Chapter 38
Subject: Again?
What does a guy have to do to keep you away from other men?
From: [email protected]
Re: Again?
I wasn’t kissing him. I needed oxygen after rocking my first 5k. I’d rather be kissing this guy.
She attached a picture of Luke making a fish face at Josh.
From:[email protected]
Re: Again?
He looks awesome. You should definitely make out with him.
When Harper checked her email later that day, she got unexpected good news .
From: [email protected]
Subject: Miss your face
I’ve gone Harper-free for too long. I’m starting to forget what your face looks like. So, if you’re free this weekend, I’m heading your way! Break out the facial masks and pizza because we’re having a sleepover!
Xoxo,
Hannah
From: [email protected]
Re: Miss your face
Are you serious?? You wouldn’t tease me about this would you? This isn’t some cruel joke?
Don’t destroy my fragile heart,
Harper
From: [email protected]
Re: Miss your face
My bag is already packed! Finn’s heading to the cabin with some friends, and it’s the perfect opportunity for me to come meet your new friends, check out your house, and hug your dogs. Finn promises to have bail money ready if we need it. It’s going to be awesome!
It was guaranteed.
Friday night, Harper’s friends, new and old, crowded into the kitchen in their comfiest summer pajamas to launch the festivities with a drink.
Gloria was perusing takeout menus while Sophie mixed margaritas in the blender. Hannah was busy digging through the stack of movies on the counter that hit all the high notes that a girls’ night needed—romantic comedies, tear-jerkers, and a few full frontal man-part movies.
Harper let the dogs out the back door to romp around in the warm night air. “So, what fat-free, calorie-free deliciousness are we ordering tonight?”
“We were thinking pizza and chicken bites from Dawson’s,” Sophie called over the whir of the blender.
“What about dessert?”
“I brought cookie dough,” Gloria chirped. “We can either make cookies or eat it raw.”
“Best. Night. Ever.” Harper sighed with contentment.
She tried to remember the last time that she did something like this.
The last time she had a pack of girlfriends.
In high school, she hadn’t been in one school long enough for lasting friendships.
But now? With the roots she was planting, she had friends, family, and a future.
Sophie brought the blender pitcher over to the island and expertly sloshed margarita into four pink plastic cups. Gloria added a lime wedge, and Hannah plunked a straw into each cup.
“A toast, ladies,” Sophie said, raising her drink. “To the lovely Harper. May she know how lucky we all are to know her.”
“To Harper,” they said in unison.
“You guys! My turn. To all of you. Thank you for being my family. I love each one of you so much.”
They “aw-ed” as one and sipped.
“I approve you as a bartender,” Hannah nodded to Sophie.
“Well, let’s get this party started,” Harper said, dialing Dawson’s.
With the order placed, Hannah held up a movie in each hand. “So what do we want? Full frontal or rom-com?”
Harper groaned. “You guys have full frontal at your beck and call. Let’s not torture me with it when mine is on the other side of the world.”
“Oooh, let’s talk about boys,” Sophie said, clapping her hands.
“My ‘boy’ is your brother. Isn’t that gross?” Harper asked, wrinkling her nose.
“For tonight, I’ll pretend he’s someone else’s brother.”
“Actually, there is a relationship I’m curious about,” Harper grinned. “Gloria what’s the scoop on you and Aldo?”
Gloria choked on a gulp of margarita.
“What makes you think there’s anything to tell?” she asked innocently.
“I have eyes and a brain,” Harper teased. “I saw some patty-cake during the Fourth of July fireworks in the park.”
“Hmm, Gloria Moretta. It’s got a nice ring to it.” Sophie nodded.
Gloria blushed to her roots.
“You liiiike him!” Harper laughed.
“Who is this Aldo, and is he Gloria-worthy?” Hannah demanded.
“Aldo is a muscley Italian stud who’s had the hots for Gloria since high school,” Harper supplied.
“Luke’s best friend, right? That’s a long time to be carrying a torch,” Hannah said. “You must be pretty great.”
