Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
Delaney
Harrison has been out of the office for almost two days. He’s supposed to come back this afternoon. Henry and I stand side-by-side, looking at the clear table before us.
“I can’t believe you got all of that organized,” Henry says. “Harrison has been piling files there for at least a year or two, and you got it all sorted in two days.”
I chuckle because his voice is hushed, almost reverent, and he doesn’t take his eyes off the empty table while he speaks.
“It was a hot mess. Quite honestly, I don’t know how he found anything when he needed it. He doesn’t know this yet, but I plan on making him let me organize his email—and that nightmare of a desktop on his computer.”
“Yes! You’ve seen it then?” Henry laughs.
“Oh, I’ve seen it all right, and I’m pretty sure if there were an award for having the most open, uncategorized files randomly saved to a desktop, your brother would win. He actually has so many that there’s no room—they’re overlapping on the screen a little bit.”
His face falls, and the air around us changes.
“Yeah, it’s kind of weird. He doesn’t miss a beat with anything.
I mean, really, he’s absolutely brilliant.
Don’t tell him I said that, though. He always keeps his head organized.
But ever since…” He stops, closes his eyes for a few seconds, then opens them and continues.
“But for a long time now, he’s lived with a lot of disarray in his life. ”
Henry’s smile is gone, and there’s a hint of a frown. I suspect there’s a story there, but it’s not mine to dig into, even if I’m dying to understand Harrison a little better.
“Well, we’ll see what he does when he gets here today. He may well flip a gasket and fire me.”
A smirk breaks out across Henry’s face again.
“I can promise you he’ll not do that.”
I shrug. “Only time will tell, I guess.” I glance at my watch. “You care if I go to lunch now?”
“Nope, of course not.” I nod, turn, and am nearly to the door when he says, “Thanks for this, Delaney.” I look over my shoulder at him. “Harrison has a hard time accepting help and showing his more personable side, but I promise you, it’s in there.”
I know it’s there. I met that man back on that night when we were them: Al and Betty. I smile at him, then walk to my desk, grab my bag, and head to the restroom.
It struck me the other day that I could take advantage of the beautiful trails on the property.
I can walk during my lunch hour to fit in exercise without interfering with my visits with Mom.
I made sure it was okay with Henry, and he assured me it was.
He said many employees take advantage of the paths.
So, I started taking forty-minute walks.
Forty minutes gives me just enough time to change my clothes, walk, freshen up afterward, and be back at my desk within the hour.
After I put on my walking shoes, tights, and a hoodie, I return to my desk.
I grab my cheese sandwich and eat it along with a generic granola bar.
They’re not my favorite flavor, and they’re a little skimpy, but they’re cheaper than the name-brand ones and help fill me up.
I wash it all down with water and head outside.
Once there, I inhale the summer air. The smell of honeysuckle fills my nose, and I look around to see if I can locate the source, but don’t find it. I love that scent. It reminds me of how our yard smelled. If it wasn’t honeysuckle, it was lilacs or lavender, making our yard so aromatic.
“Delaney!” a feminine voice calls.
I glance behind me to see Ellie and Leah, the company accountant, several yards back. They jog a little to catch up.
“Can we walk with you?” Ellie asks.
“Sure, of course.” I can’t help but wonder why they want to, though.
All the staff I’ve met at work since starting here at Aron Family Builders and Restoration have been quite friendly.
While I’d love to have friends, it’s hard for me to make them.
I’m socially awkward on a good day. I think it’s because I’ve spent so much time in isolation with Mom the last few years.
The few friendships I had didn’t survive it, and I’m not sure I remember how to have friends anymore.
“You actually motivated us to get walking again,” Ellie says with a smile. “Leah and I used to walk every day at lunch, and then we got a little bit lazy.”
“I don’t know that I would call it lazy,” Leah chastises. “You’ve had things going on, El.”
“Yeah, yeah. Anyway, we saw you out walking and decided we should see if you’d let us join you. We can keep each other motivated and accountable.”
I think for a second and decide that I’d be okay with that. Sure, I like alone time, but I already have a lot of it. Maybe being around other people my age would be good for me.
We walk, making idle conversation. I add something here and there, but mostly listen. When we come to the fork in the path, I instinctively start to go right.
Leah stops me. “Can we go left? I love the scenery and the views.” So, we do.
We walk for a few minutes, and then we come upon a small log cabin.
“Oh wow. I’ve actually never seen any buildings here except for the main one,” I tell them. “I love this.”
