Chapter Twelve
“Are you avoiding me?” Charlie said as she slid onto a stool directly in front of Harper.
“No, of course not. Why would you think that?” Harper tried to feign innocence when that was exactly what she’d been doing.
Their chat on the pier after yoga had really freaked her out, and she didn’t know what to do.
She didn’t know why she’d been so open about Kelly.
Andrew had been trying to get her to do just that, but she certainly hadn’t planned on it.
It had to have been the high from the class.
Otherwise, she never would have shared that much.
“Because it’s been two weeks, and I haven’t seen you take Franky for a walk when I’ve been on our balcony enjoying a cup of tea in the morning, and every time I’ve been in the bar in the afternoon, you’re always in the back doing paperwork and have asked to not be disturbed.
” She pursed her lips as she stared, and Harper’s heart started pounding faster.
“H…how weird. I’ve just been busy.” Harper grabbed some glasses she’d already polished and wiped at imaginary water spots to keep her hands busy and her eyes averted.
“Hmm.” Charlie tapped a finger on the bar as she drew the word out. “But I just can’t figure out why you’ve been avoiding me. We’re friends, right?”
“Yeah, I think we’re getting there. Friendly, at least.”
“So why is it that I’m catching you here when I came in extra early because I was eager for Taco Tuesday? I bet if I’d come in at my normal time, you would magically be ‘busy in the back.’”
“Taco Tuesday is a popular night at the bar.” It didn’t address the question, but Harper didn’t know what else to say.
Charlie was right. She’d been planning to work in the office once Aiden got there.
She desperately wished someone else would come in so she could walk away now without being rude.
It was bad enough that Charlie had realized Harper had been avoiding her.
Though she wasn’t surprised. She had been pretty obvious about it.
She’d just been hoping Charlie would be oblivious.
And she really wanted to change the subject.
Charlie ran a finger along the side of her neck, and Harper’s eyes traced its every movement. “I have a question for you. I always like my tacos a little spicy. Do you have any recommendations?”
Harper’s eyes snapped to Charlie’s as heat built between her thighs at the desire on Charlie’s face.
And like that, Harper was pulled back in.
Avoidance clearly hadn’t helped her longing, and she found herself leaning in.
She took a step toward Charlie and smirked.
“Well, that depends. Do you like your tacos juicy? Some people don’t really like to get dirty. ”
Charlie cleared her throat. “For the right taco? I don’t mind getting a little messy.”
Harper leaned closer and dropped her voice. “I’d go with the crispy squash and pepper. The roasted jalapeno sauce is the perfect mix of spicy and creamy and will have you licking your fingers for the last drop.”
Charlie bit her lip, and Harper couldn’t force herself to break their intense eye contact. “So you would say, finger-licking good?”
“Absolutely.” Harper was having a hard time breathing.
She’d planned to continue to step back. Pull away.
But in the face of temptation, she couldn’t.
She was now blatantly flirting. And picturing how easy it would be to lean the rest of the way across the bar and capture Charlie’s lips in a kiss. Holy shit.
The door to the bar thankfully had them both turning to see who had walked in. The spell broken, Harper was able to remember that she needed to do her job. “So, uh, what can I get you to drink to go with your spicy tacos?”
She tried not to watch Charlie as she ate the damn messy tacos. She’d been right, and Charlie had sauce dripping down her hands, and Harper imagined licking it off. Her tongue flicking in between Charlie’s long fingers. What her fingers might be doing to Charlie while her tongue was busy.
“Excuse me, ma’am? Hello?”
Harper finally tuned into the words and was thankfully distracted from her overactive imagination. “I’m so sorry, what can I get for you?” The bar wasn’t busy, and she had Aiden coming in about fifteen minutes, so she could move away from temptation again. He couldn’t get there soon enough.
“Another margarita, please,” the older woman in a floral print dress and matching hat said.
“Of course. And apologies for keeping you waiting.” She flashed her charming smile and hoped it would make up for her inattention.
Harper smiled in relief when Aiden walked in just as she was finishing the margarita.
She could hand things over to him and slip away into her office before any more flirtiness or banter or lusty thoughts could transpire.
Though she was apparently going to need to be more surreptitious about her avoidance.
She’d really hoped Charlie wouldn’t notice or at least wouldn’t care.
