Sweet Sofie (22 page)

Before his dad got too mushy, Eric nodded and pulled away. “Yeah, I know dad. I love you, too.”

After their rather long embrace, Eric turned to Jennifer and gave her a fast hug. The smell of her hair lingered even after he pulled away. He quickly turned to Tina and hugged her, too. The band played a slow song and his dad and Tina took to the dance floor, holding each other closely.

“You want another drink?” He turned toward the bar.

Jennifer tilted her head and gave him a look that made him feel guilty. “I like this song.”

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Eric hesitated, but took her hand anyway. They walked out to the dance floor. She wasted no time wrapping her arms around his neck, and pressed her body against him. He’d had a looser embrace in mind, but at this point he had no choice in the matter. She’d all but draped herself on him and leaned her face against his chest. Feeling her breasts pushed on his chest, he thought of what Sofia would say if she saw them. He held her gently, but in no way wanted to encourage anything inappropriate.

The song was finally over and people clapped. Eric took advantage to undo their embrace and pulled away to clap. They started up another slow song. No way was he doing that again. “I need a drink and some air.”

No sooner had he said it, and her hand was in his again. Her behavior, most likely alcohol induced, was sobering him up. With that in mind, he ordered a beer instead of hard liquor. Jennifer ordered another fancy mixed drink.

“Remember.” Eric shot her a warning look. “Those kinds of drinks tend to sneak up on you.”

Jennifer giggled. “Too late!”

They headed back outside to the balcony. As soon as they reached it and Eric rested his elbow against the rail, Jennifer leaned into him. She seemed a little dizzy and Eric held her up. “Whoa, you okay?”

She did a little more giggling and moved her hair away from her face. “Maybe I better not drink this.”

Eric took the drink she held up and placed it on the rail. “Yeah, maybe not.”

“I’m not just saying this because I’ve been drinking, but I think you’re incredibly sexy.” She traced his lips with her finger.

Eric smiled, feeling a little nervous, and pulled her hand gently away from his lips. “Alright, maybe we should get you some water.”

“No, Eric, I’m serious.” She stood up a little straighter and leaned into him again. “When my sister told me I was going to be hanging out with her boyfriend’s son, I was worried about who’d I’d be stuck with. But when I saw you, I could hardly contain myself.”

“I’m flattered.” Eric had to admit it felt good. But he was careful about his response. He knew no matter how mad he was at Sofia, doing anything with Jennifer was out of the question. “You’re not too hard on the eyes, either. Trust me, if I didn’t have a girlfriend, I would’ve already been trying to get to know more about your situation.”

Her lips curled and she stared him down with a wicked smile. “Well, my situation is, I live in New York, not California like my sister. We only see each other on rare occasions. That’s why I decided to tag along with her on this trip. So I don’t mind that you have a girlfriend, because after I leave Spain, it’ll probably be years before I see you again.” She licked her lips, tracing a finger down his chest. “Assuming, that is, that Tina and your dad stay together.”

Having never been in this position, Eric wasn’t sure what the best way was to respond. Before he could, she leaned in and pecked his lips.

Eric backed away. “Jennifer—”

“Call me Jenny.” She stepped forward again.

With the rail behind him, he had nowhere else to move. “Jenny, my girlfriend would absolutely mind—”

“Don’t tell her.” She pressed her body against his, still smiling as her hand grazed over the front of his pants.

Eric flinched. No way was he going there. As much as he loved Sofia, Jennifer was sexier than hell and he was, after all, a man. There were certain parts of his body that would have a harder time rejecting her, if rubbed the right way. He switched places with her, making her the vulnerable one against the rail. “Listen, sweetheart. I’m sure any guy would jump at the chance to be with you—”

“But not you.”

Her offended expression tugged at him, making him feel like a jerk. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”

After the awkward conversation, things went from bad to worse. Jennifer grabbed her drink, insisting she needed it. A few big gulps later, she brought her hand to her mouth and said she needed to find a restroom, fast. She didn’t make it, throwing up in her hands just before she got to the door. Eric held the door for her as she ran in. A few minutes later, two very concerned-looking women walked out asking if he was the sick young lady’s boyfriend.

