Having never been in this position, Eric wasn’t sure what the best way was to respond. Before he could, she leaned in and pecked his lips.
Eric backed away. “Jennifer—”
“Call me Jenny.” She stepped forward again.
With the rail behind him, he had nowhere else to move. “Jenny, my girlfriend would absolutely mind—”
“Don’t tell her.” She pressed her body against his, still smiling as her hand grazed over the front of his pants.
Eric flinched. No way was he going there. As much as he loved Sofia, Jennifer was sexier than hell and he was, after all, a man. There were certain parts of his body that would have a harder time rejecting her, if rubbed the right way. He switched places with her, making her the vulnerable one against the rail. “Listen, sweetheart. I’m sure any guy would jump at the chance to be with you—”
“But not you.”
Her offended expression tugged at him, making him feel like a jerk. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”
After the awkward conversation, things went from bad to worse. Jennifer grabbed her drink, insisting she needed it. A few big gulps later, she brought her hand to her mouth and said she needed to find a restroom, fast. She didn’t make it, throwing up in her hands just before she got to the door. Eric held the door for her as she ran in. A few minutes later, two very concerned-looking women walked out asking if he was the sick young lady’s boyfriend.
“I’m a friend of hers,” Eric replied. “Is she okay?”
“No,” The heavier of the two said. “She’s in there throwing up, and sobbing in between.”
Wonderful. Eric glanced around until he spotted his dad and Tina. “Lemme go get her sister.”
He was glad the two women walked back in the restroom. He hated to think of Jennifer in there alone. Tina rushed to the restroom as soon as he told her. He and his father followed right behind.
Before his dad could say anything, he explained about the last drink she shouldn’t have had, but did anyway. He didn’t mention why, though. They sat outside by the closest table to the restrooms waiting. The party was nowhere near being over. There were people dancing on chairs and tables still. Even his dad was still drinking.
Tina finally came out of the restroom. She glanced at Eric then asked if she could speak to his dad alone. His dad stood up and walked a few feet away from the table where Eric sat. The music was so loud there was no way Eric could hear what they were saying even from that close a distance.
Their talk was brief and Tina hurried back to the restroom. His dad turned to him not looking pleased. When he reached the table, he didn’t sit down. “You couldn’t have hung out with her for just one evening without bringing up Sofia?”
Nothing annoyed Eric more than when his dad played his relationship with Sofia down as if it wasn’t as serious as he knew it was. “Dad, she didn’t want to just hang out. And for the record, I hadn’t mentioned Sofia until she started coming on to me.”
“Would it have killed you to just go along for the evening? Damn it, Eric, you humiliated her.”
As bad as Eric felt about humiliating Jennifer, nothing topped the disgust he felt for his dad at that moment. Go along for the evening? He stood up. “I’m sorry about that. I’ll apologize, but I can’t just go along with another girl for the evening, Dade eng . Sofia and I are in a committed relationship.”
His dad didn’t even try to mask his irritation. He downed what was left of his drink and put the glass down on the table. “Yeah, well maybe someone should’ve reminded her of that this past summer.”
Eric felt the air sucked out of him. The blow couldn’t have been any lower. His dad must’ve seen it in his face because immediately he started back-peddling. He tried putting his hand on Eric’s shoulder, but Eric backed away.
“Son, I’m just saying—”
“I think you should stop talking. You’re drunk and you’re already pissing me off.” He started to walk away.
“Eric, you’re devotion for her through all these years has been unwavering, and she cheated on you. You don’t think that pisses me off?”
Eric turned to look at him, ready to go off on him.
“Son, I’m sorry, but anyone that hurts you, hurts me and as far as I’m concerned she doesn’t deserve you.”
Before he said anything he’d regret, but more frantically, before his dad said anything else to remind him of how Sofia had once ripped his heart out, he walked away. His dad called out for him, but he didn’t stop. If his dad said even one more thing to put down Sofia, he’d snap for sure.
CHAPTER 17
The Test
Somehow, Sofia thought she’d be more tired the morning after the party. Instead, she was the first one up. When she got home the day before, everyone wanted to know why Brandon was so adamant about talking to her. Thankfully, Sal had been there to settle everyone down. Everyone that is, but Alex. He was still on fire when she arrived, making her even more relieved she hadn’t been there when it all went down. Between Sal and her parents, they managed to get Alex to let it go—for now.
She stood lost in thought in the kitchen waiting for the coffee to finish brewing when Angel’s voice startled her. “Why you up so early, Sof? You gonna go running?”
The suspicion in his voice hurt. “No.” Her voice was barely a whisper.
Angel stopped at the center island of the kitchen and seemed to consider his next words before saying them. “Sofie, are you sure nothing else happened between you and Brandon?”
She turned to him, her insides falling apart all over again. “It was just a kiss, Angel. A mistake I’ll regret forever.” She hated being so melodramatic about it, but she was beginning to think that damn kiss would never stop haunting her.
