Harper stared at the keys—heavy, well-worn, attached to a simple leather fob that smelled faintly of pine.
"You know," Lila continued with a knowing smile. "Dorian's never let anyone except me drive his truck. Ever. So this is..." She tilted her head, studying Harper with those too-perceptive blue-gray eyes. "Very interesting."
Heat crept up Harper's neck as she accepted the keys. "He probably just wants you to focus on enjoying your friends instead of worrying about driving at night."
But even as the rational explanation left her lips, Harper's pulse quickened. Dorian trusting her with something so personal felt significant in ways she didn't want to examine.
"Right," Lila said, drawing the word out with obvious skepticism. "Just practical."
The October evening air carried the crisp bite of approaching winter as they stepped onto the front porch. Harper's breath misted slightly as Lila locked the front door behind them. Then they turned and descended the steps toward the black pickup truck that dominated the gravel driveway.
The moment Harper slid behind the wheel and closed the door, Dorian's scent enveloped her like a physical embrace, making her lungs seize and her fingers tremble slightly on the steering wheel. The leather seat still held the impression of his body, and she found herself sinking into it.
Why does his scent seem even stronger today?
The thought surfaced unbidden, followed immediately by the memory of his mouth on hers, the way he'd tasted like something wild that had made her forget every reason she shouldn't want him.
"You okay?" Lila buckled her seatbelt, watching Harper with curious eyes.
"Fine." Harper cleared her throat and started the engine, grateful for the distraction of Lila's cheerful directions toward town. "Just adjusting to the truck."
The drive passed quickly, filled with Lila's excited chatter about Sophie and Courtney, how they'd been friends since elementary school, how much she'd missed their easy friendship these past months. Harper found herself smiling at the girl's enthusiasm, remembering her own teenage years when friendship had felt like the most important thing in the world.
Within minutes, the diner glowed with warm yellow light against the deepening twilight, and Harper pulled into the parking lot with ease. Through the large windows, she could see the waitress moving between tables, and her heart gave an unexpected flutter of belonging.
This place is starting to feel familiar.
"I'll keep my distance," Harper promised as they both climbed out of the truck. "I won't hover."
Lila's smile was radiant. "Thank you, Harper."
Harper watched as Lila practically bounced through the diner's front door, immediately engulfed in squeals of delight from two girls who'd clearly been waiting for her arrival. The pure joy on Lila's face as she hugged her friends made Harper's chest tight with emotion. Two counseling sessions, and this traumatized girl was reaching toward life again, reconnecting with pieces of herself she'd thought were lost.
Don't take too much credit,Harper warned herself, but she couldn't deny the satisfaction that bloomed in her chest. Her presence here was making a difference.
Once inside the diner, the familiar waitress greeted Harper with a warm smile. "Where's Dorian tonight?"
"Working," Harper replied, settling into a corner booth where she could observe Lila's table without being intrusive. "I'm just supervising Lila and her friends."
"How sweet of you." The woman's eyes crinkled with approval. "It's wonderful to finally see that girl out and about again. We've all been so worried."
An hour later, Harper caught Lila's eye across the restaurant and nodded—their prearranged signal that it was time to head to the basketball game. The girls giggled and chattered as they piled into Dorian's truck, their excitement infectious despite Harper's determination to maintain professional boundaries.
Five minutes later, the high school parking lot was nearly full, warm light spilling from the gymnasium windows and the sound of a pep band drifting across the asphalt. Harper parked near the building's entrance and turned to face the girls.
"Have fun," she said simply. "I'll be right here when you're ready to leave."
"Thanks again, Harper." Lila's gratitude was genuine as the three friends tumbled out of the truck and disappeared into the building, arms linked and voices bright.
Alone in the parking lot, Harper settled back against the leather seat and pulled out her phone. She scrolled through it, and there right at the top of her favorites list, Dorian's contact information stood out like a declaration. Her thumb hovered over his name, and that strange flutter returned to her chest.
I should call him. Tell him everything's going well.
But the memory of their kiss, of the way she'd fled from him like a coward, made her hesitate. Distance seemed safer rightnow, at least until she could figure out why being near him made her feel so exposed.
An hour passed slowly. Harper scrolled through emails, checked the weather, anything to keep her mind occupied. But sitting in Dorian's truck, surrounded by his scent, made concentration impossible. Finally, she couldn't stand the confined space any longer.
The evening air was sharp and clean as she stepped out of the truck, stretching muscles that had grown stiff from sitting. A short walk would help clear her head and pass the time until Lila was ready to leave.
