Alex
Alex wasn’t just walking to his car—he was practically running. From whom or what, he couldn’t quite say. His brother blocked his path:
“Alex, what’s going on? Where are you rushing off to? The party’s in full swing, come join us by the bonfire.”
“What’s going on? I’d love to know myself,” Alex thought bitterly. But aloud, he hurriedly mumbled that he’d been called into work urgently and had to leave. He couldn’t stay here among the cheerful crowd. There’d be no avoiding a conversation with Sophie, and he had no idea what to say to her.
Sophie… Sophie Rudenko. The only daughter of the most renowned lawyer in the city, if not the entire region, and the owner of the largest law firm in the capital. A college friend of his brother. Did he like her? Of course he did. How could anyone not like a girl like her? Beautiful, young, polished, full of life, cheerful, and carefree. He could sense her interest in him, too. But was he a match for her? That was highly doubtful. He didn’t even want to entertain the thought. Her wealthy and influential father could fulfill her every whim. Stories of his knack for resolving complex, murky cases were legendary; he was both respected and feared. And he was fiercely protective of his daughter, sometimes excessively so. Heaven help anyone who dared to hurt Sophie—Alex couldn’t even imagine the kind of retribution her father might exact. Besides, Alex had no plans for a serious relationship anytime soon. He devoted himself entirely to his calling—saving lives. What had possessed him to kiss that spoiled girl? Didn’t he have enough thrills in his life already? His work consumed all his time, and he had no desire to build a relationship. For the past year or so, he’d been satisfying his basic needs with a colleague who shared his view: purely physical, nothing more. With Oksana, the agreement was clear from the start—just for health and mutual satisfaction, nothing deeper. She never pushed for anything more, and the arrangement suited them both. And yet, here he was—seeing Sophie bare by the river had completely thrown him off. First, he got angry that she was undressed, then he started kissing her, and finally, he left her alone in confusion. What was he even thinking? Life didn’t come with an “undo” button, did it? He just needed to keep ignoring her, as he had before. It would all blow over on its own.
The next day at work, Alex made his usual rounds, checking on patients, filling out charts, and writing prescriptions. It was a quiet day with no new admissions. Oksana, the colleague he occasionally blew off steam with, popped into his office:
“Hey. How’s your day going?” she purred seductively. “Want to come over for dinner tonight?” she added, lifting the edge of her lab coat to reveal slender legs in lacy stockings. Two days ago, he would’ve agreed without a second thought. But today, for some reason, he wasn’t in the mood. Still, it felt awkward to turn Oksana down—she’d never refused him.
“Why not? Sounds good,” Alex sighed. He needed to do something about this unhealthy pull toward Sophie. “So, we’ll meet after work? What time do you finish?”
“Seven. I’ll wait for you in the lobby,” Oksana smiled, turning to leave. Just then, a nurse burst in: “Dr. Alex, we’ve got a patient brought in by ambulance. Possible leg fracture. They’ve taken him for an X-ray first, then he’ll be brought to us.”
“Well, looks like not tonight, Oksana. Sorry, I’ve got to work a bit longer.”
“Another time, then?” she asked, a hint of disappointment in her voice.
“Yeah. We’ll talk later,” Alex replied with a sense of relief. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, thinking this was probably for the best. The last thing he needed was to sleep with someone out of politeness or obligation… He needed to sort this out. Most likely, it was time to end things with Oksana. The novelty had worn off, and no feelings had developed. Their interactions had started to feel burdensome, at least for him.
After finishing his shift, Alex decided to head into town for dinner. He had neither the energy nor the desire to cook. A light summer rain was falling, bringing a refreshing coolness to the air. He pulled up to his favorite café, his stomach growling. He hadn’t even had time to eat all day. As he opened the door, he heard a shout and a loud crash. Turning toward the noise, he saw a scene that stopped him in his tracks—Sophie was sitting in a muddy puddle, a bicycle lying nearby, and some guy was frantically apologizing. He was helping her up, offering to take her to the hospital. And she was smiling back at him. Mud from the puddle was everywhere, even in her hair, which hung in dirty strands over her face, dripping onto her shoulders. He couldn’t just leave her like this—what if she was injured? Alex told himself as he quickly moved toward her. So much for dinner; it looked like he’d be eating fried eggs again tonight, as long as he remembered to buy some…
Sophie
What a day Sophie was having! A real Monday, even if it wasn’t. From the moment she woke up, everything went haywire—she missed her bus, which made her late for a client meeting. The client turned out to be impossible to please. What should’ve taken two hours dragged on all day, and they still didn’t reach an agreement. Convinced the day couldn’t get worse, Sophie hurried home. Then, out of nowhere, a cyclist crashed into her. She lost her balance, stumbled, and fell right into a massive, filthy puddle. She was covered in mud from head to toe. Her white sneakers were a lost cause. The cyclist hovered around her, apologizing profusely.
