Chapter 22
CHAPTER
TWENTY-TWO
HARPER
Listen, I didn’t mean to crash out so hard over it but you have to have respect, you know?
Only a true friend would tell you to change your clothes if you were sporting a pair of Jordans with ADIDAS it’s like spitting on a legacy.
It’s not my fault you said no and I refused to walk into the restaurant with you—-it was a beach place you could have gone barefoot or at the very least taken off your top!
—Braden “almost went pro” Cooper
I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but his voice carried through the thin walls. I was curious and he’d been acting funny. I told myself it was fine to listen in, as a concerned friend it was fine, right? I shuffled closer to the door and waited.
“Yeah, I know. We’re filming and doing exactly what you guys said. What do you want from me? From us?” Was I wrong in asking him to handle everything about the whole we want to stream your show on networks and sponsor your little TikTok dating series ?
He had experience, I didn’t, it was only natural to rely on Ezra again for all the small details.
I completely trusted him right down to the contract I had to sign with our sponsor—an aphrodisiac sort of perfume that I’m pretty sure only attracted the wrong sort of guy, not that I’ve used it yet, but I didn’t have high hopes.
Tomorrow night was the first product placement.
I just hoped I wouldn’t smell like a cheap whore.
I listened closer.
He cursed and then paused like he was listening.
“Uh, huh, yeah, I’m sure, I’m not stupid, no, yes, well,” His tone dropped.
“Boring? We just—no. She’s the opposite of boring.
I’m not doing—I’m not planning the dates, you guys did the last one, and maybe you forgot the part where she’s dating exes that were all wrong for her!
How am I supposed to know how tomorrow night’s going to go?
It’s the last date. Fine. Message received. I’ll back off. Happy?”
Back off? What did that even mean? I sprinted back towards the couch and shoved my fork into my fried rice and shoved two portions into my mouth.
He came back in like nothing had happened, phone shoved deep in his pocket, but his shoulders were stiff, jaw tight. He didn’t sit close this time. He didn’t tease. He finally looked at me. “Can you breathe?”
I gave him a thumbs up.
His smile was slightly amused as he grabbed his laptop again, aka his shield and worked in silence until I finally got tired, cleaned up and started getting ready for bed.
Later, after I was done brushing my teeth and grabbing a glass of water, I caught him scrolling through his phone, face grim in the blue light. Text bubbles filled the screen before he quickly locked it.
I leaned against the doorframe, glass of water in hand. “You know… maybe you’ll be off the hook soon.”
His eyes flicked up, unreadable. For a heartbeat, I thought he might fight me on it. Instead, he just said, “Maybe.”
Maybe. Like it didn’t matter either way.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and crawled into bed. He stayed in the living room.
Maybe was a hateful word.
Maybe…it was for the best.
The next night, I was told to meet at a little rooftop garden in the city called Brill—twinkle lights, candles, live acoustic guitar. Romantic with a capital R.
I should’ve been excited. Instead, I felt naked without Ezra hovering at my side with his sarcasm and neon glasses, ready to make fun of everything.
The truth was ugly: I owed it to myself to at least give this a chance, but the whole time I kept thinking about how when it was over, Ezra would be home.
My comfort. My safe place. God, I was the worst thinking of Ezra while waiting for, wait what was his name again?
Ron? Shit. I needed to look at his profile.
I started digging in my purse when I could have sworn the lights flickered.
I glanced up and watched as heads started to turn toward the guy who just walked in.
His eyes locked with mine, and in a moment I remembered him.
He held out his massive hand. And wow. Old-school movie-star handsome—blond hair refusing to stay in place, bright green eyes, a sunshine smile that didn’t look practiced.
Broad-shouldered. Confident. The kind of man who probably flossed twice daily and never got spinach stuck in his teeth.
He grinned. “Aaron, in case you forgot. I’m assuming you were either digging for gum or my entire background in your purse. Four years ago I was a wreck. First date, fresh off a breakup, med school burnout, pretty sure I asked if you had shrooms.”
I burst out laughing. “Yeah, and you cried because I didn’t.”
He winced. “Please tell me you’ve repressed that memory.”
“Nope. Etched in here forever.” I tapped my temple. “But hey—you made it. Graduated med school?”
“Yep. Surgeon now. And apparently money makes me more tolerable.”
