"Hi!" Sophie beamed as she rushed into Max's apartment and over to him.
His smile instantly replicated hers as his arms were stretched wide and ready to give her a well needed hug.
Sophie didn't waste anytime in taking a seat on his lap and let her body be embraced before soaking up that warmth and reassurance.
"It felt like you were gone years." Max mumbled as he hovered his lips over hers.
Closing the gap, Sophie's hands then trailed around his neck as she allowed the feelings to spiral in every inch of her body as she kissed him back.
"What are you working on?" She then turned around and drew her attention to the computer screen.
"Ah baby! That was the surprise." Max reached around her so he could take charge of the mac and bring up what his eyes had been glued to since Sophie left.
Clicking on a number of documents he finally opened something for her to skim her eyes over. She was attempting to take in all of the information and second by second it was filling her with even more curiosity.
"You're opening a new hotel?" She turned to look at Max to get some clarification while he was confidently smiling back at her.
Max was the owner of a chain of hotels with a couple situated in New York, a few in London and then more elsewhere.
"I sure am! Look where it is..." pointing towards the screen where it was written in bold letters, Max watched as Sophie's eyes widened in excitement.
It read 'BRIGHTON, ENGLAND' and she instantly knew why he had chosen that place without even having to ask.
"Oh my God!" Sophie's hands flew to her mouth. "No way!"
"Nothing is final yet but the plans are set to go." Max chuckled as he wrapped his arms more tightly around Sophie's waist and pulled her close. "It only seemed right to place one back in your home town."
Peering back at the computer screen Sophie took notice of the model picture that had been created to represent where it would be. It was placed along the sea front not far from the pier or one of her old apartments and she could already imagine what it would look like.
"It's an amazing idea. You have to let me help!"
"You wanna help plan my hotel?" Max questioned with a raised eyebrow and teasing grin.
"Yes! I know Brighton like the back of my hand. The hotel needs to look a certain way to fit in. You'll need my help."
"Then I'll put your name on the documents." Max replied confidently, not even needing to question her abilities. He knew Sophie was capable of whatever she put her mind to.
*
"What are you doing tonight?" Max asked as they left his apartment and headed into hers.
The pair lived in the same apartment complex and it was how they had first met. It made seeing each other through their busy schedules a lot easier as even after a late finish, they lived with only a flight of stairs separating them.
"I have some business meal and dance. Please tell me you are free to come?"
Max stood back and watched as Sophie pulled about with her many dresses hanging up
"Yeah I'm free, what is it for?"
"Honestly, I do not have a clue. I'm just going to create some connections and get my name about a bit more." Sophie shrugged with a teasing grin across her face.
"Isn't that what they are all about anyway?" Max laughed, while winding his arms around Sophie from behind. "No one gives a shit about the real stuff."
"Exactly." Sophie grinned back at him in the mirror before turning herself around in his arms. "Oh and by the way, it's a black tie event so you better find your best suit."
"Already got one in mind."
Pressing her lips to his, Sophie then began making her way to her wardrobe as she began pulling about and trying to decide what to wear. Finally picking one out, she watched as Max's eyes lit up as he knew the dress well that she had chosen.
"Is that the dress?"
"Mm." Sophie grinned back at him as she watched his whole body turn weak.
It was the dress she had been wearing when they first met. She had been living in New York for a matter of 1 week when she had managed to get locked out of her apartment after an event.
She had been standing outside the apartment block getting beyond frustrated as Max appeared, returning from a long night at work. He had been amused the moment he saw her but also very quickly fallen for the accent the moment she began speaking.
"You're British?" He had asked with a spark in his eyes.
"Yes." Sophie had huffed, in no mood to deal with his overly friendly personality during her state of stress.
"It's such a beautiful accent." Max had replied and experienced a moment of lust at a scene that felt like something from a movie. "Damn, how did I not know I had a British girl living in the same apartment block as me?"
Sophie's response had been a blunt remark about how she had only been here for a week. She had been in no mood to talk and had just wanted to get inside and out of the cold due to this dress not covering enough to keep her whole body warm.
"How long have you been out here? You must be freezing." Max had asked in a friendly tone while Sophie wanted to reply with something sarcastic considering it was completely obvious she was cold however, she bit her tongue and politely answered.
Max had then gone on to compliment the dress and herself before getting lost in conversation about Sophie's work. He had immediately noticed that she was in the fashion line of work due to the way she dressed so it hadn't taken long to spark up something to talk about.
Even though Sophie had started off a little blunt, she answered his questions and even tried to force some questions in about where he had been and what he did for a living. Things had started off a little rough for her
however, it had not scared Max off and after he'd saved her from being locked out, the pair had continued to talk daily.
"Make sure you bring you key card this time so you don't get locked out." Max then teased as Sophie already knew that comment was coming.
"Maybe I should just do it because then some gorgeous guy can come and save me from that icy cold night." Sophie played along as she wound her hands up around his neck.
It had been strange how quickly things fell into dating for the pair as it had all just flowed so naturally. There was something about him that made it so easy to talk and there was never a dull or awkward moment between them.
Sophie could easily admit that this guy was nothing like Aaron and probably so far from what she used to claim was her 'type'. However, now she was beginning to question if a 'type' was such a thing when it came to relationships as none of the guys she had been with had ever held any of the same traits.
