Ready or Not (35 page)

The look of shock on Sophie’s face reminded Hope of a toddler seeing Mickey Mouse for the first time. A bit much. “No! Hope, that’s horrible.”

“Isn’t it?”

“It is!”

Hope sat back in her chair. “Here’s the thing. Do you happen to know anything about that?”

Sophie took a moment with the question, almost as if deciding the best course of action. Innocent people wouldn’t pause before declaring their innocence. At least Hope knew she wouldn’t. It was a tell. “I don’t, but I can ask around. See what I can learn.”

“That would be great. We also have the surveillance footage from that night.”

“Oh.” A pause. “You do?”

“Yeah. I’m going to review it in a few, so if you circulate that little tidbit out there among the staff, maybe the guilty party will come forward before I have to call the cops.”

“You would hear them out?”

Hope lifted a shoulder. “I’d try. If they returned the money, maybe we could work out some sort of arrangement so their record isn’t forever marred. It’s hard to land a job with a felony looming over your head. Not to mention possible jail time.”

She didn’t have to say any more as Sophie was crying, and not just a little bit. Full-on waterworks without any preamble. “I’m so sorry, Hope,” she managed. “I took the money!”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah!” she sobbed. “I have most of it still. Between the mattresses in my apartment. And a little in the freezer. And a lamp. But I was under a lot of pressure from my parents and I just freaked.
Freaked!
”

Hope nodded apologetically and passed Sophie a tissue from the box on her desk. “Wow. I didn’t see this coming at all. I know what it’s like to be under pressure, Sophie, and parents can be rough, but you surely understand this was the wrong way to go about handling it.” Sophie nodded through the rather loud sobs. “So tell you what, I’m going to wait here while you go and bring back what you took.”

Sophie sucked in air. “Are you going to turn me in?”

“I really should. You stole from the bar, and a lot of money at that. But here’s the deal. I think you’re a mixed-up kid who knows very little about life. So if you return the money today, I won’t press charges.”

“And I’ll still have a job?”

“No, not at all. But you won’t be in jail, so there’s that.”

Sophie deflated a bit. “Got it. I’ll be back soon.”

And she was.

Hope couldn’t believe this turn of events. Sophie returned nearly all of the money she stole and apologized about ten thousand times before Hope politely asked her to leave, which seemed to shock Sophie.

“I’m sorry for what I did, Hope, but I thought we were friends.”

“We were, but this was a big deal, Sophie. Do you understand that?”

“I do, but—”

“Have you ever had to work hard for anything in your entire life?”

“Well, this was my first job. I feel like I worked hard
here
.” She looked so defeated, and it tugged at Hope’s heartstrings a tad. The sad truth was that Sophie didn’t get it. She was born a rich kid and would probably live her whole life with a “let them eat cake” mentality.

“Good-bye, Sophie.”

“Bye, Hope. And thank you. I owe you big-time.”

“Make better choices,” she called encouragingly to Sophie, feeling like someone’s mom all of a sudden. She honestly did hope Sophie got her life together.

Hope lingered at the bar a while longer, into the early evening. Customers were genuinely happy to see she’d returned to work, and what was nicer was that they took the time to tell her so. She really did have the best job on Earth.

“Hey, Hope!” She glanced up to find Robby from Big Top standing in front of her. “Just wanted to drop off the deposit for the opening-night party.”

She accepted what she knew was a rather sizable check and high-fived him. “You could have mailed this, ya know.”

“True, but then I couldn’t have ordered that amazing single-malt Scotch you introduced me to.”

She flashed a smile. “Two fingers?”

“Let’s make it three.”

Hope smiled as she walked back to Mallory’s place that night, taking her time and enjoying the summer breeze. The reciprocal relationship between Showplace and Big Top was off to a fantastic start. Timmy loved the menu she’d developed for their theaters, and she was thrilled with the leeway he’d given her in hosting the upcoming party for contest winners. It was going to do a number for her business and she owed it all to Mallory, who seemed to be at the center of everything good that happened to her lately.

She paused on the sidewalk. That had to mean something, right?

