Terrific. Now I felt like a bigger jerk for snapping at her the other day—and perhaps now owedherthe apology.
I went back downstairs, knowing Harper had likely left by this point. I needed to get to the office. My first meeting was scheduled for nine o’clock with a wealthy new potential client and I was already going to have to ask my assistant to move it.
I wasn’t surprised to find my clothes neatly folded on the sofa and Harper gone.
7
“Isittrueyoupractically carried Troy Hartman out of here last night?” Nic asked when she returned from lunch.
I sighed. Mostly because I somehow knew the security crew wouldn’t keep their mouth shut. Larry also had a crush on her and would constantly make excuses to make his way over here for a cup of coffee from my red-headed bestie.
“I’m not built to carry anything that big. I just walked him outside before Larry’s ears started turning red.”
“Oh yeah, not a pretty sight. So what happened?”
“Nothing. I drove him home…”
“Ugh, you never do anything fun. You know that would have been the perfect time to cross that vendetta off your list.”
“I don’t have a vendetta. It was more to teach someone a lesson not to fuck with me.”
She yawned.
“Shall I make you a cup of coffee?” I offered.
“There’s nothing strong enough to make this story remotely interesting to me.”
I tilted my head and narrowed my eyes as if seeing her in a new light. “Wow. That hurt.”
“Hey, I don’t mean anything by it—just that you need to loosen up that crazy grip you’ve got on yourself.”
“I’m…edgy,” I argued.
“You’re only edgy in your sketches. You’re uptight and reserved just about everywhere else. Speaking of which, what are you doing with that one you’ve got hidden in the drawer over there?”
I kept a folder of a few of my sketches at the café should an opportunity come knocking and I had a few to showcase. Troy’s sketch did end up in the pile but not for publication. Just as a sample of my work.
“I’m not hiding it. It’s my work, I’m just not submitting it.”
She shook her head in disappointment as she filled the sugar bin. “Yeah, you’re right. You should focus on more important things in life. Like obsessing over a list that gets you absolutely nowhere.” There was a bite to her tone.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It was sarcasm, Harp. You need to stop overthinking everything and being afraid… just be proud and screw everyone else.”
This wasn’t the first time Nic had said something along these lines to me, but it was the first time she seemed annoyed about it.
And since I had nothing to defend myself with that Nic could ever understand, I dropped it and we spent most of the afternoon working silently.
Four o’clock was a slow hour, so I moved the step stool to the blackboard and started writing tomorrow’s specials, adding a basketball hoop on the corner with a coffee cup swooshing through it.
“Can I get a large slam dunk, please?” I stilled at the customer's familiar voice behind me.
Twisting my neck, I found Troy’s large frame on the other side of the counter, his eyes moving from the blackboard menu to meet my startled eyes.
“Good afternoon,” he offered, with the corner of his mouth turned upward.
I stepped down to the register and heard Nic squeal somewhere to my left.