“I’m a friend of hers,” Eric replied. “Is she okay?”

“No,” The heavier of the two said. “She’s in there throwing up, and sobbing in between.”

Wonderful
. Eric glanced around until he spotted his dad and Tina. “Lemme go get her sister.”

He was glad the two women walked back in the restroom. He hated to think of Jennifer in there alone. Tina rushed to the restroom as soon as he told her. He and his father followed right behind.

Before his dad could say anything, he explained about the last drink she shouldn’t have had, but did anyway. He didn’t mention why, though. They sat outside by the closest table to the restrooms waiting. The party was nowhere near being over. There were people dancing on chairs and tables still. Even his dad was still drinking.

Tina finally came out of the restroom. She glanced at Eric then asked if she could speak to his dad alone. His dad stood up and walked a few feet away from the table where Eric sat. The music was so loud there was no way Eric could hear what they were saying even from that close a distance.

Their talk was brief and Tina hurried back to the restroom. His dad turned to him not looking pleased. When he reached the table, he didn’t sit down. “You couldn’t have hung out with her for just one evening without bringing up Sofia?”

Nothing annoyed Eric more than when his dad played his relationship with Sofia down as if it wasn’t as serious as he knew it was. “Dad, she didn’t want to just hang out. And for the record, I hadn’t mentioned Sofia until she started coming on to me.”

“Would it have killed you to just go along for the evening? Damn it, Eric, you humiliated her.”

As bad as Eric felt about humiliating Jennifer, nothing topped the disgust he felt for his dad at that moment.
Go along for the evening?
He stood up. “I’m sorry about that. I’ll apologize, but I can’t just
go along
with another girl for the evening, Dade eng . Sofia and I are in a committed relationship.”

His dad didn’t even try to mask his irritation. He downed what was left of his drink and put the glass down on the table. “Yeah, well maybe someone should’ve reminded her of that this past summer.”

Eric felt the air sucked out of him. The blow couldn’t have been any lower. His dad must’ve seen it in his face because immediately he started back-peddling. He tried putting his hand on Eric’s shoulder, but Eric backed away.

“Son, I’m just saying—”

“I think you should stop talking. You’re drunk and you’re already pissing me off.” He started to walk away.

“Eric, you’re devotion for her through all these years has been unwavering, and she cheated on you. You don’t think that pisses
me
off?”

Eric turned to look at him, ready to go off on him.

“Son, I’m sorry, but anyone that hurts you, hurts me and as far as I’m concerned she doesn’t deserve you.”

Before he said anything he’d regret, but more frantically, before his dad said anything else to remind him of how Sofia had once ripped his heart out, he walked away. His dad called out for him, but he didn’t stop. If his dad said even one more thing to put down Sofia, he’d snap for sure.

The Test

Somehow, Sofia thought she’d be more tired the morning after the party. Instead, she was the first one up. When she got home the day before, everyone wanted to know why Brandon was so adamant about talking to her. Thankfully, Sal had been there to settle everyone down. Everyone that is, but Alex. He was still on fire when she arrived, making her even more relieved she hadn’t been there when it all went down. Between Sal and her parents, they managed to get Alex to let it go—for now.

She stood lost in thought in the kitchen waiting for the coffee to finish brewing when Angel’s voice startled her. “Why you up so early, Sof? You gonna go running?”

The suspicion in his voice hurt. “No.” Her voice was barely a whisper.

Angel stopped at the center island of the kitchen and seemed to consider his next words before saying them. “Sofie, are you sure nothing else happened between you and Brandon?”

She turned to him, her insides falling apart all over again. “It was just a kiss, Angel. A mistake I’ll regret forever.” She hated being so melodramatic about it, but she was beginning to think that damn kiss would never stop haunting her.

He stared at her for a moment and her emotions took over. Eric hadn’t answered any of her calls the entire night and her whole family had been under such stress all because of her yesterday. She tried so hard but her emotions did her in.

