Chapter 13

Sophie practically dragged her suitcase through the airport, yawning like a sleepy dragon. The vacation had been amazing—relaxing, even—but now, the looming shadow of work responsibilities felt like a giant, grumpy raincloud.

Ethan, strolling beside her with his duffel bag slung over his shoulder like it weighed nothing (probably because it was filled with piña coladas), looked like he'd wrestled a grumpy badger. His usual polished composure had taken a serious hit.

"Home sweet home," Sophie muttered as they stepped outside, the city's chaotic symphony assaulting their senses.

Ethan gave her a sideways glance, his expression somewhere between weary and amused. "You're acting like we were gone for a year, not four days. Four days of pure, unadulterated chaos, I might add."

Sophie shielded her eyes from the afternoon sun. "Four glorious, sun-drenched days," she corrected, her voice tinged with longing. "But now it's back to deadlines, emails, and traffic jams that could rival a zombie apocalypse. I already miss the beach."

"Yeah, you and your impressive bikini collection seemed to have a blast," Ethan teased, a smirk playing on his lips as Sophie playfully swatted his arm.

"Hey, it was a tasteful bikini collection," she retorted. "And don't act like you didn't become best friends with every single piña colada on the island."

Ethan chuckled, shaking his head. "Fair point."

As they waited for a cab, Sophie leaned against her suitcase, her eyes scanning the bustling streets. "Back to reality," she sighed, the words softer this time, a hint of melancholy in her voice.

The cab ride was mostly quiet, punctuated by Sophie's excited commentary on the city skyline and Ethan's grumpy grumbling about his overflowing inbox.

When they finally pulled up to Sophie's apartment building, Ethan helped unload her luggage, placing it neatly by the curb with surprising gentleness.

"Thanks for the ride," Sophie said, flashing him a tired but grateful smile.

"Thanks for the... company," Ethan replied, his voice casual, but his eyes lingered on her for a beat too long.

Sophie waved as she dragged her suitcase inside, completely missing the small, almost imperceptible sigh that escaped Ethan as he climbed back into the cab.

Monday Morning Mayhem

The office buzzed with the usual Monday morning chaos, but Sophie felt oddly adrift. Her desk, usually a comforting mess of papers and sticky notes, now mocked her with its pristine emptiness.

She sighed, powering up her computer. A vacation was supposed to leave you refreshed, not more exhausted than before.

"Sophie!" Mia's voice cut through the office noise like a joyful scream. "You're back! Spill the tea! How was the beach? Did Ethan survive? Did you guys—?"

"Mia," Sophie interrupted, laughing. "Slow down. The beach was amazing, Ethan didn't drown, and no, we didn't spontaneously combust."

Mia pouted dramatically. "Boring. I was hoping for some juicy drama."

Sophie rolled her eyes, turning back to her screen. "Sorry to disappoint."

Across the office, Ethan sat at his desk, scrolling through emails with a scowl that could curdle milk. His vacation glow had been replaced by the pallor of impending deadlines, and his usual sarcastic charm was MIA.

"You look like you wrestled a bear and lost," Zoe, his mischievous sister, teased, popping up beside his desk.

"Thanks, Zo. Really needed that," Ethan replied dryly.

Zoe smirked. "Vacation didn't exactly cure your grumpiness, huh?"

"Vacation was fine," he said, shrugging. "It's the return that's the problem."

Zoe raised an eyebrow but didn't push. She handed him a coffee. "Here. You're extra grumpy when you're caffeine-deprived."

Ethan muttered a thank you, his thoughts drifting to Sophie.

Dinner Plans (and a Whole Lotta Pasta)

That evening, Sophie was scrolling through her phone, debating whether to text Tom. She hadn't seen him since before the vacation, and while she missed him, a little voice whispered that maybe, just maybe, something had shifted.

Before she could overthink it, her phone buzzed. A text from Ethan:

Ethan: "Dinner. My place. 7 PM. Bring dessert. Preferably something chocolatey."

Sophie smirked, shaking her head at his blunt, bossy charm.

Sophie: "Bossy much? Fine, but only because I'm craving your amazing pasta."

Ethan: "You're welcome."

Dinner was a blur of laughter and delicious carbs. Ethan's usual work-induced grumpiness melted away as Sophie recounted Mia's over-the-top welcome-back shenanigans, complete with hilarious impressions.

"Wait, she actually asked if we 'killed each other'?" Ethan asked, his laughter echoing through the apartment.

"She was convinced we'd return with a dramatic tale worthy of a soap opera," Sophie said, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes.

Ethan shook his head, grinning. "Your friends are a force of nature."

"They mean well," Sophie said, shrugging.

"Sure they do," Ethan replied, his tone teasing.

As the night wore on, their conversation flowed effortlessly—movies, music, and their shared hatred of early mornings. By the time Sophie left, she felt lighter, the earlier hesitation about Tom fading into the background.

Ethan, however, sat alone in his apartment, a thoughtful expression on his face. The vacation might be over, but something had definitely shifted.