Page 67 of The Attraction

“Oh yeah, Felisha and I discuss it every morning over coffee, but I hate to tell you that your brother outmans you every single night.” I’m trying so hard to keep a straight face, but the moment I look at Felisha, who is literally holding the sides of her waist, we both burst out in full hysterics, with Forrest joining us.

“I hate you all,” Flynn mutters.

Tori yells at us from behind us, “What did we miss?” And all the others stop to listen.

“Flynn being schooled by Harper,” Forrest tells her. “And all you need to know is that if there was a comparison happening, that apparently, I’d outperform Flynn every time,” he proudly replies, and now the whole plane is laughing, and the joke just keeps growing and getting better and better. So much for Flynn’s rule about no sex talk.

It was what I needed to break the ice and make sure that I’m not the center of attention all night, which is what I was worried about.

The two-hour flight was smooth and actually a lot of fun. Not one word of work was mentioned. Elouise was living her best life getting some time away from the kids, and the girls told me what they have planned for us tomorrow. All my favorite things, shopping and pampering, and of course, some good food and alcohol thrown in.

Felisha and I were filling them in on all the good shops that we usually frequent, when Flynn’s voice cut in and tells us we are banned from visiting any nightclubs or bars without them. We all know why, but nobody is about to mention that.

There were cars and security waiting for us when we landed, and now we are finally all settled into our rooms in the villa for the night. It’s been a long week, so it was decided that we have an early night and meet for breakfast in the morning.

Forrest and I are in my usual bedroom I stay in whenever Felisha and I visit the villa. Of course it is a big villa, twelve bedrooms, so there is plenty of room for everyone, and it is spread out enough that we don’t have to be close to each other.

Our bedroom has a balcony off it that looks out over the Gulf of St. Tropez. Although we are heading into winter, the air is only mildly cool outside and perfect to sit out there with a nightcap and talk.

“I know I said it before, but I do mean it. I’m sorry I gave you such a hard time. Thank you for this.” I lift my glass up to his, and as we clink them together, the scotch in both of them swishes from side to side.

He replies with a smug look on his face. “You’re welcome, foxy lady.”

“Seriously, here I was trying to be nice to you and you say that. You know that this name thing is getting old now, don’t you.” But for the first time, I can’t help but smile at it too.

I don’t know that I have ever had anything in my life like this, that is just the stupidest joke but at the same time is also something just between me and a man I’m close to.

I don’t know because I was so young, but I can imagine that my mum and dad had inside jokes like this. They were so close, and I always thought they were so cute together.

Thinking about them in a good way is a bit of a shock because I haven’t done that in a long time. Since before my dad left.

Then it hits me like a bolt of lightning, a warm feeling surging through my body.

He didn’t leave her because he didn’t love her. My father left to try to protect her, because of how much he loved her.

It may not have played out how he wanted it to, but if I look at it now from an outside perspective, the media attention went away probably quicker than it would have if he had stayed with us. Knowing what I know now about how business law works, it would have taken years for him to be charged with trading insolvently, and the whole family would have been hounded by the media and by the public whose money he lost.

All of a sudden, I feel the need to share this.

“He loved my mother.” My words came from nowhere, yet Forrest doesn’t even flinch. Instead, he just takes my hand in his and squeezes it.

“I’ve been so angry for so long that I couldn’t see through the rage. But it meant that I had also forgotten about a life that I loved before then. I don’t know if that’s right or wrong. Should I stay mad or try to forgive him? Maybe it will help with the nightmares.” Still looking out at the water, so many feelings are rushing forward in my head. I don’t know why it chose now to happen, but I don’t think I could stop if I tried.

“There’s no answer to that, but it also means there is no magic set of rules about how to navigate such a life-changing event either. You did what you needed to at the time. Be kind to yourself, Harper, and don’t overthink your past actions.” His words are like a warm blanket being wrapped around me.

“How do you always seem to know the right thing to say to me?” Setting eyes on him, he looks at me with such compassion that stokes the fire in me that has been just under the surface all night.

“I don’t know. I just let my heart speak, and let me assure you, that’s new to me too.” His contemplative look shows me that we are both in uncharted waters here.

I want nothing more than to crawl into his lap and let the night breeze take away all my thoughts for me, but I’m learning since meeting Forrest that talking is actually far more productive in helping me deal with this.

The faint noise of the water hitting the distant shore is carried on the wind, and it’s so peaceful.

“Tell me about him, your father. What was he like when you were growing up?”

If he’d asked me this question a few weeks ago, it would have caused me to arch up and tell him my life is none of his business and not to speak about my father again, but tonight, I want to answer him. That may change tomorrow, but tonight, I feel my father close by, and I want to share him with Forrest.

Taking another sip of my scotch, I start to sift through my favorite memories that I haven’t allowed me to think of for a long time.

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