ho of airport announcements. Sophie sat across from Daniel, the whiskey in her glass barely touched. Her mind

iet curiosity that made her self-conscious. "So, Sop

with the weight of her heartbreak. She hesitated,

ut the way I hoped," she said, tracing

f judgment. "Sometimes life has a way of t

smile. "More like

fted slightl

iskey grounding her. "I planned this whole romantic trip with my boyfriend-ex-

d, his jaw tightening almos

the sincerity in his tone striking a chord she hadn'

hrug. "And I've seen enough people make t

osity flickering in her gaze

a faint smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "But

volved around Liam-rebuilding their relationship, proving that they sti

ve spent so much time focusing on him, I

"Then maybe it's time to figure that o

had spent far too long compromising, bending over backward to

t. "You're absolutely right. I'm not going to let t

s face, the first she'd seen sin

Liam. She stared at it for a moment before sliding the phone into her p

phone before returning to her face. "Something tell

surprising herself with th

ass in a toast.

ked, the sound sha

from the painful memories she was trying to leave behind. He told her about his wo

on her shoulders slowly easing. Daniel had a way of making her feel s

ling crowd reduced to a trickle of late-night travelers. Sophie felt ligh

tucked into the pockets of his coat. "

eservation had been made in Liam's name, and the thought of returni

ly," she

d he nodded toward his car

ing about Daniel's calm confidence made her trust him. Against her better

ting shadows across Daniel's face. He didn't speak much, his focus on the

a sleek, modern hotel. Daniel stepped o

ews in the city," he said,

and the faint scent of jasmine that lingered in t

ped him. "Just the

he quickly looked away, focusing on the rec

the keycard. "Consider this a reset button. Take some

ingers brushing against his.

readable. "Get some rest, So

s fading into the night. For the first time in w

ng windows offering a breathtaking view of the city skyline. Sophie

t she had lost. She took it out, the stone catching the lig

time to

r thoughts racing. Tonight had been unexpected in e

f. No more chasing after people who didn't value her. No