“You didn’t mention you were coming to the beach.” Lucinda ran her hand down his chest, with the sweetest of smiles that Sophie had only ever seen Lucinda direct at Ashton.

“Come on, Luce,” Ashton stated irritably, pulling her hand off his stomach.

“Well, I’m suddenly feeling like maybe I got enough sun today.” Sophie stood up.

“Sophie, wait,” he said, stepping out of Lucinda’s embrace.

“Let her go. We have so much to talk about and she was always such a bore, anyway. Don’t you remember what you used to call her? What was that again?” Lucinda didn’t even turn around to look at Sophie.

“What the fuck are you doing, Luce?” Ashton said impatiently.

“Now that you mention it, Sophie…” Mel grabbed her towel and flung it up into the air, spraying sand over Xavier, Lucinda, and Ashton. “I’m ready to go now.” Mel smiled evilly.

Lucinda screamed out, “You bitch!”

“No, actually, I think you have proven to be the bitch here.” Mel stalked forward. Dustin grabbed her by the waist before she could get too close.

“Time to go,” Dustin said quickly. “Come on, little firecracker.”

“Let me go.” Mel struggled against his hold.

“Sophie, don’t go.” Ashton tried to wipe the sand out of his eyes.

“The beach is too crowded for me and I really would like to be alone right now.” Sophie tried to keep the tears from falling, taking deep breaths. She took off across the beach toward Dustin’s car. Luckily the door was open and she slid into the backseat.

She heard Mel’s angry bellows float in the air around the car. “I will gouge your eyes out if you come any closer.”

“Better listen to her, man. Just give her some time,” Dustin offered. His strengths as a bouncer surfaced and he tried to find a peaceful resolution.

“Fuck!” Ashton cursed. “Sophie, just let me talk to you!”

Sophie grabbed the door handle and pulled it open. She stepped out of the car and captured Ashton’s frantic gaze. They all stopped talking and watched her.

“That was just Xavier being the ass he is. I didn’t know she was gonna be here,” Ashton called to her.

“I don’t think I can trust you, Ashton. The scars are just too deep.” Sophie slid back into the car before her eyes started to water.

Mel slipped in next to Sophie. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah…I just want to go home. I have seen enough Lucinda to last a lifetime.” Sophie sighed.

Dustin started the car without a word. “Thank you, Dustin. Sorry about the drama,” Sophie spoke quietly.

“I had four sisters. That was drama. This is just keeping it real.” Dustin flashed her an easy smile.

Mel grabbed her hand. “You were too kind when you spoke of Lucinda before. That girl is a supremo bitch.”

“What have I gotten myself into? I should had stuck with my original plan and intended on being a spinster for the rest of my life. Stayed far away from Ashton and all the trouble he brought into my life. I knew I was gonna end up being hurt. Seeing them both together again just set me off.”

“He was a very enticing package.” Mel squeezed Sophie’s hand. “I must admit he seemed pretty upset just now.”

“Good,” Sophie said, deflated, as she watched the scenery pass by her window. The only place she wanted to be was home. “I guess maybe I overreacted but what are the chances that Lucinda would just show up today?” Sophie looked out the window. “Ashton makes me act like a crazy person and that scares the hell out of me.”

Sophie floated through work that evening. Things with Sam seemed somewhat normal except for the sad smiles she received on occasion but it didn’t feel awkward. She was just grateful he wasn’t angry with her. Megan, on the other hand, refused to speak to her. She suspected Sophie and Ashton had become more than the enemies they had claimed to be. Sophie didn’t bother trying to engage to deny or confess anything to Megan. She let her think whatever she wanted because Sophie lacked the heart and energy to deal with it. Everyone else was oblivious to the chaos in Sophie’s life, making them all the more appealing to deal with. Time flew by and before she knew it she was heading home to her apartment.

Sophie shuffled through her text messages as she opened the door to her apartment. There was a voicemail from her mother asking her to call and a handful of texts and voicemails from Ashton asking her to call him. She took a deep breath when she walked in her apartment.

“What’s that smell? Is it…”

“Cookies!” Mel finished Sophie’s sentence. She rounded the corner from the kitchen covered in flour. It was streaked across her cheeks and dusted on her clothes. The display brought a smile to Sophie’s face.

“Come try them.” Mel skipped back toward the kitchen. “I thought it would be a good idea to have a stock pile of comfort food after today.”

“They smell delicious.” Sophie praised as she observed the cookies spread out over the counter. “How many did you make?”

“Didn’t know what you would feel like so I made lots of options.”

“Wow.” Sophie took a bite of the cookie Mel waved in front of her. It was a buttery shortbread with an icing glaze that melted in her mouth. “Wow. These are amazing,” Sophie gushed.

“I know. Wait till you try the double chocolate.” Mel made Sophie try every kind, which she obliged eagerly. They were all delicious and Sophie found it hard to pick a favorite.

“How did I not know that you could bake like this?”

“I am a girl of many talents.” Mel winked before her smile fell from her face. “I worked in my parents’ bakery for years until my Dad decided to treat himself to one of the girls that worked there. She was actually younger than me. After that everything went to shit. I haven’t spoken to my piece of shit father since and my mom is angry at the world. I can’t stand to be near her. My family is all around, upside down, inside out, and all colors of fucked up.” Sophie hated seeing the pain in Mel’s expression. Mel slowly started opening up to Sophie more and more and Sophie looked forward to the moments when Mel let her close.

“We all have our issues. Sometimes a messy past makes us better equipped to handle the future. When I look at you I see someone who has the strength to take on the world.”

“What would I do without you, Sophie?”

“We make a good pair, don’t we?” Sophie smiled. “Why don’t you sell your cookies? These are so amazing.”

“I have always loved to bake. It makes me happy.” Mel looked lost in thought for a moment. “You really think I could sell them?”

“Yes. They’re delicious.”

“You’ve given me something to think about.” Mel twisted her lips. “Mel the baker? Oo la la. I like it, especially if I get to wear a hat. Maybe I should work on my French and try and pull off the whole French pastry chef persona with a cute little outfit.”

“Maybe you should start with a business plan first and pick out the outfit later.” Sophie laughed.

“You’re no fun, but you have to admit I would look cute in a baker’s hat.”

“Of course. No argument there,” Sophie agreed with a smile, taking another bite of cookie.

After Sophie had eaten an obscene amount of cookies for her supper, she decided she should respond to Ashton’s messages that had repeatedly lit up her phone.

Sophie: I just need some time.

 

Ashton: I promise that I didn’t know she was going to be there.

 

Sophie:…I want to believe you.

 

Ashton: Don’t let it ruin last night. It meant a lot to me. You mean a lot to me.

 

Sophie: Then give me time.

 

She just needed to unwind from the events that had taken place in the last twenty-four hours. It was a whirlwind of highs and crashing lows and she needed to sort through the emotions. She told him she needed to finish her mother’s dress and that they would sort things out later. He didn’t seem very pleased, but finally accepted her request.