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Spencer couldn’t help but stare at Harley standing before him in the kitchen. Even her “just woke up” look was sexy. Running his hand through his hair, he attempted to calm his bed head.
“Coffee mugs?” he asked.
“Above the coffee maker,” she answered as she opened the cupboard for him.
As he moved to grab a mug, so did she. Their hands met as they grabbed the same mug. It was all very high schoolish, nothing like he had experienced in a long time, and yet exhilarating.
Their eyes met and he held her glance for a few uncomfortable seconds, and he wished it would’ve lasted longer.
A nervous energy filled the space as she pulled away, taking a small step back. “Well, I’ll make us some breakfast. But I’m going to get changed first. If you’ll excuse me.” Harley hurried up the steps.
“Hey Har,” he called after her.
“Yeah?” she answered as if she was expecting more than what he had to ask her.
“Where’s the bathroom?”
“Oh, at the top of the steps, the door is slightly open,” she called over her shoulder and hurried up the stairs.
He stood up and stretched. The couch was the most uncomfortable thing he ever slept on, and yet he didn’t mind one bit. This was the stuff those rom-coms were made of. Snowed in with your crush. And bonus, Lily and Zane were gone for a while.
He checked his breath and figured he better see if she had an extra toothbrush, or at the very least some mouthwash.
Hurrying up the stairs, he called to Harley as he pushed open the first partially ajar door that he saw. “Hey Har, do you have a–”
Before him was not the bathroom, but Harley’s bedroom. And Harley was standing there, her eyes wide at his intrusion, in only her bra and sweatpants.
To his horror, his brain was telling him to look away, but he couldn’t move. She was gorgeous.
Harley didn’t panicky grab for something to cover herself up, instead her face grew red and she bit at her lip, which drove his libido crazy. Slowly she grabbed her sweatshirt off the bed and moved it to her chest. “Um, wrong room. The other partly ajar door.”
Her voice was calm and soft. Not what he would expect from his colossal mistake.
“I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean–” but he couldn’t help but notice she was still just holding the sweatshirt to her chest as his eyes ran over her.
“It’s fine,” she said softly.
“Yeah, I better...uh...the other door. Thanks. Sorry.” Finally, out of the trance he was in, he closed her bedroom door behind him and headed to the bathroom.
Once safely in the bathroom, he stared at himself in the mirror. What an idiot. Who does something like that? And when you catch a glimpse of a half-naked girl, you don’t stare! What was I thinking?
Looking down, there was a brand-new toothbrush still in the sealed package and a washcloth on the counter.
He pulled off his shirt and checked his pits. Not awful, but maybe he’d text Z to see if he could find a travel size deodorant somewhere.
There was a knock at the door. Opening it, Harley stood in the hallway peering in. He only realized he still had his shirt off when her eyes fell to his chest and lingered. And he liked it.
After a moment or two, she cleared her throat and said, “Lily left a new toothbrush out for you and a washcloth, if you need it. I’ll, uh, um, meet you downstairs for breakfast.”
When he came downstairs, Harley was in the kitchen, making eggs. The aroma of coffee filled the air.
“How do you like your eggs?” she asked without looking up at him.
“I’m not picky.” Yes, he was the king of making things awkward. Awesome.
“Scrambled it is then,” she said as she put a few pieces of bread in the toaster.
He couldn’t get the image of Harley in her bra out of his head. She was hot fully dressed, but that image that was burned into his brain? Sexy, classy, beautiful.
Isaac didn’t deserve Harley.
“Should we talk about–”
“Nope.” Turning to the stove, she commented without looking at him.
“Okay,” he said, unsure.
“I mean, it’s not like we did anything wrong. Those things happen. Right?”
“I guess.” There was a lot wrong going on in his mind, but that was no one’s business but his.
The toaster popped.
“Can you grab those? The butter is still in the refrigerator.” She pushed the eggs around the pan, adding some cheese. With a smile she added, “And grab the shaved ham, please and thanks.”
He did as instructed. His pulse still wasn’t normal, and he seemed to be struggling to get over their run-in more than she was. Even her smile had his heart rate racing.
After they ate breakfast, he helped her clean up, bringing the dishes to the sink.
The awkwardness still lingered in the air between them. And he could be wrong, but there was definitely some attraction on her end.
It had been a long night, and if they were going to stick around, he needed more coffee. Pouring himself another cup, he then turned to Harley. “Do you have any more creamer?”
As he turned to her, she moved to put something in the sink, and they ran into one another.
Harley gasped as his cup of coffee poured down his shirt. “Oh no, I’m so sorry.” She grabbed a dish towel. “I’m so sorry!”
She started to dab at the coffee stain on his shirt.
