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Harper’s smile was huge. “Nope. Because I’m just getting to know this new Harper. But, I can tell you that she loves the way she looks in the mirror now. Happy, free…always full,” she added with a laugh.
“So you’re taking your own advice.” He gestured around at the restaurant.
“This is a dream come true. It’s a new one, but it feels right. It fits better than the modeling ever did.”
Conor could listen to her talk all damn day. She was positive and fascinating, courageous in a way he wished he could be. Now that she’d opened the door just a crack, he wanted to know everything about Harper.
He ran a hand through his hair. “I couldn’t understand you talking about how happy you were your first night here. You have to admit, you walked up right in the middle of a shitshow, between the fire, and me and Luca going at each other.”
She laughed. “It would have taken a hell of a lot more than a little fire to dim my happiness about being here, creating this with you.” Harper spun around, and even though they were standing in the middle of a burned-out room, her joy touched him, sparked some in him. “Of course, I was pretty damn happy about the Quarter Pounder too.”
He rolled his eyes, chuckling. “Come on, Harper.” He held out his hand, electricity tingling along his spine when their palms met, her fingers curling around his.
Wow.
This was going to be a problem…because he was definitely attracted to both his partners in this venture.
Her words pinged around in his brain.
No reservations. No fear.
He didn’t have a clue what it would feel like to live without those, but damn if he didn’t want to give it a try.
“Ready?” Luca asked, as they walked toward him, his curious gaze taking in the fact they were holding hands.
“Yep,” Conor said, with a lighthearted tone that sounded foreign coming from him. “Let’s go get Harper another donut.”
Chapter Five
Harper juggled the large bag of groceries as she waited for the man at the front desk to call Conor to let him know she’d arrived. She listened with half an ear as she looked around the fancy foyer of the bougiest apartment building she’d ever seen. She knew Conor was wealthy, but this place was driving home just how loaded he really was.
She might have appreciated the beautiful building more if she wasn’t so distracted.
Earlier this morning, Luca had called her and Conor to let them know there’d been a theft at the site. The electrical wiring delivered to replace what had been damaged in the fire had been stolen.
Luca was pissed because the wire had only been delivered the day before, and they’d intended to start installing it this morning. Conor had arranged for security cameras to be outfitted in and around the building, but the company he’d hired couldn’t do the work until late next week.
Apparently, the theft of copper wasn’t an unusual thing, but that didn’t make this any less annoying. They were already scrambling to make up lost time because of the fire, and here they were, dealing with yet another setback.
“Yes, sir,” the front door attendant said, hanging up the phone. “Mr. Russo is expecting you. Right this way.” The man led her to the elevator, pressing the button and standing next to her, waiting for the doors to open. Once they did, he stepped inside with her briefly, just to swipe a card in front of the reader before pressing an unmarked button that was clearly for Conor’s place on the top floor.
“Hold the elevator,” a deep, familiar voice called out.
“Luca,” Harper said as he joined her, a narrow bag in hand, clearly containing his promised wine. “You made it.”
Luca grinned. “What else would I be doing on a Monday night?”
“Luca Moretti?” the man asked.
Luca nodded.
“Mr. Russo mentioned you would be visiting as well.” He asked Luca for his ID, just as he had hers at the desk. Once satisfied Luca was who he said he was, the man said, “The elevator will take you directly to the penthouse. Enjoy your evening.” The man stepped off and the doors slid closed.
“Good timing,” she said.
A week had passed since the building had been cleared by the code inspector, and while she had a million things to do to prepare for the opening of the restaurant, she tried to get out of the hotel at least once a day for fresh air.
During her walks around the city, she usually found herself swinging by the construction site and Conor’s club, Enigma. Not so much to check on the crew’s progress or to discuss business matters with her partner, but because she was very low on friends in Philadelphia—Luca and Conor comprising the entire list—and if she wanted any sort of human interaction, they were it.
