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Sitting on the retaining wall, Harry stared at me with a mirthful look on his face. “I wouldn’t want you all ‘ugh.’ So, if you must know, I simply enjoy being with you. No games. Nothing but truth. It’srefreshing.”
My brow arched. “Then you’re going to love this.” I angled my chair to face him. “I don’t get it. I’m in my own room, but you have this out on the patio.” I gestured to encompass thetable.
He nodded and tugged at his chin. “Yeah, I can see how the respect and adulation could throw a girl off. I thought this would be a nice gesture.” Harry sighed. “I listened to Ty and Kate. I heard how they never dated. I thought about how we’re being thrown into this situation that feels a lot like marrying a stranger, since we’re sharing a house and joint custody of Drew.” Hesmirked.
I bit my lower lip a moment. “Was thisadate?”
He shrugged nervously. “I kinda hoped you’d think so. I know we weren’t out, but we haven’t had much luck with meals in public. I thought wemighthere.”
The way he looked at me, with those amazing eyes framed by strawberry blonde lashes, had my heart pounding. “I’m really analytical,” I murmured as I stood. “I’m an over-thinker. I’m a planner. I’m…sorry.” I laid my arms on his shoulders. To my delight, his hands circled my waist and for once, we met each other halfway. This time, when our lips touched, the kiss seemed sweeter, and not just because of the wine. Instead of electrical currents, when we touched, it felt like the warmest, welcoming-est hug. There was a level of comfort between us I’d never before experienced and while nothing about the description sounded particularly romantic to some people, in an instant, Harry had become my home, which actually felt incredibly special since I’d never had that kind of stability inmylife.
Even after the kiss ended, we remained close, our foreheads pressed together. Finally, he broke contact. “Come on.” He stood and took my hand in his as we walked toward the bedrooms to change. Everything seemed more relaxed between us now after our conversation. We could still salvage this evening. We were definitely headed that direction. We might’ve made it, too, if the doorbellhadn’trung.
“Another surprise?” I grinned as I waggled mybrows.
Harry eyed me curiously. “I was about to ask you the same thing. I’m out of surprises for tonight.” He released me. “Stay back.” He peeked out the peephole. “Maybe you should go to the bedroom. Strangerdanger.”
I watched as he stiffened, but I refused to leave him alone to deal with whoever was darkening our door close to eight at night. “I’ll be right here, ready to call 911.” I held up my phone, which I always kept close to me out ofhabit.
Harry pulled the door open just enough to peer out. “Can Ihelpyou?”
From where I stood, I could only hear him, not see him. So, I moved slightly. “Drew. Drew asked me to stop by.” The man’s hair was slicked back and his words were made far less intelligible by the toothpick he insisted onchewing.
“He’s not here.” Harrystiffened.
“Come on, man. Don’t leave me out here on display.” He shifted aroundnervously.
“I have no idea who you are. Why would I let you in?” Harryfrowned.
The man leaned on the door, his eyes narrowed. I heard an all too familiar noise when he moved, the rattle of pills in a bottle. “Don’t let him in,” I hissed. “He’s Drew’sdealer.”
The man’s eyes widened, then fixated on me. “Watch yourself,” he warned as he glared mydirection.
“You have exactly three seconds to get the hell out of here, then we’ll call the police. Never come here again, or I’ll have you arrested. Understand?” Harry crossed his arms over his body and puffed out hischest.
The man laughed. “Don’t threaten me. I know where you live,” he sneered. “Everywhereyou live. By the way, you were a lot nicer in LA, when you were asleep.” Then he laughed and meandered back tohisBMW.
Harry raked a hand through his hair. “I’ll meet you in the hot tub. I’m going to need a minute. Apparently, I have to clear up a fewthings.”
I could tell he was furious by the way he was practically shaking. “Take all the time you need,” I murmured as I stared at him. Some would run from this. Sadly, handling drug dealers wasn’t something I was altogether unfamiliar with. My heart ached for Harry, but he wasn’t in it alone, like I had been. “I’m not goinganywhere.”
19
Harry
“How did he find us?”I growledatTy.
“Calm down, Harry,” he murmured, but I could tell he was bothered as well. I heard him scratchinghishead.
“Don’t tell me to calm down,” I snapped. “A drug dealer showed up at a home I’ve owned for a matter of hours, not weeks, not months, not years. Laney was here. What if she had been here alone?” My heart froze as I imagined the worst-case scenarios playing out in my head. “He has been to my house in L.A. He seems to know all about me. He threatened me and I don’t even know his goddam name.” I paced angrily in the kitchen. From there, I could see much of thehouse.
Laney waved as she wandered by, a robe around her body, and a towel slung over her shoulder. She offered a slight smile and it comforted me more than I would’ve everimagined.
“If something happened to her, I’d never forgive myself, or Drew, and maybe even you,” Igrumbled.
Ty sighed heavily. “I get it. I’ve been wracking my brain, trying to figure out how this happened. Obviously, it’s my fault.” He swallowed hard. “Hetrickedme.”
“How’s that?” I askedblandly.
