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“This thing you have going with Harper. It’s not going to get in the way of this, is it?” Matteo asked.
I frowned. “Why would it?”
“If Papà thinks you aren’t focused on what’s happening here, he won’t trust us. He won’t like it.”
“He doesn’t need to find out,” I said, but the words felt like ash in my mouth. I wasn’t doing our relationship a favor if I kept it hidden from my family. Especially since she was so close to them.
“You’re willing to keep it a secret for months, maybe even a year?” Carlo asked, and I felt sick to my stomach. “That long?”
“We could get held up with construction or permits. I planned for every possible scenario, but if Papà puts a stop to it because of Harper—”
“That would be crazy. You don’t really think he’d do that, do you?” I asked them.
Matteo shook his head. “I have no idea how he’ll react. He acts like Harper is another daughter, but does he want you to date her? Probably not.”
She wasn’t anice Italian girl, as my mother always said, but was that really want they wanted? “I’m happy with Harper. If they can’t see that, then I don’t know where that leaves us.”
“We don’t want anything to get in the way of this deal going through,” Carlo said.
It seemed important to Matteo and Carlo, so I nodded. “We’ll keep it secret for a while longer.”
“Good,” Matteo said, and even though I was happy that my dream of a second restaurant might come true, I was worried about what it meant for Harper and me.
Would I have time to manage a second location and still spend time with her and Evie? Would it be too much? Would she understand that we couldn’t tell my parents about us? I had a feeling it would be too much at some point. That we were doomed, but I couldn’t regret being with her. I was the happiest I’d ever been, and I had a feeling I wouldn’t have had the confidence to pursue my ideas with my father without her support.
I avoided bringing it up with Harper for the rest of the week. If Papà didn’t agree to our expansion plan, then she’d never have to know about it.
* * *
I was on edge the entire weekend, knowing Papà would tell us his decision at family dinner. I spent Sunday morning at my house with Evie and Harper, cooking breakfast, playing games, and working in the yard. It was the perfect day.
When we got ready to leave, I said, “We should drive separately. My parents don’t know about us yet.”
Harper frowned. “Shouldn’t we tell them at some point? Get it over with? If they don’t approve, then we can decide. But to drag it out?”
“They haven’t decided about the expansion, and if they agree, I don’t want anything to get in the way of that.”
Harper sucked in a breath. “You want to keep us a secret. You’re embarrassed of us.”
I shook my head. “No. Nothing like that.”
“That’s what it seems like,” Harper said carefully, and I got the impression she was holding herself together. “I won’t be with someone who doesn’t think I’m good enough.”
I rushed to add, “You’re good enough. I never said you weren’t.”
Her eyes flashed with hurt. “But not good enough to tell your parents.”
I drew an arm around her shoulders. “We discussed this. You might not be what my parents want for me, but that doesn’t mean they’ll come between us. I just want to make sure we tell them at the right time.”
“You don’t want me screwing up your business plans.”
“My brothers felt like we shouldn’t come out to them right now. Not before they make their decision.”
“But after, we can tell them?”
“When the timing’s right,” I said carefully, remembering how Matteo and Carlo were still concerned about how our relationship would affect the project.
“Will the time ever be right?” Harper asked, her voice flat.
