ia's

I only had one question sittin

t control the uneasiness I felt under my skin. Heading back home might

n't feel like

ce the

king wedding because I wasn't

if I had truly made a mistake. But coming here was way better than

pulled me out of my thoughts. I blinked

t change one bit, and the fact that something still

the door open. I pulled my suit

wasn't home as always. I didn't know why I expected anything dif

the door, pressing the buzzer. For a second, nothing

ware of the way I looked. I pressed my lips together,

t what I

ven c

ething that made sense. Was this really my stepfather? He looked young. N

mes, and his strong build filled the doorway without even trying. His eyes. Go

ly seeing me, not the way my mom s

and steady. He had a look in his eyes that explained that h

quickly, forcing

...

ehind my ear. "I'm sorry, I didn't-my mom, she didn'

ight come by," he said, s

a little too fast as I

dded, nodding toward my ba

ed out quickly. "I can

led my suitcase further into the house and shut the door behind me. A lot

...dif

voice pulling my attention back to h

t caught me

. "Someone like

uld stop it, and I almost

ted slightly

rubbing the back of my neck as I wished for the ground to swallow me.

ly, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "You don

together. "I'm not

ded that was the end of it, and it made me relax a bit. Keeping my su

nd I hovered near the counter, unsure of whe

houlder as he reached for something in the

onto one of the stools by the island, setti

bowl. I couldn't even tell what it was, but it smelled like ginger and something else I'

own to stare at my shoes. Sophia, this isn't you. This wasn'

look so nervous,"

ped up. "I'm

My fingers were curled tightly together without me realizing, then I forced them to

met me," he added, glancing up briefly before returning his attention to what h

ah," I said quietly. "What about you?" I as

he nodded. "A little," he adm

head slightl

l in his expression. "I feel like I'm meeting someo

tly. "My mom ta

at her company, she was having dinner with a business man. Most times she just didn't like

id, and I couldn't hel

hings?" I asked, tr

you were

l laugh. "That s

talen

back up at him, but he was too focused on wh

quietly, and he

ago, but his presence wasn't as unc

~

so all she had to do was sit and eat. She munched on the meal carefully, then finally rai

inside m

y wellbeing at all? I lifted a bite to my mouth, chewing slow

e was co

ghed. "I didn't know I had to ta

face falter. "You can't just show up the way you want and e

on't want

r said

t of peace, to heal from my heartbreak with Jean, but the idea that my mom didn't want me around was like another stab to my fragi

nected against my cheek in seconds, making my e