Chapter 11
Harper
“Where is everyone?” I ask, glancing around and hoping Mom or Eric won’t suddenly appear as I confide in Gina about the chaos swirling in my mind.
“Um, Mom and Dad are out running errands, and Eric? Who knows? He’s not home. Did you get the cake?”
I place the box on the kitchen counter and settle onto the couch beside her. “Help.”
Her eyes widen. “With what? Are you okay?”
I quickly share the situation with Kenzie since it’s the easier topic to tackle. Plus, I could use a laugh, and Gina always delivers.
“Tell Kenzie to go screw herself.”
Just as I expected.
“Oh, by the way, Asher showed up last night with Kenzie because, you know, you see Kenzie as another sister, and you would’ve been devastated if she hadn’t come.”
Her jaw drops. “Are you freaking kidding me?”
“Nope. Thought you’d enjoy that.”
“They’re the most delusional couple I’ve ever seen. Don’t go to Kenzie’s bridal shower. You owe her nothing, Harper,” she says, strolling toward the kitchen. “I don’t know why you needed my help with that.”
“I kissed Ford.”
She stops abruptly, turning to stare at me in disbelief. “When?”
“Last night when he took me home. And again just now. In his pickup.”
“Tell me everything,” she insists, returning to sit beside me.
“Well, he brought me home last night, and I could barely walk. Thanks again for that, by the way. He helped me to my room, took off my boots, and went to fetch me water and aspirin. I meant to kiss his cheek, but somehow ended up kissing his lips instead.”
Her jaw drops further. “What did he do?”
“He kissed me back. A lot.”
“And you stopped at kissing?”
“I had to. I sort of threw up about thirty seconds later.”
Her laughter is relentless, and she leans back, clutching her stomach. “Oh God, that sucks. I’m sorry, Harp. Oh… oh no.”
“Real funny. Yes, so hilarious.”
Wiping tears from her eyes, she finally manages to control her laughter. “Okay, I’m okay. Is that why he showed up this morning?”
“He brought my equipment. He promised to pick it up after he dropped me off last night. He said he thought the kiss was nice, which isn’t what I wanted to hear, but considering how wasted I was, it’s probably a compliment.”
“Nice could mean different things, I guess. Go on.”
I lean back and sigh. “He pulled up right after Kenzie cornered me on Main Street. Seriously, it feels like he has a tracker on me because he offered me a ride home.”
“Your superhero.”
“He gave me advice about Kenzie, then kissed me after I apologized for the night before. He told me not to apologize, and then… he kissed me.”
I touch my lips, smiling at the memory of how gentle he was. How he waited for me to deepen the kiss, the way he caressed my face while our tongues danced together.
“It was good?”
“So good,” I groan. “Unexpected and surprisingly gentle. But he’s Asher’s best friend. I can’t date him. That makes me no better than my ex.”
She takes my hand and smirks. “Ford didn’t plan to come over until he knew you were going to be there. And he saved you most of the night. Including carrying you when you couldn’t walk.”
“He’s just being a nice guy. A friend.”
“Yeah, because I make out with all my friends when I’m drunk.”
Narrowing my eyes, I glare at her. Gina has made out with every single one of her friends while drunk. I wouldn’t be surprised if she went further at times.
“Okay, bad example. No, he’s not just being a friend. He’s being protective. The type of guy Asher never was, and everyone knows Ford’s had a thing for you.”
“You’re crazy. He’s Asher’s best friend. That’s all.”
“Then why is he so helpful instead of avoiding you like a normal best friend to your ex would?”
Gina has a point. I don’t have a solid response. I’ve wondered it myself, and Ford didn’t have an answer when I asked him. He can’t like me, can he?
“Harper?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry.”
Sitting up, I frown. “For the shots? I’m over that now. My head still hurts, but—”
“No, not that. Well, kind of that.”
“Did you know about Asher and Kenzie sleeping together before he called off the wedding and not tell me?”
I can’t believe Gina would do something like that. If she had, Kenzie would be in serious trouble, and Gina would have led the charge to find her. My sister thrives on extremes.
“No! If I had known, neither of them would be walking down the aisle. Someone would have to roll them in wheelchairs. And that’s assuming they got out in time for the wedding.” I smile at her dramatic flair.
“Then why do you feel guilty?”
“The timing of my wedding is all wrong. Lance suggested we pick Christmas Eve just to get back at Asher for what he did to you. While it would have been entertaining to watch Kenzie freak out, I couldn’t take your day. I know you always dreamed of getting married on Christmas Eve.”
Taking her hand, I squeeze it gently. “I understand why it’s happening so soon. I don’t blame you for anything. Does it sting a bit since I had hoped to be planning my own wedding? Sure. But I genuinely want this for you, Gina.”
“I feel like I need to do this in the right order, with some traditions for my baby. It’s hard to explain, but I know I’m a bit of a mess. If I could, I wouldn’t choose December for the wedding. You know that, right?”
“I know.”
“I know how much Asher hurt you, and I’m really sorry you have to help me through this. It just makes you the better sister.”
Smiling, I pull her into a hug as tears spill down her cheeks. “I’m not the better sister. It’s your wedding month, and the last thing you should be worrying about is me.”
“I just need you to know I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright. Just because I had to let go of my dream doesn’t mean I can’t be happy for you. Although, I do wish you’d picked Christmas Eve.”
Gina sniffs and pulls back. “Really? Why?”
“Then I’d have a real excuse to skip Kenzie and Asher’s wedding.”
“If I wasn’t pregnant, I’d totally postpone their wedding. I just don’t want to give birth in prison.”
Laughing, I shake my head. “Oh, I know. Speaking of birth… Ford knows you’re pregnant.”
Her jaw drops. “You told him?”
“No, he figured it out when he saw me taking shots for you. He’s pretty observant, but he promised not to say a word.”
“See? He is watching you, Harp. I trust him. Ford has become a bit chattier than usual since you came home. I wonder if that’s just a coincidence.”
I roll my eyes. “Or maybe he’s keeping an eye on me because he feels guilty about how Asher treated me.”
“Yeah, because his lips on yours really helps him see you better, right?”
I toss a pillow at her and point toward the kitchen. “Go try the cake I had to walk in the snow to get for you.”
“Ford and Harper, sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G.”
My lips tingle at the memory of his kiss, and I can’t help but smile. He really does know how to kiss. But it’s wrong. Right? Right?