“No, there’s no problem. He gets back from their road trip tomorrow night,” I say, trying to sound casual. “And I was thinking… I don’t know. I kind of want to do something for him.”
Antoni gasps dramatically. “Oh Mon Dieu! You do have feelings! Big ones from the sound of it.”
I cock my head. “Antoni.”
“No, no, this is good, sis,” he says, wagging a finger. “This is growth. This is intimacy. This is you doing something besides assigning a man a nickname in your phone and ignoring him for three days.”
“I do not ignore?—”
He lifts an eyebrow.
“Okay, sometimes,” I admit. “But Harrison’s different. He’s been texting me nonstop. FaceTiming me before bed. And last night…well, we won’t talk about last night. He’s just…nice. And steady. And he’s good to me and obviously to Connor. He’s trying. He’s really trying.”
Antoni softens a little, leaning against the island. “Do you want him to know you’re trying too?”
“Yeah,” I whisper. “I do.”
He claps his hands. “Wonderful. Then the answer is simple.”
“Perfect. Let’s hear it.”
He grins like he’s about to unveil the world’s worst idea. “Be in his bed when he gets home.”
“Antoni!”
“What?!” He throws his hands up. “It’s romantic.”
“It isnotromantic. It’s?—”
“Spicy? Risque? Bold?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“But you’re thinking it.”
I chew my lip, because unfortunately he’s not wrong. The idea hits me with a jolt, Harrison coming home, tired from travel, opening his bedroom door, and finding me there in his sheets…
Antoni wiggles his brows. “You’re picturing it, aren’t you?”
“Maybe.” My face warms. “But it’s crazy. I can’t just sneak into his apartment.”
“Honey, you wouldn’t be sneaking. He literally put your name on his security list,” Antoni reminds me. “He wants you there. Probably in this exact scenario.”
“I don’t know.”
“He’s a man in love, Harper. Trust me, it’s verified.”
I laugh, covering my face with my hands. “You’re insane.”
He shrugs. “Maybe, but you’re in love.”
“I am not?—”
He cuts me off with a raised hand. “I know. I heard nothing. My gay ears are on airplane mode. Anyway…” he pushes the giant candle toward me, “I got you this. Vanilla-coconut. A little soothing, a little sexy. You’ll thank me later.”
I stare at the candle, then at him. “You’re really encouraging this?”
“Honey,” Antoni says, leaning in and lowering his voice conspiratorially, “I willpersonallytake Connor to dinner and then to my place for a video game marathon. That child thinks I’m his cool uncle. Plus, he wants to go see that new movie he keeps talking about. So, it’ll be a guys night out.”
