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Harper shook her head. “I’m not ready to talk to him yet.”
“He probably just wants to explain.” Ember smiled. “Maybe you should let him.”
“I will. Just not right now.” Harper slid her thumb across the screen to reject the call. “I think I’m going to head home and get some sleep. The baby and I have had enough excitement for one day. I’m exhausted.” She slid her phone into her pocket and leaned over to hug her friend, being careful not to squash Arthur. “Thank you,” she whispered. “For being here and letting me talk.”
“You’re welcome to stay as long as you’d like. There’s no rush for you to leave.”
“You’re very sweet.” Harper nodded. “But I should go home. It’s been a hell of a long day.” She thought of those half-finished dresses still hanging in James’s basement. Another reason she’d need to talk to him, if there weren’t a million more important ones.
“Okay. Sleep should help. And hopefully things will look better in the morning.” Ember squeezed her hand. “If you need anything call me. Day or night. The likelihood is I’ll be awake anyway.”
Harper smiled. “Something else for me to look forward to.”
“Being a mom is worth every minute of the sleepless nights.” Ember kissed the top of Arthur’s head. “You’ll find that out, too. Soon enough.”
Yeah, she would, and the thought of it didn’t scare her. Instead it made her feel warm inside. Whatever happened, this baby growing inside her was more important than anything else. Harper was damned sure her child was going to know that.
“Thank you,” she said again, pulling her keys from her purse. “And there’s no need to get up and see me out. Arthur looks way too comfortable right there.”
Ember snuggled him in closer. “If you’re sure you’re okay…”
“I am.” She hugged her one last time. “I’ve got this. Or at least I will after some sleep. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Be sure you do.” Ember winked. “Sweet dreams.”
25
For the first time in days, sleep came easy for Harper. Maybe it was sheer exhaustion, or more likely her mind just didn’t want to think any more. It was like an engine that had been over used and had finally burnt out.
When she woke the next morning, her eyes were stuck together with sleep. She slowly opened them and licked her dry lips, wrinkling her nose at the taste of her own morning breath.
Slowly the memories of yesterday returned. Sara’s sister, James’s denials, her own shocked response. Groaning, she sat up and checked her phone for the first time, pressing her lips together when she saw she had ten missed calls.
Her stomach jumped as the baby kicked her. She rubbed the spot at the top of her belly where a foot was still poking out. “You have big feet,” she whispered, feeling the outline of a heel. “You must take after your daddy with that.”
As if she could hear her, the baby shifted, making the skin on Harper’s abdomen ripple. She was so used to it now, that it was going to be strange after the baby was born and she was no longer sharing space with her tiny body.
That’s when the fun would really begin.
The baby jabbed her again, as if to get her attention, but at the exact same moment her phone began to vibrate. It was James, again. With a deep breath she picked it up and accepted his call.
“Hello.”
“Harper? Are you okay? I’ve been worried about you.”
“I know. I’m sorry I didn’t answer your calls. I’ve been asleep since five last night. I was going to call you as soon as I got up.”
“I’m going into an emergency surgery in half an hour. I just wanted to talk to you. Hear your voice.”
She wasn’t sure what to say to that. It was weird how calming his voice was in her ear. And yet it made her edgy, too. As though she didn’t trust her own responses.
It was crazy how alluring that fairytale could be.
“Good luck with the surgery,” she finally said.
“Are you working in the basement today? Maybe we can talk when I get home.”
“I’m moving my things to my apartment today. I’ll probably be gone by the time you get home. It’s time I gave you your space back and started working from my home.”
