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Well, at least she tried.
She padded after the men now settling onto the sofas. Harper glanced up at her, smiled, and patted the seat next to him.
Robin had never brought a boyfriend around her family. She didn’t quite know how to act when blending the two worlds. How was she both the quiet, obedient daughter while also being whoever she was with Harper?
She kicked off a slipper and sat on the sofa next to Harper, one leg curled under her. He reached over without looking and settled his hand on her legging-clad knee. It was such a casual gesture. He didn’t even look or wink or anything, just placed his hand there and left it. Like it was natural. It felt more like a claim. Like he was saying she was his to her family. But that was silly, wasn’t it?
Robin felt heat crawl up her neck. Mom had died before they could talk about boys and dating. Dad had never asked and Robin didn’t know how he’d react. She peered at her father but found him saying something in an animated tone to Uncle Daar. Clearly, she was the only one who thought the moment was significant.
Silly her.
As if thinking his name called his attention, Uncle Daar turned his focus on Harper. “You’re a military man, aren’t you, Harper?”
Harper swiped his thumb across her knee and studied her uncle for a brief second as if gathering his thoughts. Then again, discussing politics and the world with Uncle Daar could often be littered with landmines.
“Ah, yes. I was in the Navy.” Harper smiled at Uncle Daar sheepishly. “I knew when I graduated high school my parents didn’t have a lot of money for me to go to school, so I enlisted. I can’t say I did so with any real purpose in mind other than surviving.”
“Did you go to school? University, I mean?” Dad asked.
Harper nodded slowly. “I did. Not all at once, and not as well as your daughter. I have a Bachelor of Business degree. Didn’t have much of a plan when I got it, I’ll be honest, but it’s worked out alright for me.”
Uncle Daar propped his elbow on the armrest and narrowed his gaze. “Your consulting business, do you work for someone, or are you independent?”
Harper chuckled and launched into an answer. It was as if he could sense the potential pitfalls and he skipped right over them.
Robin was still partially holding her breath. Harper might not understand what his answer did, but she saw it. American military presence in the Middle East was a hot button for Uncle Daar. The way she saw it, everyone was to blame, and no one was innocent, but she could never say that to him.
Harper had done something amazing with a simple honest answer.
By explaining his enlistment as the only choice to a young man with few prospects, she knew that resonated with Uncle Daar. No, her uncle might not completely forgive Harper, but it let them understand each other. How many times had Dad regaled her with stories from when they were kids and how his glorious big brother made things work out for them? How he’d turned things he had to do into personal victories?
Dad liked to forget that he hadn’t come from money, but Uncle Daar never did. Harper’s story would resonate with him, Robin was certain.
Saaina brought in a platter of finger foods. Snacking broke up the conversation, but not by much. Both Dad and Uncle Daar seemed committed to grilling Harper.
At first, Robin was nervous on his behalf. What if they chased Harper off? But Harper replied with a smile or a laugh, often with a charming story thrown in. She kept her own questions and input to a minimum. This was about letting Harper bond with her family so that maybe he might learn something she didn’t.
Her phone buzzed after a while. She peered at the screen to see a text from Jessica. Just seeing her friend made Robin smile.
Sometimes it felt lonely being here, but she wasn’t. She had friends like Jess, and now Harper.
Maybe there was a way to use Harper without his awareness?
She’d have to sleep on that. For now, she needed to stay the course.
“It’s three,” Saaina announced out of nowhere.
Both Dad and Uncle Daar paused then looked at each other.
“Sorry to cut this short, my boy.” Uncle Daar stood and held his hand out to Harper. “We have a prior engagement.”
Harper stood and clasped the hand. “Thank you for the hospitality.”
“Don’t get up on our account,” Dad said. “Stay. Head upstairs and watch a movie?”
There was an idea.
Soundproof room. No distractions. She could apologize in there without feeling like she needed to whisper.
