Chapter 7 Kelsey
The sunlight creeping through Kelsey’s bedroom curtains felt far brighter than it had any right to be.
She groaned softly and rolled onto her side, burying her face deeper into the pillow while her mind slowly tried to gather the scattered pieces of the night before.
The memories surfaced in uneven flashes—Archer’s backyard glowing with string lights, Cassidy passing out drinks like it was her personal mission to ruin everyone’s judgment, Savannah laughing hard enough to nearly fall out of her chair, and eventually Harrison.
Her eyes opened fully then.
Nova was still tucked beneath her arm; the purple dragon pressed against her chest exactly where she must have fallen asleep with her.
The memory of Harrison’s voice drifted back through the haze in her mind, calm and steady as he told her to take the Advil and drink the water.
She could almost feel the slow, rhythmic motion of his hand on her back again, the quiet reassurance of someone staying close until she drifted off.
Her stomach fluttered.
Had that actually happened?
Kelsey pushed herself upright, wincing slightly as a dull ache pulsed behind her eyes. Cassidy’s bartending had clearly been far too enthusiastic.
Still, the headache wasn’t nearly as bad as it should have been.
Which meant Harrison had been right about the water and the Advil.
Her cheeks warmed at the thought.
Before she could dwell on it too long, the sharp buzz of her phone pulled her attention to the nightstand. She grabbed it and squinted at the screen.
The group chat.
Of course.
Cassidy: I would like to formally announce that I am never drinking again.
Kelsey huffed out a quiet laugh.
Savannah: You say that every time.
Cassidy: Not this time. Archer spanked me this morning.
Kelsey winced in sympathy and amusement at the same time.
Savannah: How bad?
Cassidy: Let’s just say sitting is currently a strategic decision.
Savannah: You absolutely deserved it.
Cassidy: Excuse me??? You were drinking too.
Savannah: Yes, but Barrett took my glass away after the third refill.
A beat passed before another message appeared.
Cassidy: Archer says I’m banned from bartending for the next cookout.
Savannah: That seems fair.
Kelsey finally joined in.
Kelsey: Remind me to thank him for that rule.
Three dots appeared almost immediately.
Savannah: Speaking of last night…
Kelsey groaned quietly.
Here it comes.
Savannah: What happened with you and Harrison?
Her stomach did a strange little flip.
Cassidy: Your car is still in my driveway.
Kelsey: He just drove me home because I drank too much.
Savannah: Uh huh.
Kelsey could practically hear the skepticism.
Savannah: And then?
Kelsey stared at the phone before typing.
Kelsey: Then I went to bed.
A long pause followed.
Savannah: If you say so.
Which absolutely meant she didn’t believe her.
Cassidy jumped back in a moment later.
Cassidy: Whenever you want your car you can come get it.
Kelsey set the phone down with a quiet sigh and swung her legs over the side of the bed, stretching carefully as the last of the sleep left her muscles.
Coffee suddenly felt like the most important part of her morning.
She pulled on an oversized sweater and a pair of soft leggings before padding down the short hallway toward the kitchen, Nova tucked loosely under one arm until she reached the couch and set the dragon down among the throw pillows.
The apartment was still and quiet in that peaceful way Sunday mornings often were, the pale sunlight filtering through the windows in soft bands across the floor.
The coffee maker sputtered to life a moment later, filling the kitchen with the warm, comforting smell that immediately made her shoulders relax.
Kelsey poured herself a mug and leaned against the counter, cradling it in both hands as she took the first slow sip. The heat spread through her chest and helped clear the last of the fog from her head.
Her thoughts drifted right back to the night before.
Harrison kneeling in front of her.
Helping her with her shorts when her fingers had fumbled too badly to manage the silk ties.
The quiet authority in his voice when he had told her to take the medicine.
The way he had stayed.
A slow warmth crept up her neck.
It had been a long time since anyone had taken care of her like that.
Long enough that the memory of it still felt strange.
Her stomach rumbled softly, pulling her attention back to the present.
She rinsed out a small pan and cracked two eggs into a bowl before whisking them together with a fork, moving through the simple motions with the quiet familiarity of someone who cooked constantly but rarely took the time to enjoy it.
The eggs hit the pan with a soft sizzle just as another thought drifted through her mind.
Harrison had said he would take her to dinner on Tuesday.
She still wasn't entirely sure whether that had been a suggestion or a statement.
Knowing him, it had probably been both.
She slid two pieces of bread into the toaster, adjusting the dial carefully. The thing had a reputation for burning toast if you so much as looked at it the wrong way, and she had learned the hard way not to trust it unattended.
