Page 41 of The Mating Fire
Cynical Harper questioned if he expressed an interest in order to open a new convo topic with her. The lonely Harper who hated the late-night silence as vast as the castle’s interior perked up at the thread.
“If money is no object, buy a Canon. With the mountain ranges and habitats of birds in Peru, you need a good telephoto lens.”
Darkbird1790 wrote back, “What kind of lens?”
“Try a Canon Mark 3, has fast frames per second for shooting wildlife in action. Get a 70-200 mm lens or even a fixed 400 mm. But you’re in Peru. You can order online from a good camera shop in New York I use, just that it will take time to ship.”
“Money and time no object. I’d rather get the right equipment. Thanks.”
Silence for a moment and then he typed, “U ok?”
Harper felt a lump in her throat. No one asked her that in a very long time. Not her professors, nor her small circle of friends, and certainly not her parents. Only Jared, perhaps, had indicated a slight concern.
Darkbird1790 actually asked the question and even if it wasn’t sincere, it was there in black letters on the white screen.
Wiping away a stray tear, she smiled. “Yeah. In a bit of a pickle thanks to this guy, but I’ll pull out of it.”
“What guy?” he typed back. “Is someone mistreating you? Tell me and I’ll deal with him for you. You deserve a champion, Rockstar.”
Having never had a champion, Harper felt her heart swell with unexpected emotion. Now a single tear welled up, rolled down her cheek.
But, reminding herself Darkbird had ghosted her for a time, she knew to keep the intensity down.
“I’m fine. I can take care of myself.”
“You can. But if you need me, I’m here for you. Even if I’m far away.”
“Hard to punch someone from far away,” she joked.
“A champion isn’t someone who fights for you, Rockstar. It’s someone who believes in you, wants great things for you. Someone who knows your strengths and won’t exploit your weakness. Someone who is willing to stand with you through life and your struggles, and wants to see you become the best person you can become.”
Her eyes widened. She touched the words he’d written in the chatbox, marveling at such a profession of wisdom and faith in people.
“Thank you,” she typed back. “I wish I did have a champion.”
“I could be yours… if you wish. A champion does all those things and more. A champion supports your passion.”
Deeply touched, she typed back, remembering how he’d ghosted her. Best to remain cautious. “I once thought I knew my passion, now I’m not so sure. “Where does your passion lie?”
A few winking emoticons. “Usually in bed.”
“Oh,” she said aloud, feeling heat rise to her cheeks. “With anyone special on your mind?”
“Yes. You.”
A pause and then a tentative question. “Does that shock you?”
“No.” Taking the plunge, she added, “I’ve thought about it as well.”
“You do not know what I look like. I could be hideous.”
Harper thawed totally. “I doubt it.”
“Why?”
“You have a kind heart.”
Several shocked emoticons followed, by, “No one ever told me that.”
