Passionate Exchange

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Sophie sings as we step through the door, "you're back!" I kick my shoes off and shrug my jacket off, placing it on the hook.

She rushes over to us at lightning speed, crushing us both together in a hug. My cheek's squished against Penny's and my arm's left immobile at my side. "Mom." She groans.

"Sorry," she chuckles softly before releasing us.

Now it's Henry's turn to hug us. His arms are wrapped around us a lot looser than Sophie's were. It felt like we hadn't seen each other in a couple of days whereas Sophie's hug was similar to the one you'd give someone if you hadn't seen them in a couple of years.

Penny tosses her keys to the side and walks into the kitchen with open arms. "I'm starving." She declares, proceeding to yank open the fridge and stick her head inside.

"Well," Sophie places her hands on her shoulders and turns her around. "You can't eat anything out of there. We have plans."

We wait for her to tell us what she's talking about, but she doesn't get the chance as the door's opened, and I come face to face with the person I've been dreading to see for the past forty-eight hours.

I hate the way my body reacts as soon as he enters the room. It's like it's addicted to him. My heart pounds in my chest and butterflies erupt in my stomach. Whenever he's here I feel like I'm alive. Well, my body does anyway. My head feels the opposite.

Why can't my body catch up with my head?

I try not to let the effect he has on me show for more reasons than one and avoid eye contact with him, instead choosing to look at the potted plant in the corner. I'm sure he wouldn't be looking at me anyway. My gaze involuntarily lifts to check but I glue it back to the floor. Definitely not.

Another pair of shoes passes me and, knowing that it isn't Archer, I allow myself to make eye contact with the person. His black curls, tanned skin, and signature leather jacket are the last things I expected to see. He doesn't usually come around here, not that I've seen anyway.

"You're right on time, son," Henry says.

My eyes glide over Archer's frame and towards Henry. I have to force them to not linger on him. Who knows what would happen if I looked at him? I may be keeping it together right now but as soon as those soul-crushing brown eyes meet mine it'd be a whole other story. The last thing I need is tears streaming down my face in front of everyone.

"We thought we could all go to dinner seen as we haven't spent much time with you over the holidays. Tyler, you're welcome to come to." Sophie reveals. Tyler gives her a grateful smile, accepting her offer so easily, unaware of the inner turmoil I'm feeling.

I notice Penny's eyes narrowing slightly as if she's disappointed, her arms folded across her chest. I don't think she likes him very much.

"Great, let's go. If I don't eat anything in the next five minutes I'm going to pass out."

*

We all shuffle into the restaurant and wait to be seated. Penny hasn't passed out yet, but she was more grumpy than usual when we were sitting in the backseat of her parent's car. She claimed she should have been able to go in her own car seen as Archer rode with Tyler.

It seems like the God's were working in my favour. The last thing I need is to be crammed next to him of all people.

We follow the waiter to our table and take our seats. I'm last to sit down and, of course, the only seat left is next to Archer. Maybe the God's weren't working in my favour after all. Tyler's next to him. Penny, Sophie, and Henry are seated on the opposite side of the wooden table.