The Longest Ride(109)
“I was just trying to answer your question.”
“By insulting me?”
“I wasn’t insulting you.”
“But you still think that what you do is more important than what I do?”
“It is more important.”
“To you and your mom!” she shouted. “Believe it or not, my family is important to me, too! My parents are important! Getting an education is important! And yes, I do have responsibilities. And I feel pressure to be successful, just like you do. I have dreams, too!”
“Sophia…”
“What? Now you’re ready to be civil? Well, you know what? Don’t bother. Because the reality is that I drove up here to spend time with you, and all you’re doing is trying to pick a fight!”
“I’m not trying to pick a fight,” he mumbled.
But she wasn’t hearing him. “Why are you doing this?” she demanded. “Why are you acting like this? What’s going on with you?”
He didn’t answer. He didn’t know what to say, and Sophia watched him, waiting, before shaking her head in disappointment. With that, she jerked the reins and turned Demon, prodding him into a canter. As she disappeared in the direction of the stables, Luke sat alone amid the trees, wondering why he couldn’t find the courage to tell her the truth.
22
Sophia
“S
o you just rode off and left him?” Marcia asked.
“I didn’t know what else to do,” Sophia replied, propping her chin in her hands. Marcia sat beside her as she lay on her bed. “By then, I was so angry, I could barely look at him.”
“Hmmm. I guess I’d be angry, too,” Marcia said, sounding just a bit too sympathetic. “I mean, we both know that art history majors are absolutely critical to the modern functioning of society. If that’s not a serious responsibility, I don’t know what is.”
Sophia scowled at her. “Shut up.”
Marcia ignored the comment. “Especially if they’ve yet to land a job that actually pays anything.”
“Didn’t I just say shut up?”
“I’m just teasing you,” Marcia said, nudging her with her elbow.
“Yeah, well, I’m not in the mood, okay?”
“Oh, hush. I don’t mean anything by it. I’m just happy you’re here. I had already resigned myself to the fact that I’d be alone all day. And most of the night, too.”
“I’m trying to talk to you!”
“I know. I’ve missed our talks. We haven’t had one in ages.”
“And we’re not going to have any more if you keep this up. You’re making this a lot harder than you need to.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“I want you to listen. I want you to help me figure this out.”
“I am listening,” she said. “I heard everything you said.”
“And?”
“Well, frankly, I’m just glad you finally had an argument. It’s about time. I’m of the opinion that it’s not a meaningful relationship until you have a real argument. Up until then, it’s just a honeymoon. After all, you don’t know how strong something is until you actually test it.” She winked. “I read that in a fortune cookie once.”
“Fortune cookie?”
“It’s still true. And it’s good for you. Because once you two get past this, you’ll be stronger as a couple. And the make-up sex is always great.”
Sophia made a face. “Is it always about sex with you?”
“Not always. But with Luke?” She broke into a lascivious grin. “If I were you, I’d be trying to get past this as soon as possible. That is one good-looking man.”
“Stop trying to change the subject. You need to help me figure this out!”
“What do you think I’ve been doing?”
“Trying your best to irritate me?”
Marcia offered an earnest expression. “You know what I think?” she asked. “Based on what you told me? I think he’s nervous about what’s going to happen between you two. He’s going to be traveling most weekends, and before you know it, you’ll have graduated and he thinks you’re not going to stick around. So he’s probably beginning to distance himself.”
Maybe, Sophia thought. There was some truth there, but…
“It’s more than that,” she said. “He’s never been like this before. Something else is going on.”
“Is there anything you haven’t told me?”