“I’m okay with it. I realized today that I had a great life, probably better than I would have had if she’d kept custody of us. So, in a way, I have her to thank for that.”
“That’s a pretty generous way to look at it. Pretty, uh, what’s the word, self-actualized?”
She laughed loudly. “Sure, let’s go with that.”
He leaned forward suddenly. “Hey, would you and your sister and Willa like to go out on the boat this weekend? I haven’t taken it out in a long time. Since Jeanie. I don’t think I could do it by myself, but with the three of you along…”
Harper nodded. “Sounds fun. I’ll ask. I’m sure Willa would love it. I’m sure we all would.”
“We could invite Lucas. If you think Frankie would want that. He’s a nice guy.”
“Oh, she’d want that, I’m sure. I’ll talk to her and let you know.”
“Okay, good. The dogs are welcome, too.”
“Thanks. Definitely sounds like a fun time.” She stood. “I should get out of your hair, then.”
He got up and walked with her to the door. “Have a good night.”
“You, too. Talk to you tomorrow.”
“Yep.” He closed the door after her, then hesitated before going back upstairs as a thought occurred to him. Had he just asked her on a date? He hadn’t, had he? Did she think that? He’d only thought that going out on the boat would be fun and she and her sister could use some cheering up.
It would be a test for him, too. Being on the boat had been his and Jeanie’s thing. She’d wanted the boat, after all. Could he handle the memories that were waiting for him? Maybe making new ones was the way to go.
He sighed. Harper couldn’t think it was a date. He’d invited all of them. That was an outing. Not a date. Wasn’t it?
Should he say something? He didn’t want her getting the wrong idea. Not that Harper wasn’t attractive. She was. Very much so. But he wasn’t interested in dating. Not yet. Not for a long time.
He groaned and went back upstairs. Why was life so complicated? Although, he supposed that with everything going on in Harper’s life at the moment, dating was probably the last thing she was thinking about.
There was no way she thought he was asking her out. He laughed. Once again, he was letting his head get the better of him. He jogged up the steps.
He and Harper were friends. And business associates. Nothing more.
ChapterFifty-Seven
Frankie stared at her sister in amazement. Some people had all the luck. “Mitch Ripley just asked you on a date.”
“No, he didn’t,” Harper said. “He asked all of us. Including Lucas and the dogs. That’s not a date. That’s a…group thing. Right? Maybe it’s not. I don’t know. It probably isn’t a date. Not with another guy along.”
“Holy cow, of course it’s a date. Inviting all of us is just his way of taking it slow, which makes perfect sense.”
“Yeah, I don’t know. I guess we’ll find out.” Harper was starting dinner. A chickpea and chopped veggie salad with grilled chicken breasts. She pulled ingredients out of the refrigerator. “How are you feeling about today?”
Frankie let out a long sigh. Today was such a complicated subject. Things with Shar had not gone the way she’d thought they would. Pretty much an epic crash and burn. And she’d already rehashed the whole thing ad nauseum with Willa. At least they’d gotten groceries after the disastrous lunch. “Do we have to talk about it?”
“Nope. We can never talk about it again, if that’s what you want. I just want to make sure you’re okay. You’re the one I care about.”
“Thanks. I don’t know if I’m okay, but I will be. Don’t worry, I’m not going to fall apart or anything.” Frankie held up the cucumber. “How do you want this cut?”
“Small cubes.”
Frankie got out a cutting board and started working on the cucumber.
“That’s good.” Harper was opening a large can of organic chickpeas. “That you’re not going to fall apart, I mean. But if you want to talk, I’m here.”
“Thanks. How about you? Are you mad at me? I know you didn’t want to go in the first place.”
