“So, what do you think?” she asked, looking over her shoulder. “Can you cover it?”
“Yeah.” It was a banner surrounded by four pink roses with that cheating bastard’s name taking up precious real estate on her perfect body. Deke had never seen a more vile sight. “I’ve got a friend who’s great with cover-ups. She’s an amazing artist. You mind if I snap a pic and send it to her? We can consult on the design and you can let me know what you think.”
“Sure, thanks.”
He walked over to his dresser and grabbed his phone. He’d much rather be taking half-naked pics of his ex for an entirely different reason, but if it meant correcting this travesty, he was the man for the job.
He snapped a few pics and zoomed in on them to make sure he got the detail he needed before firing off a text to Rylee. “She should get back to me soon. I’ll let you know what she thinks.”
“Thanks.” She turned slowly while fastening her skirt. “I wasn’t sure I could bring myself to ask you about it. I didn’t want it to be awkward.”
She was biting her lip, a sure sign she was worried.
He gripped her chin, freeing that luscious lip from those perfect white teeth. “Relax, I got this. No big deal.”
She stepped closer, curling her hands around his biceps. “It is a big deal.” Rolling forward on her toes, she kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure.” She had no idea how much pleasure it would give him to erase that guy’s name from her body and his existence from her memory. One day at a time, he reminded himself, one day a time before she was his again. In every way.
Chapter Six
Harper passed by their apartment first because she wanted to talk to Jude before she left for work at noon. She didn’t want to pack an overnight bag and plan to spend a few days, or more, away without running it past Jude, and assuring her she would still pay her share of the rent.
“Hey, you!” Jude’s eyes lit up when she saw her. “Did you and Deke have a sleepover last night, or what?”
Harper could feel herself blushing when Drew stepped in the door behind her. “Hi,” he said, with a little wave.
“Hi.” Jude’s jaw dropped. “Uh, you’re, uh, Deke’s nephew, right?” She gave Harper the WTF look before smiling at Drew. “You’re too cute. You’re gonna be a little heartbreaker, just like your uncle.”
Harper could definitely vouch for the heartbreaker part. He sure had done a number on hers. “I’m going to hang out with Drew this summer while his uncle is at work,” she said, smiling when the little boy slipped his hand into hers and leaned into her side. “We’re gonna have tons of fun, aren’t we, buddy?”
He grinned. “Yeah! Harper’s taking me to the park and out for lunch and then to the library today.”
Jude pouted. “You get to have all the fun. And I have to go to work.” She folded her arms. “No fair!”
Drew giggled and did a little half-turn while still holding her hand, making Harper smile.
“Honey, I’ve got some really cool art supplies in my room,” Harper said, bending down so they were eye level. “Think you’d like to draw me a picture while I have a little chat with my friend, Jude?”
“Sure.” He paused. “Think I’ll have time to make one for Uncle Drew too? He loves my drawings. He always puts ‘em on the fridge.”
Harper was afraid she was falling for Deke all over again and when his nephew made comments like that it made him even harder to resist. “Sure, and if you don’t have time to finish here we can always take them home with us, okay?”
He nodded vigorously. “Cool.”
“Be right back,” Harper whispered to her friend. She pointed to a small desk in the corner of her bedroom.” You have a seat right there. I just have to find the art supplies and sketch pad.” She still had a few unpacked boxes stacked up in a corner. “I’m sure it’s here somewhere.” She removed a bunch of framed photos from the top of the box, setting them on her bed, so she could get at the art supplies she believed were at the bottom.
“Hey! Is this you and Uncle Deke?”
Harper whirled around to see him holding a framed photo from her senior prom. Deke had already graduated, but he was adamant that he was taking her, and wouldn’t let her go solo, or God forbid, with some guy pretending to be her friend because he hoped to score.
“It is,” Harper said, sitting on the edge of the bed as he looked through the pictures to see if he could find more. There was another one of them at the beach. She was wearing a black string bikini and Deke was standing behind her, his arms wrapped around her.
She swallowed the lump in her throat. It had been a long time since she’d really looked at these pictures and she couldn’t deny they stirred up something she thought she’d buried when he dumped her.
“Was Uncle Deke your boyfriend?” Drew asked, wide-eyed.
“He was.”
