Page 47 of Heart Check
My lips curl upward of their own accord. “Maybe. Are you?”
She starts chattering about how of course she’s coming and it’s the highlight of the year and she has her outfit all pickedout already, but I can barely smile and nod along. My mind’s occupied with Harper. If all goes well, I’ll be going with her.
When I finally cross the restaurant to Harper, who’s organizing tickets behind the counter, her eyes are already locked on mine. She has a weird look on her face, her lips pressed together and furrows between her brows. She still looks really pretty, though. Her hair’s pulled back a little from her face, curlier than usual. Only she can make the puke-green Lakeside polo look good.
While I’m staring, her expression darkens further, and she marches over to me. Her chin tilted up in that defiant, spunky way, she says, “Can we talk?”
As if I haven’t been trying to talk to her for days. What is she so riled up about?
Lindsey makes eye contact with me from the hostess stand, raising her eyebrows. I shrug, and she nods at the diner. AnI got thiskind of gesture.
So I let Harper tug me into the back, where we had that conversation about staying out of each other’s way.
Yeah, that went well. I can’t help eyeing the walk-in fridge just down the hall.
Harper crosses her arms over her chest. There’s not much space back here, and I can’t help following her every movement. The air between us is thick with tension. “So,” she says, “are you going to take that girl to Skate Night?”
I blink. Hard. Somehow, that was the last thing I expected her to say. “Harper,” I say slowly. Confused. “I asked you at the fair.”
She sputters, turning red. “I know, but— I—”
My smile’s getting away from me. That girl was flirtingwith me—I was so focused on Harper, I didn’t even notice—and Harper hated it. She’s been thinking about Skate Night.
Hope flares in my chest. I have a chance.
“Harper,” I repeat. I could say her name all day, but I should do the right thing and put her out of her misery. “I’m not taking her to Skate Night. It’s just that the girl I really want to take didn’t give me an answer. Honestly, I’m starting to wonder if she’s even interested, or if it’s all in my head.”
Her eyes widen, her mouth opening and closing a few times like she’s trying to make a decision. I hold my breath as the sounds of the diner fade into the distance, the only thing that matters the look on Harper’s face as she searches my expression forsomething. If I knew what it was, I’d give it to her in an instant.
The tether between us tightens, pulling us closer and closer until I’m certain it’s going to snap, and I’m afraid to move—
And then Harper pushes herself up onto her toes and presses her lips to mine.
I’m in shock for a moment. Her lips are as soft as I imagined, impossibly pillowy. I’m surrounded by the sweet coconut scent of her. My mind’s looping, incredulous: Harper Braedon just kissed me.
She pulls back after a split second, as if realizing I’m frozen. I can already feel the panic in her, can see her about to retreat again. I can’t stand that.
So I wrap an arm loosely around her waist and follow her lips forward, pressing my mouth to hers again.
She makes a little sound that drives me crazy. My other hand cups her face, tracing lightly against her jaw, and her lips open just a little. Our mouths slot together perfectly, likethey were made for each other. I pull her closer, my whole body on fire with her hips pressed against mine, my hand moving to the nape of her neck to tangle in her hair. It’s even softer than I imagined.
Her hands wrap around my neck, making me shiver, bringing her flush against me. I’m overwhelmed by the heat of her touch on my skin, the soft curve of her waist in my grip. Kissing Harper’s even better than I imagined—and I’ve been doing alotof imagining. I take a step forward, backing Harper into the wall, and her mouth falls open with a needy little gasp, and—
A crash of dishes in the sink brings me back to my senses.
We break apart, both realizing in the same moment that we’re in the back of my parents’ restaurant, dishwashers doing their business right around the corner. I’m short of breath.
I find myself wishing we could get locked in the freezer again. At least there a guy can get some privacy.
But Harper’s smiling. I can’t help staring at the curve of her bottom lip. All I want to do is kiss her all afternoon. She’s flushed, and she looks even prettier with that color in her cheeks. When she shakily tucks her hair behind her ear, it just makes me want to mess it up.
“I’m sorry,” she says.
“For what?” In this moment, I can’t imagine anything she should feel bad about.
“For Marissa, for one. She was so rude to you at Small Business Santa. It’s so stupid, too. Just an old grudge.” She bites her lip, eyes flicking across my face searchingly.
I frown. “What grudge?”
