.” She stops dead in her tracks when she sees there’s someone here. She cocks her head side to side, studying Sophie. “Who are you?”

Sophie gapes when she sees Riley.

“She’s your Aunt Sophie,” I explain.

Riley takes this in and asks Sophie, “My daddy bought me princess dollies. Want to play?”

Ever my social butterfly.

Sophie smiles. “Of course. But can we play later? We have shopping to do first. We need to buy your mommy a dress.”

A dress?Then it hits me. This is what Leo had planned when he said he’d handle the dress.Sneaky bugger.He knew I’d be anxious when I saw Sophie again and didn’t want me to overthink, so he set this up. I should thank him. Who knows how I would have handled seeing her again if I knew she was coming.

“Can I get a dress too?” Riley asks, her eyes pleading.

Just like Leo, Sophie can’t say no to Riley. “Sure, there are some birthdays and Christmases I’ve missed. The least I can do is buy you a dress.”

“Yay. I’ll put my dollies to bed. Be right back.”

“She looks just like Leo. A little female version of him,” Sophie says when Riley is gone.

“Oh yes, and she is learning to act like him too. She likes to get her own way and always does with Leo.”

Sophie laughs. “Leo does have a way of getting what he wants. He got you back, didn’t he?”

Yes, he did. No argument there.

ChapterForty

Leo

At the end of the day, I head into Dad’s office.

“Hey, Dad. I’m headed out. I’ll see you later tonight.” Turning my head slightly to the right, I notice someone else is here. Oliver. It’s been difficult to be around him since he landed on my radar. I want nothing more than to beat some answers out of him, but I must wait for proof before I can confront him. Nash will be in the office on Monday, and he’ll have complete access to our financials. I have faith he’ll find what we need.

“Hello, Leo. Your father and I were discussing your marriage plans and the start of your family,” Oliver says.

My what?When I glance at Dad, he gives me a slight shake of his head, wordlessly requesting I keep quiet.

“As I’ve mentioned, Oli, Leo has no plans to marry and start a family at this time,” my dad tells him.

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