Page 88 of The Fun Part
“Maybe it’s time to go house hunting,” I say.
“No. I want to save up more before I house hunt. Maybe next year.”
I’m about to say it’s okay when Nathan pipes up, “You can stay with me.”
Harper’s eyes widen. “You want me to move into your place?”
“I have an apartment over the garage,” he says. “The guy who lived there moved out a few months ago. I’ll let you stay rent-free so you can keep saving for your dream house.”
“What is your dream house anyway?” I ask.
Harper doesn’t answer. She and Nathan are too busy staring at each other. “Why?”
He shrugs. “Helping an old friend out. I keep things in good condition, and I’m only a call away if something needs fixing.” Nathan worked construction jobs in the summer during college and can do handyman stuff. That’s right, the trust-fund baby likes to work with his hands.
She tilts her head, studying him like she’s trying to figure out his angle.
Nathan gestures toward her. “I’d feel better knowing someone was around to keep an eye on the place since I’m away for jobs a lot, and you could, uh, bring in the mail and water the plants.”
He’s not away for jobs that much, mostly local stuff. Usually Owen takes the jobs in LA, and his wife, Shayla, goes with him to take meetings. Nathan is holding out the olive branch of peace between them, but Harper focuses on completely the wrong thing.
“You keep plants alive?” Harper asks.
He gives her a sour look. “Is that a yes?”
“Let me think about it.”
He inclines his head. “You have until midnight.”
“Why?”
“Because then I put the rental back on the market.”
She crosses her arms. “So you have this apartment waiting, and suddenly it has to be filled right away?”
“Yes.” He crosses his arms, mirroring her stance. “And maybe I’m trying to do something nice for you because I’m tired of you thinking I’m death to every party. Whatever was in the past is water under the bridge.”
She lifts her chin. “Past never bothered me a bit.”
“Good.”
“Fine. I’ll get the keys from you tomorrow.”
They stare at each other. I tiptoe away, and Cal follows.
Once we’re out of hearing range, Cal asks, “Was that their version of flirting?”
“That was a truce. It’s good. This falling-out of theirs has gone on long enough.”
He grins. “Is this like that movie where she says she hates him, but she secretly loves him?”
I smile widely. “Look at you with the romcom movie references. And I thought you fell asleep during that one.” I loop my arms around his neck and kiss him. I only started loving romance once I experienced it for myself. In fact, I’m the newest romance reader in the Happy Endings Book Club. What a fun group. There’s nothing better than swooning together over true love.
He wraps his arms around my waist. “I take an interest in everything you love because I love you so much I’m bursting with it.” He mimes his heart exploding.
My heart melts. Still, I like to tease Cal about his newly blossoming sense of romance.
“Next thing you’re going to be writing me love poems,” I say.
“Now you’re being ridiculous. You’re the one who’s going to be writing me love sonnets and sending me flowers.”
We smile at each other. He’s still in awe that I got him flowers. I like that I was the first person to do that for him.
And then our song starts playing, the slow song we danced to when we first met, Etta James’s “At Last.” So fitting. At last we found each other.
We join the party, where several couples are already dancing. I look into his soulful eyes with all the love in my heart, surrounded by family and friends. Now the fun part really begins.