“Oh, believe me, this is nothing,” Leah says. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s really pretty—but wait till you see some of the other houses.”
“Houses?” I ask.
“Uh huh. Harrison lives on the property. He’s the one who’s been here the longest. The guys own tons of acreage here.
Henry lives with his family in the farmhouse Tillie’s grandparents owned.
Harrison and Hayden both have gorgeous homes here.
Holden is building his and Heath… Well, Heath probably has his primary residence in South Carolina. ”
“Heath?” I’m confused as to who that is, and I’m sure it shows on my face.
Ellie and Leah stop and gawk at me.
“Heath, the youngest brother,” Leah explains.
I shrug. “I didn’t know there was a fifth brother. He lives out of state?”
“Yeah. Heath… Heath Aron.” Ellie stares at me for several seconds, then her mouth drops open. “Delaney, you don’t know who Heath Aron is, do you?”
“Um, apparently he’s one of the brothers.” I shrug. “Now keep walking, ladies. We’ve only got”—I pause and look at my watch—“twenty-one more minutes to walk.” I resume moving and make it about thirty feet before I hear them as they catch up.
“Delaney, Heath Aron is one of the best players on the national football scene.” Leah sounds stunned that she’s sharing this news.
“Hmm. That’s nice, I guess.”
“Professional football, girl,” Ellie says. “He’s a professional football player. He’s also smoking hot. Like panty-dropping hot.”
Irritation immediately fills me. She’s Harrison’s girlfriend, and I’m no goody-two-shoes, but her assessment of Heath seems shitty and disrespectful to Harrison.
“I figured that’s what you meant. That’s nice for him.” It comes out a little sharp.
She may notice because we walk in silence then.
A few minutes later, nestled in an opening in the woods, is a beautiful building. Well, not a building. It’s a house. Everything about it screams home. It’s a combination of log and red brick.
“Wow. That’s gorgeous.”
I don’t realize I’ve stopped and am staring until Leah chuckles.
“Yeah, we both froze in place when we first saw it, too.”
“This one’s Harrison’s,” Ellie says. “You should see the inside. It’s so nice.”
Something tightens in my chest at the familiarity in Ellie’s voice when she talks about Harrison, and the fact that she’s been in his house.
We resume walking, and I get lost in my thoughts. Leah and Ellie are back to carrying the conversation—mostly between them—which is fine with me. Seeing Harrison’s house and hearing them talk about him has put me in a more defensive mood than I was at the start of our walk.
Ellie really is lovely. She’s pretty, nice, and friendly.
Not awkward, like someone I know. Sure, the way she talked about Harrison’s brother rubbed me the wrong way, but maybe that’s just a me issue.
As if she needed more going for her, she basically has the job I’d love to have someday—and she has the boyfriend.
The thought comes to me unbidden. Still, I know it’s the truth.
I knew from that first night together in the hotel, just months ago, that I’d failed at my one-night stand. Failed, because you’re not supposed to want your one-night stand to turn into more. But I did then. And I think I do now, even if Harrison can be a grumpy boss-hole sometimes.
Ellie says something beside me, and I don’t even process her words at first because it yanks my attention back to reality—and the fact that I’m about ninety-five percent sure she’s Harrison’s girlfriend.
I think back to the day we went to the building department and stopped to get smoothies. Yeah, he left one for me, but I was with him, so he probably felt like he had to. But I didn’t miss that Ellie was sipping on one that same afternoon—the green one.
There have been a couple of times I’ve seen Harrison talking at Ellie’s desk.
Then, on the day of the smoothies, I even heard him laugh.
I was in the accounting area, and I heard him guffaw at something she said.
Later, while I was still in the room with Leah, they both burst out laughing so loudly I could hear it from twenty feet away.
It stung.
“Delaney, did you hear me?” Ellie asks.
“Shoot, sorry, no. Sometimes I daydream. What did you say?”
“I asked if you were involved with anyone.”
“Oh, God, no. Definitely not.” I vehemently shake my head.
Both women laugh out loud.
“Why not? You’re pretty, cool to talk to. You can’t convince me no one ever asks you out,” Leah says.
“What aren’t you telling us? There’s something…” Ellie teases.
“Nothing. I’m… I’m just really busy with some family issues, that’s all.”
“Oh, and even though I don’t want to admit it, I’m hung up on your boyfriend. Who, funny story, is the same guy I had an amazing one-night stand with just a few months ago.”
Yeah, voicing that thought out loud would probably go over really well.