Chapter Text
Working two jobs and going to school is too much.
And Sophie knows it's too much, but there isn't much she can do. Her father died, her stepmother cut her off, and so she's working as a bookshop clerk by day, a waitress on the weekends, and school at night.
She will get through it all.
She will.
She will get through her early education program. She will get her teaching degree.
But first, on this crowded, quiet train back to her very small flat, she needs a nap.
She should probably tell the man next to her that she's going to take a micro nap, but she's so tired, and she doesn't want to talk to anyone.
And before she can rethink that, she falls asleep.
*****
Ben Bridgerton has had a stressful day.
He had a few paintings open at a gallery and not one of his family members showed up. He then had to go to a board meeting where two of said family members made weak excuses on why they didn't show up.
He then had to sit through said board meeting.
At least the train is quiet tonight.
At least the girl next to him is pretty.
Her head slumps against him as she naps through their transit, and he can't say he minds very much. It feels nice to have someone who doesn't want something from him just sleep next to him.
"What's your stop?" he asks softly.
She snuggles into his arm a little. "S'the third from the last..."
Ben grins a little and nods. "Right."
"Thank you," she mutters lightly.
"Mhm." That's easy. It's his stop too.
He nudges her ever-so-gently when their stop comes up, and she jerks away, gasping softly and looking around.
"We're here," Ben tells her gently.
She nods and gets to her feet, grabbing her messenger bag. She looks at him and freezes, staring at him. "Oh. Uhm...Thank you."
Ben grins at her. "No problem." He gets up and heads for the door. "S'my stop, too."
"Oh," she says quietly as they get off the train and stand on the platform.
He looks at his phone and sees his has multiple text message from his siblings and sighs.
"Are you alright?"
"Hm?" he looks at her and smiles. "Fine. Why?"
"You looked a little sad for a second," she says. "Never mind. Thank you again."
Ben watches her and takes a breath. "I'm Ben. By the way. In case you were wondering."
She stops and turns to him, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry. Sophie. Hi."
"Hi," he grins. "Are you alright?"
"Just tired," she admits. "I went to classes, and then picked up a shift at my job after."
"Long day," Ben agrees.
Sophie nods. "You?"
"Uh...never mind," he waves a hand.
"That bad?"
"Disappointing," he admits. "But not anything I can't get over."
They stand there for another long moment, quiet.
"I know this is weird, and you don't know me but maybe we could get a drink sometime?" he asks.
Sophie looks at him, surprised. "Uh..."
"You seem nice," he says honestly.
"My schedule is...chaotic," she admits sheepishly. "Maybe...maybe I could have your number, and I'll let you know?"
He shrugs and holds out a hand, and before either of them can overthink, he plugs his number into her phone and then hands it back.
They smile at each other, a little embarrassed, and say their good nights, before they head in opposite directions.
*****
“Cute guy down the bar.”
Sophie nearly drops her order pad when she spots Ben - the man from the train the week before - at the end of the bar, a glass of whiskey in front of him as he seems to be waiting for someone. He looks a little agitated, and she wonders if he’s waiting for a date.
She frowns. She didn’t text soon enough. He’s moved on.
Easy come, easy go, she thinks. It was one brief moment on a train with a stranger. Who cares?
Still…
“What’s that look for?” Alfie asks as he makes a cosmopolitan for another customer.
“Nothing,” Sophie says quickly. “It’s nothing. He’s just…someone.”
Alfie blinks at her. “Someone? Sophie Baek, if you don’t tell me this instant, I’m gonna make him a vodka soda and tell him it’s from you.”
Sophie gives him a shocked look before blowing out a breath. “He’s…train guy.”
Alfie’s eyes widen as he looks back down the bar. “That’s train guy? Ooh. Sophie. You undersold that one. He is fit.”
Sophie smiles sheepishly. “He is. And he was very sweet. But he gave me his number and I never used it, and now it looks like he’s waiting for a date.”
“No, he doesn’t.”
“What?”
“He doesn’t!” Alfie laughs. “Look at him. Shirt’s buttoned all the way up. Hair is overly neat. He’s either waiting for a business contact or a family member.”
“But-”
“Go say hello,” Alfie orders.
“Alfie!”
“Vodka soda,” he sing-songs out the threat.
Sophie groans, shoves her order pad into her apron and rushes over before she can lose her nerve. She stands behind him awkwardly and reaches out once and then stops. And then reaches out again and taps his shoulder.
Ben turns, a little confused at first, but his eyes light up when he sees her. “Sophie! From the train!”