Shaking his head with a chuckle, he objected. “Don’t worry about it, it’s fine.”
“But you can’t wear that,” she protested.
“I wasn’t planning on it,” he said as he peeled off the coffee-soaked shirt. “Do you have a bag I can put this in?”
“No, we need to soak it.” Harley took the shirt out of his hand and to the sink. After she covered the stain in dish soap, she put it in a container of water. “Now, we should find you a shirt.”
She turned from the sink, again running right into him.
“No need. I’m good,” he said with a smirk. He was partly joking, because he would need a shirt to get home, but he knew there was a gym bag in the car with clean clothes in it. “As long as you’re okay with it?”
She simply nodded.
“Oh, you have a little suds right on your cheek. Let me get that.” He swiped the soap from her cheek.
She took a step closer, moving his hand so now he cupped her face. Her breath was hot on his face. He could practically feel the desire that radiated from her.
She ran her hand over his chest, and nothing ever in his life had felt so right—barring the fact that she was some other guy’s girl. He was putty in her hand. And his body was reacting to her touch. He had never been so happy to be wearing a pair of blue jeans, because sweatpants would’ve given everything away.
His heart was pounding against his chest as her eyes moved from his bare chest to meet his. He swallowed hard, then moved in for a kiss.
Her lips were soft and warm. And he was thankful for that toothbrush.
She pressed her body against his.
She didn’t pull back, but whispered, “We shouldn’t.”
“Do you want me to stop?” he asked.
“We’re back!” Lily called as they walked in the door, obviously startling them both.
They each jumped back a step, trying to not look suspicious. Well, at least that’s what Spencer was trying to do.
“And we brought lunch snacks!” Zane added as his eyes darted between them.
Lily stopped in her tracks once her eyes landed on Spencer’s bare chest, or maybe it was once she felt the tension in the air. Or maybe she just swallowed a fly, he couldn’t be sure.
“Dude?” Zane questioned. “Lucky for you, I grabbed the gym bag from the car. Put your shirt on, lover boy.” Zane tossed him a fresh shirt.
“What? No...I spilled my coffee,” he explained. “And Harley is soaking my shirt.”
“I didn’t ask.” Zane brushed him off.
Trying not to look suspicious, Spencer looked in the containers Lily and Zane had just set down on the counter. “What did you bring?”
“Appetizers, and a couple sandwiches we could share for lunch. Since there’s no classes today we figured we could hang out,” Zane answered.
“I need more coffee,” Harley said, hurrying to a different area of the kitchen.
“I’ll grab us all some coffee,” Lily added.
“None for me, thanks,” Spencer called.
“Bro, what are you doing?” Zane whispered accusingly to Spencer.
“What do you mean?” he countered coolly.
“Your shirt.”
“I told you, I spilled my coffee.”
“If that’s what you’re going with. Just be careful.”
Careful. No matter how hard he tried, that’s the one thing he couldn’t promise.
HIS CELL PHONE BUZZED with a call. His mom’s photo lit up on the home screen.
“Hey, Mom. What’s up?” He had been so busy with school and Harley that he hadn’t called her as much as he usually did.
“Hi, dear. How are you doing? How’s school? I haven’t heard from you lately. Figured you were off studying.” She added a little laugh to her comment.
“I’m good, and school is boring like always. You know me, always studying,” he replied sarcastically. “What’s new on your end? How’s Dad?” He got comfortable in his chair. A phone call with his mom was never short.
She went on and on about his dad’s latest doctor appointment and how the doctor changed his medication for his high blood pressure. It is making him tired and now he is usually sound asleep in his chair by four in the afternoon. “He was snoring so loudly while I was watching my show that I had to throw a magazine at him. I have a call into the doctor about changing the medication back though. He dozes off enough as it is, I can’t have him sleeping more. It’s just not good for him.”
He never heard of someone sleeping too much, but he let his mom handle all medical matters. “Probably not a bad idea. But you’re doing okay? No new health issues?”
“No, I’m chugging right along, dear. How’s Zane?”
“He’s fine. Not here right now though.”
“Oh, out with that little girlfriend of his?” she cooed.
“Exactly.” Couples were the last thing he wanted to talk about right now. He couldn’t get Harley off his mind. Being stuck at her apartment confused him even more about his feelings for her. They were so perfect together, if only she could see that.
“Dear, you seem noticeably quiet. Are you sure you are doing all right?”
“Yes, Ma, I’m doing great. Just lots of studying, giving my brain a good workout.” He tried to sound upbeat and unbothered.
“Okay, now I know you’re lying, Mr. Sarcastic. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, ma, I’m fine.”
“Spencer. You can’t lie to your mother,” she demanded.
