Page 37 of Love From the Ashes

“Talk to me, Sofie.” Reid took a step toward me.

God, how I wanted him to reach out and hold me. I wanted to feel his body’s warmth and the comfort and security of his arms. I wanted Krista to be wrong. I wanted him to love me. “Reid…I…”

His cell phone rang, cutting me off.

“Shit!” Reid yanked his phone from his pocket and frowned at the screen.

My breath caught in my throat, my body reeling. I was close enough to see the photo displayed on Reid’s phone. The caller was Samantha Wilding.

Reid ignored the call and stuffed the device back in his pocket. He reached for me. “Sofie?”

I backed away, my stomach churning. “It was a mistake,” I whispered, my mind swirling in a sea of anguish.

“What the hell are you saying?”

“It shouldn’t have happened. We were a mistake. I work for you, and it isn’t right. We’d face endless rounds of malicious gossip, your reputation would suffer, and my job would eventually be at risk.”

“Is that what’s important to you, appearance and what other people think? What about the feelings we have for each other? Am I supposed to pretend you don’t mean anything to me, that nothing happened between us?”

“Yes.”

“I can’t do that, and I don’t understand what’s driving you to back away. You can’t turn off what we shared as if it were a damn light switch.”

“I told you it was a mistake. You need to go. Postponing the inevitable isn’t doing either of us any good.”

“You want me to leave? Deep down, that’s what you really want?”

“Yes,” I said, my world crumbling around me. The wordliarscreaming in my head because this wasn’t what I wanted.

Reid stared at me, his eyes darting across my face as if he were desperately trying to read my thoughts. He looked pained, the energy and light in his gray-blue eyes now clouded over. Without saying another word, Reid turned and walked to the door. He paused with his back to me, his hand on the doorknob. Then he walked out.

I sank to my knees on the floor; my body bent forward, my arms wrapped around my waist. My anguish felt physical, like pieces of my heart were spread across the worn carpet. I leaned my forehead on my knees and cried. For the first time in my life, I’d felt happy and loved, and it was a lie.

CHAPTER 14

The Reckoning

Idid adouble take, surprised to see Adam accompanying Della as she strode toward my desk. As long as I’d been here, he’d never come to marketing to visit me. Their expressions looked solemn, and I couldn’t imagine what they wanted.

“Okay, that’s it. Adam and I are here for an intervention,” Della said.

“For what?” I turned away to finish sorting the stack of mail on my desk. I didn’t have the energy to deal with them.

“You haven’t been yourself for the last three weeks and have completely ignored us. It needs to stop. You need to talk to us, tell us what’s going on. We can’t stand the empty look on your face, and I swear, it’s like your body’s a shell with no emotion attached. We know it has to do with Reid because he hasn’t been around, and you’ve not mentioned him.” Della came around the desk and took hold of my arm. “We’re going to lunch, and you’re going to spill it.”

“Stop it! I’m fine.” I yanked my arm away and spun around in my chair, giving them a view of my back.

“Knock it off, Sofie. Della and I feel like scrounging monkeys with a bowl full of empty peanut shells,” Adam said, his voice rising.

I spun back around, staring wide-eyed at Adam.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Della said, glaring at him, her teeth visibly clenching. “You’re not helping.”

Adam’s shoulders slumped, and he looked hurt when he turned to look at me. “Sorry, it’s just…we’re scrounging for some way to help you, feed you some comfort, but we’re helpless. Our hands are the bowl of empty shells. We have nothing to give you because you won’t tell us what happened, and seeing you like this is killing me.” Adam looked down at the floor, quietly nudging the carpet with his toe. He seemed so glum as he stood there.

“Fine, I’ll go to lunch.” I yanked my lunch bag and purse from my drawer and stood. I wanted to say something snarky but decided against it. The sad look on Adam’s face was still there. He wasn’t pretending. He was truly hurt. Now I felt compelled to comfort him. I came around my desk and hooked my arm in his. “Lead the way. We’ll go to lunch.”

Adam gave me a faint smile and led me to the elevator. Once downstairs, he picked a quiet spot in the courtyard and then took off to get lunch for Della and himself. Della and I sat at the table, neither of us saying a word. After a minute or so, Della finally spoke.