Having You

Chapter -8 BABY STEPS

As Sophie was heading out of the apartment, she had no idea that Carter was just about to do the same. Their paths crossed once again as both doors opened almost simultaneously. Carter greeted her with a friendly smile, and Sophie returned the gesture, intending to carry on with her day. But before she could leave, Carter gently called out to her.

"Hey, wait a second," he said, sounding a bit hesitant. Sophie turned back to face him, curious about what he wanted. "I just wanted to say... congratulations again on the new place. But also, um, I kind of owe you an apology."

Sophie tilted her head, clearly puzzled. "An apology? For what?" Her brows furrowed slightly as she tried to figure out what he meant. They'd only met once before—what could he possibly need to apologize for?

Carter scratched the back of his neck, looking a little sheepish. "Well, it's kind of awkward, but a few days back, when you were having your housewarming party, I accidentally overheard part of your conversation. I didn't mean to eavesdrop—it just sort of happened. I heard you talking to your ex-boyfriend, and the way you handled the situation... I just wanted to say I was really impressed. You really stood up for yourself, and the way you shut him down? That was... well, honestly, it was pretty great. I guess I just felt bad for overhearing and wanted to apologize."

Sophie's eyes widened for a moment in surprise. She quickly realized that Carter had mistaken her for y/n. It was y/n who had that confrontation with her ex-boyfriend, not her. But Sophie, always quick on her feet, masked her surprise with a warm smile. She knew enough about the situation to navigate the conversation without raising any suspicion.

"Thank you," she said smoothly, quickly adopting the role. "I appreciate that. But really, there's no need to apologize. It was one of those situations where I just couldn't let him ruin my day, you know? I wasn't going to let him have any power over me anymore." Sophie delivered her lines with the kind of confidence she knew y/n would have used in that moment.

Carter visibly relaxed, relieved that Sophie—who he believed was the new neighbor—wasn't upset with him. "I totally get that. You handled it really well, though. Anyway, I just wanted to say that. I'm sorry for overhearing, and I'm glad you didn't let him ruin your day."

Sophie nodded, grateful that the conversation was coming to an end without any awkward slip-ups. "No worries at all. Thanks again for the congrats. I'm really liking it here."

Carter flashed her a genuine smile, "Glad to hear that. Well, I won't keep you any longer. See you around, neighbor."

With that, Sophie left, letting out a quiet sigh of relief as she headed down the hallway. She couldn't help but chuckle to herself—pretending to be y/n had become more complicated than she anticipated, but it was oddly fun too. She admired how naturally she slipped into character, responding just as y/n would have.

Meanwhile, Carter was left none the wiser, walking away with a sense of satisfaction that he had cleared the air and congratulated the "new neighbor" once more. Little did he know that he was still in the dark about who his mysterious neighbor truly was.

Behind the door, y/n found herself straining to catch every word of the conversation between Sophie and Carter. Curiosity got the best of her, and she leaned closer, peering through the peephole. Her breath caught when she finally saw him—tall, broad-shouldered, with a relaxed but confident posture. Sophie hadn't exaggerated; Carter was every bit as handsome as she described. His smile radiated warmth and sincerity, making his features even more striking. His eyes, a soft shade of brown, sparkled with kindness and something comforting that made y/n feel unexpectedly drawn to him.

For a brief moment, y/n felt herself slipping into a trance, captivated by his gentle voice and the ease with which he carried himself. The way he spoke, the kindness in his tone—it was the kind of energy that felt both familiar and enticing. But as soon as she felt the flutter of attraction rising, she mentally nudged herself back to reality, reminding herself that she barely knew this man. Besides, what was she doing secretly spying on her neighbor anyway?