Chapter Four #3
Linc had provided her and her son a safe place to land, to regroup, to get their bearings. She’d be leaving soon enough. He simply needed to be a good host until that time came.
“Okay. I’m not much of a TV watcher, I prefer to read,” she told him.
“Well, I’ve got a ton of books you can choose from.
Not sure if they’re your genre or not, but you’re welcome to take your pick,” Linc told her, gesturing to the bookshelves on the far wall.
“There are more in boxes in one of the rooms on the second floor. I’m happy to let you or Kash rummage through them. ”
“Awesome.”
“Good night, Harper.”
“Night, Linc.”
Linc walked toward his bedroom, knowing he was going to be up most of the night because he wouldn’t be able to shut his brain off after everything that had happened today. Because of his change in circumstances.
At the last second, before he entered his room and shut the door, Linc found himself turning back toward the living room, and Harper.
“My mom’s planning a big Thanksgiving. With all of her sons home, and with two grandbabies on the way, she’s almost giddy with happiness and wants to have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings.
She’s going to make way too much food, and I have it on good authority that she’s asked Zach to help as well.
Will you and Kash come? And invite your dad too? ”
The offer to invite Victor was impulsive, and one he’d probably regret. But hearing Harper talk about the love she had for the man, he couldn’t exactly leave him out of the invitation. And if he wanted Harper and Kash there, Victor would have to be included as well.
Linc was very aware that none of his brothers would be thrilled to share a table with their old neighbor, but wasn’t that what the holidays were about?
Forgiveness and togetherness? Like it or not, Victor Rogers was still their mom’s neighbor.
And Chad and Britt’s, actually. He was a curmudgeon, and he had done some not-so-neighborly things in the past when it came to Lobster Cove, but he’d also been vital in finding Marit, and informing everyone about Camden kidnapping Mom and Britt.
“I don’t know . . .” Harper said.
“Think about it. You know my mom. Know she’d be over the moon to have you and Kash there. And your dad too. Her heart is huge, and the more the merrier as far as she’s concerned.”
“Thanks, Linc. I know you didn’t bargain on any of this.”
“You’re right, I didn’t. But I’m not sorry about it either. My life had gotten . . . well, let’s just say you and Kash are a good distraction.”
“Distraction?”
Linc wasn’t ready to discuss this, even though he’d brought it up. “Good night, Harper. Let me know about Thanksgiving so I can tell Mom.”
He gently shut his door, knowing he’d made the right decision by inviting Harper and her family to Thanksgiving.
It might be awkward having Victor join them—if he even accepted—but someone had to extend an olive branch.
The man would never win any neighbor-of-the-year awards, but it was past time to put differences aside and attempt to mend fences.
Linc heard Harper puttering around in the kitchen for a few minutes, then her footsteps on the stairs. It wasn’t until he heard her door close that he relaxed. He hadn’t realized he was so tense until that moment.
His life had already changed immensely, and it hadn’t even been a full day.
If anyone had told him twenty years ago that he’d be living with the girl who’d tormented him every day, he would’ve called them insane.
And yet, here they were. And the weird thing was .
. . he actually liked having Harper there.
Life had kicked her in the teeth, but she was still plugging along.
He admired that in her. Hell, he simply admired Harper.
She was no longer the spoiled brat she’d been all those years ago.
He hated that she’d had to go through such tough times in order to learn what was important in life, but her experiences had turned her into a woman that Linc respected.
Was . . . attracted to?
No, no, no. He couldn’t be attracted to Harper Bates. Wouldn’t that be hilarious, if he and the girl who’d bullied him relentlessly ended up together? It was like a bad Hallmark movie.
Though, Linc couldn’t deny the attraction was there. She was beautiful, even in her exhaustion and worry about Kash. She worked hard. Wasn’t afraid to apologize for her past behavior or make amends. Was a damn good mother.
In fact, Linc pretty much hadn’t found anything that majorly turned him off.
He needed to be careful. Very careful. Because she was going to leave, of that he had no doubt. Her goal from the moment she’d come back to Maine was to find a place of her own for her and Kash. He had to keep that in mind. The last thing he wanted was to become another decision she regretted.
Taking a deep breath, Linc grabbed a book off the stack on the table next to his bed and climbed onto the mattress.
He arranged his pillows behind his back and got comfortable.
He hoped to read until he got tired, and with any luck, he’d sleep for a few solid hours before his nightmares woke him once again.