Restless Hope

Chapter 22

Beth

"For the hundredth time, the universe doesn't hate you. And I'm sure Cole doesn't hate your product either!" Sophie says, holding up an ivory lace top. "You should wear this one!"

Sophie can't resist dressing me anymore than she can Snickerdoodle. I love the girl, I really do, but I have no desire to be her latest project.

"I am so not in the mood to hang out with more strangers," I say as I flop onto her bed and cover my eyes with my arm. I'm feeling completely drained. I just want this lousy day to end. "Why can't you let me sulk here in peace?"

"I still say there's a misunderstanding," Sophie says. "Cole was super sweet to me."

"Of course he was. That's because he's likes you. Me, not so much. I didn't know the guy for five minutes before he ripped my product apart and told me I needed to present it like you!"

"You're reading too much into it. So the guy doesn't like you to say um. Big freaking deal. You're not used to public speaking. You'll get it like that," Sophie snaps her fingers. "C'mon, girl. You need to unwind. Let your hair down and laugh. There's an awesome group coming tonight. My friend Greg is excited to meet you. You two would be perfect together!"

"Right," I say with no enthusiasm. I don't have much confidence in Sophie's matchmaking skills. The last time she set me up with a guy, he took a phone call from his exgirlfriend at the table and spent half the date talking to her. A real winner, that one. Needless to say, date #2 never happened.

It feels weird to be hanging around with nothing to do. At home, I would be helping put dinner together or showing Olivia how to multiply fractions. It's actually kind of relaxing to not have any expectations for once.

"So what did you think of Boob boy?" Sophie looks at me with a mischievous glint in her eye.

"I think he's devastated to lose his muse," I grin. "I'm sure he's missing your wicked sense of humor and intelligence." Sophie snorts.

"Right!"

"Seriously, though, he took one look at my chest and decided there was nothing of interest there," I continue. "Trust me, I'm not complaining. I don't know how you put up with all those guys who ogle you. It's nice to fly under the radar sometimes."

"It's a mixed blessing," Sophie says, laughing. "You wouldn't believe how creative guys can be when assigning names to a stranger's anatomy, especially online where it's anonymous. Apparently ample chests are like pregnant bellies. Everyone feels like they have a constitutional right to make a creepy comment!"

I roll over onto my stomach and prop my chin in my hands. I'm surprised by how much I like Sophie's silk sheets. I've always been the practical one, usually sleeping on cotton, or flannel when it gets drafty in the winter. It's one of the disadvantages to having an old house, though I realize with a pang, that drafty house isn't really ours anymore. I feel a little sick in my stomach as I think of it sitting there, empty. Unless we rent it soon, it doesn't matter if we've moved out of the house. We'll still lose it.

"Uh oh. I recognize that look," Sophie says. "Are you still mad about Isaac switching you out of your group? I would be. Pete, Robert and Ling are way more cool to work with, and Isaac's a dream. He did get a little snippy, though, when Snickerdoodle was naughty—"

"Sophs? No offense, but I'd really rather not talk about Isaac right now. Besides, I wasn't even thinking about him."

"What were you thinking about that made you so sad then? Wait, I know. It's your house, isn't it?"

I nod.

Sophie plops on the bed next to me and gives me a big hug.

"I'm really sorry, Beth. I would be totally gutted if I lost my house. I hope everything works out so you can live there again."