As she was about to slip under the drawbridge, Charlie called, “Harper, will you come here for a sec?”
She almost wished the bar had been hopping so she could’ve pretended she hadn’t heard, but that was not possible, so she smiled and walked back to her. “What’s up?”
Charlie looked into her drink, then scraped her teeth across her bottom lip a few times. Was she nervous? “I came up with what I wanted for winning our bet.”
“Our bet?” It clicked in her mind. “Oh, because I liked yoga.”
“That’s the one. I want you to come to the Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square with me on your next evening off. It looks so lively, but it would feel really pathetic to wander around alone.”
“Oh.” That sounded an awful lot like a date, yet Charlie hadn’t framed it as such.
And Harper didn’t have any plausible excuse.
Shit. “It’s so touristy, but if you haven’t ever been, you should probably go at least once.
” It should be really crowded; that would keep it from feeling particularly romantic.
And maybe there would be a cruise ship in port blocking the sunset.
“Great!” She clapped. “When can you go?”
“I’m actually off on Friday night. Does that work?” That would be even better because Mallory Square would be totally packed.
“If you’re free so soon, that would be great.”
“We could walk down there together around six? I think the sunset is a little after eight now, and the celebration starts, like, two hours before.”
Charlie smiled, and those damn traitorous flutters in Harper’s belly started up again. She wanted to say “Et tu, body?” But damn, Charlie’s smile was damn near perfect, and it distracted her.
Wednesday and Thursday passed in a flash of work while thoughts of taking another yoga class with Charlie occasionally intruded. She was too much of a coward to ask about it, and really didn’t want her body to get any more ideas that something with Charlie was a possibility.
Friday at noon, Harper’s musing thoughts were interrupted by a familiar face walking into the bar. “Ellie?” Ellie Efron walking into her bar in Key West didn’t make any sense at all. And she was holding the hand of a very attractive woman with light brown skin and short dark hair.
“If it isn’t my favorite wayward attorney turned saloon owner,” Ellie said as she approached.
Harper ducked out from under the bar and ran to hug her. “I can’t believe you just walked into my bar. It’s so great to see you! But it’s not a saloon. We aren’t in the wild, wild west.”
Ellie chuckled and pulled her tighter. “Splitting hairs, just like an attorney.” She rolled her eyes playfully as they released each other.
Harper shrugged. “Once an attorney, always an attorney at heart, I guess.”
“This is Hayden.” Ellie gestured at the beautiful woman whose hand she’d been holding.
“Hayden, this is my favorite former attorney who was a wizard, but she deserted us for warmer climates and an ocean breeze. And is probably working more hours weekly than when she was a new associate out of law school.”
Harper shook Hayden’s hand. “I wouldn’t quite say more hours but certainly comparable ones. Great to meet you, Hayden. How long are you both in town?”
“Only two nights. We flew into Miami on our way home from St. Thomas and decided to make a quick detour to the southernmost city in the continental US.” Hayden was even more attractive up close, and her grip was firm.
Harper was really happy for Ellie. She’d been looking for her person for a long time.
“What Hayden neglected to mention is that we’re on our way home from St. Thomas where we got engaged.” Ellie and Hayden were both beaming as she said it.
“Engaged?” Harper looked at Ellie. “Things have changed. Congratulations to you both. Come sit down and tell your favorite bartender all about it.”
Ellie explained how she’d inherited her dog, Atlas, and met Hayden, a veterinary behaviorist, shortly thereafter.
Harper couldn’t believe a dog had brought the two of them together.
Especially since Ellie had never been a dog person.
“Who’s watching Atlas while you’re traveling, and how’s he doing after such a difficult start? ”
“My associate Britt and their girlfriend are watching him this week. And Atlas is such a good boy,” Hayden said.
“He’s come a long way. He used to struggle with condo life, but Ellie got him to a point where he can thrive, and he just loves our houseboat that we use as a vacation home in Michigan.
” She looked at Ellie with such love and pride that Harper’s heart ached.
“It wasn’t just me. You’re the one who gave us the tools,” Ellie said.
“Okay, you two, you’re too cute. I’m about to get off shift and was going to get some admin stuff done, but how do you feel about going somewhere and grabbing lunch?” Harper said.
“That sounds great,” Hayden said. “Though, can I use your restroom first?”