Plot Twist(85)

Voice mail 3: We had our first family therapy session which, as expected, did not go well. Your father is not keen on opening up, and I’m not particularly used to it either. Poppy seems to be enjoying herself, and Reece is doing his share, too. Dad and I will continue to work on this.

Dash hesitated, but then deleted her voice mails. He was glad she was getting therapy—long overdue—but ultimately, he wasn’t ready to give her another chance, and he wasn’t sure if he’d ever be.

And then there were many, many texts from Chris.

I’m helping your family transition into support mode. Set them up with an Al-Anon counselor. They seem open to the suggestions.
Just so you know, your family is sort of...wild.
Poppy offered to give me Reiki?
I know this will probably not help, but Reece is very dreamy. Did you know that?
Your mom has intense momager energy.
Your dad is very quiet, which I was not expecting!
I checked the mail and, well, Dash the Doll was waiting for me! I told the police that Cindy violated her restraining order, and they’re going to file a report. But, honestly, this thing is adorable. She’s a very talented crafter and stalker!

Dash liked all the texts except the Dash doll one, to which he gave a thumbs-down. He then texted Poppy a middle finger emoji with no other context, and also texted Reece to wish him luck on the film he’d started to shoot. Yes, Dash had some unresolved tension with his brother, but that simmering anger was something his mom had stoked for years. And maybe now that Dash had cut her out, he and Reece could find a way back to just being brothers, rather than competitors.

But there was still no response back from Sophie. Not even a read-receipt confirmation. A knock sounded at the door, and when he answered, Geon was there waiting. “Can I make one quick call? It will only take a minute.”

“Sure.” Geon glanced down the hall. “I’ll go collect someone else’s phone, then circle back. I hate that phrase, circle back, but it really gets the job done.”

Dash closed the door, then hit the Call icon next to Sophie’s name. He waited for a ring, but the call went straight to voice mail. All he left on the message was “Richard Gere and I miss you,” then hung up. Geon came back and Dash handed his phone over.

The next day was Visitor’s Day. If Sophie came, he’d know they were okay, but if she didn’t? Well, he’d have more things to talk about in therapy.



39

SOPHIE

Sophie had never really done a grand, romantic gesture before. She’d read plenty of them and seen loads more in rom-coms. But for Dash, the man she was in love with, she wanted the first time to be special.

“This is not all going to fit into my car.” Nina stood in the driveway, with the trunk of her luxury sedan popped. “Balloons take up a lot of space.”

“You should’ve gone for the biodegradable confetti, like I suggested.” Poppy twirled a piece of her long, blond hair and gave an I-told-you-so look back.

But nothing, not even balloon shame, was going to get Sophie down. Not today, because it was Visitor’s Day with Dash, and she’d finally be able to say the words she’d never told a partner before. She’d missed his phone call, but she was going to give them both the happily-ever-after they deserved, whether he knew it or not.

“You both know this is the most important day of my life, right?” Sophie walked down the porch steps and made her way to the car, carrying a giant cake box.

“Well, you once told me that getting Rain Boots at the state fair was the most important day of your life, so forgive me for being a little dubious.” Poppy hip-checked Sophie, and Sophie stumbled before righting herself. “But I think it’s really sweet that you’re doing all this for Dash. He’s probably going to shit himself.”

“Now, there’s an image I didn’t want.” Nina grimaced and sipped from the to-go coffee cup in her hands.

Sophie managed to fit the cake box between a container of tea lights and a giant bag of sour gummy worms. “Okay!” She clapped her hands. “I’m ready.”

The grin that crossed her face was almost as big as the balloon banner she’d have to close into the trunk.

“You’re forgetting something.” Poppy waved Sophie’s phone at her.

Sophie grabbed the phone with a knowing look. “I just need five minutes.”

Poppy and Nina settled themselves into the front and passenger seats of the car as Sophie made her way to the avocado tree. She was going to record a final TikTok video to close out her romance author who’d never been in love series. Because, as her audience was about to find out, she had fallen in love...



SOPHIE’S TIKTOK


Relationship status: Complicated


Times I’ve fallen in love: 1


Happily-ever-afters written: 1




Sophie stood in front of the bare avocado tree, a bitten and shirtless Richard Gere dangling by a thread next to her. She smiled to the camera as she began to talk.

“It’s been a little while since I’ve posted an update video. Two weeks, if we’re counting. And if you’ve been following along, then you know my book was due a few days ago. And I did turn a book in to my agent! Yay!”

Sophie bit her lip as she shrugged to the camera. “It’s just not the one I was under contract for. So, yeah, I finished a book. And I’m really excited for you to hopefully get to read it someday. It was inspired by my first time falling in love. All of which never would’ve happened if I hadn’t started making these videos in the first place.