Behind The Proposal novel Chapter 55

The doorbell rang and Sophie looked towards the door and then back to Kim, her heart beating wildly in her chest. It'd been four weeks since she'd seen Tom, and every time the phone rang or there was a knock on the door a little part of her hoped it'd be him - that he'd fight for her, but it was never him. He just didn't love her.

"I'll get it," Kim announced and stood, leaving Sophie sitting there, frozen to the spot as Kim opened the door. She said something to whoever was standing there, then closed the door and walked back towards her with a letter in her hand. "This is for you," she murmured, concern in her brown eyes as she shoved it at her.

Sophie looked down at the gold envelope in her hands. She knew it was from him. And she knew without opening it that it was an invitation to the big dinner thing for his resort. Running her fingers over the surfaces of the paper she imagined him touching all of the same places. It was the only connection she had with him, and she wanted more, so much more. But she was scared. She didn't know if she could trust him. She didn't know if she could trust any man again. He'd betrayed her in the worst possible way, and the gaping hole in her chest felt as raw as it had four weeks ago.

Swallowing hard, Sophie put the envelope on the table in front of her. The very table they'd eaten at every night. She was bombarded with memories of him - he was imprinted in her brain in every way possible - his smell, his voice, his touch, his kisses and the way he made her feel.

"Are you going to open it?" Kim asked from behind her.

"No," Sophie shook her head. She'd wait until Jasmine was in bed and she was alone. Or she just wouldn't open it at all.

"Can I then?"

Sophie looked up at her sister, and nodded. Kim sat down, slipping the envelope open and pulling out a matching gold card and a note. Sophie couldn't look at it.

"It's an invitation to a fancy charity ball, where the new resort will be officially announced and the plans made public," Kim said as she scanned both pieces of paper and then looked back at Sophie. "He really wants you to attend."

Sophie swallowed hard and looked down at her hands clasped on the table. "I can't, Kim."

"Why not?"

"I can't help myself around him. If I see him, I'll just end up back in his arms."

"Would that be a bad thing?" she asked.

"No, we don't," she shook her head. "My life is here. His is wherever his job takes him."

"Maybe you should go with him?" Kim suggested and Sophie's head shot up in shock.

"How can you even suggest that?" She got up and paced the dining room. The thought had crossed her mind more than once, but she didn't know how that would work. Her parents would never speak to her again... Would I really want that?

"Just think about it, Soph," Kim suggested gently. "And think about going to that dinner."

Tom felt like he'd been holding his breath for the past five weeks, hoping that Sophie would accept his invitation to the Gala dinner. He knew she'd received the invitation because he'd sent his PA to deliver it personally, and Kim had texted him to let him know it had arrived. But he'd had no word from Sophie. The dinner was in three days and he had no idea if she would even come. He had no idea if all of his hard work would be for nothing.

He'd finalised all the plans and the drawings had been done for the new restaurants and crèche. They even had a Michelin star chef heading up Sophie's - the resort's main restaurant. It hadn't been easy to convince Pablo Constantine, the world famous Spanish-Italian chef, to name his new restaurant after Sophie. Thankfully, having Spanish and Italian heritage, he liked a good love story and had eventually agreed. He just hoped it was enough to prove to Sophie how much she meant to him.