He stared at her for a moment and her emotions took over. Eric hadn’t answered any of her calls the entire night and her whole family had been under such stress all because of her yesterday. She tried so hard but her emotions did her in.
“C’mere.” Angel walked around the island and held out his arms. She walked over to him and he hugged her. “Don’t cry, Sofie. It only makes me wanna go find that asshole and kick his ass.”
“It wasn’t all him, Angel.” She finally let it out. “I kissed him willingly.”
Angel pulled away from her to look at her face. “Why? Are you and Eric having problems?”
“No!” She shook her head. “The only person who’s ever kissed me before Brandon was Eric. I think the only reason I gave in to him was because I was curious. But it was so not worth it. I hurt Eric, and caused all this aggravation with my family.”
“You didn’t.” Angel’s forehead pinched. “His stupid ass did.”
“But it wasn’t all him. If I’d have just said no, none of this would be happening.”
“That’s what he wants you to think, Sof. He would’ve kept pushing, especially if he sensed even an ounce of… curiosity on your part. He should’ve never had you in his room in the first place.”
Sofia wiped the tears away and looked up at Angel unconvinced.
“Think about it. Why didn’t he ask any of us to come over and look at his shit? Why was he only interested in having you alone in his house?” Angel’s jaw worked as Sofia was so accustomed to seeing her brothers do when they were mad.
They talked for a little longer, with Angel warning her once again to keep her distance from Brandon. He also made her promise if she so much as got the inkling that he was following her again, to call one of them ASAP.
Back up in her room with her much needed cup of coffee, Sofia tried calling Eric again. To her surprise, he answered. She was so sure he wouldn’t answer she hadn’t even prepared what she would say. But she’d thought about it enough last night, so she took a deep breath, willing her voice not to break. “Hey.”
“How’d it go last night?” He didn’t sound angry, but he did sound down.
“As you can imagine.” She frowned. “Alex was a walking inferno even when I got here.” There w
as an uncomfortable silence for a long moment. Sofia cleared her voice and lay back down on her bed, gripping the phone to her ear. “Are you still mad at me?”
More silence. She squeezed her eyes, a warm tear slipping down the side of her face. She feared the worse. They’d never get past this.
“I’m just trying to understand why after everything he’s done, you’re still willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.”
Sofia sat up on her bed, determined to make him understand even at the risk of making things worse. “Because I can’t in clear conscience just put all the blame on him. Don’t you think it would be easier for me to just agree with you and my brothers? Yes, it was all him. He duped me and poor innocent little me fell for it, he’s a monster! But I can’t, Eric. I knew just going to his house would be an issue with you and my brothers and I still did.”
“You wanted to?”
“I would never choose to hurt you. He said he wanted to show me something, said I didn’t even have to come in he could bring it out. But I chose to go in. Not because I wanted to, Eric, but because at the time it didn’t seem like that big a deal.” She stopped to take a deep breath. “My whole life I’ve been called or it’s been insinuated that I was naïve. That day…”
She wasn’t sure if she should go on, but it felt like this issue would linger forever if she didn’t just say it.
“That day what?” His tone was hard again like it’d been the night before.
“That day I felt something when I went in his room. I wasn’t being naïve, Eric. You all want to believe that I was completely in the dark about what might happen. I had a feeling something would. I could’ve left, walked right out the moment I got that notion but I didn’t. I chose to stay. There’s no way he could’ve planned that.” For a moment, she thought he hung up. “Are you still there?”
He didn’t answer, but she heard him breathe. When he finally spoke, his voice was clearly strained. “So when you told me it just happened so fast you didn’t get a chance to think, that was a bunch of bullshit?”
“No, it did happen fast.”
“But you knew it would and yet you still hung around for it.”
“Eric—”
“I had a beautiful girl throw herself at me last night, Sofia. I could’ve easily done something with her but I didn’t even consider it for second. You know why?”
Sofia didn’t respond. Something squeezed at her throat. When she didn’t answer, he went on.
“Because I would never do to you, what you fucking did to me.”
Sofia was left clutching her phone as the line clicked and Eric hung up on her again.
***
Eric was meeting his dad and the girls for late lunch. His dad called early in the morning, but Eric sent it to voicemail. His dad apologized for his insensitive behavior the night before and asked that he please join them for lunch.
The only reason Eric agreed to go was because he felt compelled to apologize to Jennifer. He never meant to humiliate her. After getting off the phone with Sofia, he now wished he hadn’t called his dad back to tell him he would be there. He was in absolutely no mood for socializing, but his dad had been so glad he was coming and kept apologizing and thanking him. Eric couldn’t bring himself to cancel.
When he got to the table, the girls were nowhere in sight. His dad was sitting at a table by himself.
“What happened? Did they decide not to come?”
His dad shook his head. “No, they’ll be here in about a half hour.” He motioned for Eric to take the seat across from him. “I wanted to talk to you alone first.”
Eric took a seat and prepared himself.
