A gentle knock on the door, two little taps, a pause and then one more.
It was Sophia's way of letting me know she wanted to talk to me.
"Come in, Soph."
"How do you know it was me?" she asked quizzically.
"A hunch," I lied. The way she knocked on any door was easily distinguishable from anyone else. "What's going on?" I asked her.
"I just thought I'd come and talk to you about meeting Cooper."
"What do you mean? You've already met him?"
I found myself probing her, trying to hold back the frustrated tone in my voice. Get to the point, Sophia. Get the point.
"I know I've already met him. But you know the meeting wasn't so great."
I had to hold my tongue again. The only reason it wasn't great was because my friends were so difficult with him. And not the other way around, as I assumed she was implying.
"I didn't really get to ask him much about what he does. I mean, is he just a wrestler, or is he something else? How does one person make money from wrestling? And is he serious about you? How does he feel about you? Is this the guy for you?"
Sophia's questions kept coming thick and fast. I couldn't keep up with them. They were all about Cooper, who he was, what he meant to me, and nothing about what he said or told them that night. Or the fact he picked up the bill for them without any of them realising it.
It was almost like Sophia wasn't listening during the dinner, and I wasn't sure if I began speaking if she was going to listen to me now, either.
"Did you want to meet him again?"
"Oh yes, maybe I don't know," replied Sophia, her sheepish expression obvious as she performed laps of my office.
"Well, I don't know if you really do want to meet him. Malcolm told me on the weekend about how you guys felt about him. It doesn't seem like you care about who he is."
"I'm sorry. What did Malcolm tell you?"
"It doesn't matter what he said. I got the impression without what he said. I know you don't like Cooper. And I know you don't take him seriously. If you did, you would be asking me these questions."
I stared at Sophia, and her worry turned to trepidation, something I hadn't seen from her before. And usually, I wouldn't say these things to her.
Since we met in high school, I couldn't recall a time when I had ever called her out. Or throw her boyfriend under the bus. But now, I couldn't let my friends hurt the man I loved.
I couldn't let her make these assessments and ask these inaccurate questions. And, by making them, attack me.
"Sophia, you're such a bad judge of character. Right now, I'm trying not to be offended by the fact that you don't like him, didn't listen to him, or never noticed that he paid for the entire meal and didn't thank him."
She had stopped pacing and was about to speak when I continued my ramblings.
“But I know lately that you, James and GG have the worst taste in people. Your perception of these people’s intentions is way off. Look at us."
I pointed around the room.
"We are in Douglas's offices, and he is running Highway. Who does that? Who trusts this fashion imbecile with our baby?"
I felt myself getting worked up, the anger growing, saying things I shouldn't, but things needed to be said.
"I'm sorry, Sophia, but I can't help you. I can't make this better for you with Cooper."
She left my office, and we didn't speak for the rest of the day.
You’re reading The Andie Chronicles, the 2023 romance-fiction series from the 1 Lovelock Drive (1LD) universe.
By the way, this all started when Andie turned thirty-five, and her then-boyfriend didn’t call her.
Or the day after that.
Or the day after that, too.
Everything started to unravel when her BFFs got into bed with her ex, too… ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️
and a fantastic
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A little lost on what’s happening at 1 Lovelock Drive?
Well, you see, Andie’s break-up started back in February and so much has happened since then. These stories will help you catch right up! xx