“C’mere.” Angel walked around the island and held out his arms. She walked over to him and he hugged her. “Don’t cry, Sofie. It only makes me wanna go find that asshole and kick his ass.”

“It wasn’t all him, Angel.” She finally let it out. “I kissed him willingly.”

Angel pulled away from her to look at her face. “Why? Are you and Eric having problems?”

“No!” She shook her head. “The only person who’s ever kissed me before Brandon was Eric. I think the only reason I gave in to him was because I was curious. But it was
so
not worth it. I hurt Eric, and caused all this aggravation with my family.”

“You didn’t.” Angel’s forehead pinched. “His stupid ass did.”

“But it wasn’t all him. If I’d have just said no, none of this would be happening.”

“That’s what he wants you to think, Sof. He would’ve kept pushing, especially if he sensed even an ounce of… curiosity on your part. He should’ve never had you in his room in the first place.”

Sofia wiped the tears away and looked up at Angel unconvinced.

“Think about it. Why didn’t he ask any of us to come over and look at his shit? Why was he only interested in having you alone in his house?” Angel’s jaw worked as Sofia was so accustomed to seeing her brothers do when they were mad.

They talked for a little longer, with Angel warning her once again to keep her distance from Brandon. He also made her promise if she so much as got the inkling that he was following her again, to call one of them ASAP.

Back up in her room with her much needed cup of coffee, Sofia tried calling Eric again. To her surprise, he answered. She was so sure he wouldn’t answer she hadn’t even prepared what she would say. But she’d thought about it enough last night, so she took a deep breath, willing her voice not to break. “Hey.”

“How’d it go last night?” He didn’t sound angry, but he did sound down.

“As you can imagine.” She frowned. “Alex was a walking inferno even when I got here.” There was an uncomfortable silence for a long moment. Sofia cleared her voice and lay back down on her bed, gripping the phone to her ear. “Are you still mad at me?”

More silence. She squeezed her eyes, a warm tear slipping down the side of her face. She feared the worse. They’d never get past this.

“I’m just trying to understand why after everything he’s done, you’re still willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.”

Sofia sat up on her bed, determined to make him understand even at the risk of making things worse. “Because I can’t in clear conscience just put all the blame on him. Don’t you think it would be easier for me to just agree with you and my brothers?
Yes, it was all him. He duped me and poor innocent little me fell for it, he’s a monster!
But I can’t, Eric. I knew just going to his house would be an issue with you and my brothers and I still did.”

“You wanted to?”

“I would never choose to hurt you. He said he wanted to show me something, said I didn’t even have to come in he could bring it out. But I chose to go in. Not because I wanted to, Eric, but because at the time it didn’t seem like that big a deal.” She stopped to take a deep breath. “My whole life I’ve been called or it’s been insinuated that I was naïve. That day…”

She wasn’t sure if she should go on, but it felt like this issue would linger forever if she didn’t just say it.

“That day what?” His tone was hard again like it’d been the night before.

“That day I felt something when I went in his room. I wasn’t being naïve, Eric. You all want to believe that I was completely in the dark about what might happen. I had a feeling something would. I could’ve left, walked right out the moment I got that notion but I didn’t. I chose to stay. There’s no way he could’ve planned that.” For a moment, she thought he hung up. “Are you still there?”

He didn’t answer, but she heard him breathe. When he finally spoke, his voice was clearly strained. “So when you told me it just happened so fast you didn’t get a chance to think, that was a bunch of bullshit?”

“No, it
did
happen fast.”

“But you knew it would and yet you still hung around for it.”

“Eric—”

“I had a beautiful girl throw herself at me last night, Sofia. I could’ve easily done something with her but I didn’t even consider it for second. You know why?”

Sofia didn’t respond. Something squeezed at her throat. When she didn’t answer, he went on.

“Because I would
never
do to you, what you fucking did to me.”

Sofia was left clutching her phone as the line clicked and Eric hung up on her
again
.