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“About last night, I know you think that I just don’t like Sofia, but—”
“No, Dad you were right.” Feeling the anger, but mostly hurt, inundate him again. He told his dad about the conversation he had with Sofia that morning, then he added. “You know last night Jennifer offered herself to me, no strings attached? She’s going back to New York and said we probably would never see each other again, anyway. Sofia would never find out, and I couldn’t even consider it for a moment. And Jennifer is a great girl. But I could never do that to Sofia.” His dad stared at him, hanging on every word. He was sure his dad was shocked that Eric was spilling his guts like this. But he needed to, needed to let it out, so he might start to heal. “Not only did Sofia do what she did, she did it with Brandon, that piece of trash from up the street. The guy that’s been nothing but an asshole to her and her brothers all her life.” He shook his head. The more he thought about it, the more disgusted he felt. “I thought I could forgive her because I can’t stand being away from her, but I don’t know anymore. I’ve been thinking about what you said last night, maybe she doesn’t deserve me.”
His dad leaned over and patted him on the knee. “Don’t put too much weight on what I said last night. I was drunk and not thinking straight.”
Eric shook his head. The overwhelming pain he’d felt when he first found out about Sofia and Brandon months ago was back. Only this time an utter disgust accompanied it. She’d let that asshole in. And now he had no idea how to get him out. He’d be the perpetual reminder that his beautiful Sofia wasn’t the perfect girl like he’d always thought. He’d held her on a pedestal since they were kids, and Brandon had knocked her right off.
They talked until the girls got there. His dad warned him not to make any rash decisions. Maybe wait at least until he got back. Eric agreed, still not convinced that he could actually go through ending things with Sofia.
After breakfast, they all went for a stroll. Eric waited until his dad and Tina were walking ahead of them and out of earshot. Their walk up until then had been a quiet one. He could tell Jennifer was embarrassed. She’d hardly said a word all through breakfast.
He turned to Jennifer. “I’m sorry if I—”
“No.” She placed her hand on his arm and stopped. “Please. Please, whatever you do, don’t apologize for anything. I feel so stupid.”
“But I didn’t mean to—”
“Mean to what, Eric? Remain faithful to your girlfriend?” She scoffed. “She’s a lucky girl. You shouldn’t have to apologize for being a good guy. Like you said, anyone else might’ve taken advantage of the situation, girlfriend or not. I should’ve never acted the way I did.” She squeezed his arm. “I should be the one apologizing, and I am. My behavior last night was appalling.”
Eric smiled. “I wouldn’t call it appalling. You’re young, beautiful, and single. It was New Year’s Eve and you were having fun—nothing wrong with that.”
With a weak smile, Jennifer started walking again and shrugged. Eric walked alongside her but she didn’t look at him. Instead, she stared at the ground. “We both know it was wrong of me to push even after you so politely turned me down, but I’d rather not dwell on that anymore.” Finally, she glanced up at him again. “Can we just forget it ever happened?”
“What happened?”
Jennifer gave him an appreciative smile. After strolling around a nearby open market place, Eric managed to push his issues with Sofia to the back of his mind, at least for a while.
After about an hour, they stopped to munch on some churros they’d purchased from a vendor.
“Eric.” Jennifer leaned against the railing of the bridge they were standing on. “I know I was the one that asked you to forget about last night, but I can’t help but feel like you’re still feeling uncomfortable.”
Eric turned to her. “Not at all, I just have a lot on my mind today.” He bit into the churro and looked out in the road below them.
“Anything you wanna talk about?”
Talking to another girl about Sofia might help, but after what happened last night, he didn’t think it a good idea. He shook his head. “Not really, just school and my internship.”
When Eric got back to his dorm room that afternoon, he read the long text Sofia had sent him earlier. He hadn’t wanted to hear what she had to say a
ll day. Even now, he wasn’t sure wanted to, but he read it anyway.
I want you to know I’ve never once given any thought to what my life would be like without you in it…until now. I know even after I explained why I let it happen, you weren’t completely satisfied with my answer, but since then I’ve had time to reflect and I think I have a more honest explanation. I was afraid to tell you before, but because of everything that’s happened I think you deserve the truth. After giving it much thought, maybe my brothers were right. Brandon was wrong for taking me into his room and even initiating the kiss. I’ll give them that. But nothing takes back the fact that I let him. Why? I gave in to the moment. Plain and simple. Curiosity got the best of me. Eric. I can’t take back what I’ve done. Believe me, if I could, I would. I just want you to know if I live to be a hundred, the fact that I gave in will be my biggest regret. Even if my prayers are answered and somehow we work things out, I will forever regret the pain that I’ve caused you. No matter what happens. I love you. Always have. Always will.
Eric read it several times, the lump in his throat present the entire time. He was going to have to do one of two things. Either he got over that damn kiss and let it go, or he got over Sofia and let her go. At the moment, both seemed impossible.
***
Eric didn’t respond to Sofia’s text. He hadn’t responded to any of her texts in days. Including the last one where she said she was done torturing herself. He still couldn’t stomach discussing the fact that she’d given in to Brandon just like that. She probably even enjoyed the moment.