Gray shot a glance at his brother and Sophie, who sent matching winks his way.
He couldn’t hide his victorious smile. Finally he was back in his element. He might suck at apologies, gratitude, and chitchat, but this? This he could do.
By the time the group was sitting at a long bench table at a nearby pizza parlor, Gray was feeling the best he’d felt in weeks. The Blackwells had just left to return to their hotel, but they were going to sign. He knew it. His business instincts were buzzing with victory, and they were never wrong.
He wondered if he should thank Sophie. It never would have happened without her interference. If it was up to him, the meeting would never have left the conference room and would have ended hours ago. Probably with the deal dead in the water.
“So, Sophie,” Jenna was saying as she wound a piece of mozzarella around her finger. “You seeing anyone?”
All eyes fell on Sophie, and Gray was annoyed to realize that he wasn’t the only one who seemed extremely interested in her response. Jack had gone completely still and was watching her carefully.
“Um, no. Not really,” Sophie said.
Gray squinted. Was she blushing? The Sophie he knew didn’t blush, but there was a distinct pink tint to her cheeks. He wondered what caused it. Or who. Not Alistair, certainly. Jack? The two of them had been inseparable most of the evening.
A fact that depressed him more than he wanted to admit.
“I can’t believe that,” Jenna was saying. “You’re so sweet and pretty.”
Gray’s eyes narrowed in on his sister. He knew that tone. It was the same one she’d used when she’d brought three puppies home without warning. The same one she’d used when she’d wanted to borrow his car without her driver’s license. That tone meant trouble.
“What about my brother?” Jenna asked, her gray eyes all innocent curiosity.
Gray and Jack exchanged a wary glance. Both knew they should shut up their sister. But both wanted Sophie’s answer first.
“Oh, um, you mean Jack?” Sophie asked, her voice coming out on a squeak.
Gray felt a funny twist somewhere in the middle of his chest. He should have been prepared for it. Of course she’d assume that Jenna had meant Jack. Who would think of dowdy, grumpy Gray when they could have the funny, charming version?
“Ugh, not Jackie,” Jenna said with a face. “He’s still reeling from Avery.”
“Don’t,” Jack said, his voice uncharacteristically curt.
“Uh-huh—so you never see each other?” Jenna pressed.
“We’re…friends,” Jack said with narrowed eyes.
Sophie nibbled at a breadstick and watched them curiously.
“Anyway,” Jenna said, waving away her brothers’ glares. “Jack’s no good for you, Soph. I was talking about Gray.”
He froze with his beer halfway to his lips and wondered if it would be inappropriate to drag Jenna out to the parking lot by her hair and put her in a cab. He wanted to look at Sophie, but didn’t think he could bear to see what kind of amused disdain would be written all over her face.
“Gray’s my boss,” she said quietly.
A good, safe answer. A disappointing answer.
“Oh, sure, but if he weren’t, you’d go for it, right? He’s cute,” Jenna said. She leaned over to pinch his cheek, and Gray batted her hand away with a warning look. Which she ignored.
“I’m pretty sure I’m the last woman on earth your brother would be interested in.”
Gray’s eyes flew to Sophie. An interesting choice of words. Was she saying that she would be interested if she thought he was? He silently begged her to meet his eyes so he could read her expression, but she didn’t look away from Jenna.
“Huh,” Jenna said, apparently realizing that she’d pushed the conversation as far as it could go.
Gray’s shoulders had just started to relax when his sister piped up again. “Hey, Soph, you should join us for dinner on Friday.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. This was too much. He could barely handle Sophie nine-to-five during the weekdays. If he had to start seeing her on weekend evenings, he’d lose his mind.