Perfect Enough

Chapter Eight – Sophia

Chapter Eight

SOPHIA

I was still trying to catch my breath as I pulled my gaze away from Josh. Lord, if he wasn’t even more handsome in person—and in a suit. My pulse was already racing, and once I stepped out of the car, and he let his gaze roam over me, I was positive he could hear my heart thundering in my chest.

I’d never had a man look at me like he was…hungry.

I looked at his home, which was stunning. It was one story, with stone along the bottom and a clapboard design the rest of the way up. It had flowerbeds everywhere. He had to have had them professionally done, unless he could add gardener to his lengthy resume.

“The grounds are…stunning,” I said as he put his hand on my lower back and guided me up the sidewalk.

“Thank you. My cousin Avery owns a floral business, and she’s dipping her toes into landscape design. She did all of this.”

I gaped at him. “ This is dipping her toes?”

He laughed. “I know. It’s crazy.”

We walked up three large, oversized steps, all wood—or at least they looked wood. Potted plants were on either side of each step. Two sidelights flanked a glass door painted a soft yellow, complementing the soft bluish-gray of the clapboard.

There wasn’t much of a front porch, and I wondered why.

Josh opened the door and allowed me to go in first, and I stepped into the large foyer. The walls were painted a soft, creamy beige. To my right, an antique-looking table held a large wooden bowl. The floors looked to be polished travertine or some sort of stone.

“Obviously, this is the foyer.”

I nodded.

To the left was a sizeable library-type room.

“This would be the office, but I have an office at the ranch and never do work when I’m home. I don’t have to. Blayze and Hunter handle all the ranch’s day-to-day operations, and I pretty much oversee the ranch hands.”

“Are you the foreman?” I asked as I walked in to study the floor-to-ceiling bookcases along one wall. The front of the room had three large windows with two comfortable-looking recliners. I could see myself curled up reading a book in either of them. There were two more oversized recliners at the opposite end of the room, with two more tall bookcases and a table in the middle of them.

“I think we all hold that title, if I’m being honest.”

I smiled. “This room is…heaven.”

Josh laughed. “I take it you like to read?”

Walking to one of the bookcases, I ran my finger along the titles. They all appeared to be westerns. “I love to read. It appears you do as well?” I turned to look at him. His cheeks blushed the slightest shade of pink, and Lord, did it look good on him.

“I enjoy reading very much.”

I smiled and turned to the longest wall, which had built-in cabinets across the lower half of the span. Above them, family photos were hung up, and I fought the urge to go over and look at every single one.

“Beyond the foyer, down this step, is the living room.”

We walked down two steps into a beautiful room filled with leather furniture. A large fireplace adorned one wall, with more built-in shelves on another. It was filled with more family photos. Then I spotted a piano. “Do you play?”

Josh smiled. “I used to when I was younger. I think my mother gave me that in hopes I would take it up again. Do you play?”

“I do.”

He raised his brows. “You’ll have to play for me sometime.”

The fact that he even thought there would be a next time for me to be in his house caused me to nibble on my lower lip and say, “I will.”

To the left of the living room was a stunning kitchen. It was rustic, with wood cabinets and beams on the ceiling. A breakfast nook sat at the back of the house, and I gasped when I saw the view of the mountains.

“Beautiful view!”

“That’s part of our ranch.”

Turning, I gaped up at him. “It is?”

“This particular land was a small cattle ranch that butted up to my family’s ranch, and when it went up for sale, I bought it.”

“How many acres do you have?”

“Fifty. The sellers broke their ranch into four fifty-acre lots. My uncles bought two and incorporated them into the ranch. Nathan’s house is down the road from mine on the fourth lot.”

“That’s so nice that you guys live so close.”

He winked, and my knees wobbled. “It’s really nice because I just drive out the back, and I’m at work. Well, for one of my jobs, that is.”

I let out a nervous laugh. “That is nice.”

“And here’s the family room.”

We stepped down into a second living room. This one had a large stone fireplace in the corner, a huge sectional sofa that took up nearly the whole room, and massive picture windows on either side of the fireplace that looked out over the property. The wall perpendicular to the fireplace held built-in cabinets with a large TV.

“I bet movie night is pretty awesome in this room.”