Hope stared up at the stars that twinkled brightly overhead and her thoughts drifted to Sophie, who turned out to be everything she’d always believed about high-society types. Entitled, selfish, and irrational. But at the same time, she had to pause, because how generic of Hope to shove Sophie into a category with people like Mallory? Mallory, who came from much the same background as Sophie, was none of those things. Yet she held her at arm’s length because she thought their lives couldn’t mesh, that Mallory was some sort of unattainable rich girl, when really, she was just Mallory who liked to watch
Dateline
in her pajamas and make Hope smile on the regular.

She shook her head at the manner in which she had not only underestimated herself but had underestimated Mallory. Why had it taken so much for her to see that? She felt sick to her stomach at the way she’d pushed Mallory away, afraid that she couldn’t possibly deal with the complications of Hope’s life? That was bullshit. She’d proved she could take on just about anything, including Hope herself.

She looked down at her hands as she neared the loft and found them shaking. She stared up at the building that loomed taller than she could ever remember seeing it and understood that this was a crossroads for her.

The timer dinged, and Mallory slid into the kitchen in her socks to retrieve the amazing nachos she’d been dreaming about all day at work. Lunch with her parents had so much going on she’d actually forgotten to eat, making this mid-evening meal one she’d looked forward to in a monumental way.

“Oh, hello, tasty nachos,” she said to the cheesy chips beneath the oven light. “Where have you been all my life?” She scooped up the tray from the oven and went about adding the necessary accouterments of amazing, namely tomatoes and sour cream.

The door slid open, signaling Hope’s arrival, which was more than fine with her.

“Hey, you. How’s the bar?”

“Busy when I left, but Teddy has it under control. He’ll require some much-deserved time off once I’m back to full-time, and definitely a raise.”

“Good call. He’s a keeper. You look great, by the way. You seem happy. Is that it? I can’t put my finger on it.”

Hope smiled. “It’s been that kind of day. And you were right by the way.”

“About Sophie?”

Hope nodded. “She returned nearly all the money and we parted ways.”

Mallory covered her mouth. “Wow. I thought it was possible, but wow.”

“I have you to thank. So thank you.” Hope’s eyes held an intensity Mallory hadn’t seen in quite a while. It had her heart beating a little faster, and for that reason, she moved out of the situation, not wanting to make Hope feel uncomfortable. She could be patient.

Mallory shrugged. “Not necessary. It was more of a right-place, right-time kind of scenario.” She picked up her plate and headed into the living room, intent to sink into the couch and unwind from her day and somehow forget the moment they’d just shared out of self-preservation. But Hope’s voice stopped her and caused her to turn back.

“So I’ll have that repayment check for you tomorrow.”

“Sure. Whenever you get around to it.” Mallory knew the money issue was a touchy topic between them and didn’t want to dwell on it.

“You were very generous to lend me the money, and I should have been more gracious in accepting.”

Mallory met her eyes. “I was happy to do it.”

“Because you’re always happy to help. It’s your nature. You don’t have an unkind bone in your body.”

They were touching words. “Thank you.”

“I also love that you love nachos.”

Mallory took a moment with the conversation leap. “You do? That was kind of a non sequitur though.”

Hope nodded. “Regardless, it’s adorable. I also like all the lists that keep you going. There’s one on the refrigerator now and probably fifteen in your phone. Those lists are very you.”

Mallory narrowed her gaze, not following the new direction of conversation. “What’s going on with you? Are you on pain meds?” Whatever it was had Mallory’s heart beating a mile a minute in her chest, because it felt like something big was about to happen.

“And you’re sexy as hell in just about anything that you wear, which is pure bonus, if I’m being honest. But a fantastic bonus at that.” At the comment, Mallory’s stomach turned over in the most awesome way. Hope moved toward her, closing the distance between them. “When I first noticed you at the bar, I thought you were pretty and I had a definite crush, but I had no idea that behind it all was the woman standing in front of me right now. Smart, and funny, and the best kisser on planet Earth.”

That’s when a horrible thought came over Mallory. Was this Hope’s way of telling her good-bye for good? Complimenting her to cushion the blow? She wasn’t sure she could take that.

“When I think ahead to each new day, the portions that jump out at me in brilliant neon are any moments that I know you’ll be a part of.”

