32. Harper
32
HARPER
A xel and Olivia’s wedding was exquisite, what a complete and utter fairytale. So many tears were shed because it was just beautiful. They looked so genuinely happy, and after everything Olivia had been through, it was nice to see her get her happily ever after with a sexy rockstar. Felix held my hand through the entire wedding, and I even saw him shed a tear as they said their vows. Damn ice around my heart cracked a little more. He seems to be doing that a lot lately. Like the other night when I found him on the roof and he looked stressed, he tried to tell me it was hockey but honestly, I think it was me. I think he’s developing feelings for me. But I think he’s only doing that because we are spending every moment together. His feelings will change again when he starts back for the season, when reality kicks in, and he is away all the time, or he’s surrounded by puck bunnies. And as much as I am lying to myself and everyone around me, I like him, a lot. Okay, maybe I’m falling for him which is a problem. He’s just so likeable, damn Canadians and their stupid superpower of likeability. He fits in well with my friends, my own brother is in love with him, and my mom is constantly texting me asking about him. Then what’s the problem? Oh, I don’t know, the fact that men always fuck me over. You think Felix would do that? I didn’t think any of my exes would, and yet they still did. I just don’t want Felix to be like all the other men I dated in the past. He says he hates cheaters. And I believe him. I guess I’m scared. I can do nothing about that, and I hate that I’m lumping Felix in with all those other men, but how can I truly know? Because he shows you every day that he’s not like the others. True. What man would sign up to fake date me with all that baggage? He has his own baggage, too, he’s no saint. That is also true. He’s so much younger than me. He isn’t ready for the ring, and two point-five kids, he still has so much to accomplish in his hockey career. And you’re rich, you don’t have to work if you don’t want to. But I love working. You haven’t been since arriving in France. A little, but you’re right, I haven’t been checking my emails and stuff. Is this what delegating and not micromanaging is like? Yes. But you’ve also been distracted. Felix is very distracting. You both agreed to enjoy this till the end of summer. Why not just chill, go with it, and when the time is over, if you have strong feelings for him, you could just keep dating him? But I’m too … if you say you’re too old for him again I’m shutting this brain down. What I was going to say was, I’m too messed up and that I’m too old for him.
I wake with a start.
“Hey, you okay?” Felix asks as I sit up in the plane’s chair.
“Yeah, just a weird dream,” I say, shaking myself. Felix calls over the flight attendant and asks for some water for me. We are about to land in Florence to attend his brother’s wedding. It is where I am meeting the family for the first time.
“Are you stressing about seeing my brother again? He’s cool with you attending the wedding,” Felix tries to reassure me.
“I do feel bad that I’m crashing his wedding,” I say as I accept the drink from the flight attendant.
“Don’t be, all that matters is that I want you here.” He grins at me.
How can you not like this guy? “Do you think your sisters and mom are going to like me?”
“They hated Cynthia, which should have been a red flag, but anyone before her, they never gave a hard time. I haven’t seen my oldest sister, Joelle, in ages as she lives in London. She’s the sports physiotherapist for a rugby team. My second oldest sister, Collette, works in sports marketing for my brother’s team. Lettie is protective because she is used to dealing with puck bunnies, she might be hard to win over.”
Right. Win the sisters over. “What about your mom?”
“She’s going to love you, trust me,” he adds. You’ve got this. You’re good with parents. They love you. I take a sip of my water trying to calm my nerves.
We land in Florence, which is one of my favorite cities, but we don’t get to stop because Pierre has hired a huge estate for his family so that they can all be together in one place. The car is waiting for us, and we jump in, it’s about an hour’s drive from the airport to the villa.
“Italy is beautiful,” Felix says, looking out of the window in awe as he ticks another new place off his list. I love how excited he is about seeing places for the first time. I’m used to men who travel extensively and become divas at the slightest inconvenience. That’s not Felix, he just rolls with whatever life throws at him, and I find that very admirable.
