We’ve been meeting up quite a bit lately, since my brother is away often, and Isla is alone with my baby niece. “For sure. We can do dinner and invite Nora, make it a long night with the three of us. The usual party you can expect with us,” I say with a bit of humor.
“Perfect. I’ll text you. Have to run to relieve the babysitter and attempt to shower in peace. Enjoy the retreat.” Isla grabs her drink from the guy behind the counter and touches my shoulder in passing.
“Talk later,” I say then turn around. I nearly run into Harlow who has a blank face and seems taken aback. “Everything okay?”
A sound cracks from her mouth. “Uh, yeah, totally, uhm, sounds like you’re in for a party.”
It takes a few seconds to try and figure out her train of thought, but then that sly grin takes over when I realize. “You have a very dirty imagination. I thought I confirmed it already, but this just cements it. What do you think you heard?”
She appears flustered now. “It’s none of my business. I’m sure you and yourfriendhave an… eventful relationship.”
“Wow… have you not figured out that I’m single at any point today during your attempts to flirt with me?”
It gets a rise out of her. “Whoa there, Iceman, I was not flirting. You were.”
“Agreed.” I slip that in before continuing on my quest. “Yet just now, your mind conjured that I’m setting up… what is it?”
Her face doesn’t move an inch. “As I said, none of my business.” She darts her attention to the menu on the wall. “Oh, look at that, an array of milkshake choices.”
I gently touch her elbow to guide her sight back to me. As amused as I am, an overbearing need to clarify hits me. “That was my brother’s girlfriend, mother of my niece, local resident, Isla. Most definitely nothing going on there. We meet up for dinner when my brother is out of town, and we do invite someone else to join us… my baby niece, Nora. And because of my baby niece, then dinner can take a long time. Who knew babies needed a schedule of bath time, milk, and a pajama routine. It all makes me dizzy.”
Harlow realizes what she mistook as probably my setup for a threesome. She smiles to herself awkwardly. “That does… make a lot of sense.”
My head tilts to the side as I observe her and rock my lips, getting comfortable. “You like to make a lot of assumptions, and you get kind of cute when you admit when you’re wrong. You easily find yourself at a loss of words, which is odd, considering you’re a writer.”
She bites her bottom lip, clearly enjoying the conversation that floats between us. “You seem to bring out this abnormal side of me. I’m normally a nice, clear-thinking human, I swear.”
“I’m not entirely convinced.”
“Hmm, what can I do to change your mind?” Her voice is 100% flirty, nearly sultry, which is why yet again she realizes the error of her ways. “Let’s just, uhm, get a shake, right?”
“Depends, is that before or after you change my mind in unusual ways?” I love teasing Harlow, it’s more rejuvenating than a smoothie.
Harlow studies the menu. “You’re trouble, Stone.” She focuses ahead. “Are we only partners today?”
“I might be able to bribe Gloria with my charm if you would like day two with me. Unless you really want to bond with Frank the sci-fi geek.” I join her in reading the menu, even though I know what I want.
“I think I might just be persuaded to insist you charm Gloria,” her voice slightly drifts.
Ah, so I’m not alone in feeling this connection that travels between Harlow and me. She doesn’t want our day to end, nor do I.
“I’ll shoot that promise straight into the net, even if it gets me sent to the penalty box,” I promise.
She stifles a sound. “I’m surprised we made it this long without a hockey reference.”
“Yeah, because you were too busy saying dirty things to me by accident and attempting to speak on behalf of the deer union.”
Harlow drops her face into her hands, entertained. “Can we just forget about all of that?” Her eyes draw back up to meet mine. “Oh, they actually have it. A spinach and banana milkshake please, with non-dairy milk. You’re buying.”
“Sure. Save us a seat, and I’ll be there in a sec.”
“Perfect.”
After ordering my usual milkshake of chocolate and cherry, I head to the booth where Harlow is staring out the window onto Main Street.
“Finding your creativity?” I interrupt.
She smiles as she brings her sight back to me. “Something like that.”
