“Exactly. We’ll be simple and not make a big deal about meeting the woman who’s been making you a gentler soul the past few months.” There’s a pause between us. “I want to be happy for you if this all works out. We both deserve to have a better life than the one we grew up with. Even a shitty upbringing can do a 180 when you’re an adult. Besides, one day you will have it all like you were meant to.”
I roll my eyes. “Hell, let’s not make it one of those conversations.” I adjust my body on the sofa.
He chuckles. “Confronting reality is fun, isn’t it?” His brows rise as if he’s a wizard of knowledge.
In the corner of my eye, I see Holden, and he is quick to sit down uninvited, nor do we mind. He heaves a breath. “Don’t mind me.”
My brother and I study him then wince. “You look like hell,” I say bluntly.
Holden stretches his neck, clearly agitated. “Another nanny quit.”
“What the fuck?” I’m quick to respond. “Is it you? Because no kids are that devilish to make you go through as many nannies as you do.”
Holden’s lips purse out. “Oh yeah, this time was totally me, I admit—well, it was her. She tried to come on to me. No interest from my end, and this morning she quit. Leaving me yet again stuck to juggle meetings and school drop-off.”
My brother tries to suppress his laugh. “Just find wife number two and then all of your problems are solved,” he says, sarcastic.
“Then, at least, I would have someone to fuck on a daily basis to release my stress from parenting alone with a pre-teen and a ten-year-old who doesn’t stop talking.” He loves them, really.
My head drops at his half-honest sentence.
Vaughn holds his hand out to stop Holden from speaking. “Try and move on with your day.” He points his thumb at me. “Harlow is visiting him again.”
Holden looks at me, impressed, before throwing an arm over the back of the sofa to get comfortable. “Oh yeah? No wonder you demanded a dozen chocolate chip cookies and the best table at our restaurant.” He clicks his fingers in the air. “Which reminds me to tell you to stop being an ass to the intern at reception.”
I flash him a tight smile. “Excuse me for trying to have an enjoyable experience at our establishment.”
“Geez, Stone, look in a mirror and accept that you are in relationship territory,” my brother nearly scolds me. “She writes romance; surely, this must all be obvious to her too.”
“He’s right,” Holden adds.
Defeat is building inside me. “Fine. I’ll address that elephant in the room.” After we have reunion sex and I stare into her eyes that lighten in my presence and it feels like the hours of the day vanish quicker than the clock can tick.
My jaw tightens, and I attempt to stretch it side to side as I gently nod that I’ve heard them.
* * *
Harlow circles my desk,her usual olive-colored nails tapping my closed laptop, a habit she has gotten into the few times she’s been here. After picking her up at the airport, we slid into an ease because we’re comfortable around each other. It felt like I couldn’t get us back to my house fast enough.
“You’ll check emails first thing in the morning when the sun rises. I’ll write for an hour and a half, then we can feel relief that we’ve actually been productive,” she states firmly.
I step to her and come to sit on the edge of my desk, and I lower my eyes and spin my globe once. “That’s not how sunrise is going to go. Why make us suffer? If we have to leave the bed before morning sex, that’s just cruel.”
A subtle smirk appears on her lips. “Or tonight makes us need a rest tomorrow. Besides, I need my breakfast fix at Jolly Joe’s. I love watching Main Street in winter. The displays in the windows are overdone in red and pink for Valentine’s Day. Not many towns get in that spirit for a holiday that was created by greeting card companies.”
I have to smile at her humor. “Fine, I’ll make your wishes come true.”
My retort causes her to pause and for her smile to fade slightly. “Wishes come true.” It sounds earnest. “I guess you kind of have. A fire has been lit again inside me.” It’s barely a whisper, but I hear her, the woman she used to be.
“That’s good, because I’m riding the train with a destination that I’m not quite sure of, nor am I complaining about.”
She sets her hand on my shoulder before gliding it down my arm. “Interesting. Seems our minds have conspired with one another on the not-quite-sure front. Maybe we can address it, but not today.”
I pull Harlow to me between my knees to hold her head in my hands. “Why do I feel like we’re in trouble?” I don’t mean it in the literal way, more a fun way, with only a hint of reality underlying.
“Focus on tonight.” Her cheeks rise, and I’m positive she’s gearing up to say something that she’s afraid to. “So, do you think… well, I’m ready.”
“For what?”