The firm, steady knock at the door startled Kelsey, the sound echoing through the quiet of her apartment . She wasn't expecting anyone, but as she wiped her hands on a kitchen towel and moved toward the door, a strange, expectant hum settled in her chest .
When she pulled it open, Harrison was standing there, looking perfectly composed in a charcoal Henley that made his broad shoulders seem even more imposing in the morning light .
Seeing him again, after the way he had tucked her into bed and stayed until she drifted off the night before, felt like the most natural thing in the world .
"Good morning, sweetheart," he said, his voice dropping into that low, steady register that had anchored her the night before .
"Harrison?" she breathed, a little surprised by the sudden, certain presence of him on her doorstep. A small, genuine smile tugged at her lips as she took him in; after the way he’d tucked her into bed and stayed until she drifted off, seeing him felt surprisingly right .
"I’m here to take you back to Archer and Cassidy’s for your car," he stated, his gaze scanning her face with a quiet, protective intensity she was already beginning to look forward to .
"I didn't expect you so early," she admitted softly.
"I wanted to make sure you were up and taking care of yourself," he stated, his gaze scanning her face with that quiet, protective intensity she was already beginning to look forward to .
A soft flush crept into her cheeks as she stepped back, pulling the door wide to welcome him inside.
Harrison stepped into the apartment with the same quiet confidence he seemed to carry everywhere, his gaze briefly taking in the space before settling back on her.
“You’re cooking,” he observed.
“Just some eggs,” she said over her shoulder as she returned to the stove. “Nothing exciting.”
Behind her she heard him move closer, the quiet shift of his boots against the floor surprisingly grounding.
"How are you feeling this morning?" He asked, his voice low and steady as he watched her move around the kitchen.
She glanced back at him, the memory of him kneeling to help her with her shorts the night before making her cheeks go pink. "Embarrassed," she admitted softly.
The corner of his mouth twitched with a hint of a smile. "I meant physically, sweetheart.”
"Oh." She shrugged lightly, turning back to the stove to hide her face. "My head should probably hurt more than it does, considering how much Cassidy was pouring.”
"That’s because you listened to me and took the medicine before bed," he said, the quiet certainty in his tone making her chest feel strangely warm.
He moved closer, leaning casually against the counter with his arms folded loosely across his chest, his gaze never leaving her. "Did you sleep well?"
Kelsey focused on flipping the eggs, trying to ignore how much she liked having him in her space. "Yeah," she admitted. "Better than I have in a long time, actually. What about you?"
"I slept fine," he replied, though the way he was studying her made it feel like he was seeing right through her professional armor.
She hesitated, her fingers hovering over a second pan. "Do you... I mean, since you're already here, do you want some?"
Harrison watched her for a moment, a faint, satisfied smile tugging at the corner of his mouth before he gave a small, encouraging nod . "I’d like that."
She cracked two more eggs into the pan, her hands feeling just a bit clumsy under his watchful eye, before sliding bread into the toaster.
"Fair warning," she said, glancing at him with a playful bit of caution as she adjusted the dial. "This toaster is a brat. It’s known for burning bread for no reason at all.”
His brow lifted slightly at the description. "Is it?"
"It’s a running issue," she muttered, hovering near the appliance as if she could talk it into behaving.
He watched her with quiet amusement, his presence grounding the room. "I’ll take my chances. I have a feeling it’ll behave for me.”
The toaster clicked a moment later, and both of them looked down at the same time.
Perfectly toasted.
“Well. That’s new.”
"Perhaps it just behaves better when someone is actually paying attention to it," Harrison said, his voice dropping into that low, meaningful register that made her heart skip a beat.
She laughed softly and set a plate in front of him before sitting across from him at the small kitchen table.
For a few minutes they simply ate.
The quiet between them wasn't uncomfortable. If anything, it felt oddly calm.
Finally, Harrison leaned back slightly in his chair.
“You drank more than usual last night,” he said evenly.
Kelsey groaned.
“Please don't remind me.”
“You were safe,” he said calmly.
Her eyes lifted.
His gaze held hers steadily.
“I made sure of it.”
Something in her chest tightened at the quiet certainty in his voice.
“You didn't have to stay,” she said softly.
“Yes,” Harrison replied. “I did.”
Her pulse quickened.
He reached for his coffee mug and took a slow sip before continuing.
“And next time Cassidy is pouring drinks,” he added calmly, “someone responsible should supervise.”
Kelsey smirked.
“Are you volunteering?”
His eyes held hers again.
“Yes.”
Her stomach flipped.
And suddenly the idea of seeing Harrison again on Tuesday night didn’t feel nearly as intimidating as it had before.
If anything—
It felt like something she might actually be looking forward to.