We pull up to a gorgeous terracotta and stone-colored villa that is surrounded by nothing but green rolling hills scattered with vines all over it. As soon as the car stops, the front door opens, and two brunette women rush out and Felix jumps out of the car and pulls them into his arms. They speak French to one another quickly as they hug him. Then I see an older woman with dark hair walk out, and Felix lets go of his sisters and embraces his mom.
“You must be Harper,” one of the women states.
“Yes, hi,” I say, holding out my hand.
She looks at my hand and ignores it as she gives me a hug. “I’m Jo. It’s so nice to finally meet you. Felix has told me all about you.” He has?
“All good, don’t worry. I follow you online, sorry not to sound like a stalker. Your ex was the biggest tool. I’m glad you dumped him and started dating our brother.” The other sister smiles happily as she pulls me in for a hug.
“Lettie, you said you wouldn’t be weird.” Felix groans staring at his sister.
“I’m not. And she’s so beautiful. I don’t understand how you are dating someone as sophisticated as her. She’s like New York society royalty, and you’re you,” Collette says to her brother in French.
“She speaks French, too,” Felix replies. I watch as Collette’s face turns bright red.
“Your words are too kind. And you’re right, I don’t understand what your brother is doing with me, all I know is I feel pretty lucky that he is,” I reply to her in French. I turn and look over at Felix, who is staring at me in surprise.
“Hi, I’m Claire, Felix’s mother,” the beautiful older woman says, introducing herself to me with a wave as she holds Felix tightly.
“It is so nice to finally get to meet you,” I say, walking over and giving her a hug. “Thank you for making my boy happy,” she whispers into my ear before letting me go.
“Felix,” Pierre calls out to his brother as he pulls him into a brotherly hug. “It’s been too long.”
“I know,” Felix replies.
Then his brother looks over and sees me, his dark brow raises. “Hey, Harper, long time since I’ve seen you.” I give him a wave.
“You know Harper?” Collette asks, looking confused.
“She’s best friends with Issy,” he answers.
“And we went to high school and college together,” I add.
“Why isn’t Issy here?” Joelle asks.
“You invited her and her sisters, didn’t you?” Collette asks.
“Yes, after the funeral,” Pierre answers grumpily as he rubs the back of his neck, just like Felix does when he’s feeling nervous.
“And?” Collette pushes.
“They can’t make it,” he answers gruffly. “Felix, let me show you around,” he says, grabbing his brother by the shoulders and pulling him inside. His mother gives me a small smile and follows.
“He still loves Issy, you know,” Joelle states.
“Excuse me?” I turn and stare at her, surprised by her comment.
“I knew they were dating. I saw them together one summer when I came to stay at their place in The Hamptons. I think you were there, too.”
“I’d completely forgotten about that, yes.”
“I wasn’t there because I was too young,” Collette adds.
“So, you all knew Issy and Pierre dated?”
“Mom doesn’t and I don’t think Felix does,” Jo states.
“I may have accidentally told him,” I confess to her, which makes them laugh.
“He freaked out, didn’t he?” Jo chuckles when I nod.
“Why do you think he’s still in love with her?” I ask.
“He never got over her moving to London during college,” Joelle explains.
“Because he was being a cheating asshole,” I bite out. “Sorry, that’s your brother.”
Joelle waves my apology away. “He told me. He knew he fucked up and thought he would give her space, but then she went no contact, and that turned into over a decade. Each year that passed I think he thought it was too late until, here we are.”
“After Issy’s dad’s funeral, he came back home and was a mess. It caused so much friction between him and Kitty.” Collette grimaces saying Kitty’s name. “He was having second thoughts about the wedding.”
“No,” I gasp.
Collette nods. “He was so confused after seeing Issy again.”
“I know Issy was pretty messed up after seeing him,” I add.
“You think she still has feelings for him?” Joelle asks.
“She didn’t come to the wedding,” I answer tactfully.
“Shit. Is that why?” Collette asks.