“Hi,” Sophie smiles back, unable to help herself.
“What are you- you work here,” he figures out quickly. “I didn’t know!”
“I didn’t say,” Sophie grins sheepishly. “Or text. I’m sorry. I…I think I lost my nerve a little.”
“Ah,” he chuckles. “That’s okay. I mean. You didn’t have to text, if you didn’t want to.”
“I wanted to,” she tells him quickly. “I just…” she shrugs.
Ben tilts his head as he gazes at her for a long moment before he reaches out a hand. “Phone.”
Sophie purses her lips and hesitates before pulling it out, unlocking it, and handing it over.
He grins and opens her text messages and texts himself quickly. “Now I have your number. And I can text you.”
She smiles and nods. “Okay. Yeah. Good.”
Ben laughs softly and hands it back. “Listen, I’m meeting my sister for dinner here tonight, but maybe after your shift ends…?”
“A drink?” she supplies.
He smiles and nods. “If you’re not too fed up with customers.” He looks around the crowded lounge. “This place is busy.”
Sophie smiles. “I will reserve some social energy just for you.”
Ben’s smile widens. “I’m honored.”
She takes a breath. “I have to get back to work. But…I’m off at eleven.”
“Then I will meet you here at the bar at eleven,” he promises.
Sophie nods, smiling again and rushing away, back to Alfie.
He grins at her. “So?”
“He’s going to buy me a drink after my shift ends,” Sophie tells him.
“See? Good things happen when you listen to me, Sophie Baek!” Alfie crows.
“Shush, he’ll hear you!” Sophie hisses.
Alfie turns to the other bar tender. “Hazel, comp his drink. He made me right.”
Hazel laughs. “Absolutely not.”
Sophie rolls her eyes, grins and gets back to work.
*****
“You know we didn't mean to,” Daphne tells him as she sips her martini. “It was just a busy week.”
Ben nods as he sits back. “Everyone knew months in advance. Not even El made time.”
“Eloise was busy,” Daphne shrugs. She sighs. “I know the art thing is important to you.”
“Thing,” he mutters.
“It's just that we all have responsibilities,” Daphne concludes.
“And I don't,” Ben says quietly.
“Of course you do,” Daphne assures him. “You're on the board. And the art is nice, Ben. But it's a little…unserious.”
“Mm,” he hums out. “This entire conversation is a little insulting.”
“You're the only one of us not working at the company in an extended capacity,” Daphne argues. “Anthony works with finance. Colin does PR. I work with production. El is getting ready for a spot in legal. You were offered a spot in marketing. You turned it down.”
“It's just not what I wanted,” Ben shrugs. “I wanted to make art for art's sake.”
“And that's very nice,” Daphne assures him. “And we all want you to do well. We just don't have a lot of time.”
Ben takes a breath. “I understand.”
Daphne smiles. “I knew you would. You've always been sweet, big brother. Did the gallery showing go well?”
He nods. “Two sold of the three I showed.”
“That's great!” Daphne beams.
“Oh, shit, I’m late!”
Ben frowns as he looks up, finding Eloise making her way over to them. He grins incredulously. “What are you doing here?”
“Daphne said you were having dinner,” Eloise says as she shoves Daphne over in the booth and sits with her. “And she didn’t say where, but I was stalking your location.”
Daphne huffs out a breath. “I had this covered, El.”
“Was she making a mess?” Eloise asks Ben. “Making you feel like shit because you decided against being a corporate shill?”
Ben nods.
“Fuck, I knew it,” Eloise grumbles. She turns to Daphne. “The words you were supposed to use tonight were, ‘we all cocked up, one of us should have been at that gallery, and we’re very sorry.’”
Daphne huffs. “If you didn’t want me here, why did I get nominated to have this dinner?”
“Nominated,” Ben says slowly.
Eloise huffs out a breath. “We knew you were upset, because you haven’t been responding in the group chat.”
Ben watches his sisters quietly.
They watch him back.
He shakes his head. “You know. Never mind.” He smiles at them. “I just won’t make a big deal out of it anymore. It’s fine. You know.”
Eloise frowns. “But-”
“You’re all off the hook,” Ben tells them as he sips his drink. “Really.”
Daphne smiles, satisfied. “See? He’s fine.”
Eloise rolls her eyes. “Daph…”
She looks at her phone. “Oh! Simon is calling. I need to take this. I love you both. Order me something yummy.”
She climbs over Eloise and rushes off with her phone, and Eloise looks at Ben sadly.
“I’m sorry,” she says. “We all are. Seriously. Even Daph. We fucked up.”
