AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yeah, he does.” There was no hesitation.
“What made you choose him?” asked Isla, not in judgement but with genuine curiosity.
“I didn’t,” she laughed, remembering his persistence in talking to her. “Not really. While I saw him around, I made pleasantries but mostly ignored him and my curiosity. After Sylva was born, he came to my house for flowers, and we became friends. I didn’t notice it until it snuck up on me.”
“He hurt you!” Isla gasped in shock; her eyes were filling with tears.
“No. It’s nothing like that,” she reassured her. She didn’t find it surprising that Isla had jumped to that conclusion. She had to be careful about what she said.
“This was a sneaky emotional attack. Nick persevered. Initially, I was apprehensive around him, but I enjoyed his visits and the conversations we had. The two of us fell into an easy rhythm of seeing each other pretty quickly.” She shook her head at the stunning change. “Somewhere along the line, he became more than a friend to me, so we decided to try it out.”
She was confused as to why Nick hadn’t joined her last night in bed. She rubbed that thought away.
Isla was still for a moment before she gave her an approving nod. “I am glad that you have someone in your life. No one doubts your kindness and compassion, so you deserve happiness. If Nick is doing it for you, I’m happy.”
“You’re deserving of it, too,” Harper said softly.
“I’m not so sure. I’m nowhere near ready for anything intimate, and I don’t think it would be with a human.” Isla grimaced and shot her an apologetic look. “No offence. I like your Nick. He is a rare giving human.”
“I understand what you mean,” Harper explained, while her beast crooned in joy as it heard only two words: “Your Nick.”
“Come on. By the end of the day, if we completed two more calls each, we should have made a decent dent in the backlog of orders.”
“We accomplished more than half of what you anticipated today. That’s good progress.”
“Yes, it is. However, you ought to be careful. I’m considering hiring you full-time.” Harper had offered before, but Isla usually turned her down and helped out only when needed.
“I would find the pressure of having to do it and being unable to just come in when I feel like it’s too much,” Isla replied truthfully.
“I know.” And she did. Isla was like a butterfly flitting from place to place, never staying anywhere for too long. “Doesn’t mean I don’t wish you were working here full time.” She smiled.
“I would like to see a business open in town.” Isla picked at her nails. “I believe the rapid growth of your business can justify the expense.”
“I think if I put together a plan and have a rough idea of what the profits will look like, then I will be able to convince Drey to get on board,” Harper murmured. Isla snorted, and Harper turned, puzzled at her. “What?”
“Drey will approve of it, you know? Just as Cain will do anything for me, he will do anything for you.” With amusement, Isla said, “You could tell him you wanted a plot of land to dump manure on, and he would be delighted to provide it to you.”
Harper chuckled because she wasn’t wrong.
Drey and Cain spent a lot of time trying to make up for the injustices that life dealt Numbers, but more importantly, for Harper and Isla. It was as if they saw them as more vulnerable, which they were. However, they also needed to be able to stand on their own two feet.
With the encouragement of females, Harper set up the business, and if the females hadn’t taken face-to-face orders and calls to begin with, she wouldn’t have reached this point.
A great deal of credit should be given to the females who gave up their time to make her dream a reality. She was able to slowly come out of her shell and learn to live as a result.
Harper believed in living…she wanted to give Nick a chance. It was something she couldn’t have done a year ago or even six months ago. But, while she was working on letting him in, Nick’s steady presence and his unwavering support had compelled her to have faith in him.
“Okay, back to work.” She wiped her hands and tidied up.
She lost herself in a barrage of thoughts and feelings, recalling everything she shared with Nick. While she was busy working, a smile appeared on her lips.
She caught a glimpse of Isla looking over occasionally with a raised brow and a pointed glance at her face. Harper just grinned a bit wider and carried on with the rest of her arrangements.
By the time they finished the last order, she was anxious to return to Nick’s home. The anticipation of seeing him made her body tremble.
“Go, Harper,” Isla advised with a laugh when she sensed Harper’s frantic energy.
Harper laughed. “No, I’m staying until you leave.”