“Even after all these years, I don’t think seeing Pierre walk down the aisle with someone else is something she wants to see,” I tell them. “And her sisters didn’t come because they aren’t his biggest fans, neither am I.”
“You were there when it happened?” Joelle asks.
“I’m the one who showed her. I had heard rumors that he was cheating but I could never catch him. They were having a party at his frat house, and we told them we weren’t going so I knew your brother would let his guard down. Then we turned up late because I had to convince Issy to go, and I marched her up to his room, and like an idiot, he didn’t lock his door, and we walked in and caught him in the act. It was the only way she was going to believe the rumors because she was so head over heels in love with him. Still, to this day, I feel sick that I did that to her, but I couldn’t let my best friend get played like that. She was in class with some of those girls who he was sleeping with. They would smile and chat with her knowing they fucked her boyfriend. To me, that was messed up,” I explain to them.
“Totally understand. It sucks that all this time has disappeared between them.” Joelle sighs.
“Issy is stubborn,” I say.
“So is our brother,” Collette says, rolling her eyes.
“This is his wedding weekend, I don’t think he’s changing his mind,” I explain to his sisters. “And there is no way Issy is coming to break up the wedding either, she would never do that to Kitty.”
Collette rolls her eyes. “Kitty is a bitch. She puts on this wonderful act, but behind closed doors, she’s a nightmare. Her image means everything to her.”
Joelle adds, “Money, means everything to her.”
“But your brother seems happy,” I tell them.
“Yeah, sure.” Collette groans.
I shake my head. “I’m not getting involved. He and I are not on the best of terms. And I’m not going to do anything to ruin his wedding. Think of the karma guys,” I warn them.
“You’re right.” Collette sighs.
“Who are we to judge someone’s relationship? Kitty and Peirre at home might have the best time in the world. I mean, they have to be in love if they are getting married?”
“You’re right. It’s just our sister instincts are acting up,” Joelle explains.
“I get that, I have an older brother, too, and I’d probably be acting the same way.”
“But we think he’s making a mistake,” Collette adds.
“It’s his mistake to make though.”
“Lettie, let it go. It is what it is now. They are getting married in two days,” Jo warns her younger sister.
“You live a continent away, I live and work with him. You don’t see them together,” she tries to explain.
“Leave it. Let’s go inside and put our happy faces on,” Jo tells her.
“Fine,” Collette agrees.
“You look fucking unbelievable,” Felix whispers into my ear as I join him at the dinner table. I haven’t seen him most of the day. His brother has been commanding his attention for most of the afternoon, which I’m okay about. He hasn’t seen his family in ages, and I was happy hanging out with his sisters. “I’m sorry, I’ve been with my brother all day.”
I lean over and kiss him softly on the lips. “You don’t need to apologize, your sisters kept me entertained.”
“They did?” He seems surprised.
“Yeah, apparently Jo and I spent one summer together in The Hamptons, I completely forgot all about that.”
Felix stares at me in disbelief. “I’m glad you’re getting along with them, they mean the world to me.”
“I love them, I’ve always wanted sisters,” I tell him honestly. He leans in and kisses me this time more passionately.
“Ew, get a room,” Collette teases as she sits down beside me.
We sat through the welcome dinner and that was the first time I met Kitty, she is every inch an influencer. She and her bridesmaids were over the top, taking photos and posing. You could see Kitty loved the spotlight, she would snap at her friends if they didn’t do what she wanted. Little bridezilla-like, but I guess weddings are stressful. Totally different vibe to Axel and Olivia’s, but each to their own.
Currently, I’m on the dancefloor with Felix who is whispering dirty things in my ear as he grinds himself on me.
“Hey, brother, do you mind if I have a chat with your girl outside for a moment?” Peirre asks. Felix seems surprised as am I.
“I’m fine,” I say, tapping my hand on his chest. He nods, and I follow Pierre off the noisy dancefloor and out the French doors into the garden where it’s quiet. “So, this is weird,” I say, breaking the tension.
