Chapter 23

TWENTY-THREE

ELLA

The sun peeked through the blinds, illuminating a naked Sophie lying on her stomach. Her back rose and lowered with soft breaths. Ella desperately wanted to wake her up and repeat every moment of last night, but also wanted to sit here forever and watch her sleep.

Her phone alarm rang in the other room and she eased out of the bed, holding her breath to not wake up Sophie. A towel lying on the floor from their late-night joint shower provided the perfect cover. She wrapped it around herself and tiptoed down the hall.

Thankfully, she always had extra medication in her purse, in case she ended up stranded somewhere. She’d never actually had to use the extra meds before, but last night was the perfect stranding. She tapped off the alarm, moved to the kitchen, and chugged back her pill with a full glass of water. God, she was thirsty. And tired. And so deliciously sore. Every aching muscle was a sweet reminder of the best day of her life.

Yep, yesterday was the best day she’d ever had. Emotionally, physically, soulfully, she had never experienced a connection like that before. Not even with Jasmine. The feelings she had, the feelings Sophie had, were confirmed, solidified, explored. That missing piece of her now felt filled to the brim. For the first time in her life, she was totally satisfied. Grateful. Hopeful, even.

Her phone showed about a dozen unread messages from her mom, two from her dad, ranging from Hope you’re having fun! to Don’t forget to rest . She’d told her parents she wasn’t coming home and she was safe, but it didn’t surprise her how much they’d blown up her phone.

She plucked an apple from a bowl on the counter and crunched into the fruit, typing a quick message to let them know she was alive. Allowing their child to have freedom had to have been hard for them, and she understood that now. Separation anxiety, the fear of keeping your loved one safe, the need to hear that they were healthy… it all clicked.

Quiet steps entered behind her and lips brushed her shoulder.

“Morning.”

Sophie’s voice was a hoarse whisper, and Ella melted. She pressed her body into Sophie, feeling the warmth spreading as Sophie spread her fingers across Ella’s belly and pulled her close.

“Morning,” Ella whispered, savoring this moment. She wanted to savor these moments, to tattoo them into her brain, to capture the tingles in a lockbox and release them anytime she needed endorphins. She took one more bite of apple and turned.

Perfection. Standing in an off-the-shoulder Bon Jovi T-shirt grazing her upper thigh, Sophie was stunning.

Sophie brought Ella’s hand to her mouth and bit into the apple. “I’m starving.” She chewed and kissed Ella, then bit into the apple again. “Want to grab breakfast?”

Breakfast, dinner, a trip to Paris, a house with a backyard and a rescue Saint Bernard, Sophie could have asked anything, and Ella would have agreed. “Yes, please. But if we go anywhere, I need to go home first and change. I didn’t bring any backups.”

“You can wear something of mine.” Sophie downed a glass of water and wiped her mouth off with the back of her hand.

“You’re like five sizes smaller than me. I’d spill out of everything.”

“I know.” A sly grin spread. When Ella lifted a brow, Sophie threw her hands up in defense. “Okay, okay. Change, then more food.”

An hour later, after one more session where Ella filled her mouth with Sophie in the shower, Thomas pulled up to the corner and opened the door. “Good morning, ladies. I trust you slept well last night.” His voice was professional and kind, but he had a twinkle in his eye.

“Sure did.” Ella slid over for Sophie. The urge to be touching Sophie every moment was powerful, and she moved into the middle seat to wrap her ankle around Sophie’s. She swiped her thumb against the inside of her wrist, and wanted to kiss her now, here, on her arm, on her mouth, everywhere, but refrained. Thomas would most likely not appreciate being a spectator.

When they pulled up to Ella’s home, Sophie hopped out and took a breath. “Everything feels different. Like the same, but different, right?”

Ella gripped her fingers. “Yes, it does.” She glanced at the door and paused. “If you want to keep quiet about this, I totally understand. I know it’s a crazy thing my dad being…”

“My boss? Yep, sure is.” Sophie smiled, but her eyes turned serious, and her gaze flickered against Ella’s. “I don’t want to keep this quiet. I thought I did, but now I want to scream it everywhere. I want everyone to know how I feel and hope that someday they feel this way, too.” Her face bloomed red. “Oh, shit. See, I told you I was seriously rusty on all of this. That was a lot. Too much? Too quick?”