“There’ll be other gallery showings,” Ben shrugs. “And Daph is right. You’re all busy.”
“That doesn’t excuse the shit behavior,” Eloise snaps. “One of us could have shown up. Especially after the whole Tilley disaster.”
“I don’t wanna talk about Tilley,” he tells her quietly.
Eloise nods and reaches out, taking his hand. “Do you want to order Daph the grossest thing on the menu?”
Ben laughs, surprised. “I would love to.”
Eloise grins wickedly and opens her menu with a flourish.
*****
Sophie finishes her shift and then rushes to the bathroom, working hard to fix her hair and face. She blows out a breath and gives up fairly quickly. “Right. It’s just a drink with a stranger. It’s not a big deal. He’s just gorgeous and really nice and your last boyfriend was an absolute nightmare and oh, my god, calm down.”
She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “It’s just one drink.”
With that, she steps out of the bathroom and heads for the bar, where she finds him hugging what she assumes are his sisters goodbye. Sophie waits for them to leave before stepping over.
“Nice dinner?” she asks.
“Well,” he says, turning to her with a tired grin. “The food was excellent. The company was a little stressful.”
Sophie frowns and tilts her head.
Ben waves a hand and shakes his head. “You don’t want to hear it, believe me. It’s long and dramatic and complicated and we don’t really know each other.”
“Well,” Sophie says softly. “If it makes you feel any better, I understand complicated family dynamics.”
He gazes at her softly for a quiet moment before smiling again. “Can I buy you a drink? Maybe get you a chair to sit in since you’ve been on your feet all night?”
Sophie beams at him. “I would love both of those things.”
Ben nods. “What’s your poison?”
“A French 75,” she tells him.
“Ooh, classy,” he grins. He leans over the bar and smiles at Alfie kindly. “Hello. A French 75 for the lady, and two fingers of Cotswolds single malt for me, please.”
Alfie grins. “Coming up.”
Ben turns back to her, and ushers her over to one of the high top tables, pulling a chair out for her.
They both sit, and Sophie smiles at him shyly as they sit together.
“So,” he breathes out. “Sophie who fell asleep on me on the train.”
“And Ben who let me,” she counters lightly.
“You looked exhausted, I couldn’t bring myself to be offended,” he tells her.
Sophie laughs softly. “Well, I appreciate that. I was tired…I…I’m working on my teaching degree, and I’ve got two jobs to make ends meet.”
Ben nods in understanding. “No wonder you were tired. No wonder you didn’t text me back. Where would you ever have the time?”
She closes her eyes and huffs out a breath. “Sorry.”
“Really, you don’t have to be sorry, we don’t know each other,” he reminds her gently. “Well, we don’t know each other yet.”
Sophie grins at Alfie as he brings their drinks over, settling napkins down and then the drinks themselves. “Thanks, Alfie.”
Alfie smirks at them both before rushing off.
Ben blinks and looks to Sophie. “So where is your other job?”
“I work at a bookshop,” she tells him.
“And you’re going to school for teaching,” he says. “Teaching what? Or who, I suppose?”
Sophie smiles. “Grammar school aged.”
“Ahh, little kids,” Ben grins.
“What about you?” Sophie asks. “What do you do, then?”
“I am a junior member of the board at my father’s company,” he explains. “Along with some of my siblings. And I uh…paint. I am an artist. I sold two paintings last week.”
Sophie lights up. “That’s amazing! Who bought them?”
Ben smiles slowly. “Complete strangers.”
“Oh, that’s great!” Sophie cries. “They weren’t even pity buys from friends or family!”
“I know!” he cries, equally excited. “I couldn’t believe it!”
“Well, congratulations,” she says, lifting her glass to him. “To many more paintings sold to complete strangers.”
Ben chuckles and lifts his own drink, tapping it against hers. “Thank you very much.”
Sophie sips her drink. “Did you have a nice time with your sisters tonight?”
“Eh,” he shrugs. “I love my sisters. They mean well. I think we just…haven’t been as close as we used to be. I hope that might change someday. But today just isn’t that day.”
“I’m sorry,” she says softly. “I’m not close with my stepsisters at all. Well. I’ve never been. So I guess I can’t relate.”
“Wicked, are they?” Ben teases gently.
Sophie huffs out a breath. “One is nice. The other…not so much.”
“Well,” he grins. “I have seven brothers and sisters. I’m more than willing to give a few up if you’re looking for some better options.”
She laughs. “I appreciate that. Thank you.”
“Any time,” Ben says, giving her a crooked grin.