“Very. Never expected you to be dating my baby brother,” Pierre quips.
“Nice dig at my age there.”
“Well, there is an age difference.”
“And?” I question him. Peirre shrugs as he continues to walk. “Look, this is your wedding weekend, so I’m attempting to be nice for Felix, not you.”
“You’re such a saint, Harper,” he says, rolling his eyes at me.
“Is this your brotherly chat to tell me to stay away from your brother? Letting me know I’m no good for him? You don’t have to tell me, I already know,” I yell at him.
Pierre stares at me as if I’ve grown a second head. “Wow. You actually like my brother,” he says, bursting out laughing. I’m so fucking confused.
“Of course I do.”
“I thought this was a fling, but maybe it’s not.”
“What this is or isn’t is none of your business,” I tell him.
Pierre holds up his hands. “Okay, okay, I’m not here to fight with you. All I wanted to say was my brother may act like a player, but he has a big heart, and I don’t want to see you break it because you have a reputation.”
“Fuck you,” I say, turning on my heel and walking back toward the dance floor.
Pierre reaches out and stops me. “Hey, I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re not,” I say, crossing my arms in front of me. “Was there a point to this talk besides insulting me?”
He scrubs his face. “Yes, how’s Issy?” I stare at him in surprise. “Is she doing okay after her father’s death?”
“No,” I answer him honestly.
“Shit,” he curses under his breath. “Is that why she didn’t come to my wedding?”
I stare at him, and I see anguish written across his face. “What other reason would there be?”
He rubs the back of his neck again. “I don’t know.”
My eyes narrow on him. “You’re not having second thoughts, are you?”
“About Issy?” he answers.
“No, about your wedding?” He starts to walk again, and I can feel the nervous tension radiating off him. “Is everything okay?”
“I don’t know,” he confesses, and the next thing I know, his steps quicken, and I am having to almost run beside him to keep up.
“Do you need me to get someone?” Because I am not the person he needs to be breaking down with.
“This is normal right? Having second thoughts about getting married?” he asks.
“Um, maybe, I don’t know I’ve never been in this position before,” I answer him as I continue to keep pace.
“Marriage is a big deal. You know it’s, like, forever,” he mumbles.
“I guess technically, but you know divorce does exist.” Not sure if that’s a helpful answer.
“I love Kitty,” he says unconvincingly.
“Are you sure I shouldn’t go back and grab Felix? This seems like something you should be talking to him about,” I tell him.
“They won’t be honest with me,” he says.
“You think I’m going to be honest?” I ask him.
“Yes.”
I think that is the nicest thing he’s ever said to me. “Look, I think it’s normal to get jitters before you get married. Answer me this; if for some reason the wedding was canceled, would you be relieved or sad that you couldn’t marry your soulmate?” Pierre gives me a look. “Oh shit,” I blurt out.
“Right?”
“This isn’t good.”
“No shit, Harper. How do you think I feel? My brain is telling me to run and so is my heart,” he confesses.
Shit. Shit. Shit. This isn’t good.
“Are you sure you don’t need someone from your family to talk you off the ledge because I still feel like I’m not qualified for this bullshit,” I tell him.
“I wish the universe would give me a fucking sigh to tell me what to do.” He curses.
“Not sure if that is how the universe works, but I guess we have nothing else to guide us at the moment,” I tell him.
We hear giggles and both stop and stare at each other.
“Yes, Daddy,” Kitty’s baby voice echoes through the garden as a male’s voice mumbles after her.
No fucking way, universe, you can’t be serious. That was fast.
“Pull out your phone and start filming,” Pierre tells me. I do as he asks, pull out my phone, and hit video. We start to creep toward the sound.
“Harder Daddy, harder.” Kitty moans. My face is turning bright red, but I keep filming.
We turn around the corner of the garden and hide behind the bush. I zoom in on the man in the suit who is fucking Kitty, his face turns, and that’s when you get a glimpse of it.