“Please, I’m so sorry, miss. It was an accident… I’d be happy to compensate for any damages…” the cyclist rambled, clearly flustered. “Are you hurt? Let me take you to the hospital…”
“On your bike, you mean?” Sophie quipped with a smirk. “Thanks, I’m fine. These things happen.”
“At least take my number. Or give me yours. I’ll make up for the damage to your clothes if I can. My name’s Max.”
Sophie smiled. Okay, so this cute guy is trying to hit on me while I’m literally sitting in a puddle? I must be missing something… But her mood lifted a little.
“Alright, jot down my number. I’m Sophie,” she said, dictating her phone number to him.
Alex rushed over, grabbed her arm, and looked into her eyes:
“Are you okay? Where does it hurt? Don’t just sit there…” Sophie blinked in confusion, stunned to see him here of all places. “And you, young man, watch where you’re going next time. We’ve got it from here. I’m a doctor.”
Max looked around awkwardly, shrugged, and, seeing that no one was paying attention to him anymore, walked back to his bike lying nearby.
Oddly enough, Sophie felt like Alex might be jealous. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking. Still, her spirits lifted considerably.
“I’ve got my car. Let me drive you to the hospital,” Alex fussed over her.
“No, I’d rather go home. I just want to wash off this mud and change. I’m mostly fine.”
“Alright. Tell me your address,” Alex said, helping Sophie into the front seat of his car. He didn’t even seem to care that she might dirty his seats. He carefully pulled out onto the evening road. Her leg ached a bit, and it was starting to swell. She must’ve bruised it, or maybe it was a sprain… Alex kept stealing glances at her.
“I can see my leg’s swelling a little. Maybe it’s better if you take me to my dad’s place instead,” Sophie requested.
“Of course, just give me the address. I’ll check your leg there too. I’m a surgeon, after all…” Alex insisted.
Sophie nodded silently in agreement. She’d agree to go to the ends of the earth with him, as long as it was with him. Meanwhile, Alex, learning the new address, turned the car around and drove her to her father’s house. The trip took a good hour and a half. By then, her leg had swollen significantly, and stepping on it was painful. Alex noticed and scooped her up into his arms. He got smeared with the dried mud himself as he carried her into the house. Catching a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror by the entrance, he let out a low whistle:
“Well, damn, look at this handsome devil straight out of nowhere…” Sophie burst into laughter, knowing she didn’t look any better.
“You can take a shower upstairs on the second floor. I’ll grab some of my dad’s clothes for you. You can’t drive across the city looking like that. Don’t say no. I’ll wash up down here—I don’t think I can manage the stairs today,” she said, nodding at her swollen leg.
Alex agreed, and after Sophie provided him with clean clothes from her father’s wardrobe, she went to clean up herself. Washing up… as if. Her mind was a battlefield of racing thoughts and butterflies fluttering in her stomach. He’d carried her in his arms… held her close… And his scent—it was indescribable. He was here, in this house, in the shower, so close. Her heart pounded so hard she almost forgot why she’d come in here. It took effort to calm her emotions before she could finally shower. When she emerged, she found a heartwarming scene—Alex and her father sitting across from each other in silence, waiting for her.
“Sophie, what happened? This young man says you had an accident and need a medical checkup! Where are you hurt, sweetheart?” her father asked, concern etched on his face.
“Dad, I’m twenty-five, you don’t need to fuss over me like this. Alex is a friend, and he’s a doctor. He promised to check my leg after I showered. He helped me get home and got dirty himself in the process. I offered him a shower and some of your clothes. I hope you don’t mind?” Sophie explained in one breath.