“Hope, what are you trying to tell me right now? You need to just say it, because I can’t—” She felt the tears as they sprang into her eyes, a culmination of all they’d been through together. She’d almost lost Hope in the attack just weeks ago; she couldn’t lose her now. What did this little speech mean? Was this good? Was this the end? Mallory wasn’t sure she could stand the not-knowing any longer.

“I need you to listen to me.”

“I am listening to you. I just want to listen to you a little faster because—”

“Shhh.” Hope cradled her cheek. “I’m trying to tell you that you’re the most important person. You’re
the
person. Don’t you see? You’re everything, and I don’t want to go another day without telling you that over and over.”

Mallory heard the sentence but at the same time had trouble believing it was meant for her. “Really?” she said weakly, vulnerability assaulting her. Her answer was a kiss, the kind that carried a promise of so many more kisses to come. She believed that kiss, sank into it, into Hope at long, long last. And just like that, she felt her world come back together again and she could breathe.

She felt whole.

“Mallory,” Hope whispered.

“Yes?”

A long, wonderful pause as Hope studied her, stroking her cheek gently with her thumb. “I love you. In fact, it’s crazy how in love with you I am.”

Mallory smiled against Hope’s mouth as the full meaning of those words washed over her. “You are?”

“You have no idea.”

She was loved. And it was everything.

What’s more, she loved Hope just as much.

“Look at me when I say this to you,” Mallory said. She found Hope’s baby blues and held on, never more sure of what she was about to say. “It wasn’t supposed to be you. I fought against it for so long, thinking there was no way we could work, but at the same time, we just do. It blindsided me, all I feel for you. And something that made no sense to me at all once upon a time is now the truest thing I’ve ever known. I don’t want to go anywhere that you don’t go, Hope. I love you.”

Hope closed her eyes and took a moment, resting her forehead against Mallory’s. “Best sentence ever.” A pause. “So we don’t have to be pals anymore?”

Mallory laughed. “Let’s never be pals again. I know I’m a handful and that I can be bossy and opinionated, but I love you and will work on the other stuff.”

“Don’t you dare,” Hope said.

Mallory smiled and looked skyward. “Well, okay.”

There was more kissing on the couch, the head-swimming kind, and Hope marveled at how she’d managed to stay away from this woman for so long. The way they fit together was uncanny, and Mallory had her barely able to construct a thought as they kissed with abandon.

“We have a problem,” she said to Mallory, pulling her mouth away.

“And what is that?” Mallory said, struggling for air, her lips all swollen and perfect.

“
Dateline
is about to start and your nachos have yet to be eaten. Both are going to have to wait, because I’m about to take you into that room and do things to you that could take hours.”

Mallory murmured in pleasure and ran her fingers up and down Hope’s back. “God, I was hoping you’d say that.”

It was after midnight when they came up for air in the safety of Mallory’s bedroom. They’d taken their time, as Hope was still injured, but it had only inspired some pretty awesome creativity. As they lay there, talking quietly, alongside each other, Hope knew there was nowhere on Earth she’d rather be.

“We don’t have it all sorted out yet,” Hope told her, tracing her cheek. “What if I get obstinate again and push you away?”

“I plan to push back. What if I refuse to let you hold the remote control?”

“I’ll ask nicely and make this face.” She demonstrated her innocent eyes and Mallory laughed.

“That should totally do it.”

“Good.” Hope shook her head.

“What’s with the head-shaking?”

Hope, with her head propped up on her hand, looked down at Mallory. “I think a big part of me never thought you could feel for me what I felt for you.”

“Well, that’s just silly.”

“It is. I just…”

“What?” Mallory asked, lightly touching Hope’s face.

“I’m just really happy.”

“Isn’t it great?”

A Spanish guitar struck up the intro to “Here Comes the Bride,” and automatically the wedding guests stood in recognition of the moment. From behind Mallory on the deck facing the wedding guests, Hunter squeezed her hand, and she and Samantha shared a smile. Moments later, Brooklyn appeared on one side of the trellis on the arm of her father, and Jessica and her father appeared on the other. Each father escorted his daughter until they met in front of the officiant.