“Fuck,” Pierre curses.
“What? Who is it?” I ask him.
“We have to go,” he says and storms off. I stop filming and run after him.
“Pierre, who the hell was that?” I yell after him.
He whirls around, and his hazel eyes, so much like Felix’s, look like wildfire. “That is the fucking owner of my hockey team, Bill Reeves, he’s a fucking billionaire. And he’s sixty and married. He has fucking grandkids closer in age to Kitty than him.”
“Fuck.” We stare at each other.
“What the hell am I going to do? I can’t marry her. And of all the people … he could end my career,” Pierre states.
Think, Harper, think. “My plane is waiting for me at Florence Airport, let me text my pilot and put him on standby,” I tell him.
“You would do that for me?”
“Yeah. I would,” I answer him honestly. The next thing I know Pierre is hugging me.
“What the hell is going on here?” Felix asks angrily.
“It’s not what you think,” Pierre tells him.
There is hurt on Felix’s face as he looks between his brother and me. “We just busted Kitty fucking the owner of your brother’s hockey team in the garden, and I’m trying to organize an extraction mission. Are you in?” I ask Felix. Utter confusion falls across his face. “Felix, are you in?” I raise my voice at him.
“I’m fucking in,” he says, snapping out of his frozen stupor.
“Good. Text your sisters and Mom and tell them to meet in our room in five. Tell them it’s an SOS. We have a runaway groom.”
“What the hell is going on?” Joelle asks as she bursts into our bedroom.
“Kitty has been screwing the owner of the team. Pierre and Harper just spotted them doing it in the garden.” Collette fills her in.
“What the fuck? He’s old.”
“Language, girls,” Claire states.
“Yeah, but he’s a billionaire,” Collette adds.
“What’s the plan?” Joelle asks.
“My plane is ready back in Florence, my driver is waiting downstairs. I’m taking the boys back to New York with me. Collette and your mother have asked to stay to distract Kitty and her family long enough for your brother to escape.
“I’m in, too,” Joelle states.
“Thank you,” Pierre says, rushing over to his sister and hugging her.
“I can’t believe she did this to you,” Joelle says, hugging him back. “And with that old guy, too.”
“Hey, he’s my age,” Felix’s mom says.
“You’re not sleeping with men in their twenties, Mom,” Joelle adds.
“You sure you’re okay with this? Because there is plenty of room on the plane,” I ask everyone.
“Hell yeah, I can’t wait to see Kitty freaking out.” Collette grins.
Not sure if I want to stick around and see that.
“Go, you guys, we’ve got this,” Joelle tells us.
They all rush over and hug Pierre again, tears are shed as the family say their goodbyes.
“Thank you for helping my boy,” Claire says, bursting into tears as she hugs me.
“It’s nothing,” I tell her.
“No, it’s something. You didn’t have to do any of this, Harper. This is of great expense,” Pierre says.
Oh, wasn’t expecting that level of thanks from him. “The plane was going back to New York anyway.”
“Harper, take our damn gratitude,” Pierre says.
I roll my eyes, there’s the asshole. I look over at Felix and I can see the way he is looking at me as if I’m the best person in the world. I don’t deserve that.
“It’s such a shame you have had to cut your vacation short, and we didn’t have time to hang out as much as we would have liked,” Joelle says, walking over and hugging me.
“Whatever you need, let me know and I’ll organize it,” I tell them.
“You’re the best girlfriend Felix has ever had,” Collette says as she gives me a hug. “We need to stay in touch.”
“Yes, for sure,” Joelle adds. Aw. That is so nice as I give them both my phone number, probably a good idea anyway if they need me for anything.
“Jo, I’ll forward you the video in case Kitty wants to do something stupid. Do not share this with anyone, otherwise, it could come back and bite us in the ass,” I warn her.
“I won’t. I’ll only use it as a last resort,” she promises.
Operation Runaway Groom is activated.