Nope, he never could manage to lie to her. It was like she had a sixth sense, like a mom-vision or a third eye or something. “Fine. You win.”
“Is it a girl? I know it’s a girl. Did she break your heart? I’ll fight her, you know.”
Her silly words made him smile. “You’re crazy, Ma.”
“And you’re smiling now, that’s all that matters. But tell your old mother what happened.”
“Ma, you know how it is. Just fell for the wrong one.” He sighed and closed his eyes, but all he could see in his mind’s eye was Harley.
“Already has a boyfriend kind of wrong one?”
Spencer opened his eyes, giving all his attention to the phone call. “Zane told you, didn’t he?”
“That doesn’t really matter. Dear, talk to me.”
“I just don’t know what I should do. Zane should mind his own business.”
“I’m sure he’s only trying to help, in his own way. Regardless, what do you think you should do about this girl?”
“My brain knows I should back off and let her be happy with her boyfriend, even though he is so wrong for her. On the other hand, my heart wants to tell her how I feel, and then fight for her. I think we are right for one another and that we just work.”
“Then why don’t you just tell her?” she suggested.
“Mom, it’s not that simple. If I tell her, things could go sideways, and I could lose her as a friend.” That was the opposite of what he wanted to do. At least this way, he could still hang out with her when they have game night.
“I think I have the perfect thing that can help. Do you want to come over for dinner? I could make your favorite spaghetti and meatballs. Zane could bring Lily and Harley. This way I could meet this girl and get a better feel for the situation.” His mom’s voice was upbeat, and he could tell she was already making a list of what she needed for dinner.
There would be no talking her out of this. “Sure, that sounds great, but any chance maybe we could hold off on the family meal until after graduation. We all just have so much going on here.”
“I think that sounds like a terrible idea,” she scolded. “Make sure you ask the ladies, but either way I expect to see you boys here for dinner this weekend.”
He shook his head, knowing this wouldn’t have ended any other way. “I’ll talk to Zane, and we will see you this weekend.”
“No need, I just texted him, and I told him to invite the ladies. I’m so excited to see you boys.”
“Ma, you just saw us at Christmas.”
“That was almost two months ago! Sue me, I miss my boys.”
“I miss you too, Mom. So, I guess we’ll see you this weekend. Can we bring anything?”
“Nope. I will take care of everything. I love you, Spencer. And remember, there is a girl out there for you. You just have to be patient.”
“Because I’m so good at being patient,” he complained.
“You’ll see. Anyway, I love you, son. See you for dinner!”
As Spencer ended the call, Zane walked in the door.
He wasted no time busting his cousin’s balls. “You told Mom that I fell for Harley? Does bro code mean nothing to you?” he whined.
“Yes, I told your Mom. You were moping around here, and I didn’t know what else to do. Aunt Alice said things would work themselves out, so I dropped it.”
“Well, now we are on the hook for dinner.”
“Yeah, I got the text. I messaged Lily.” Zane’s phone played a noise. “And that must be her.” Zane checked his phone and smiled. “They’re in.”
“Oh, great, Spencer groaned. “I need a beer.”
THE DRIVE TO HIS PARENT’S house was filled with singing to the radio and Lily talking about her internship, upcoming job, and graduation. Spencer kept his eye on the road. Harley sat beside him in the passenger seat, unusually quiet, and he wasn’t surprised. This whole thing was awkward, especially after the other day in her apartment. But with Lily so excited about all the things that Harley wasn’t. The only saving grace was that Isaac was not invited to dinner. It was just their crew of four friends.
Pulling into his parent’s driveway, Spencer let out a slow breath. His mother was already on the front porch waiting to greet them.
“Mom, where’s your jacket? It’s cold out here!” Spencer said as he got out of the vehicle.
She ignored him and ran to meet Zane on the steps, her arms outreached and pulled him into a hug. “Zane! My boy, I missed you so much! And this must be Lily who I have heard so much about?”
“Aunt Alice, this is Lily.” Zane grabbed Lily’s hand.
“Lily! My dear, hello. I am so glad you could come to dinner. It is so nice to finally meet you!” His mom gushed at Lily and hugged her before turning her attention to him. “Spencer!” His mom pulled him into a hug. “I missed you. I am so glad you all could be here.”
“Dad didn’t run to the door to greet us too?” Spencer teased, knowing his dad wasn’t as dramatic as his mom, and was probably still sitting in his chair in the living room.
Ignoring him, she focused her attention on Harley. “Welcome, my dear. You must be Lily’s friend.”
“Hi, Mrs. Wilson.” Harley held out her hand. “I’m Harley.”
