She hadn’tflutteredorblushedsince high school. Not since her boyfriend, Alex, had died taking a bullet for her when one of their classmates had walked into Geometry and started shooting. It had taken a lot of years and counseling for her to sleep through the night, and several more to go out on a date.
In the past four years, she’d dated four guys, and even had sex with the last one. But it had been a mistake. The only thing she’d felt was a boatload of guilt.
Of course, it was probably because she always chose a guy who didn’t affect her pulse. She couldn’t—wouldn’t—go down that road again. Didn’t want to feel that deeply again.
Not since Alex.
Tesla chose that moment to tap another button. “Love,” it chirped.
Both women burst out laughing.
“See, even Tesla’s on my side,” Sadie joked. “The universe is telling you something, Harper.”
Yeah, well, she wasn’t listening.
“Or he just stepped on it by accident,” Harper said, but knew she had to give her cousin an adequate response to get her to end the subject. “But okay, okay, I hear you. Maybe I’ll keep an open mind.”
Not really.
Sadie smiled, passing her a muffin. “That’s all I’m saying. Let life surprise you a little. And in the meantime, enjoy the muffins.”
She took a bite, savoring the sweet blueberry flavor. “These are amazing. Did you make them?”
“Loni did. She’s got the magic touch, as always.”
Harper smiled. She couldn’t deny that it felt good to be here, surrounded by Sadie and friends who felt like family, and maybe—just maybe—being around Cas wasn’t so bad either. She’d keep her guard up, but perhaps she could allow herself to enjoy his company, too. If their paths crossed again. As far as she knew, he was living at the ranch he was in the process of purchasing from his father.
Tesla tapped another button, “Happy,” and Harper couldn’t help but agree. At least for this morning, she felt pretty close to it.
For the next five minutes, they finished their coffee and muffins in a companionable silence that she appreciated more than expected.
It really did feel amazing to be here. She was tons more relaxed than she’d been in years.
Sadie sighed and set her cup down on the table. “So, I’ve got a little surprise for you,” she announced, her eyes twinkling with excitement.
“A surprise?” Harper raised an eyebrow, intrigued and nervous as hell.Please don’t let it be some kind of party she needed to go to. “What kind of surprise?”
Grinning, her cousin rose to her feet and motioned for Harper to follow. “Come with me. It’s up in the attic.”
Thank God.
She sent up a silent “Thank you” and trailed behind Sadie through the hallway, up to the second floor, then up another staircase into the attic. They used to love to play up here as kids. It was filled with the familiar smell of cedar, dust, and old memories. The space was cluttered with boxes, old furniture, and bits of nostalgia tucked into every corner. Sadie pushed aside a stack of boxes and gestured toward an old, ornate wooden desk tucked against the far wall.
“There’s your surprise,” her cousin announced, a big smile on her face. “It’s our great-grandmother’s antique desk. I found it this month when I was working on my craft room and moved some things up here from the spare bedroom. I thought it might be perfect for you.”
Harper’s breath caught in her throat. The desk was beautiful, even under a thick layer of dust. Made from rich mahogany, it had elegant carvings along the sides and a roll-top that seemed to hide countless secrets. Her fingers itched to touch it, to feel the craftsmanship, and to bring it back to life.
“It’s gorgeous,” she breathed, stepping closer. “I can’t believe it’s been sitting up here all this time, and we never noticed it here when we were young.”
Sadie nodded. “I know. Crazy, right? It does need a little repair—the legs are wobbly, and some of the drawers stick—but I thought maybe you’d like to fix it up and keep it. That’s right in your wheelhouse.”
Excitement and gratitude swirled through her chest. “I’d love to. It’s perfect. What a great first piece for me to work on here in Harland County.”
Her cousin smiled. “I’m glad you like it. And I can text Dale to see if he and Cas can come over to help move it to the garage later. I think it’s a little too heavy for us to handle on our own.”
At the mention of Cas, Harper felt a familiar flicker in her chest. “Sure, that’d be great,” she replied, hoping she sounded casual.
She watched Sadie pull out her phone and type a message to her boyfriend, Dale. Her cousin had crushed on the guy since they were teens. She was so happy to see them finally become a couple.
