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CHAPTER 58

Regular Leave

Harper

“Mom! Where’s my blue suitcase?” I call down the stairs.

“Did you check my closet?” Mom yells back.

I hurry into her room and open her walk-in closet. My suitcase is right there. I breathe out a rush of relief. I’ve never gone on a trip like the one we’re planning for Thanksgiving break.

It’s Tuesday after school, and we’re officially on break until Monday. We plan to have Thanksgiving dinner with our families on Wednesday and our plane tickets to Boston are early Thursday morning.

Caden’s rented us apartments for the weekend so we can visit schools in Boston and New York. We also plan to go up to Crowne Mawr University in a few weeks after State and visit, but that’s only a car drive away.

I’m so nervous. I’m afraid I’ll forget something important or make a spectacle of myself or the universities will take one look at me and pass. Even knowing that’s not how this works, it doesn’t chill out my nerves.

The doorbell rings as I put the suitcase on my bed. I need to make a list of everything I need to bring with me. If I can’t fit everything, I just won’t bring pajamas. I’m sure I can borrow a shirt. A little smile plays on my lips. I don’t really plan on wearing any pajamas. It’s just going to be the six of us. A taste of what college life will be like.

“Harper! Come down, please.”

Who could it be? The guys would just come up. I walk into the hallway, and Luke comes out of his room.

I told him he had to leave me alone to pack because it would be much easier to just mess around with him. Especially when he keeps giving me those looks.

He smirks like he knows exactly what I’m thinking. I shake my head and walk downstairs with him following me. Living with only one of my boyfriends makes me happy, but it also makes me long for when we can stop sneaking around and all live together.

“Hey, kitten.” Eli waits at the bottom of the stairs, watching me. When I close in on him, he lifts me off the bottom stair and hugs me tight against him.

“I didn’t know you were coming over tonight.” I lift my head to look up into his eyes.

He smiles. “Not me. My dad needed to talk to you, so I tagged along.”

I glance over and see Cameron talking with my mom in the kitchen. Nothing much has happened on that front. At least, not that I’m aware of. We’ve all been busy with football games, parties, and schoolwork. Cameron’s divorce has gone through. Nora is in custody now pending her trial.

The judge decided she was a flight risk with the means and motive to leave the country. Eli has been happier, though I know he’s stressed about her trial. It’s his mom. Even when someone hates their parents, they still love them.

Well, maybe not everyone. I glance at Luke. Some parents aren’t worth worrying over.

As I slide my arm around Eli’s waist, he puts his arm around my shoulder and leads me into the kitchen.

“Nonsense,” my mom says to Cameron as we walk in. “You should come over too.”

“What are we talking about?” I ask.

Mom looks at me. “Cameron and Eli were going out to dinner for Thanksgiving tomorrow. I said they should both just come here. We always have way too much food, and without the boys this weekend, I’ll just end up with leftovers.”

I smile, knowing what both Eli and Luke are thinking. My mom is like me. Never could pass up a stray. She’s collected all the boys, and it looks like she’s collecting Cameron. Even if it isn’t romantic. Yet. Though there are looks...

“If it’s not too much trouble,” Cameron says. He glances at Eli, who shrugs.

“I’m willing to have dinner with Harper.” Eli leads me to the island stools, and we both take a seat. Luke comes in and takes the stool on my other side. Eli smiles. “Jennifer is a good cook.”

“That settles it. You two are coming to Thanksgiving tomorrow.” Mom smiles like she planned this all along and didn’t just add two more mouths to feed on Thanksgiving. My guess is Mom planned on my whole crew showing up and has plenty of food.

Cameron clears his throat and turns his attention to me. “That’s not what I came here for though. I need to talk to you. Tanner’s trial is going into deliberations. We’re hoping the jury comes back quickly. What I need to know from you, Harper, is if you want to make a victim impact statement at his sentencing? If you don’t want to go in, we can have it read.”

My heart stops for a second. Everything seemed to slow down for a while like nothing was happening, but now it feels like everything is going fast again. “I could do a statement.”