“Oh, first of all, call me Aunt Alice, and second, I don’t shake hands, I hug.” His mom squeezed Harley. “Okay, it’s cold out here. Let’s all get inside. Dinner is almost ready!”
Inside, his dad waved from his chair, just like Spencer figured. “Hey, boys.”
“Hey, Dad.” Spencer hugged his dad, then introduced him to the girls.
“Nice to meet you ladies. Hope you’re keeping these two in line,” his dad teased.
“Why don’t you all get washed up. Dinner is ready,” his mom called from the kitchen.
“She’s been cooking all day,” his dad said once they all were in the dining room.
Before he could figure out who was sitting where, Zane took his seat with Lily next to him. His dad took his normal seat. That left only one choice—Spencer ended up sitting next to Harley.
The awkwardness was ridiculous. They didn’t do anything wrong the other day. But still, the awkwardness remained.
His mom brought in the gravy boat and took her seat. “Please, start filling your plates before it gets cold. And let’s hear about those classes. Everyone excited about graduation?”
Zane geeked out and went on about his classes and internship. Lily piggy backed on his thoughts with all she had planned. But, Harley quietly ate her dinner.
“You okay?” he whispered to her.
Harley nodded. “Yeah. Fine.”
Lily stopped talking and focused on Harley for a second before she continued talking. She beamed proudly as she spoke, “And Harley, she is continuing her education.”
Harley pushed her food around her plate as her face reddened.
Spencer smiled and spoke up supportively. “Mom, Lily’s right. Harley is going back to get her master’s degree. She’s really excited about it, and I think it’s the right move for her.”
Harley looked up from her plate to him. Her eyes were bright and a small smile was on her lips.
“Well, dear, that is wonderful. I am sure you will do great. It’s nice to see that both of you ladies have such a clear understanding of what you want out of your lives. I have no doubt you both will be amazing at anything you put your minds to,” his mom praised. “And, Harley, that means you will still be in town next semester?”
“Yes.” Harley nodded as she attempted to finish the bite of food she had just taken.
Lily took over the answer. “My new job is in town, so we’re thinking of keeping our apartment, at least for now.”
Spencer knew that Zane had talked about how he and Lily might end up moving in together at some point since they’ll both be staying in town. It was just too early in their relationship to bring that up. For now, they both spoke of keeping their own apartments.
“Well, I know your parents, Lily, are not local. And I am not sure about yours, Harley. But, since you are both staying in town, our door is always open. I hope to see you ladies for the occasional dinner. We always do holidays here, and if you can’t make it home, please know you always have a standing invitation.”
“So,” Harley spoke, sounding a little baffled. “You host all the major holidays?”
His mom proudly explained, “We have all the major holidays, as well as any minor holidays, birthdays, Sunday dinners. Oh, and I love to bake, so anytime you feel like baking, give me a call! And if you’re more like my son, who’d prefer to taste test versus cooking, come over for that too.” She grinned sweetly.
His dad nodded. “Mrs. Wilson is right. We are a tight knit family, we like our traditions, and we love sharing those traditions. Mrs. Wilson loves having a full house.”
“I do love company,” she added with a smile. “And my boys aren’t really bakers, I would love someone to share my recipes with.”
The rest of dinner and dessert was a lot of Lily talking about her plans, and her and Mom sharing recipes. Spencer and his dad eventually broke off and got into a conversation about cars. But even car-talk couldn’t keep his focus off of Harley.
The drive home was full of questions from Harley about his home life. It was odd, but he answered every last one. He liked his space and to have fun, but his family was something he could always count on.
Spencer parked outside of the girls’ apartment. Lily and Zane were on the doorstep saying their goodbyes. Harley sat in the vehicle with him, trying to avoid their PDA.
“Harley, tomorrow you want to hang out?” he asked, not sure how she was going to answer.
“Yeah. Let me know what you want to do.” She glanced over to Zane coming back to the vehicle. “All right, time to go. See you tomorrow! And thanks for inviting us, it was a lot of fun.”
He watched until she disappeared into the apartment.
“I think dinner was a success!” Zane said happily as he got into the passenger’s seat. “It was nice being able to introduce them to Lily. And I think she liked being included.”
“Mom and Dad really seemed to like her, which I knew they would.” It seemed to him that Harley enjoyed being included too, and his mom really treated her like part of the family.
“And they also really liked Harley. And you know Aunt Alice is a great judge of character. I think you should prepare yourself for a phone call tomorrow suggesting how she is perfect for you,” Zane commented.
Zane wasn’t saying anything that he wasn’t already thinking. His mom was known for sharing her opinion whether you wanted to hear it or not. Unfortunately, it wasn’t up to him whether Harley was right or wrong for him as long as she was still seeing Isaac.
