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“Deal.” I plan to get this shit resolved fast because not having Harper permanently in my space isn’t something I want to deal with for much longer.
15
Harper
“I’m so proud of you!” I scream at Mel from across the room, running toward her. It’s opening day of her dance studio, and it looks freaking amazing. The place is packed, and I smile knowing we hit the mark with advertising the studio as a form of childcare for parents that want to take some of our classes. There are so many parents here and from the look that’s plastered on my best friend’s face, she’s just as happy as I am.
I grab her by the shoulder and bring her into a huge bear hug, her laugh bubbling between us as I release her. “How are you doing? Good?” I ask as I take in the space, in awe of what she accomplished.
“I can’t believe this is real…” she starts, staring at every corner of her studio. I drop my hand, taking her fingers and interlocking them.
“You did so good, babe. You’re the reason this was possible.” I am so fucking proud of her.
“I couldn’t have done this without you, you know that, right?”
I wave her off, shaking my head because I might have given her the space, but she transformed it into this masterpiece.
“Yes, you could have. It just might have taken a bit longer, but I know you, and this would have been a reality eventually.” It’s true. This woman has always been a force of nature, it’s one of the many reasons I love her so damn much.
“How are you and Josh doing by the way. The countdown website still up?”
I nod, hoping to steer away from this conversation.
“Yeah, but we’re not going there today. Today is about you. My drama can stay away for one more night.” I hope she drops it since it’s a daily struggle not to log on and see if anything has changed. But Josh assured me that staying away would be best and so far, he’s been right.
“You know you don’t have to hide your issues today, right? I’m here to talk or to listen if you need it.”
I nod my head again, letting her know I get it. But that’s not what I want right now. Not today.
“So, you show Will the finished product yet?” I ask, a small smile creeping up the edge of my lips. I know she likes him; I can see it in the way her gaze follows him whenever he’s around. But something is holding her back, and I have no idea what.
“Nope.”
I quirk an eyebrow at the curt response.
“Don’t give me that look, the man doesn’t care about this place, he’s rich, good-looking and can get any girl he wants.”
“And?” I don’t see the issue here.
“And, the man is a player, and I can’t do that again. I can’t go after someone that will go behind my back and break me open over and over and over again. I can’t do it.”
I nod, because she’s right. Her walls are up and for good reason.
“Just to put my two cents in here, I don’t think he’s as bad as your imagination is setting him up to be. He might surprise you.”
She adamantly shakes her head. “He’s already proved to me that he is exactly who I think he is.”
I give her a look, needing more info than that cryptic sentence.
She takes a deep breath and continues. “I called him last night to see if he wanted to FaceTime and see the finished studio.”
Shit, I can already tell where this is going.
“Did he answer?”
“Someone answered. Wasn’t him.” She says nothing for a few seconds and then her eyes meet mine. “It was a girl's voice.”
My heart sinks. I know what she thinks that means but, in my heart, I don’t think Will is that type of guy.