Josh nodded and replied, “It’s one of my favorite rooms.”

Once again, he placed his hand on my lower back and guided us out of the room. Moving forward, I glimpsed French doors leading to a large patio.

“This is my room,” he said, motioning for me to enter.

I gasped. “This room is huge , Josh!”

He laughed. “It’s the other room where I spend most of my time, so I wanted it to be comfortable.”

I nodded as I looked at the leather loveseat in front of yet another stone fireplace with a TV over it. In the center of the exterior wall was a bump out holding a treadmill and weights.

“The bathroom is in here.”

The bathroom had more large picture windows, and I wanted to ask him if he was worried about people looking in at night. Of course, he was on fifty acres, and I didn’t see any other houses. In the corner of the room was a huge tub. To the right was a giant walk-in shower covered in marble tiles, floor to ceiling. I glanced up and saw the rain showerhead and nearly moaned. This was my dream bathroom.

There were his and hers sinks, one on each side of the bathroom; both were rustic wood cabinets with marble sinks.

“This is like a spa.”

He just nodded, and I knew he was probably biting his tongue, trying not to admit it was another room he spent a lot of time in.

We looked at three more bedrooms and bathrooms, each decorated in a similar way but with slight differences.

“Did you hire someone to decorate?”

He laughed. “Yes. My sister Rose. I pretty much gave her free rein to do what she wanted.”

“She did an amazing job.”

The other three bedrooms were painted soft gray, blue, and green colors. The furniture looked brand-new, and the beds didn’t even look like they’d ever been slept in.

“When did you move into this house? And I have to ask, Josh…how does a guy your age even afford a house like this? I mean, if that isn’t being terribly nosey.”

“I get paid well for working on the cattle ranch, but I have a trust that my grandparents gave each of us when we turned eighteen.”

Feeling embarrassed, I said, “I’m sorry I asked. That was rude of me.”

He shrugged. “I am young, and I know I have more than many guys my age. I realize how blessed and privileged I am, and I don’t take it for granted.”

I smiled at him. “Well, your home is beautiful. I think most guys your age would go for a bachelor pad in the city.”

“Most guys didn’t grow up on a cattle ranch with a large family like I did.”

I nodded.

“We should probably head out, or we’ll be arriving late and making an entrance.”

Looking at my watch, I agreed. “Yes! Let’s head on out.”

We pulled up to the country club and Josh asked me to wait before I got out. The valet walked up, and Josh said something, causing him to retreat from the truck.

Opening my door, Josh held his hand out for me to take.

“Thank you,” I said.

Josh tossed the keys to the valet. “Thanks, Dylan.”

“Sure thing, Josh.”

Glancing over my shoulder at the valet, I was about to ask Josh if maybe he worked with him at the fire station. Since they were all volunteers, I knew they had to have other jobs, like Josh did.

But before I could ask, someone else spoke.

“Josh, what a pleasure to see you,” an older woman who looked to be in her forties said as we entered the club’s entrance. Josh stopped and bent slightly, kissing her on the cheek.

“It’s a pleasure to see you as well, Lou. Out celebrating something?” he asked, as the older woman blushed.

“I am! It’s my parents’ wedding anniversary.”

Josh grinned as if he was delighted to hear the news. “That’s wonderful. Tell them happy anniversary for me.”

Lou grinned. “I will.” She glanced my way pointedly.

“Oh, I’m sorry for being rude. Lou, this is Sophia. Sophia, this is Lou Decker. She manages the you-pick-it farm for my aunt Lincoln.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sophia,” Lou said, taking my hand and shaking it. She glanced back at Josh and raised a brow. “Well, I hope the two of you enjoy your evening.”

“We will. The same to you,” he said.

Placing his hand on my lower back, he started us walking again. I couldn’t help but notice how Josh smiled and greeted so many people, either with a hello or a head nod. He looked down at me, and I was once again struck by how handsome he was. And the hand on my lower back was causing goose bumps over my entire body. No man had ever touched me so intimately in public that way before. I’d read it in romance books and Lord, oh my, it was hot as hell, just like my books suggested.

“Where’s the wedding being held?”

“Um…” I shook my head to clear my thoughts and was about to answer when I heard my name.

