“I KNEW IT! I knew I wasn’t crazy!”
Sophie paced back and forth in her living room, hands flying in every direction as she vented to Benita, who sat cross-legged on the couch, watching her best friend unravel.
“I swear, Benita, I really thought it was a ring! It had to be! Why else would he go into a jewelry store? Why else would he act all weird and mysterious about it?”
Benita sighed, leaning back. “Sophie, breathe. You’re spiraling.”
“I am NOT spiraling!” Sophie shot back, then groaned loudly. “Okay, maybe I am, but you don’t get it! It felt like he was going to propose. It felt—”
“Like a fairy tale?” Benita cut in, arching a brow.
Sophie stopped pacing and turned to her best friend. “Yes! Exactly! And then BOOM!” She threw her hands up dramatically. “It was just a damn necklace.”
Benita gave her a pointed look. “And that surprises you why?”
Sophie blinked. “Excuse me?”
Benita straightened up. “Sophie, think about it. Has Alex ever taken you on a real date?”
Sophie hesitated, then mumbled, “No.”
“Has he introduced you to his family?”
Sophie swallowed. “…No.”
“Has he ever told you he loves you?”
Sophie’s lips parted, but no words came out.
“He told me he liked me,” she finally said, her voice quieter now. “And that he wanted me.”
Benita scoffed, shaking her head. “Liking you and wanting you aren’t the same as loving you, Sophie. You have to be careful.”
Sophie frowned. “Careful? Why?”
Benita exhaled, leaning forward. “Because this thing between you and Alex? It’s obviously not a relationship, Sophie. It’s a situationship. Like I told you before. When I saw the video and I called you to ask if you've seen, I thought the ring was yours but apparently it wasn't so I think you should be careful, Soph.”
Sophie shook her head, refusing to accept it. “That’s not true.”
“Oh, really?” Benita challenged. “Then tell me, Sophie, why haven’t you two made things official? Why hasn’t he claimed you in front of the world?”
Sophie opened her mouth but couldn’t find a response.
Exactly.
Benita sighed. “Look, I know you want to believe that Alex cares about you. And maybe he does, but in what way?”
Sophie folded her arms defensively. “He looks at me differently, Benita. The way he touches me, the way he makes me feel…”
Benita gave her a skeptical look. “And?”
“And on Sunday, he showed up at my place. Unannounced. He even made me breakfast!”
Benita let out a dry laugh. “So now making breakfast means he’s in love with you?”
Sophie’s jaw clenched. “Benita, a man who doesn’t care about a woman wouldn’t do all that!”
Benita shook her head. “No, Sophie. A man who wants a permanent sex partner would.”
Sophie’s body stiffened. “Excuse me?”
Benita met her gaze firmly. “Alex doesn’t love you, Sophie. He just wants someone he can have whenever he wants, no strings attached.”
Sophie’s hands clenched into fists. “Shut up, Benita.”
Benita didn’t flinch. “You know I’m right. Men like Alex? They take what they want, making a woman feel special, but in reality, they’re either in love with someone else or about to marry someone else.”
Sophie felt her entire body go hot with rage. “Alex hasn’t been with another woman in two years!” she snapped. “I checked! I looked him up after his ex-girlfriend showed up at work that day. Two whole years, Benita! No relationships. No flings. Nothing!”
Benita’s brows raised slightly, but she remained unfazed. “And you think that makes him innocent?”
“Yes!” Sophie insisted.
Benita leaned in. “No, Sophie. That makes him more dangerous.”
Sophie frowned. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Benita exhaled. “It means he’s been waiting. And if he really wanted you, he wouldn’t be playing these games. He’d make his intentions clear. But he hasn’t, Sophie. That’s why I’m telling you to be careful.”
Sophie’s chest tightened. “Where is this even coming from?” she demanded. “You were the one who encouraged me to give in to Alex’s advances in the first place!”
Benita looked her dead in the eye.
“That's because I didn't expect you to fall head over heels for him.”
Sophie glared. “Oh, really?”
Benita hesitated. Then, with a deep breath, she dropped the bombshell.
“I heard Alex is getting married.”
Sophie froze.
The world around her seemed to tilt.
“What the hell are you talking about now, Benny?” Her voice barely came out.
Benita’s gaze softened. “You heard me.”
Sophie shook her head. “No. No, that can’t be true.”
Benita sighed. “It is. That’s why I’m telling you all this. Turns out, the ring thing wasn’t just a rumor.”
Sophie’s heart pounded so hard she could hear it in her ears.
She took a shaky step back, her entire body numb.
“What did you just say?” she whispered.
Benita swallowed. “Alex is getting married, Sophie.”