In a Book Club Far Away(18)

“I guess.” He laughed. “They showed me a move a little bit ago. I almost threw my back out practicing it.”

Sophie cackled, softening. Jasper was the best father, despite having been absent half their girls’ lives. She had to remember that she’d had twice the amount of time to parent their children. “Just… please, don’t order takeout the whole time.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said. “Though I hope we’re not looking at too many days without you.”

The mood plunged into awkwardness, reminiscent of the last few months. She didn’t remember when their conversation turned into this weird walking on eggshells. When their nights in bed consisted of her pretending to sleep and wondering how he fell into slumber. What she did know was that things for her began to change when he retired from the Army after two decades, and the girls received their college acceptances. Suddenly, she truly gave no more fucks.

“Oh!” she said, snapping herself out of her thoughts. Speaking of giving no fucks. “Guess who’s here?”

“Um…”

“Regina.”

He gasped. “Regina? As in Castro?”

“The one and only.”

“Wow,” he said.

“I know.”

“Babe… are you okay? That’s it. I’m coming to get you.”

Sophie’s eyes brimmed with tears, and she patted her cheeks to keep them from flowing. Goodness, Jasper just had a way. His primary instinct was to think of people. To check in on her, despite the miles and the time apart that they’d logged during their twenty-year relationship. Knowing that Jasper had her back had been a consolation that superseded all notions of romantic love. Because in the end, wasn’t that what successful relationships were built on? Friendship? Loyalty? Trust?

Despite her deep love for him, her feelings about their relationship were a dichotomy: live in comfort but in stagnation, or seek new adventures and the unknown. All she knew was that her time in Virginia would give her some space to think, despite her deep love for him.

Sophie forced herself back into the conversation, to the reason why she was hiding out in the bedroom. “No, I’m not okay.”

“Then I’ll come for you.”

She shook her head. “No. I’m staying.”

“Why should you subject yourself to something that you buried years ago?”

“I don’t want to give her a single reason to think I’m running from her. I belong here.”

“Soph—you’ve got nothing to prove.”

“Still.”

A phone rang on Jasper’s end. “Damn it. I’ve… I’ve got to go, my other cell’s ringing. And I’ve got to take it.”

Of course he did. He was on the cusp of a new beginning and still worked with the same honorable fervor. Sophie knew her place in the mix. But this time, she was grateful that his attention had switched, because she didn’t want to slip into the next line of their conversation, which was the crack in their common-law marriage.

“All right.”

“But listen, from someone who was there, hear me out,” he warned.

She shut her eyes. “Yeah.”

“You are by nature a caring person. You’ve taken care of this family, and you tend to take care of everyone around you. But you’ve got to take care of yourself first.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

“Love you.”

“Love you,” she answered back, meaning it.

After hanging up, Sophie launched herself out of bed with one thought in her mind. That she was in Alexandria to not only take care of Adelaide but to also take care of herself, and she wasn’t going to let Regina’s presence ruin it.





CHAPTER ELEVEN

Regina




“I’ll stay only under certain conditions,” Regina said, drawing Adelaide’s attention toward her. “And it’s something that I’ll need to say to both you and Sophie.”

“Okayyy.” Adelaide stretched out the word as she side-eyed the doorway. “But who is that fine specimen of a man?” She gestured with her head. “Out there.”

Regina sighed; she wanted Adelaide focused on her. “You’re just as bad as my mother.” She turned to Henry and waved him in. Admittedly, if she’d passed him on the street, she would have been distracted, too. “This is the guy who you have to thank that I’m back. This is Henry Just, of Just Cakes.”

“Just Cakes from down the street? My, my, aren’t you a tall drink of hard lemonade.”

Henry set down the bags and offered his hand. “It’s very nice to meet you.”

“The pleasure is surely all mine.” As she shook his hand, she winked at Regina.

It took all of Regina’s willpower not to roll her eyes. Instead, she said, “We’ve known each other for about a year now—”

“Ah, eighteen months actually,” Henry said.

Adelaide touched Regina’s arm. “Eighteen months. Get it right, woman.”

“Anyway,” Regina continued. She had to stir this soup before it got lumpy. She’d practiced her conversation points with Henry on their food-shopping trip, after she’d decided that the only right thing to do was return. “I stopped by his place when I left here—”