Forever Tied to you

8

Mason

I swear, it's like one thing after another since she got here. If she isn't crying she's injuring herself and bleeding all over the floor. Sophie Lanning is a walking train wreck most of the time and yet something intrigued me about her.

"What happened to your foot?" I asked as I stepped in from the back yard. Her foot was bleeding and there was a steady stream of blood from below her ankle to the kitchen tile.

"Shit!" She cursed "sorry I."

"Did you curse?" My mother asked as I chuckled.

She was a train wreck all right, but it was funny to see that she had a fire in her somewhere.

"It doesn't matter." I reassured her as her eyes widened like a deer in headlights. "Let's get you cleaned up." I walked towards her and promptly picked her up, setting her on the kitchen counter.

"I can do it." She almost whispered as I ignored her and grabbed the bandaids and a clean wet paper towel.

I took off her shoe and Carefully I cleaned her up, making sure that there weren't any glass pieces stuck in her foot, before I put the bandaid over it. Then I put her shoe back on, gently zipping it on the inside of her ankle.

I let my hands linger for a few seconds as my thumb rubbed against the soft skin there. She cleared her throat and offered a small thanks before I helped her down from the counter and she walked towards the door.

"Julie? You want to sit outside and talk?" She directed her question at my mother.

"Sure I'll be right out. I'm going to get a drink." Mom replied as Sophie disappeared out into the yard.

"What?" I asked as my mother smirked at me.

"You like her?" It was more of a statement than a question and yet she didn't give me a chance to respond. "It's fine, you don't have to admit it, but I know you."

"It's a deal mom, one I made for you." I stated bluntly as she grabbed a bottle of cold water from the refrigerator.

"Okay son, if that's what you want to tell yourself." She smiled before walking towards the door.

"Wait." I called out as she turned to face me. "What are you both talking about? I didn't think you had talked that much?" I felt as if I was missing something.

"Wedding stuff dear. It may be nothing to you, but a woman's first marriage is a big deal, whether she wants to admit it or not. Since she didn't get to choose you, she should at least have some say in the rest of the day." Mom shrugged before walking outside.

I decided to go to my home office at that point. I still had a list of security issues to finalize for the wedding as well as check on things with the company. Unfortunately the sound of my ringtone interrupted me.

"Hughes." The deep voice known as Frank Alturro came through the phone.

"Frank." I replied.

"I was just calling to see how things were going?"

"It's going good." I lied. "Sophie and mom are outside discussing the plans right now."

"Good, good. Me and the boys were concerned after we hadn't heard from you. Should we be expecting invitations or are you going to send me the details?" He asked, and if I hadn't dealt with people like him before his tone would have made me nervous.

"I'll let you know tomorrow. The girls have to confirm with the venue later today."

"Well we are going to need some kind of proof. Even the press hasn't published anything. No ring, no engagement, nothing. It's not what I would expect from someone who is constantly in the tabloids." He stated and I knew he was right. I just needed to hold him off a little longer.

"Sophie didn't want them all in our business. She wants it to be small and intimate, not front page news. We are going to dinner this evening so I can send you pictures then." I hoped he would buy it.

"I look forward to it." He replied buying me a few more hours, before the line went dead and he disconnected.

I scratched my head before deciding to text my best friend and head of the firm below me, Nick.

"I need you to set up dinner for two tonight, somewhere nice but fairly private."

It took a few minutes but his reply was still fast.

"Made you reservations for the new 5 star place with the rooftop dining room. They're expecting you at 7"

"Thanks."

I got up and made my way downstairs. I knew my mother was fine with Sophie. She wasn't the overbearing parent who thought I was always right, in fact she was quick to tell me when I messed up so I had no doubt that Sophie would be fine with her.

When I walked out they were both laughing and it was the first time I think I have ever seen Sophie smile, genuinely smile, and a beautiful smile it was. She was laughing so hard that she was wiping her eyes and it almost seemed rude to interrupt them.

"Do you need something dear?" My mother suddenly turned to face me.

"Actually yes." I smiled so as not to worry either of them with anything other than enjoying themselves. Sophie was finally smiling and looking relaxed and I didn't want to take that away. "I need you to help Sophie find an outfit for tonight. I'm taking her to dinner so we can get to know each other a little better." I half lied. "I also need to get her ring size so I can have something sent over before we go out."

"I can definitely help with the first and we can get her ring size when we go upstairs. Was there anything else?"

"Actually there was one more thing." I said as I watched Sophie look at me nervously. "Did you happen to talk about possible venues or anything like that?"

"Not yet, but I'm sure we can think of something while we get her ready. Come on Sophie love." My mother stood up, "let's glam you up for the evening."

Sophie laughed again and god if the sound didn't do something foreign to my insides. This ruse was going to be easy for me, because while it was only a ruse, there wasn't any reasons  I had found thus far not to like Sophie Lanning.

As long as I remembered it was just business we would both come out of this unscathed.