Nathan nodded approvingly. "Smart thinking. It'll be nice to have a comfortable spot to direct traffic from."
As if on cue, a knock sounded at the door. Harper's heart leaped as she hurried to answer it. Two burly men in uniform stood in the hallway, clipboards in hand.
"Ms. O'Neill?" the taller of the two asked.
Harper nodded. "That's me."
"We're here with your furniture and belongings. Where would you like us to start?"
Harper stepped aside, gesturing for them to enter. "If you could bring in the sofa first, that would be great. We can set it up against that wall," she said, pointing to the far side of the living room.
The movers nodded and headed back down to their truck. Harper turned to Nathan, barely able to contain her excitement. "Oh, my gosh, I'm so excited to have all my stuff!"
Nathan chuckled, his eyes warm. "Your own place, at last."
They watched as the movers carefully maneuvered Harper's plush, forest green sofa through the door and into position. Once it was in place, Harper couldn't resist flopping down onto it with a contented sigh.
"Oh, I've missed you," she said, patting the cushion beside her.
Nathan laughed and joined her on the sofa. "I can see why. This is pretty comfortable."
As the movers continued to bring in boxes and furniture, Harper and Nathan settled into their makeshift command center on the sofa. Harper directed traffic, pointing out where each item of furniture should go, while Nathan kept track of the inventory list.
"That's for the master bedroom, down the hall and to the left," Harper called out as two movers carried in her dresser. "At least the boxes are marked by room," she told Nathan. "That's one headache we won't have to deal with, so we can unpack the important areas first."
Nathan made a check on the list. "Looks like we're making good progress," he said, glancing at Harper. "How are you feeling?"
Harper took a deep breath, a mix of emotions playing across her face. "Excited, overwhelmed, happy... a little nervous," she admitted. "But mostly, I'm just glad to be here. To have a place of my own again."
Den, Reyna said firmly, making them both grin.
As the morning wore on, the empty apartment slowly transformed into something resembling a home. Boxes piled up in designated areas, furniture found its place, and the air filled with the promise of new beginnings. Then suddenly it was all in, and the movers closed up the back of their van and trundled off, leaving Harper and Nathan alone.
Harper stood in the middle of her living room, surrounded by stacks of boxes and newly placed furniture. She blinked in disbelief, her mind struggling to catch up with the whirlwind of activity that had just taken place.
"Did that really happen?" she asked, turning to Nathan with wide eyes. "I didn't expect it to go so fast."
Nathan chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "Those movers were like a well-oiled machine."
She walked over to her sofa, which now sat proudly against the far wall, and sank into its familiar comfort. Nathan joined her, letting out a low whistle as he surveyed the room.
"Well, the good news is we have plenty of time before the others arrive to help unpack," he said, glancing at his watch.
Harper leaned back, taking in the sight of her new home. Boxes were stacked neatly in each room, labeled with their contents. Her bookshelves stood empty, waiting to be filled with her beloved collection of books. The dining table was already in place, ready for the Greek feast Kester would be bringing later.
"I can't believe it's all here," Harper murmured. "It feels so... real now."
Nathan nudged her gently with his elbow. "That's because it is real. This is your home now, Harper."
She turned to him, a smile spreading across her face. "You're right. It is." She paused, her expression softening. "Thank you for being here with me. It means a lot."
Nathan's eyes crinkled as he smiled back. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."
They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the reality of the situation sinking in. Then Harper clapped her hands together, her energy returning.
"Alright, let's get to work," she said, standing up. "We should start with the kitchen. I want to have everything ready for when the food arrives."
Nathan nodded, getting to his feet. "Lead the way."
