Page 37 of Seeing Harper

“You wouldn’t just give it to her since you love her so much?”

Clay smiled thoughtfully. “I can’t convince her I’m the one for her if she’s not here.”

Mr. Bigsby laughed.

“Honestly, if she just flat out doesn’t want me, I’ll probably just leave it in her hands and find something else to do with my life. If I own it, nobody can ever take it from her, whether I’m here or not. But then again, maybe she’ll change her mind if I’m around more often, so maybe I’ll help her work it.”

“You’re a good man,” Mr. Bigsby said.

“Mr. Bigsby! Yoo Hoo! Mr. Bigsby!” Harper called from across the pasture as she jogged closer to them.

Mr. Bigsby turned toward Harper and waved. “No need to run, girl! I’ll wait for you!” he shouted.

Harper waved again, but continued jogging toward them, passing through small gates as she crossed first one pasture then another on her way to them.

Mr. Bigsby turned back to Clay. “You come back here later this evening. I go to bed at nine, so it has to be before then. We’ll talk, but no promises until then.”

“That’s all I ask, sir. And that you don’t mention any of it to Harper.”

“Surprise engagement. I like that. Hopefully we can work something out.” Mr. Bigsby turned back to watch Harper as she ran across the last pasture. “Don’t know where she gets all her energy. It’s like she’s super-human.”

A couple of minutes later Harper was crossing the driveway toward them. “Hi, Mr. Bigsby!”

“Hey, girlie. How’re you doing?” Mr. Bigsby asked.

“Good. Real good! I see you met Clay.”

“I have. He’s a good man.”

“Yes, sir, he is. He’s one of my best friends. Probably the only one that actually gets me,” Harper said with a laugh. “He came to help me get everything done today. Because he wanted to,” she said while making a ‘can you believe it?’ face.

Mr. Bigsby laughed. “Maybe he didn’t know what he was up for.”

“I knew exactly what I was up for,” Clay said with a chuckle. “And I came anyway.”

“A very good friend,” Mr. Bigsby said.

“How is Mrs. Bigsby feeling today?” Harper asked.

“She’s having a good day today. We were swinging on the front porch swing and enjoying a little lemonade. But it’s hot, so I’m sure we’ll be back inside before too much longer. But I had to come meet your young man and see if he was worthy of you,” Mr. Bigsby said with a big smile.

“Oh, he…” she hesitated as she started to deny Clay was her young man, but then caught Clay’s delighted expression and decided there was no harm in letting Mr. Bigsby think they were a couple., “he’s definitely worthy. More worthy than anyone else I know,” she said, smiling warmly at Clay.

“It’s easy to be worthy of you,” Clay said, staring into her eyes with an intensity that if he’d been anyone else would have made her uncomfortable.

“How long have you two known each other?” Mr. Bigsby asked.

“Childhood friends. All our lives,” Harper said.

“That’s sweet, and the best way, friends first.”

“Yes, sir, it is,” Clay said. “Makes for a lifetime of happiness.”

“It does, it really does. Alright, well I just wanted to check in and like I said, meet your young man. I’m going to get the missus and get her out of this heat before she gets to fainting on me.”

“Thank you for coming to say hello, Mr. Bigsby,” Harper said.

“Thank you for all you do, Harper. It doesn’t go unnoticed.”