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I’m not about to let her have the upper hand. “Lisa’s not here right now. Maybe you should call next time.” I move to shut the door, but Harper sticks her hand out.
“What are your intentions with Lisa?” Her eyes bore into me.
“I’m not sure that’s any of your business, Harper.”
“It is when I’m concerned for her well-being.”
“And you have reason to be concerned about me?”
“Well, you do have a certain…reputation.” She lets that implication linger undefined.
“You shouldn’t believe everything you hear.”
“That’s good advice. You should use it yourself.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I exhale, my patience waning.
Harper sighs. “Have you ever asked yourself why you hate me?” Her tone is suddenly softer, less accusatory.
“What do you mean, why? You broke Jason’s heart,” I hiss, not falling for her “play nice” act.
“And what about mine?” she spits in return, her venom back. “Or are you so naïve as to think I wasn’t hurt, too? Do you even know what happened, or do you just hate me on principal?”
“I…” I sputter.
“That’s what I thought,” Harper huffs. She averts her eyes, which seems to be glistening, and blinks a few times before focusing back on me. “You’re a good friend to Jason, and I can appreciate that kind of loyalty. I hope that’s what Lisa can expect from you.” She retrieves an envelope from her purse. “I just stopped by to drop this off. Can you make sure Lisa gets it?”
I take the envelope. “What is it?”
“I don’t believe that’s any of your business.” She smiles sweetly, throwing my words back at me. She puts on a pair of dark sunglasses and turns toward the street. “Always nice to see you, Chris,” she calls over her shoulder.
I study the envelope in my hand as I close the door, wary of its contents. Harper’s visit rattled me. We’d been friends once, back when she and Jason had just finished law school, and I’d always admired her spirit and focus. On the surface she’s a take-no-prisoners kind of girl, but she was soft around Jason. The two of them made a formidable team, and I always thought they’d get married and take the legal world by storm. Then Harper betrayed him, leaving me and Erik to pick up the pieces she left behind. And now she wants me to believe that Jason hurt her, too? Who could betray the person they love and then claim to be a victim? And how could that person give love advice to my girlfriend?
I never expected to see Harper again, certainly not on Lisa’s doorstep, and yeah, that has me worried. What knowledge could Lisa hope to gain from Harper? What nonsense could Harper fill her head with, especially about me? I turn the envelope over and over in my hands, unsure what to think. Finally, I toss it on the coffee table and call Jason.
“I don’t have an answer yet,” Jason blurts. “I’ve got a meeting with Sling this week. I won’t know anything until after that.”
“That’s good news, thanks,” I mutter. “That’s actually not why I’m calling.”
“Really?” Jason sounds confused. “Okay. What else did you need?”
I exhale, gathering my courage. There’s no way Jason won’t be at least somewhat scarred by this conversation.
“I just bumped into Harper. Long story short, she accused me of hating her on principal without knowing the facts and, well, she’s right.” I note the silence on the other end of the line but press on. “I know it’s not my business, and I wouldn’t ask, but…Lisa knows her somehow. I think they might be close, and I’m concerned.”
The silence stretches to an eternity. The line is still open, but I can’t swear Jason is still on it. I curse myself for being in such a hurry that I made a phone call instead of asking in person, where I could gauge any damage firsthand.
“Your new girlfriend knows Harper, and you think that makes it your business to know the details of our breakup?” Jason seethes.
Put that way, I suddenly wonder if I’ve made a colossal mistake, possibly ruining my friendship with Jason in the process. I run a hand through my hair, panicked. This is going even worse than expected.
“Uh…” I stutter.
“Harper betrayed me, and your latest fling doesn’t make that your business,” Jason says coldly.
“Don’t talk about Lisa that way,” I bark. The words are out before they register, and I instantly feel bad for them. I’m the one who blindsided Jason with my question, and he has every right to be upset about that. But I need to know “I love her, Jason. I want her to be part of my life, and if I’m right about her and Harper, that means Harper might be part of the deal. Harper called Lisa her favorite writer, said she sometimes asks for love advice. So yeah, normally this wouldn’t be my business, but I need to know what Harper might be saying to Lisa.”
I can almost feel Jason’s anger fade as the magnitude of my question sinks in. Me and Lisa, forever. That might mean Harper, too.