“Sophia?”

I closed my eyes and nearly moaned. “Here we go,” I whispered, glancing at Josh. “It’s my mother.”

He wrapped his arm around my waist, and we both turned to see my mother approaching at an alarming rate of speed.

We came to a stop before she reached us. “I thought you were going to be late.”

“I’m sorry, Mom, we got held up.” Motioning to Josh, I said, “Josh, this is my mother, Gloria Montgomery.”

Ignoring me, my mother looked Josh up and down. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Josh. For a moment there, I thought Sophia might have made up the entire relationship.”

My mouth dropped open in shock. How could she say that in front of him?

“ Mom ,” I said, giving her a look.

She waved me off and reached for Josh’s other arm. “We should get going. The wedding will be starting soon.”

I couldn’t believe she was having Josh escort us both. “Mom, we can follow you in.”

“Nonsense,” Josh said with a dazzling smile. “You wouldn’t deny me the chance to escort two beautiful women in now, would you?”

My mother chuckled. “I think I’m going to like you, young man.”

I rolled my eyes at them both.

It turned out my mother wasn’t kidding. When we stepped into the room, half the room turned and looked at us, as if they’d been waiting forever. I glanced up at Josh, and he let out a low whistle. Everyone watched as we walked down the aisle and took our seats.

My mother started to speak with my aunt Lynn, trying to explain why we were so late. My face felt hot and my ears rang.

Josh leaned in close. “I didn’t realize we were so late.”

Sighing, I said, “Neither did I.”

It wasn’t a minute later, and the music started as the wedding party walked down the aisle. It was a beautiful and quick ceremony, which I was thankful for, because the wooden chairs we sat on were extremely hard. Josh must have shifted a dozen times in an effort to get more comfortable.

Even my mother leaned over and whispered, “My butt is asleep.”

It took everything I had not to giggle.

Once my cousin Lori was on her way down the aisle with her new husband, Jamie, we all got up and went to the reception. I laughed as I noticed my mother walking funny.

“What’s so funny?” Josh asked.

“My mother leaned over and told me her butt was asleep. I think it still is. Look how she’s walking.”

Josh let out a soft laugh.

As we walked to the ballroom for the reception, numerous family members and friends stopped us, wanting to meet “the new man in my life.”

Once we finally made it, I closed my eyes and said, “I need a drink.”

Josh took my hand and walked us up to the bar. He ordered himself a drink and then turned to me.

“Vodka and cranberry,” I stated.

“It’s called a Cape Cod, Sophia. How many times have I told you?”

My cousin Karen appeared and smiled at Josh like he was her favorite flavor of ice cream. “Mr. Shaw, we haven’t been introduced yet,” she purred.

Josh reached out his hand. “Josh Shaw. It’s a pleasure to meet you…?”

“Karen Mitchel.” She giggled as she shook his hand. “I’m Sophia’s cousin. Her mom and my mom, Lynn, are sisters.”

Josh smiled politely.

Turning to me, Karen’s smile faded some. “Why did I not know you were dating someone? I figured after that horrid thing with Drake, you’d be swearing off men.”

Giving Karen a killer smile, I replied, “I didn’t realize you were privy to my personal life, Karen.”

She stared at me, without responding, then turned back at Josh. “So, tell me about yourself, Mr. Shaw.”

He gave me a look, then politely said, “Well, there isn’t much to tell.”

“What do you do for a living?”

“I work as a firefighter here in Hamilton, as well as on my family’s ranch.”

Karen’s eyes lit up. “A firefighter, how sexy.”

Letting out a loud sigh, I said to Josh, “Should we find our seats?”

Josh quickly paid for our drinks. “Yes, let’s find them.”

“I do hope we’re all sitting at the same table!” Karen exclaimed. “I’d love to hear more about your work, Josh.”

I raised my brow and glared at my cousin. Was she really flirting with my date?

“I’m shocked Sophia brought a plus one. She may have told you, she’s recently left a toxic relationship. He cheated on her.”

She did not!

Josh cleared his throat, and she went on before anyone else could speak. “We all thought he’d be the one, but there’s just something about Sophia that couldn’t hold his attention.”