"That's smart thinking!" Max grinned before making the move to close the gap between them before Sophie's phone began violently ringing in her pocket.
Quickly pulling away she reached for it before being faced with Aaron's name across the screen. He barely called for his own personal needs so she knew it must have been the kids, so she did not refrain from answering.
"Hello?" She sang into the phone before holding her finger up towards Max while he took the opportunity to begin changing into his suit.
"Hey, sorry to call so late." Aaron's voice was the unexpected one on the other end.
Sophie froze for a second as she had automatically just assumed it would be one of the kids and she was also aware that Max was in clear earshot.
"You always forget you're the one who is 5 hours ahead, not me." Sophie laughed at Aaron's confusion even though it had been a whole year.
He still couldn't seem to grasp the time difference between the two places no matter how much she tried to remind him.
"Oh shit yeah, I'm not sorry then." Aaron forced a chuckle yet it was obvious it took a lot of effort for him to do so.
"What's up?"
There was silence for a moment while he didn't say anything and just as Sophie was about to question it again, he spoke up.
"I have a favour to ask..." He began as Sophie walked out of her bedroom to have some space to talk without worrying that she would bother Max.
He knew Sophie had to continue a relationship with Aaron due to the children and he was fine with that however, there were circumstances where the whole thing could feel uncomfortable.
"Go ahead." Sophie urged, curious as to what was going to follow.
"Do you think you could have the kids earlier than planned?"
"What? Why?"
Sophie was supposed to be going back to Brighton in 2 weeks to collect the kids and fly them back to New York for their half term break from school however, it was clear that the plan had changed in Aaron's mind.
"The guys are trying to get us to have a few nights away."
"A lads holiday?" Sophie clarified, knowing he was holding back from saying it.
"Yeah... so do you think you could come back next week and watch them here before they come to you?"
Sophie didn't say anything as she leaned against the kitchen side and let out a long sigh. She didn't even need to check her schedule to know she had numerous meetings and other events she was attending next week. However, she also knew telling that to Aaron would start up an argument they had experienced many times before.
"You wanna say no don't you?" Aaron sounded frustrated when he filled Sophie's silence.
"I... er..." She tried to form a sentence together to explain herself yet it was not proving easy. "I don't want to say no but I have to, Aaron. I already have things scheduled in then. It's late notice."
"Right." Aaron mumbled and the annoyance was clear in his voice. "Too late notice for your own children?"
"Don't do that!" Sophie bit, hating when he tried to place guilt onto her even when she knew he had a point deep down. "If you'd have asked earlier I could have arranged some things but I'm so busy next week."
"Uh huh, I've heard it all before. I don't know why I bothered asking."
As Sophie was about to jump back in and say something that would either save the situation or make it worse, she stopped once she realised Aaron had hung up the phone.
Running her hands through her hair, Sophie then let her hands drop to her sides before letting out a long sigh.
She hated this. She hated how messed up things were and even more so when they were highlighted to her again and again.
Looking around her beautiful apartment that overlooked Times Square, she always felt so much pride and appreciation for how far she had come. However, she was continually reminded of what she had left behind in the process of getting this and what she had sacrificed along the way.
The constant arguments she had with Aaron seemed to be never ending because she couldn't appear to do anything right. She made decisions based on work, ones that she felt as though she had no choice but to do however, they always seemed to cause detrimental effects to those around her.
***
"You look distracted." Felix observed as he placed a drink in front of Sophie.
Since her call with Aaron, she had not been able to focus on this dance they had attended. While Max had been happily mingling, she hadn't been herself and instead been trying to avoid any conversation with individuals who tried to grasp her attention.
"My family life is hanging by a thread, that's all." Sophie sighed as she reached for the glass and let the liquid slide down her throat and cause her some relief.
"Well darling... that's what happens when you become successful." Felix raised his brows knowingly.
Looking to him with a tired expression, Sophie knew as much as she did not want to hear it, he had a point. Each and every bit of success she had experienced so far had come with some kind of sacrifice and as much as she constantly tried to tell herself she could have the best of both, it wasn't proving easy.
"Just gives me a heads up when my life is going to blow up in flames... because that's when I know it's time for a promotion." He continued with a teasing grin across his face.
"Felix!" Sophie stressed. "Now is not the time."
"I'm kidding!" He laughed before taking her hand and giving it a quick squeeze. "Whatever it is, talk it out with Aaron. Rationalise in your head what can be changed and try and meet in the middle."
These kind of situations were not anything new for Felix as he constantly heard Sophie's aggravation with trying to juggle her two lives. He knew she did not find it easy yet he also knew that it was something she had to figure out on her own.
She wanted to find the good balance but she was the only one who would know what that meant for her.
"You're right..." Sophie trailed off before catching onto something that Felix had said previously. "I'm not really a pain to work for am I? I don't make your life hell? Because a promotion wouldn't come just because you're miserable."
Chuckling, Felix realised that Sophie had not taken his joke all too well and instead thought he was being incredibly serious. The last thing she wanted was to be the horrid boss who was making money by the second yet causing everyone to be miserable around her.
Instead, she had inspired to change the business world into something more enjoyable where people could feel inspired rather than trapped.
"You're the best boss I could ever ask for. I'm happy." Felix began before holding up his hand with a beaming smile. "Over the moon actually! I'm getting married... how could I not be?!"
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