Her mouth falls open as if I’ve slapped her. “Leave. You’re treating me as if I’m making this shit up, and I’m not. You need to leave right now before I say something I might regret later.”
“That’s how you feel? You feel like I should be with Serena? Take her out on dates and make her my girlfriend and fuck her?” I’m so pissed as I look at her, wishing she’d realize she’s the only woman I want. The only one I’ve wanted for years.
Sophie tenses as if my words affected her. “I can’t give you what you need, so you might as well. Considering she’s so willing…” She shrugs nonchalantly.
I shake my head and drop my arms. “Don’t you realize how absurd this is? I’m standing here fighting for you, telling you I don’t want Serena and asking you to see what’s right in front of you. Why are you looking for a fight? Haven’t we been through enough to get to this point?”
She stands up and points at the door, her chest heaving as my words sink in. “Just leave. I don’t want to talk about this right now and just want to be alone.”
“Soph,” I whisper, pleading with my eyes for her to stop pushing me away. She’s all I want. Why can’t she see that? She stands her ground as my heart deflates. “Alright, fine.” I turn and walk out of her bedroom, then climb the stairs. I notice Liam’s door is open down the hall and poke my head inside.
“Everything okay?” he asks, flicking on his TV.
I sit on the edge of the bed and scrub my hands over my face. “I just want to be there for her, give her everything she needs, but anytime I make some sort of progress, she slips through my fingers, and I have to start over. The moment we start getting closer, she immediately pushes away again.”
He unpacks a duffle bag of clothes, and I can only imagine how long they’ve been in there. By the smell, a while.
“Well, she’s not wrong about Serena.” I narrow my eyes at him, and he shrugs. “She’s not. I don’t know if Serena wants you or just wants to screw around, but she is flirty around you. Whether or not it’s harmless, it obviously bothers Sophie. She’s in a fragile state of mind right now, so everything probably feels escalated, but perhaps validating her concerns instead of brushing them off would tell Sophie that you respect her feelings.”
“Of course I respect her feelings. Our friendship has always been like that. Serena checks up on me like an older sibling, and I tease her for having no other friends. It’s just how we are. It doesn’t mean she wants something more.”
With an eyebrow popped, he gives me a pointed look. “Have you ever thought of asking her?”
“No.” I grimace. “Up until recently, I hadn’t realized I needed to. I’ve made it very clear that I’m in love with Sophie. Plus, Serena and me—no.” I shake my head. “She’s Emma’s sister. I don’t see her that way at all.”
“Well, might want to think about asking her, that way the air is cleared and you’ll know for sure. Otherwise, what other explaination is there for why she’s been coming around so much?” he asks.
“She’s worried about me, though she doesn’t have to be. She thought I’d spiral down again after Weston and Dalton. But she also saved my ass.”
“Or…” A booming laugh fills the room. “It’s because you’re available. You and Sophie haven’t progressed, so maybe, in her mind, she thinks she has a chance.”
My brows pinch together at the thought. “I don’t want her. I never wanted her. There’s absolutely nothing there, and that line has never been crossed—never will be crossed,” I declare.
“Yeah, but it doesn’t mean she doesn’t want it to happen. Put yourself in Sophie’s shoes. She’s trying to get her head right and wants to be the woman for you but in her own time. It’s already difficult enough for her as it is, but then Serena comes around flaunting her tits and batting her eyes at you every second she can. I know you don’t want her, but does Sophie know that?”
“Well, I tried telling her tonight, but she wasn’t having it. Said maybe I’d be better with her anyway.”
Liam chuckles, shaking his head.
“What, Dr. Know-it-all?”
“You really know nothing about chicks, huh? I’m shocked you ever got laid.”
I roll my eyes. “Jesus fuck. Just get on with it…” I demand.
“That’s her way of pushing you away because of her own insecurities on top of what she’s already feeling guilty about—your weird relationship status that is. So with all of that and then seeing you with Serena tonight, I can see why she acted the way she did. She planned this for you tonight, and you essentially brought a date.”