I Walked Away Seven Years Too Late But Right on Time novel Chapter 23

Perhaps noticing the heavy silence in the car, Luke reached over and turned on the radio.

Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" drifted through the speakers, making Sophie's heart skip a painful beat.

Her eyes instinctively flicked toward the rearview mirror, locking directly with his. She froze for a split second before sharply turning her head back toward the window.

The week she moved out of his apartment had been absolute hell.

She had played that exact song on repeat every single night. Back then, she had still clung to the desperate hope that he would come after her. She kept her phone on twenty-four-seven, terrified of missing his call, never letting the device out of her sight.

There were countless times she nearly caved and dialed his number, but she always forced herself to stop.

Hearing the song now brought a fresh wave of stinging tears to her eyes.

Eileen murmured something to him in French, and Luke quickly switched to a more upbeat track.

Maybe she and Jessica were being the ultimate third wheels, ruining the couple's vibe, because Eileen exclusively spoke in French for the rest of the drive.

Sophie caught a word here and there, but by the time her brain pieced together a sentence, they had already moved on. She was hopelessly out of her depth.

Luke used to fly to France twice a year. Sometimes he'd stay for a week, sometimes an entire month.

He had always claimed he was visiting family. Now, Sophie finally understood the truth—he had been visiting Eileen.

It was pathetic. She had secretly taken French lessons for months, hoping that if he ever brought her along, she wouldn't look like an idiot.

How stupid could she be?

It was a sickening realization. From start to finish, she had been played for an absolute fool.

He had a childhood sweetheart waiting in the wings, and when the long distance got too lonely, he had used her as a convenient stand-in.

And she had happily played house with him, actually believing he loved her.

It turned out that burning gazes and tender moments could all be faked.

As they walked into the private dining room, Gwen and Mr. Weaver were already holding court at a packed table. Another table had a few empty seats, and someone waved Luke over, motioning for them to sit.

Sophie walked over to say a quick hello to Gwen and Mr. Weaver.

"Make sure you work that table," Gwen muttered, jerking her chin toward Luke's group.

Sophie gave a reluctant nod. She couldn't exactly dump her messy romantic history with Luke onto her coworker, so she simply turned and headed back.

At the other table, someone was busy interrogating Luke.

"Weaver said you finally got hitched? Which one's the lucky lady?"

The man speaking let his gaze drag over Eileen, Sophie, and Jessica, a knowing smirk playing on his lips.

"Eileen Harper. My fiancée."

After introducing Eileen, Luke turned to her. "This is Leo Lancaster. We went to grad school together."

Leo toasted Jessica before leaning over to clink glasses with Sophie.

"You missed dinner with Gwen last time, right?"

Sophie stood up, offering an apologetic nod. "Something came up last minute. I'm hoping we can make up for it tonight, Mr. Lancaster."

Accepting the card he handed her, she fished one of her own out of her purse and presented it to him with both hands.

"You used to work for Luke. You're practically family. Of course I'll take care of you."

Leo tapped his glass against hers again, suddenly asking, "Why didn't you stay in San Francisco? Was our boy here too demanding of a boss?"

He was clearly joking, but Sophie's brow twitched. She offered a self-deprecating laugh. "Not at all. He's a wonderful boss. I just didn't have what it takes. San Francisco is for elites like you."

"You hear that, Luke? If you aren't going to appreciate a catch like Ms. Sullivan, I'm going to steal her away."

Leo gave Luke's shoulder another pat before raising his glass to Sophie. "Ever thought about jumping ship to my company? Whatever he was paying you, I'll bump it up by twenty percent."

"I appreciate the offer, Mr. Lancaster."

Desperate to escape the conversation before it went any further, Sophie gave a polite smile, grabbed her glass, and headed over to Gwen's table to work the room.

By the time she circled back, the conversation was shockingly still centered on her.

"So, Ms. Sullivan is single? What a coincidence. I happen to be on the market myself."