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Harper smiled sadly. “Something like that.”
“I don’t like it.”
Harper shrugged like there was nothing she could do about it. “It is what it is. I reminded him that he made the choice not to be in our lives or contribute financially. He threatened to get more visitation, and I referred him to my attorney. It’s the same song and dance we do every few months.”
“You have an attorney handling this for you?” I felt bad that I was so out of the loop on this, but then, the custody and child support arrangement with her ex wasn’t my business.
“Avery Arrington. She’s expensive but worth it. Every time he does this, she shoots him a letter reminding him of his unpaid child support and all the ways we can enforce it.”
“He could go to jail,” I said.
“Yes, but he can’t work and pay in jail,” Harper pointed out.
“He’s not paying now,” I said gruffly, frustrated with the situation.
“I just want him to leave us alone. I don’t think it’s good for Evie to have him in her life.”
“Not when he shows up angry like he did tonight.” Although Evie seemed more upset about her mother being with Manny than Manny acting like an asshole in front of her.
“I can handle him, and I have for years.”
“I know you can. I just worry about you.”
She pressed a hand to my forearm. “You don’t need to. I’ve got this.”
“But who’s got you?” At the end of the night, when Evie was asleep, who did she have to talk to? Who supported her?
Harper smiled sadly. “I have Evie and your family.”
I wanted to protest, to tell her it wasn’t enough. That she needed me, but we weren’t there yet. She still thought of me as Gia’s overbearing and protective older brother. I wanted to be someone different to her. That’s why I'd invited her to my house. I just needed to stick with the plan. “I’ll get everything ordered for the playhouse. Maybe Evie would like to help me paint next weekend?”
Harper’s forehead wrinkled. “Don’t you have enough work to do on the house?”
I grinned. “Remember, I’m hiring a contractor for that. I have time.”
Harper shook her head. “Then she’d love that.”
I had a feeling Harper could use a distraction from what happened with Manny. But I’d already spent a lot of time with her today. I needed to give her space and time to realize I might be more than just her best friend’s brother. I wanted her to see herself with me.
Evie ran across the hall, and the water turned on.
“I’d better supervise her,” Harper said, and just before she turned to leave, I kissed her cheek. “Good night,bella.”
Her cheeks flushed with pleasure, and I wondered if it was the Italian word. I’d used it on other women because I knew they enjoyed it. But with Harper, I said it for an entirely different reason. I felt the truth of the word deep in my soul.
My heart thumped in my chest as she murmured, “Good night.”
I hoped she knew I was sincere, and it wasn’t just an act. But before I could say anything, she’d disappeared into the bathroom. The water was running, and Evie chattered excitedly about something. I couldn’t make out the words, but I closed my eyes for a few seconds and imagined we lived together, and Harper was giving a bath to Evie and our baby.
Before I could get lost in that vision, I left, locking the door behind me. When I arrived home, it felt emptier than ever. Evie and Harper showed me what it was like to have someone in my space, and I liked it. Probably a little too much because now there was a hole in my chest that I couldn’t seem to fill.
I opened my laptop and ordered the play kitchen set and pretend food and plates Evie wanted. Then I searched for the perfect table and chair set. Plastic made the most sense since it was an outdoor playhouse, but I bookmarked another wooden set that would be perfect for her room. Maybe one day, I’d be in a position to spoil Evie and Harper.
I’d focus on the next part of the plan, painting the playhouse and taking them out for a nice dinner. I wanted to act while things were fresh. I didn’t want to give Harper a chance to back away.
The more time I spend with them, the more I liked them. I loved having them in my space, but it felt a little deceptive because she thought I was just being brotherly when my intentions were anything but.
* * *
