Page 43 of Heart Check
I’m frozen, unable to answer for a long moment, my mouth agape. Before I can say anything, a voice calls, “Um, can I help you?”
We both wheel to face Marissa, who’s standing mere feet away. She looks like a cartoon character in her lavender coat and matching beret. A cartoon character who’s considering physical violence.
Her hands are on her hips, and her glasses glint angrily as she looks from Dawson to me. “Is he bothering you, Harper?”
I glance at Dawson, just a few inches from me. Marissa doesn’t know anything about our unexpected connection this weekend. She still thinks he’s the enemy. If I didn’t know better, I’d read the closeness between us as aggressive too.
“I’m fine,” I say, taking a big step back to put some distance between us. Something like hurt flashes across Dawson’s face, but I’ll deal with that later. Right now I have best friend triage to do. “And sorry I didn’t text you, I got really—”
“Busy with this,” she says, finishing my sentence with a nod. “I know, I get it. That’s why I stopped by for support.”
Her instant and unearned understanding just makes the guilt churn faster. I gotta come clean soon.
But then she turns back to Dawson. “Did you get what you need? Haven’t you and your team done enough damage to this business?”
Dawson’s eyes flick back and forth between us. He doesn’t say anything, waiting for me to explain.
“Actually, Dawson was just—”
“Bro! There you are!”
“We circled this place, like, a dozen times looking for you.”
“Would’ve gone a lot faster on skates.”
Alex and Ryan are piling on Dawson with excessive back patting and ruffling of hair. They’re well into a noogie before they notice Marissa and me.
A broad smile stretches across Alex’s face. “Hey, Harper. How you feeling?”
“Fine! Early morning to set this up, but there’s been a nice turnout!” I hurry to say. The last thing I need is Marissa asking why Alex would be inquiring after my health.
“Ryan,” Dawson says, nodding at one of my charm bracelets. “You think your mom would like that?”
I rush over. “Oh, you don’t have to—”
“That shitsparkles,” Ryan says, eyes widening in awe. “Yeah, I’ll take two. One for my mom, and one for whoever’s lucky enough to receive it.” When Marissa rolls her eyes, he waggles an eyebrow her way. “Which one would you pick? Just, you know. Theoretically speaking.”
But before I can tell him he’d have better luck charming a fence post, Dawson elbows him in the side. “Then you should definitely get some soap from that stall next door too. When was the last time you showered? That’s the better gift to your—ahem—lucky partner.”
Ryan props his hands on his hips in mock outrage. “Hey, I always smell good for my fans!”
As if summoned, a group of giggling groupies follows the guys over to the stall. Alex notices with a twinkle in his eye. Pitching his voice loud enough to carry, he says, “Wow! This is the best jewelry I’ve ever seen!”
Under her breath, Marissa says, “Don’t try out for the school play anytime soon.”
Dawson almost smiles again, and I catch his eye gratefully.He’s doing his best to make up for the hit my business took. Even if Dawson is wrong about Noah, I can’t believe Alex and Ryan are behind the bad reviews—it’s true, they’re not good enough actors to lie to my face. Plus, here they are, pitching in to do their share. I’m convinced they have good hearts.
I want to accept Dawson’s invitation, but it’s too awkward, staring at him with Marissa right there. That little furrow appears between his eyebrows, as if he’s catching the vibe. I want to reach over to smooth it out, but he’s already taking a step away, back into the square. My stomach clenches.
Before he goes, his lips curl up into a small, secret smile. “I’ll see you around, Braedon.”
Braedon. The first time he’s called me by my last name. Like I’m on his team at last.
A thousand words tangle in my throat, but I don’t know how to organize my thoughts when Marissa’s watching us and I have so much to explain.
Guilt curdles in my stomach. I’ve fallen so hard, so fast, and the rest of my life hasn’t caught up yet. Do I need to explain everything to Marissa before going out with Dawson?CanI? How do I make her understand, when hating him and his team has been the glue binding our friendship together for as long as I can remember?
So I just raise my hand and wave as he leaves, feeling like I’ve mishandled the whole situation.