“She really is,” Harper agreed.
“You guys,” Gloria laughed. “I’m still just getting used to the idea.”
“The idea of what?” Sophie demanded.
“Of Aldo… and me… dating.”
Harper whooped. “So it’s official?”
Gloria smiled and nodded. “Official. I’m trying to take things slow, but boy is he intense.” She fanned herself with the Dawson’s menu.
“I can’t believe our little Aldo is finally all grown up,” Sophie sighed.
“Do you have any pictures of this Italian stud?” Hannah asked .
Gloria blushed again and nodded. “I have some on my phone.”
They stuck their heads together over the screen, and Harper winked at Sophie while Hannah whistled her appreciation for the male form.
Sophie’s hot pink phone rang from the table. “Speaking of hot studs, it’s the hubby.” She took it into the dining room to answer.
Harper hugged herself. Happiness all around. The only thing that would make it better was if Luke was home safe.
He would be in a few months, and they would talk.
And then she would know exactly where she stood.
She knew what she wanted. The honest, mutual love that she saw Sophie and Hannah shared with their husbands.
The kind she saw blooming between Aldo and Gloria.
Would she really be willing to settle for less than that?
Sophie came back into the kitchen holding her phone out to Harper. She looked worried. “It’s Ty. He wants to talk to you. Sounds like he’s in full-on cop mode.”
Harper raised her eyebrows and took the phone. “Hey, Ty, what’s up? I thought you had the night off.”
“Harper, listen to me. Glenn posted bail and was released today. He was supposed to go straight to his mother’s house but hasn’t showed.”
Her stomach flip-flopped. “Do you think he’d come here?”
“It’s more likely that he would go to Gloria’s place, but you could still be a target.”
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“Gloria’s here with me and Soph and Hannah. We were just waiting on pizza, which has no bearing on the situation at all. I’m just nervous, and I’m going to shut up now.”
“Listen, I’m going to swing by Gloria’s and then her mom’s and check things out. I’ll let you know if we find him. Just do me a favor and keep your doors locked.”
Harper gulped and hung up. Her three friends were watching her expectantly.
“What the hell is going on?” Sophie demanded.
“Glenn’s out. Ty thinks he might be heading to Gloria’s.”
“Oh my God,” Gloria whispered, bringing her fingertips to her mouth.
“It’s going to be fine. Ty is heading to your place now to check things out. The police know he’s missing. They’re looking for him. He’s not going to get to you. No one is going to let that happen.”
Gloria took a steadying breath and nodded. “I think I’m going to text Aldo and let him know.”
“Good idea,” Sophie said, patting her hand.
They watched her as she took her phone into the dining room. Sophie’s eyes met Harper’s. Her voice was low. “So what’s going to happen if Glenn doesn’t find her at home?”
“He’s going to come here.”
“Crap,” Hannah sighed.
“Ty doesn’t think that we need to be worried, but maybe that’s his way of trying not to worry us. He told me to lock the doors. Just in case.”
Gloria’s voice sounded softly from the dining room. “Aldo must have called her,” Sophie whispered.
Harper nodded. “It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if Aldo stopped by.
Sophie, will you let the dogs in the back and lock the door?
I’ll get the front door. Hannah, can you check the windows on the first floor.
I’m sure it’s just a precaution. But I think we should be prepared just in case. ”
She picked up her phone and dialed Mrs. Agosta just in case the kids were out late catching lightning bugs and made her promise to keep everyone inside and lock up tight.
“It’s probably nothing. We’re just taking precautions,” she told her.
It was probably nothing, Harper told herself when she hung up. They were probably just overreacting. The odds were that Glenn had just gotten good and drunk and was passed out somewhere far away from here.
Her fingers shook as she twisted the deadbolt on the front door. Lola trotted down the hallway towards her, a rumbly growl in her throat. “It’s okay, sweetie.” Harper bent down to pat Lola’s silver body. “We’re safe.”
The dark outside the windows made her nervous, so she reached over to flick on the porch lights.
And there he was.