Second Chances by Leigh Brown, Victoria Corliss Page B

tracks. She looked so familiar. “Have we met before?”
    She nodded, resigned. “Yes George we’ve met, I’m Sofie Anastas.”
    Recognition dawned as he remembered Pashmina’s friend. The only person he’d ever met from Pashmina’s other life. “Why don’t you introduce me to any of your friends, your family,” he’d once asked eliciting such a look of fear and horror that he’d never asked again. If hiding was the only way he could have her, he’d just have to live with it.
    “Sofie, of course,” he said with a smile gently guiding her out of the shop and earshot of the gossip mongers inside. “How are you? You’re looking well.”
    “Thanks, so are you. I forgot Pashmina said you’re a fisherman now.”
    His ears perked up at the familiar name. “You’ve spoken to her?”
    “Now and then,” she shrugged nonchalantly. “Not as much as we’d like but we’re all busy you know?” She stared at him unabashed. Pashmina was right, he had aged well but he was still trouble. Pursing her lips she shook her head slightly. “She also said you ruined her life and she hopes she never sees you again.”
    He winced. Sofie hadn’t mellowed at all over the years. Her tongue was as bold and blunt as ever. “Mm hmm, I believe that,” he agreed, “typical Pashmina, never taking any responsibility for her own actions.”
    “Excuse me?” Sofie sputtered. “Pashmina’s one of the most responsible people I know. She had to be to clean up the mess you left her in.”
    George’s blood began to boil. It took two to tango didn’t it? All he’d done was fight for the woman he loved. “So I’m the bad guy for telling her husband about us? I’m so sick and tired of hearing that shit Sofie. Pashmina needs to grow up. She was the married one don’t you think it was her responsibility to tell him?”
    “Oh George, you always did think things were simple.” But not for Pashmina. Even Sofie had wondered if they were doing the right thing sending her away from everything she knew and loved. She’d been so young and scared but through it all she’d been incredibly brave too, enough to give up her baby and build a new life all alone. Only a special person could overcome so much like Pashmina had. Sofie’s eyes welled with pride.
    “It was a mistake not to tell him herself,” she agreed, somewhat soothing George’s ruffled feathers, “but you were wrong too, sneaking off, leaving her and the baby alone like that.”
    George started to speak, he’d heard enough about Pashmina and her troubles. It was time to say good-bye and go to work. Baby, what baby ? He grabbed Sofie’s arm. “Pashmina had a baby?”
    Sofie stared at him like she’d seen a ghost, shocked and pale and he felt her arm pull away from his grasp. “Oh shit, what have I done?” He watched her mumbling to no one in particular. “Shit, shit, shit!”
    “Sofie?” he spoke gently trying to calm them both. “What are you saying, did Pashmina have a baby? Did she have my baby?”
    Panicked, Sofie tried to recall what Pashmina had said about her run-in with George. She hadn’t left anything out, describing how good he looked and what he’d been up to since she’d last seen him. She talked about the manuscript he left in her care, how good it was and how dangerous it would be if it ever became public, and then she’d told Sofie about Harry, and why he left. Because of George. They’d talked for a long time about that until Sofie’s grandchildren came in from school. “I’m sorry Pash, the kids just got home and I’ve got to run,” she blew a kiss into the phone and hung up before Pashmina could reply. Dammit! She’d just assumed Pashmina had told him about the baby.
    Now he was waiting for her to answer him. No way, she’d said too much already. “Look George, I have to go, but it was great seeing you.” She turned on her heels, giving him a brilliant smile and disappeared into the busy street leaving George alone and gaping like a