I felt Josh stiffen next to me as I looked around for something to shove into my cousin’s mouth. Why the hell was she doing this?

Feeling my anger boil up, I took a deep breath to calm myself. Before I could defend myself, Josh rose to the occasion.

“I find it strange that you would assume Sophia did anything wrong. If she wasn’t giving him whatever it was he felt he needed, he should have been man enough to tell her that, instead of cheating on her with another woman…like a complete coward.”

Karen and I both stared at Josh with gaping mouths. Karen recovered first.

“Well, you certainly have an opinion on that, don’t you?”

He nodded. “I do, as did you since you felt the need to bring it up. I don’t think it’s fair to blame anyone for another person’s actions.”

Pressing her lips into a tight line, Karen glared at me, then back to Josh. “I guess we don’t know both sides of the story now, do we?”

I thought that would be the end of it, and I let out the breath I was holding. But clearly, Josh wasn’t finished.

“But you called out your cousin, and now you claim not to have all the facts. I’m curious as to why you blamed her .”

Putting on a sugary smile, Karen replied, “This isn’t the place or time for this conversation. I’m so glad I got to meet you, Josh. I do hope we can chat later. Maybe even take a spin out on the dance floor? Sophia won’t mind, will you?”

Josh put his arm around my waist and drew me closer. “I’m glad you finally acknowledged that this wasn’t the place for this discussion. Thank you, but all my dances are saved for my girlfriend.”

Karen’s smile turned to a frown before she replaced it with a fake grin. “Enjoy the evening.”

When she turned on her heel and left, Josh said, “She certainly lives up to that whole Karen thing, doesn’t she?”

I couldn’t help it, I laughed. “She’s never liked me.”

“Lucky you.”

My mother walked over and took my hand in hers. “Did she say anything to upset you?”

“Karen?” I asked.

She nodded.

“Mom,” I said with a light laugh. “I’m not six anymore. I can take care of myself.”

“I know,” she said with a sigh, then turned to Josh. “That girl has a mean streak in her, and I keep telling my sister she’s a little—”

“Mom!” I quickly said to stop her.

“Well, she is!” Mom retorted as she shot daggers at my cousin.

“Mr. Shaw? Why, I haven’t seen you here at the club in forever!”

An older male’s voice caused us all to turn. Josh grinned and put a hand out. “Lenard, it’s so good to see you.”

“How’s Ty doing? Your granddaddy, that is.”

“He’s doing well. I’ll tell him I ran into you.”

The older man gave Josh a pat on the side of the arm. “You do that. And tell him to get his ass over here to play some golf. Our fathers didn’t form this dang club for us not to use it.”

My brows shot up, and my mother drew a small breath as she snapped her head around to look at Josh.

“I’ll pass the message along.”

When Lenard walked away, I leaned in and asked, “What was that all about?”

Josh winked. “I’ll tell you later.” He smiled at my mother and said, “If you’ll excuse us, I’d love to dance with my beautiful date.”

And just like that, he swept me onto the dance floor set up outside on the patio.

“Wow, your cousin is…I don’t even have the words right now.”

I glanced into the ballroom to see Karen flirting with a guy I didn’t know. “I’m trying not to say anything mean about her.” My attention was pulled back to Josh. “My mother is always trying to defend me, and I appreciate it, but sometimes I think she forgets I’m an adult now.”

“I’m sorry she blamed you for your ex treating you like he did.”

I nodded. “I’m a bit surprised by that myself. She never seemed to like it when I had a boyfriend and she didn’t, so I’m sure seeing me with you just kicked her usual meanness up a notch. But for her to just come out and say that in front of you was…well, it was downright cruel. Though, I can’t say I’m too surprised.”

Josh pulled me closer, and I didn’t want to admit how good it felt to be in his arms.

He gave me a brilliant, lopsided, boyish grin, and I felt my knees go weak and my stomach flip. “Some first date this has been, huh?”

My eyes went wide, and I tripped over…well, I wasn’t sure what I tripped over. Josh caught me, and when I looked up into those grayish-blue eyes, all I could think about was how desperately I wanted him to kiss me at that moment.

“Oh, shit.”

Josh raised a brow at my whispered words. “Oh, shit good…or oh, shit bad?”