“Chase—” she said simultaneously.
We both stopped. I gestured for her to go ahead.
She took a deep breath. “We probably need to talk about last night.”
“That’s what I was going to say.” I spun the mug around, needing something to do with my hands. “Listen, about what happened?—”
“It was unexpected,” she cut in gently but firmly as her brown eyes finally met mine. “And complicated. Incredibly complicated. You’re partnering with my family on a major renovation. Your best friend is my brother, who, like my other brothers, doesn’t like to admit I’m a fully grown woman. And most importantly…” She paused. “There’s Finn to consider. I have to think about what any relationship would mean for him.”
The wordrelationshiphung in the air between us. I hadn’t even gotten as far as labeling what this might be. “I understand,” I said, though I wasn’t sure I did. The depth of her concerns made me wonder if she was looking for an easy exit. “But before we go any further down the ‘all the reasons this is a bad idea’ road, I need to tell you something.”
She tilted her head to one side, waiting.
“I don’t regret a single moment of last night. I-I’ve wanted to be with you for years.” The words tumbled out with none of my usual precision. I forged on before I could lose my nerve. “Since college. You probably don’t even remember—you were dating someone, I think—but you argued with me about sustainable architecture being soulless, and I’d never met anyone who challenged me like that. I was blown away, and at that moment you stopped beingEli’s sister and became a separate woman. A very attractive woman.”
Her eyes widened, lips parting in surprise. “What?”
“I never said anything because of Eli’s ridiculoushands off my sistersrule,” I continued, rubbing my neck. “And honestly, I figured you wouldn’t be interested in someone like me. You’ve always been…” I gestured vaguely, searching for words. “You’re Harper. Everyone loves you. You hold that whole place together. I’m just a guy who draws buildings and overthinks everything.”
“Are you serious?” Harper set her mug down with a definitive click. “You actually thought I would turn you down? Chase, you’re—” She scanned me from head to toe, her expression incredulous. “Look at you. You’re successful, talented, kind. Not to mention fall-down-and-faint gorgeous. Half the women in Dove Key would kill to be standing in my place right now.”
Heat crept up my neck. “That’s… not been my experience.”
“Then you haven’t been paying attention.” Her voice had softened, but she quickly shook her head as if clearing it. “But that’s beside the point. The timing couldn’t be worse. You’re working with my family. The resort project is getting more complicated by the day. We’ve already shown this is a pretty stressful time.”
“I know.” I wanted to add a super-sized, giganticbut. Instead, I kept silent, my tongue tied up.
“And there’s Finn,” she continued. “He’s already so attached to you. If we started something and it didn’t work out…”
I nodded, sagging under the weight of her words. “I get it. The professional complications alone are enough to make this a terrible idea. I’ve built my career on being reliable, ethical. Getting involved with a client goes againsteverything I’ve stood for.” I set my coffee mug on the counter and sloshed some over the side. “Except we already crossed that line, didn’t we?”
A small, shaky smile lifted the corner of her mouth. “Yeah. We sure did.”
I smiled back, helpless to resist. “I need you to know that what happened last night wasn’t typical for me, either. The, uh, jumping into bed part.”
Finally, her smile steadied. “Well, like you said last night. We figured it out.” Her eyes flicked to the clock on my kitchen wall, and resolution washed over her features. “I need to get back to Finn. He had a sleepover at Grandma’s, but I told her I’d pick him up by eight.”
My heart sank, but I nodded. What had I expected? That we’d solve this over coffee?
“I think…” She paused, choosing her words with care. “I think we both need some time to figure out what this means. Where we go from here. If we go anywhere from here.”
Her voice was steady, but fear lurked in her eyes, the same uncertainty that clawed at my insides. She turned to leave, and panic surged through me. I couldn’t let her walk out without knowing one thing.
“Harper, wait.” My voice sounded rough even to my own ears. “Do you regret it? Last night?”
She paused, hand on the kitchen doorframe. When she turned back, her eyes searched mine with a look that made my breath catch. She shook her head. “No. I don’t regret it at all. And I’m glad you said you didn’t either.”
I didn’t hesitate. “It was the best night of my life.”
Another small smile, this one reaching her eyes. “I thought it was incredible too. I’ll get my shoes. And then I really have to go.”
I nodded, then she disappeared down the hallway.Soon after, the front door closed with a quiet click, and I was alone. The scent of her perfume lingered in the air. The memory of her taste haunted my lips.
I leaned against the counter, staring at the empty space where she’d stood. Desire and dread battled for dominance in my chest. I wanted her, had wanted her for years, but the potential fallout loomed like a storm on the horizon. My business, my friendship with Eli, her family’s trust, Finn’s well-being… all hanging in the balance.
One night had rewritten the plan, and I wasn’t sure I knew how to read the new design.