Ella pulled her in for a kiss. “Not for me.” Her chest felt like it was going to burst. “And it’s not too quick. I’ve been feeling this for a while. I only just acted on it now.”

“Same.” She inhaled a breath. “Okay, let’s do this.”

The door opened and her parents appeared like overbearing genies just released from the bottle. “My most favorite girls in the world!” Her dad’s voice boomed across the open space.

“Women, Dad. Women.”

He clapped once. “Oh yes. Of course. Did you all have fun yesterday? What did you do? Break any laws?”

Ella’s eyes grew wide. She glanced at Sophie with a smirk.

“Honey, do you need to eat?” Her mom reached her hand out like she wanted to touch Ella’s hair, but retreated. “Or maybe take a nap? Sleep is so important, you know that’s a trigger?—”

“Mom.” Normally, she would have snapped the words. But today, she didn’t want to snap. And her mom was right. She really did need to get some sleep at some point. Working late, spending time with Sophie, enjoying life, took precedence right now. “I’m good. Going to change and then we’re grabbing some food.”

Her mother’s lips turned into a flat line, but she nodded and surprisingly dropped the subject.

“Sophie.” George cleared his throat. “A quick word with me while Ella changes?”

“Of course.” Sophie responded before Ella could protest, her voice flipping to professional mode.

Ella glanced between everyone and decided the best thing to do was to change and leave as quickly as possible, before her parents gave Sophie some archaic speech about the importance of treating their daughter right, or her mother listed out all the meds and potential effects of epilepsy. Upstairs, she brushed her teeth, threw on some clothes, and ran a flat iron through her bangs. When she returned, her dad and Sophie were just coming out of the den, where her dad gave Sophie a quick bro-style tap on the upper back.

Ella cringed. “Ready?” She nearly pushed Sophie out the entrance. “Bye,” she called behind her head to her parents, but closed the door before her parents could respond.

Thomas opened the back door and escorted the women in, and Sophie leaned in toward Ella. “So… potential idea for today. Only if you’re cool with it, and no pressure.” She scraped the side of her thumbnail. “A couple of my friends are heading out for brunch and wondering if we’d like to join.”

Sophie wanted to introduce her to friends? Already? Something filled Ella, warm and squishy, starting in the chest and sinking to her belly. “I’d love that.”

After Sophie gave Thomas the address, she leaned back and pulled Ella’s hand into her lap. “You know, your parents are way cooler than I think you give them credit for.”

Ella huffed. “Cool is not a word I would ever use to describe my parents. Was it super awkward with my dad?”

“Not at all.” Sophie traced the outline of Ella’s palm with her fingertips. “I thought he’d tell me to keep business and personal life separate, but he didn’t at all. He just told me that he hadn’t seen you so happy in such a long time and was grateful I was in your life.”

Score one for Pops. “He said that?”

Sophie giggled. “Yes, in a very George Northwood sort of way. But that was the message. I think he even tried to hug me, but then sort of shook his arms out. But I felt the hug right here.” She pointed at her heart with a laugh. “He’s a good dude. Really.”

Her dad had always been in her corner. Sometimes at a distance, sometimes annoying, sometimes very, very loud, but still in her corner. As the traffic and trees flew by outside the window, a peacefulness settled. Ella wanted to call him and thank him.

The SUV pulled over in front of a Thai and Filipino fusion restaurant, with the most delicious sweet and savory scents mingling in the air. Sophie intertwined Ella’s fingers in hers, and Ella adjusted her glasses back up the bridge of her nose.

“You’re going to do great. Everyone is super nice. Except Remi.” She laughed. “I’m totally kidding. It’s a long story, and I’ll tell you all about it tonight.”

Tonight. As if she knew they’d be together today and tonight, and this was the new norm. Ella refrained from skipping into the restaurant.

“Hey!” A chorus of welcomes and nice-to-meet-yous, and hugs came from the table, as Ella shook people’s hands.

“I’m Ben, Maya and Remi’s roommate, and clearly the best looking of the group.” This man, Ben, was beautiful. Warm, brown skin, dark eyes, and dimples that Ella could spot a mile away. The smile in his voice carried to his eyes, and Ella had never liked anyone so quickly.

