Rusty could see that Senior didn’t believe her excuse any more than he did. That said, she did work a lot of long hours. More likely she wanted to make sure that Senior knew there was nothing going on between them, like she had at Artie’s. He’d said the same thing, too, about being strictly friends... but in his case he hadn’t been telling the truth.
“You really like this gal, don’t you?”
Rusty shoved back from the table. He remembered thefirst time a girl had crushed his hopes. It was at the end of his junior year, and Sabrina Hackett had been his lab partner in chemistry. He liked her so much that he let her copy his homework before class every day. After six months he’d found the courage to ask if she wanted to take a ride in the ’82 Charger he’d just finished restoring.“Maybe we could get a hamburger or something,”he’d added, rubbing the eraser of his pencil so hard it fell off.
“That’s so sweet, Rusty,”she said, her expression a mix of humor and pity.“But you’re a good friend. I don’t want to ruin that.”She didn’t have a problem copying his homework for the rest of the year, though. Like a moron, he let her, and they both got As in the class. After that, she never spoke to him again.
After he graduated, there were two more women he’d been interested in. Both had said basically the same thing: he was good enough to be a friend but not good enough to date. Then there was that disaster of a blind date he’d told Harper about, the one that made him look like an enormous loser.
And when it came to women, he was.
“Rusty?” Senior snapped his fingers. “Still with me?”
He shrugged. “Don’t matter if I like her. I’ve been here before, and I know what’s going to happen.”
Senior crossed his arms. “And what’s that, exactly?”
“She’ll keep her distance so no one thinks we’re together.” He gave Senior a withering look. “We’ll run into each other at the gala, and she’ll be polite but avoid me all night. She’ll probably drop me as a real-estate client and use another mechanic for her car.”
“Wow,” Senior said wryly. “That’s a lot of fortune-tellin’ you’re doin’ over there.”
“Like I said, I’ve been here before.”
“Have you told her how you feel?” Senior asked.
His gaze flew to him. “No.”
“Why not?”
“And get shot down? Forget it.”
Senior rubbed the gray stubble on his chin. “What if she don’t?” He leaned forward, his expression serious for once. “What do you have to lose by tellin’ her the truth?”
My dignity?“Why are you pushing this?”
“I reckon you’re readin’ the situation all wrong,” Senior said. When Rusty scowled, he sat back in the chair. “But what do I know? I’m just an old man who was married for over fifty years.”
“I’m goin’ to bed,” Rusty said, jumping up from the chair.
Disappointment flashed in his grandfather’s eyes. “What about this?” He held up Harper’s phone.
“I’ll get it to her tomorrow,” he said, then went upstairs, kicked off his shoes, and plopped onto his bed, still wearing all his clothes, including his gray hoodie. Falling for Harper had been too easy, and he should have known better. He couldn’t be upset with her either. She hadn’t led him on and had been forthright that their relationship was strictly professional, with a dash of friendliness thrown in. Besides, expecting her to have any feelings for him was ludicrous. She could have her pick of any guy. Why would she choose him?
He rolled onto his side, his conversation with Senior sticking in his mind.Am I really seeing this wrong?His track record with women proved he was a master in that department. But what if Senior was right? What if there was a chance—nomatter how minuscule—that Harper was open to something more than friendship? Was it worth the risk to find out?
He put on his shoes and went downstairs. The light was still on, and Harper’s phone was still next to his. He knew how attached she was to her cell, and waiting until morning to return it didn’t sit right.
And maybe... just maybe... while he was there, he might test the waters to see if Senior was right. Because if Harper Wilsonwasinterested in him...
He grinned.I’d be the happiest man in the world.
He left the house and got into his truck, then headed for her house.
***
Senior stuck his head out of his room and peeked at Rusty opening the front door. A few seconds later he heard his grandson’s truck roaring to life. Hopefully what he’d said to Rusty tonight had stuck. When he went into the kitchen and saw the cell phone was missing, he grinned. That boy was headed to MissHarper’s.
He fixed himself his usual nighttime snack—peanut butter spread over graham crackers with a dash of Tabasco on top. Judy had never understood how he could eat something so disgusting, but the combo worked for him. He sighed. Not a day went by without him thinking about her, and right now he wished she was here to help him help Rusty.