“Of course not. He’s my daughter’s savior. I could even offer him a financial thank-you.”
“That’s unnecessary… Sophie, let me take a look at your leg. I need to get going soon,” Alex said, feeling uneasy. Who knew what this lawyer dad might be thinking, and what kind of trouble that could spell for him? He needed to wrap this up.
After examining her leg, he prescribed an ointment and painkillers, recommended a few days of rest, and quickly left. Her father approached Sophie and hugged her:
“I’m so glad you’re home. I’ve missed you so much. So, are you going to tell me properly what happened? I come home to find some guy coming downstairs with wet hair, wearing my clothes, saying, ‘It’s not what you think.’ It’s like something out of a soap opera. Is he really a doctor?”
“Yeah,” Sophie nodded.
“He seems serious. I can tell you like him,” her father remarked, half-questioning, half-stating. “Well, he’s certainly more respectable than those other guys you’ve dated. They couldn’t even hide how much they were after money.”
“Unfortunately, he’s not one of my suitors. Though I wish he were…” Sophie sighed. “He’s Dmitri’s older brother. Remember my old friend from college? Alex is so serious, so mature. He sees me as a kid. I think he’s out of my league…”
“Nonsense, kiddo. Nothing’s out of your league. Everything in its own time,” her father said soothingly, stroking her hair. “Everything in its own time… By the way, Alina’s coming back from Spain soon. She’ll be here in a couple of hours. Rest a bit, and we’ll have dinner together…”
Alina was Sophie’s stepmother. Sophie’s biological mother had passed away in a car accident when she was just two. Her father had been alone for a long time, burying himself in work to cope. Sophie had been mostly raised by her grandmothers, spending a month with one, then a month with the other. Her father remarried when Sophie was sixteen. Alina was a kind and empathetic woman, and she and Sophie bonded immediately. Even now, Alexander Ivanovich carried a lingering guilt for not being more present during Sophie’s childhood, consumed by grief over his wife’s death and later hiding from the world in his work. He wanted to give her the best of everything, sometimes overdoing it—insisting on a law degree, which Sophie did complete. He’d even tried to arrange a job for her, but she’d put her foot down and moved out. His overprotectiveness weighed on her; she didn’t feel like she owned her life, constantly pressured to meet someone else’s standards. So, after college, Sophie moved in with a friend, took a job of her choosing at an event planning company, and lived on her own terms. She’d had two serious suitors, or so she thought, but they turned out to be gold diggers after her father’s wealth and connections. Alexander Ivanovich had to have a stern talk with them. This Alex guy—he’d need to run a background check on him through his sources. He just needed to recall the last name of that college friend of hers, since this was his brother.
Sophie went to rest in the guest room on the first floor, not risking the stairs to the second. But rest? How could she, when her mind was consumed by thoughts of Alex… She just wanted to be alone and savor the echoes of the feelings she’d experienced when he carried her in his arms and held her close. But why did he act so cold sometimes? At moments, she felt like he liked her too. Yet he made no moves to start anything romantic. Maybe she needed to take the initiative, to grab his attention somehow? Should she invite him to dinner? But what excuse could she use? She wished Alina would hurry back—she was experienced and might have some advice.
Dinner with the family was warm and comforting, filled with a cozy sense of togetherness. Her father doted on his “girls,” asking about their lives and gazing at Alina with adoration. He’d missed his wife dearly during the weeks she’d been away. But Sophie hoped for at least half an hour alone with Alina to share her feelings and seek guidance.
“Well, ladies,” Alexander Ivanovich said, “I’ll leave you for a few minutes. I’ve got some work calls to make. Don’t be too sad without me.”
Sophie and Alina moved to the living room and settled on the comfy couch.
“Sophie, what’s troubling you, dear? I can see something’s on your mind,” Alina began, pulling Sophie close.
“Yeah, I’m worried,” Sophie exhaled. “I don’t even know where to start. Remember Dmitri, my friend from college?”
“Yes. The Zalutsky kid, right? What, do you like him?”
