Mentally, I added up the apologies. So far, we had Mitchell, me, the sister, and a boyfriend – four total. I didn't know who the fifth was, but the fourth one made me pause. "Wait, she has a boyfriend?"
"Yeah, long storythere." Harper shook her head. "But back to Mitchell, yesterday he stopped by the candy store – you know, the one where my sister works?"
As I nodded again, I wondered where this was going. If it was going the way it seemed, the idiot was me.
"Anyway," Harper continued. "So I walk him out to his car while Lexie closes the store, and he's all mad at me. And when I ask him why, he tells me that I should've warned him to stay away from the house. And when I ask him whyagain, he says, 'Because your boyfriend's a nut job.' Andthenhe goes into the whole fruitcake thing."
I held up a hand. "Hold up. What time was this?"
"Last night, just after five."
I sat back in the chair. "Shit."
She frowned. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
She gave me a look. "I thought you didn't like games."
"I don't."
"So why are you doing that whole 'Nothing's wrong' thing?"
Finally, I smiled. "I saw you."
"You mean last night?"
I nodded. "Yeah, I was on my way to my parents' house, and I saw you with the same guy you'd left with the other night."
"You mean the night of the reception?" Her hand flew to her lips. "Oh, no. So last night…I guess you saw me hugging him, too?"
I didn't know whether to laugh or curse. "Yup."
"Well…just so you know, he was feeling kind of blue, so I was just returning his hug from the other night – you know, at the reception. I was all upset about my sister, and I started to cry, and—"
"Wait. You were crying?" I eyed her with concern. "Why?"
"It was just everything – something I learned about Lexie's job and then the thing with Natalia. And you." Harper glanced away. "And I'm sure the eggnog didn't help."
She'd been crying.
Onmyporch.
And now I felt like a heel. The person comforting her should've beenme.
Who was the douchebagnow?
I asked, "And why am I just hearing about this?"
Harper stared from the couch. "Well…probably because you never called me back."
This was true – and not a mark in my favor. "Fair enough."
"Anyway, on the night of the reception, he offered me a hug to make me feel better, and then he gave me a ride back to my aunt's place because I was in no condition to drive myself." She leaned forward. "He didn't even come inside. And even if he had, it would've been only to talk to Lexie. Did I mention they were coworkers?"
She'd mentioned a lot of things, and I was still processing. "Maybe."
Harper glanced down to her lap before looking up to say, "And as long as I'm spilling my guts, I'll just say it."
