“What!” I squeak.
I shake my head at all the wrong things she just said in one sentence.
“You heard me. She’s moving in on your man, Harper. Question is, what’re you gonna do about it?” She makes a show of pointing at me, then at the big doorway.
I look and squeak again. There he is, in his button up shirt and slacks, no tie. Or, rather, there they are, walking together. He looks…less grumpy than usual. Relaxed, hands in his pockets. She laughs at something he mutters then touches his arm.
“Hm?” Maxine pushes, challenging me to react.
So, of course, I deck behind a rack of Maxine’s key chains, back between a couple tables, and bolt out the back door as fast as I can.
CHAPTER 29
Aiden
Where is she? I should have seen her by now.
Of course this woman—Ellie? Anna?— keeps trying to engage me in conversation, so it’s possible Harper slipped past when I was saying, “Hm? Sorry? What was that?” Over and bloody over again.
Because of course I can’t concentrate.
All I’ve thought about all day is Harper’s sweet face as she said happy birthday this morning. Her soft, small body pulled tight against mine. The little gasping sound she made when I grabbed her. I would like to produce that sound again…many sounds. Many times.
Shit.
I’m getting in too deep with this woman. I’ve never sat around distracted by a bird all day long. Not even Marion.
So, maybe I should try to listen to…Elizabeth? Yes. Someone interested in me. Someone attracted to me, clearly up for whatever I might propose. At least that’s true if her quick laughter is any indication.
I’m not that funny of a bloke.
And she does have some interesting perspectives on real estate as a small town realtor. We swap horror stories—one of her listings was the site of a murder, for heaven’s sake—and she asks smart questions.
I try, I do.
But my eyes scan for a beachy bandanna, any one of them, since I’ve got them memorized. I listen for a soft voice in the murmur of the crowd. I scan around Steven and Tyrone, searching for the black bakery shirt I’d be able to pick out in a stadium full of black shirts.
The movie starts and, finally, this probably totally lovely woman finally stops talking to me. I excuse myself from where we ended up sitting together. I walk to the back of the field.
My chest stirs with pride. It’s packed. Again. I look behind me, so many cars. People sitting on hoods. Cars and faces I don’t recognize. I know Harper had a whole team calling around past the usual neighbor towns, even to the outskirts of Manhattan.
Well done, Sweetheart.
…Now, where the hell are you?
I scan the groups of people. She’s not with Steven and Miles. Not with Shelly and Betty and, well, look at that, her dad’s out of the house tonight. Brilliant. I walk further to the side of the area and search the cars. No Bronco. Her dad’s car is absent as well. If she’s here on that damned bicycle,so help me…
I see a flutter in and around the barn. I suppose I can try again. I checked there earlier when I bought an espresso and a chocolate chip popcorn ball but she wasn’t with Madison and DJ. I trudge round the side so as to not block the movie goers. Takes longer being considerate, so I quicken my pace.
I reach the barn and I think I hear her laugh?
She has to be in here, she must be.
I spot the old gift shop owner first, chatting with a woman in a flowy dress, “Maxine have you seen—”
I…
She…
