89| Danger

It had been a week since the charity ball, and Sophie and Ethan were busy preparing for their long-awaited trip to Lake Haven—the beautiful lake town where they'd decided to go.

It was the perfect place for a vacation home.

Though Sophie had tried to help with the planning, Ethan insisted on taking charge.

"Just pack," he told her with a smile. "I'll handle the rest."

She decided to trust him.

Today, Sophie was at the flower shop with Lily and Mia, who had been excitedly helping her plan and pack for the trip.

As Sophie arranged a bouquet, she glanced at Lily. "I'm really glad we're taking this break, but I still feel a little guilty leaving you to manage everything here."

Lily waved a dismissive hand, rolling her eyes. "It's fine, Sophie! You deserve a vacation. Go relax! You're always working," she insisted.

Mia nodded in agreement. "Absolutely. You're a workaholic. Just let yourself unwind for once."

"Normally, I'd argue with you," Sophie admitted, tucking a stray flower into the arrangement. "But lately, I've been feeling off—sick and kind of nauseated. Maybe a break will help."

Mia raised an eyebrow, leaning forward. "Are you sure it's just from working too hard? Maybe you caught the flu. You should get that sorted before the trip."

"Yeah, I'll stop by the pharmacy after work today," Sophie replied, shrugging. "Probably nothing, but just to be safe."

Mia smirked, steering the conversation in another direction. "Anyway—Lily, how's the David conquest going?"

Lily sighed dramatically, feigning heartbreak. "Sadly, I was rejected," she said, pouting. "But I don't plan on giving up. A little persistence never hurt anyone!"

Sophie rolled her eyes, laughing. "Lily, just give up already. We're all tired of your shameless flirting."

Mia's eyes gleamed. "No, you cannot give up." She wasn't planning on losing that bet.

Lily crossed her arms defiantly. "I'm just having fun, Sophie. Nothing wrong with that."

Sophie snorted. "Nothing wrong with having fun, sure. But maybe we should put a limit on family friends."

She gave Lily a pointed look. "Can you imagine how awkward it'll be if you end up dating and then breaking up with David? We'd have to deal with the aftermath, like we always do. We literally stopped going to that restaurant because you dated the owner!"

Lily narrowed her eyes, tossing a flower petal at Sophie. "Do you have to be sensible all the time? And for the record, all my exes love me. That restaurant guy was just a weirdo."

She shrugged. "And who says David and I would even break up?"

Sophie laughed, brushing the petal off her arm. "I'm sorry, Lily, but you don't exactly have the best track record. At this point, we all know you're the red flag."

"Red flag?" Lily shot back, rolling her eyes dramatically. "I'm the red flag? Please! I'm the greenest flag. In fact, I'm the whole forest!"

Mia groaned, covering her ears. "Alright, enough of the sisterly bickering!" She gave them a pleading look. "I can't handle this today."

Sophie sighed, reaching for her keys. "Fine, fine. I have a delivery anyway, but we'll continue this later."

She and Lily went to fill up the van with flowers while Mia stood by, watching them with an exasperated sigh.

"By the way," Mia said, glancing at Lily as she loaded another crate, "what are you going to do when Sophie's off on vacation?"

Lily shrugged, placing the crate in the back of the van. "We were actually thinking of hiring a part-time driver. But if that doesn't work out, I'll just call one of my exes to help."

She grinned, raising an eyebrow. "To prove to you all just how much of a green flag I really am."

Sophie raised an eyebrow, laughing. "That's... not really the point. But that's such a Lily thing to do. Which one of the guys who haven't blocked you yet would you even call?"

Lily gasped, feigning offense, then tilted her head, pretending to ponder. "I don't know... maybe Jason, or..."

She trailed off, catching Mia's sarcastic smirk, then let out a dramatic sigh. "Mia! Come on, at least be on my side for once!"

The three of them laughed, but as Sophie reached for another crate, a sudden wave of dizziness hit her. She swayed slightly, gripping the side of the van for support.

Mia's smile faded, her brow creasing with concern. "Are you sure you're okay to drive, Sophie? We could ask Lucas to help out. I don't think he'd mind."

Sophie shook her head, waving off the idea. "It's ridiculous to ask a rival flower shop to make deliveries for us. I'm fine, really. It's just a couple of deliveries—I'll be back before you know it."

She gave them a reassuring smile, then climbed into the van, waving them off as she pulled out of the lot.

As Sophie drove through the city, the sun glinted off the buildings, casting everything in a golden glow.

It was a beautiful day.

And any time she saw something beautiful, she thought of him.

Ethan.

She loved him. Truly, deeply. He made her happy. But beneath that happiness, a quiet yearning lingered in the back of her mind.

She wanted him to say it back.

She knew he loved her—she felt it in every touch, every look, every way he protected her. But hearing those words from his lips? It would melt her heart.

Because even though it felt too soon... she wanted a family with him.

Maybe it was time they talked about it.

She'd always dreamed of a warm, close family with him. But she also knew Ethan was still untangling himself from his past, still healing. The topic of family was difficult for him. He still went cold at the mention of his father.

But despite everything, she knew—Ethan would be an amazing father.

A small, hopeful smile tugged at her lips.

Then, out of nowhere, a car darted into the intersection.

The impact was sudden, jarring. Metal crunched against metal. Sophie's body jerked violently as the van skidded sideways, the world tilting.

Her vision blurred.

The sounds around her faded.

Her last thoughts, dim and distant, were of the people she loved.

Ethan... Mom... Lily... Mia...

Would they be okay without me?

Then, there was only darkness.

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