“I know. I got the idea that you needed a professional space to interview people for this important book that you wanted to write. I didn’t want you to have to do this at a coffee shop, at the house, or on campus because I know study rooms are hard to come by, and you don’t have your office space here when you’re not teaching, but even when you do, it’s really just a desk and not a private office. I was on my way home when I remembered that she worked there when we dated, and I got lucky that she still did. Shedidask me if I was single and mentioned that shehad no self-control, but that was it. She doesn’t want to date me, babe.”
“She saidwhatto you?” Larissa tilted her head.
“She didn’t mean it.”
“A woman you’ve slept with before mentions that she has no self-control and, in the same sentence, asks if you are single?”
Harlow laughed softly and said, “I kind of like you jealous. Is that wrong?”
“Yes. She really said that to you?”
“She’s told me at least ten times that she doesn’t want to get back together. And, Larissa, she doesn’t. She knows I have feelings for you. When I see her next, I’ll tell her that we’re dating, too.”
“At bowling?”
“Do you want to come and cheer me on? I’ll sit next to you in those uncomfortable chairs and put my arm around you like this so that everyone knows that you’re my girl.”
“How many of your exes am I going to be dealing with on a regular basis?”
“What? None.”
“But if this bowling thing becomes a regular deal, Laurel works there.”
“Laurel is engaged. And I’m with you.” Harlow kissed Larissa on the forehead. “Now, I’m starving, and I only have another forty-five minutes before I have to get back. So, can I grab us some lunch and we talk about anything other than my ex-girlfriends?”
“I’ll get it,” Larissa said. “I know what you like from the sandwich place. Just watch my stuff.”
“Okay,” Harlow replied.
Larissa leaned in and kissed her, but this one wasn’t a quick peck. Larissa deepened their kiss and pulled Harlow’s face inwith both hands, letting their tongues play for a long moment before she pulled out of the kiss and looked into Harlow’s eyes.
“I’ll do that at the bowling alley, too, just to be safe.”
“Yeah… Uh… Okay. Whenever you want.”
“Is it wrong that I want to be so territorial now? I feel like that’s wrong.”
“No, it’s fine with me. Mark your territory however you want,” she replied.
“Tonight?” Larissa asked.
“If we weren’t in public, I’d say right now.”
“I’ll be right back,” Larissa told her with a light laugh and kissed her quickly before she stood and walked toward the counter with her wallet.
Harlow looked around and saw three college boys staring at her from another table and giving her a look like they’d all enjoyed the show.
“Look away, boys,” she said. “Nothing to see here.”
When they finally looked away, Harlow turned to watch Larissa order their lunch. A man behind the counter reached into the cooler for an iced tea that she guessed was for her, but Larissa pointed for him to grab a different one, and Harlow smiled. He’d grabbed the one with the yellow-and-blue label, which was the lemon kind, but she liked the regular, which had a blue label. Larissa knew that. She knew Harlow better than anyone else, and there was just something about falling in love with her best friend all over again now that they were finally dating.
CHAPTER 35
“Thank you for coming in,” Etta said.
“No problem,” Larissa replied. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes. We just got back from our trip and both needed to go to the doctor. Being away for six months meant we got a little behind,” Etta shared and sat down in the office chair. “We’re not old, but we’re not exactly young anymore, and we had a lot of fun on our trip. Our bodies might have suffered for it.” She chuckled. “But we also needed to go in for some routine maintenance, if you catch my drift.”
