Page 64 of The Reluctant Siren
“Well, I was taking after my little sis,” Greer replied.“Though I didn’t consider grabbing some undies and clothes and your makeup tobe a walk on the wild side. That’s what you did last night. I thought we werenever going to marry two boys. We made a deal and everything.”
They’d been teens and their parents were weird andobnoxiously in love, and two dads seemed like a lot to put on a girl, so they’dpinkie sworn to be normal. “Yeah, well, we were kids. I suppose we always lookfor the type of relationship we understand.”
“You understand Dad?”
“No one understands Dad,” Harlow shot back. She sat down onthe couch, taking a bite of the bear claw. It was cinnamony and tasted likecomfort. All she needed was a cup of coffee.
“Hey, it’s not your usual brand, but it’ll have to do in apinch.” Niall was walking toward her holding a mug. “Your partner is bossy. I’mgoing to check and make sure Jensen isn’t suffering the PTSD of having his dickhang out in front of your family.”
He turned and walked away.
The man was heavenly. Even after all the stuff that happenedlast night Niall was looking freaking fine. And he brought her coffee. Sincethey started dating, he always got up before she did and made a big pot ofcoffee and brought it to her and they would sit in bed and talk about theupcoming day.
It was dumb because it had only been a couple of days, andshe already missed the ritual.
Greer leaned over as though watching him leave. “Tell yourpartner he has nothing to be ashamed of. It was a good way to start the day.”She frowned back at Harlow. “He could have brought me one.”
It was petty, but she kind of liked that Niall had onlythought of her. Greer was gorgeous and sweet and way more feminine than Harlow,and every single boyfriend she’d ever had flirted with her sister. Greer didn’tflirt back. She would never, but it still rankled that they all took care ofGreer.
“I’ll get you one.” It was totally okay forhertotake care of her sister.
Greer reached out, putting a hand on hers to stop her fromstanding. “I don’t need coffee. I need to know you’re okay. I’m joking aboutthe whole threesome thing. I’m actually worried about it because up untilyesterday, I didn’t know this Jensen guy existed and you were barely datingNiall. It’s not like you to move so fast.”
“What if I told you it’s only sex,” Harlow tried. “I had alot to deal with yesterday and I needed some stress relief.”
Greer’s eyes rolled. “I would call bullshit. Not because Idon’t think sex can be casual. It can, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Butit’s not how you work. If you sleep with someone, you care about them. I’mworried you’re going to twist that care into something it’s not.”
“I don’t understand.”
Her sister’s brows rose, her dumbass-said-what expression.“Tell me you’re not angry with Niall. I don’t know the Jensen situation sinceyou don’t talk to me like that, but I do know you’ve been happy with Niall thelast few days. You actually had lunch with me, and it wasn’t a three-martinilunch where you show me how much you don’t fit at the country club.”
Well Greer wasn’t pulling punches today. “Sorry. I’ll try tokeep the drinking down. I wouldn’t want to embarrass you.”
Greer sighed, a deeply frustrated sound. “Not what I meant.And I blame myself because I always invite you out there because it’s close andeasy. I should come into your world every now and then. You know the onlyperson who’s worse than you at the country club?”
She did, of course. “Dad isn’t exactly a country club guy,and you know neither is mom. She goes because of their gym, and she claims theyhave the only massage therapist worth using in the city. And Papa’s golf. Iknow Dad was raised in that world, but he doesn’t truly belong. I’m honestlynot sure where he belongs. Maybe some university teaching investigationtechniques.”
“He would kill all the students,” Greer said with a laughand then she sobered. “I guess the other reason I came was to make sure youdon’t, like, decide you’re done with us.”
Harlow put the coffee down. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means I know Dad can be a lot, but he loves you. Heloves you so much,” Greer said. “He worries about you.” She held a hand up asthough staving off the argument she knew was coming. “It doesn’t excuse himacting like an overprotective asshole, but you need to think about how he…Well, how he thinks. It’s hard for him to know you’re in danger.”
This was well-worn ground. “I love Dad. But I can’t besomeone I’m not.”
Greer nodded. “He knows that. The truth of the matter is hedoesn’t want you to be anyone but you. I know you won’t believe this but he’sproud of you.”
“You’re right. I don’t believe it.” She kind of wished hersister hadn’t come along now. She could sit and think about how moronic it wasto sub for two men she couldn’t allow herself to trust. But no, she now had tothink about her relationship with her dad. And her sister.
“He is proud of you. Hell, Harlow, when you’re not aroundyou’re almost all he talks about.”
Harlow knew that wasn’t a good thing. “Because he thinks I’mgoing to die and he’s paranoid. You know he used to spend all his time worryingabout people sniping him. I don’t know why he didn’t think that the easiest wayto stop people from sniping him was to not be a massive asshole, but here weare. Now he’s transferred that problem to me.”
“He goes to therapy, you know,” Greer said quietly.
That was news to her. “What?” She figured out what hersister had to mean. “Uncle Leo doesn’t count.”
Leo Meyer was The Club’s resident therapist. He was also oneof her dad’s closest friends.
