Page 16 of The Final Draft

I find the bathroom and freshen up. Under the guise of getting to know him, I snoop in the guest bedroom, and it’s nice, cozy, almost feminine. The framed photos that adorn the dresser catch my attention. Julian’s family and friend group is tight and elite. Lawson and I call it the Decker Connection. It’s like six degrees of Kevin Bacon but with Deckers. I can see the group evolution in these pictures. As time passes, new faces are added in each picture.

I lift the first framed photo and examine the details. It’s Julian, his brother Alexander, and sister Ashleigh as kids. I assume it’s their parents with their arms around them, embracing them with love and protection. They seem to be at a beach with the dunes filling the background. Everyone’sattention is on Ashleigh and they’re in various stages of laughter. They all look so happy and carefree. The image resonates deeply, reminding me of a similar family photograph I've packed away in a storage container. I wipe an errant tear and place the picture on the dresser and scan the others.

There are the college pictures with the addition of Chance, and Alexander’s best friend, Trevor Lewis, owner of the Savannah Pajamas Baseball team.

The most recent picture appears to be from Alexander’s wedding. The Decker Connection is much larger now and includes Cole Davidson, Ashleigh’s fiancé; Cole’s sister Darcy; her boyfriend, Matt Hartman; Alexander’s wife, Dani; and their son, Tyler. Julian and Trevor have their arms around Emma, Ashleigh’s best friend. There’s another Decker wedding coming up, and I’m curious about the new Decker Connection picture. Who will be in this one?

I continue my snooping and sneak a peek in the closet. It’s filled with women’s clothes and I noticed girly stuff in the bathroom. Yep. Figures. Julian would have women here all the time. The idea of Julian and me fades and I’m filled with disappointment. I need to get real. Of course we can’t be a thing, not with his constant stream of women. He says he hasn’t dated anyone in four years. Doesn’t mean he’s living the life of a monk, now does it?

I’m not a one-night stand kind of girl, although I wish I was. Others make it seem easy. Just sex. No strings. I tried it once and was a total basket case afterward. The constant post sex analysis and emotional torture I put myself through was too much for me. I promised myself never again. I’m a relationship girl through and through, even though there haven’t been many. One thing I’ll say about my brother and his friends, they’ve taught me I’m a woman of worth, and I deserve all of a man, not merely the parts he wants to share, especially his penis. Butcall me curious, because I can’t seem to stop my mind from wandering to all of Julian’s parts.

Like any red-blooded woman with eyes and a libido, I’m drawn to Julian. You’d have to be dead to be immune to his magnetism. I need to shut down my foolish imagination. I’m not living in a romance novel where the playboy changes for the small-town girl. But a girl can dream, can’t she? Sure, but she ends up devastated in the end. Oh, what am I thinking? He’s not really interested in me. Is he?

We’d never work because he’d need to drop the facade and be completely honest with me. I’m convinced he uses his charm as a defense mechanism. Call it my intuition, my Spidey sense. Something’s off. I don't know what he's hiding, but he's not telling the whole story.

CHAPTER

TEN

JULIAN

I needed to call Chance about an endorsement deal that required an immediate answer, and he talked my ear off. He’s a chatty bastard, and I love him for it. Just not today.

At least I gave Harper plenty of time to look around, get comfortable. I need to practice patience with her. While it may be a virtue, it’s not one I have.

I hope she’s up to hitting the zoo. It’s usually feeding time in the early evening and my favorite time to visit. I figure she’ll enjoy it too. Her face lit up talking about Noodle and otters. I picture us walking hand in hand, laughing, and then I’ll kiss her. I can’t wait to taste those lips. Damn, the anticipation is killing me.

I enter the room and seeing her in my space makes me feel strange. Content, maybe. “I see you found the best spot in the place.” She’s curled up in my reading chair, her hands under her cheek, her legs tucked underneath. I snap a quick picture because I need to capture this moment.

She doesn’t respond. A few steps closer and I realize she’s fast asleep. Champagne for lunch probably wasn’t the best idea, since she isn’t much of a drinker. I stand staring for longer than is proper, deciding if I leave her or move her to a bed. And if I put her in a bed, is it mine or the guest room? Fuck. I’m befuddled. Again.

Ashleigh sleeps in that chair the same way, and she’s fine. Leaving her is probably the best decision. I cover her with the throw and grab my laptop to set up shop at the kitchen counter. Close enough to watch her, far enough away it won’t seem creepy.

Having my muse here gives me the inspiration I need to finish my character sheet and send it to Priscilla. Harper gave me great insight and amazing little details to include as I flesh out Charlotte Jackson, New York dog walker to the stars. She’s beauty and brains, wrapped up in kindness and sweetness with a dose of sass.

My fingers fly across the keyboard as I begin my opening chapter. I’ve never knocked out so many words this fast. I might keep Harper hostage until this project is done. As Charlotte comes to life on the page, I’m not sure I want to share her with the world. I’m feeling fiercely protective. And possessive.

I consider Charlotte hooking up with a hockey player and glance at Harper. What’s the deal with her and Zac? If I ask Chance, it may open Pandora’s box for him and Lawson. I don’t want to put him in that position. She wouldn’t flirt with me if she’s in a relationship, would she?

I open my writing app and send a message to Priscilla.

JB: Here’s my first chapter and character sheet. Meet Charlotte Jackson. Your hockey player is going to love her. He’s going to fall fast. I’m not a typical fan of instalove,but this girl will do that to him. Let’s touch base tomorrow morning and plot out the next few chapters.

I hit send. Harper's phone buzzes sharply, breaking the kitchen's silence. It must be in her purse, which she left on the counter when she checked out the kitchen. The buzzing serves as a reminder to me. Should I wake her? She’s been out for a few hours.

I text Frankie and send him on an errand for dinner. As soon as it arrives, I wake up sleeping beauty.

“Hey gorgeous,” I whisper. I brush the hair away from her face and trace her cheekbones with the back of my knuckles. Even asleep, with a little drool at the corner of her mouth, she’s stunning. I lightly kiss her cheek, and her eyes flutter open. I get another surprised look, but this one is laced with panic.

She sits up quickly, and our heads collide. I hope I don’t get a black eye like Harvard. Does she think I’m too cute to look broken? I can only hope.

She lets out a little yelp and pulls her legs into her chest. She buries her face in her hands and is mumbling to herself. If I wasn’t worried that I’d frightened her, I’d say she’s adorable.

I reach out to brush her hair away so I can see her sleepy eyes. “Hey Harper. I didn’t mean to frighten you. I thought you might be hungry and, well, I didn’t want it to get cold.”

She splits her fingers and peeks out a little.

“I fell asleep?”

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