“Pay no attention to Ben, ever. He likes to tell lies,” a gorgeous, full-bodied, strong woman with a head of dark curly hair and a mischievous grin said, while nudging Ben out of the way. “I’m Remi. Really good to meet you.” She shook Ella’s hand with a strong firm grip.

A woman who was at least a half foot taller than Ella, with long, glass-straight blond hair and a huge white smile, nudged Remi on the hip. “And I’m Maya. I’d like to think I’m Sophie’s other half, but I think that title is about to be stripped away.”

Ah. So this was the famous Maya, Sophie’s best friend and Remi’s girlfriend. Everything clicked. Ella took her in, the firmest of firm postures and a radiating warmth.

Ella moved to shake Maya’s hand, but she opened her arms and pulled her in for a hug instead. I can get used to this .

The next hour flew by, the awkwardness of meeting new people fading within the first ten minutes. In the past, Ella would have been sweating, hiding a smile because she’d swear food was in her teeth, and freak out that she couldn’t believe she forgot to put on her lipstick today.

But now, she was laughing in between bites of ube croissants and pork belly egg scramble as Ben—who was taking the prize for the most animated human she’d ever encountered—talked about a “hell on wheels” nurse who he almost came to blows with after the man blocked him from visiting his favorite patient.

“Wait, aren’t you supposed to not have favorites?” Remi asked Ben as she cut into her green onion sticky waffle.

“It’s not like I’m a teacher. I absolutely have favorites.” He dashed pepper over his eggs. “I mean, the dude was such a dick about it, too. And sure, the patient was an eighty-five-year-old woman who was apparently tired, but he was so obviously jealous I was the one she liked the most. All flexing his muscles like a bouncer in some Tacoma dive bar, acting like I couldn’t take him, but I could. I could for sure take him.”

Maya tucked a blond lock behind her ear and cut into her pancake. “So… when are you going to ask him out?”

Ben arched an eyebrow. “I’m thinking tomorrow.”

Ella joined in the laughter. This group, this conversation, was what people talked about when they mentioned community, found family, and platonic love. The genuine love and mutual admiration among everyone here were obvious, and Ella felt honored to be a guest.

“Okay, tell us… how did everything go yesterday?” Remi winked at Sophie with a sly grin.

Sophie gave her the look , the one that clearly conveyed Sophie was going to tackle her later in the parking lot . “You’re busting me.”

Huh? Ella’s gaze flickered between the women.

“Don’t be mad, okay?” Sophie spread her fingers across Ella’s forearm. “But Remi helped me out yesterday with the whole golfing thing.” Sophie dove into the story of how Remi, the golf manager, and Sophie devised the stolen golf cart heist.

“Wait! That’s what you two were talking about?” Maya’s eyes lit up. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Remi rested her fork on the side of her plate. “’Cause you can’t keep secrets and I could just see you sending Sophie a text that Ella would see and ruining the surprise.”

“Rude. And also, that’s totally fair.” Maya grinned and continued eating.

Sophie leaned into Ella’s ear. “Are you mad? I was worried about liability and everything. I didn’t want us to get arrested for breaking and entering. But… I wanted you to have a memorable experience.”

So, Ella didn’t actually steal a golf cart or run from the cops? This information shifted the evening into a different perspective. She’d flown high off that rebellious act for hours. But that high settled, and was now replaced with something that felt like the warmest group hug she’d ever known. “You all did that… for me?” She glanced at Remi. “You don’t even know me, and you used the big favor on me?”

Remi shrugged, her black curls bouncing with the motion. “We didn’t know you, but we know Sophie. You’ll soon find out we are this funky little family that does random shit for each other. We like to see each other happy.”

Maya leaned toward Ella. “And you make Sophie happy. Really, really happy.”

Ella gripped Sophie’s hand under the table and absorbed this information. Her heart filled, a smile spread uncontrollably, and the blush sweeping her cheeks differed from any other blush she’d felt before. Yes, this was the first time meeting this group, but she already felt like she belonged. True friendship, altruistic friendship, was something that had been missing in her life. And now, she got to peek at what it may look like.

“Ahem.” Ben cleared his throat. “I would like it noted, once again, that I may not have fancy connections with a golf course manager, but I’m still the best-looking one out of the group.”

A collective groan rose from the table, and Remi bunched a napkin and threw it at Ben. Today was already perfect, and it wasn’t even noon.