“Not him. His brother, Alex. He’s seven years older, works as a doctor. I’ve liked him since college. But I think Alex doesn’t see me as a woman. There are moments when I feel his interest, but then suddenly he turns distant or indifferent. Today, he took care of me after that cyclist knocked me down. Then he switched back to ‘ice mode.’ I don’t know how to act without pushing him away. Sometimes it feels like he wants to connect with me, but something’s holding him back—maybe the age difference, or he thinks my job isn’t serious, or maybe he’s already in a relationship. I don’t even know what to think. How do I approach him? I’m scared of being too pushy, but I can’t keep waiting for him to make the first move.”
“We need to think this through,” Alina replied. “If something’s stopping him, you need to find out what it is before making any moves to get closer. Maybe ask his brother casually. You’re friends with him, right?”
“Yeah. But I’m a bit scared. What if I’m just seeing what I want to see? What if his interest is all in my head?” Sophie said sadly.
“I can’t answer that for you. You’ll have to figure that out together. But my advice—talk to Dmitri, carefully. Ask about his brother, then draw your conclusions. Ideally, you’d talk to Alex himself. But I get the feeling you’re not ready for that…”
Her father walked into the living room:
“Well, ladies, done gossiping? Let’s have some tea. It’s getting late,” Alexander Ivanovich smiled, looking tenderly at his wife.
After evening tea, everyone retired to their rooms. Sophie treated her leg, noting that the swelling had started to go down. She slipped into her favorite pajamas and climbed into bed. She began mulling over questions she could ask Dmitri without raising suspicion. She tossed and turned over the wording until she finally drifted off to sleep.
In the morning, she called work to say she’d be on sick leave until the end of the week. She also called Jenna, who had sent a flurry of worried texts about Sophie not coming home the night before. She recounted the previous day’s events, not forgetting to mention how Alex had carried her in his arms.
“Oh, Sophie, wait till you hear what I’ve got to tell you! Last night, Dmitri had a fight with Lena, showed up at my place drunk, and started complaining about how all girls are flaky. Then he tried to kiss me and cuddle, and… passed out right in the kitchen. I had to somehow get him onto that tiny kitchen couch. In the middle of the night, he woke up, stumbled into my bedroom, hugged me, and started snoring in my ear. I was melting, and I couldn’t sleep a wink until morning. When he woke up, he saw he wasn’t wearing pants and started apologizing like crazy: ‘Sorry. I didn’t mean to. I don’t know how this happened. Let’s just forget about it,’ and so on. He found his pants and rushed out of the apartment because he was late for work and needed to get himself together. I didn’t even get a chance to tell him nothing happened. Now I think he’ll avoid me completely just to not relive that night. It’s a total disaster. At least before, I could be near him as a friend. Now, I think it’s game over.”
“Well, Jen,” Sophie chuckled, “I can’t leave you alone for one night. Don’t overthink it. Let’s meet up at our favorite café this weekend. You can talk to him and sort it out. I’ll also try to get some info about Alex from him. Don’t be down, girl.”
“Alright. When are you coming back to our place?”
“Not sure. Maybe tomorrow. My leg’s much better. I’ve still got to close out my sick leave on Friday. Maybe I’ll see Alex…”
“Okay. Take care.”
“You too. Have a good day.”
With that, they said goodbye. Sophie spent the day at home: reading a book, watching TV, and constantly thinking about how to invite Alex to meet up without seeming pushy. She decided that on Friday, when she went to close her sick leave, she’d invite him to a casual dinner with friends at a café as a thank-you for helping her. Now she just needed to confirm he’d be at the hospital on Friday. She dialed his number:
“Hello. Hi. This is Sophie Rudenko.” Her heartbeat felt like it was echoing not just in her chest but on the tip of her tongue.
“Hey, Sophie,” Alex’s voice carried a warm smile. “How are you? How’s your leg?”
“I’m good, thanks. I wanted to ask, what time can I come by on Friday to close out my sick leave?” Sophie blurted out in one breath.
“I’ll be at the hospital until seven. You can come anytime that works for you. But it’s better after lunch—fewer patients,” Alex replied.
“Alright. I’ll come by closer to seven then. Bye,” Sophie rattled off quickly before hanging up. Her heart was racing wildly, and this was just a phone call. God, how was she going to invite him to dinner with friends if she forgot how to speak around him? She forgot how to breathe, too. And how to walk. She needed to calm down. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. Right, she also needed to book a hair appointment for Friday, and a manicure, and pick out an outfit. That’s what kept her busy until the evening.