Cute. Funny. Easy. And not asking for drugs this time. Score.
“So why agree to this date?” I asked.
“I didn’t even know you’d put my name up. But I hate losing, and losing you the first time? Biggest mistake I ever made. Second chances don’t fall in your lap often. Felt stupid not to take it.”
He walked over to one of the tables at the edge of the bar that gave you a fantastic view of the night sky and all the stars. “I didn’t order for you on account you might hate wine and prefer a strong whiskey, either way, let’s just talk.”
“I’m good at that.”
“Good because full disclosure I took half a valium last night when I couldn’t sleep.”
“Nervous?”
He pulled my stool out. “Nah, excited.”
It was all I needed. Chills erupted all over my body and by the time we were on drink two we’d already powered through some hummus appetizers, calamari, and then decided to order a celebratory shot.
“Tequila.” I grinned. “You live dangerously.”
“Harper, I asked for shrooms on our first date, I’m basically a bad ass at this point.”
I couldn’t stop laughing, maybe it was the drinks, or maybe it was that it was actually a really good date and I liked him.
I clinked my shot with his and downed it then winced.
With a cough I asked. “Okay so what’s wrong with you.
Do you have a fetish? Hate animals? Oh God, are you like a Dexter doctor?
Tell me one bad thing because it seems like someone should have wifed, or no offense, husbanded you up a long time ago. ”
He inclined his head and leaned in. “I’m a workaholic.
” He shrugged and tossed his lime into his shot glass.
“Honestly, I don’t half ass things so when I started to really work at the hospital I dove into it head first and realized years had gone by and I’d done nothing but eat, sleep, breathe, the hospital, friends slowly stopped asking to hang out and I woke up and realized that my rock collection would in fact not sustain me. ”
“Rock collection?
“Weighs around ten pounds, had it since I first discovered Pyrite, or fool’s gold, at the age of six and have never looked back, sometimes, I go rockhounding by myself on the weekends and listen to Metallica.”
“Ah, rockhounding, yeah who doesn’t love a good rockhounding.” I smirked.
He pointed his finger at me. “It’s relaxing and you never know what treasure you might find in the dirt. I like to explore the messy things and find the diamond inside.”
My jaw dropped. “Damn, that was beautifully said.”
“I have no friends, I’ve been sitting on that one for at least two years.” He joked.
“Very funny.”
Our check came, he paid it without asking and then got up and held out his hand. “Alright, this is where the date I think is supposed to end since we aren’t on The Bachelor there isn’t any fantasy suite or roses but I do hope you call and ask me out for another date.”
I nodded, not committing, not even sure how to sort through my own thoughts.
“I don’t care you know,” He held both my hands. “If you’re still seeing the other guy, just give me a chance too. I’d hate to lose a potential rockhounding partner.”
“Kay.” He was different, secure, sure of himself, good looking, and funny. And it wasn’t just a checklist on paper, he checked out.
I couldn’t wait to tell Ezra, and then. Ezra.
But Ezra.
My heart dropped to my feet. Would this mean no more Ezra? Well duh, it’s not like we’d live as a throuple.
“You okay?” He asked.
“YUP!” I said too enthusiastically. “This was lovely, thank you.”
He leaned in, hesitated, and then pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Get home safe.”
He walked away leaving me breathless and anxious. When I checked my phone it had two missed calls from Ezra and a dozen or so texts.
How did it go?
Are you alive?
Blink twice.
Seriously though, are you okay?
Are they filming everything?
Damn it, I should have gone.
Guard the treasure God gave you! I mean I know you gave it away years ago but guard it again! SECONDARY VIRGINITY IS A THING!
What the hell was with him in the all caps? I smiled all the way home and when I got to my house expecting him to be waiting with popcorn the lights were off, he was sitting on the couch laptop in hand, glasses back on.
“I’m back!” I announced.
He held up his hand for an air high five. “You lived.”
“I did!” I said excitedly walking over to him. “So it was crazy I was?—”
“—Sorry.” He yawned, “Sorry, I’m just, not feeling that great, I swear I’ll hear all about it in the morning, okay?”
He got up from the couch and leaned over like he was going to kiss my forehead, instead he stared down at it, and backed up then went into the guest room and shut the door quietly behind him.
What the hell was that?