Soft, elegant music fills the room after the speakers leave the podium. I climb down the short stairs, already eager to take my seat. All I want to do is have a flute of champagne and stuff at least six hors d’oeuvres into my mouth. There’s not a lot of time for eating when you’re planning world domination.
I laugh to myself as I snag a crab cake from a passing waitress. Then I attempt to make my way to one of the bubbling fountains in the courtyard. Maybe if I sit on one of the marble edges, my feet will stop hurting for half a second.
I limp over to one, thankful that it puts a barrier between me and the orchestra.
People mingle and chat around me, the upper echelons of New York brushing shoulders and filling networking calendars. I know I should be a part of that, but all I want to do right now is kick up my feet and watch a movie.
“Excuse me, would you mind if I took this seat?”
Before I even sit down, I am greeted by the one voice that could have given me energy. I turn to see Harper, dressed in an expensive Italian suit with blue stitching, smiling brightly. For some reason, I instinctively know that the way he’s smiling is rare and that I’m one of the few people who get to see it.
“Please. I was hoping that I would get to see you tonight.” It’s a bold statement for me but I mean every word. I feel a lightness in my chest, just by being near him. It’s almost magical.
“Then we both had the same hope. Here, why don’t you let me take your plate while you get comfortable?”
He doesn’t wait for me to say yes. Instead, he takes it from me and offers me an elegant sweep of his hand.
I sit down carefully, crossing my ankles. Suddenly, I’m very shy and my face feels hot. For several moments, we sit in silence and he hands me my plate. I quietly consume the food while he watches me with his intense, dark gaze. It should make me nervous but mostly I just feel touched to have so much of his attention focused on me.
I finish eating and then he takes my plate and sets it beside us. “Are you feeling all right to be out and about?”
I laugh, a little surprised by his question. Other than Tina, no one has really shown concern for me in that way. Even Johnni has just assumed that I am made out of steel and has been treating me like Wonder Woman. I appreciate him not making a big deal out of it but for some reason Harper’s concern makes me want to cry.
“Yes, I’m okay. A little tired but otherwise fine.”
He nods. “A strong woman. But you’ve had to be, haven’t you?”
I don’t know what to say to that but I don’t have to respond. Harper flags down a waitress who should not have been able to see us. She comes immediately, as if she has been waiting for his command. I can’t hear what he whispers to her, but she leaves without another glance in my direction.
“Why don’t we talk about something else? Why aren’t you out mingling?”
This shift in topic keeps me on my toes. “I could ask you the same thing.”
He shrugs and my gaze is drawn to his wide shoulders. I bite my tongue to keep from giving him a thorough once-over. This is not the kind of man to ogle like a schoolgirl.
“I don’t really have the need to rub shoulders with politicians.” He pauses as if in deep thought. “And I don’t want to catch fleas.”
I grin, knowing exactly what he means. “Well, sometimes you have to sleep with the dogs to get anything done.”
He grins and the pure white of his smile makes my stomach do flip-flops. He’s got an amazing presence and somehow I feel as if he is wiping away some of the grit I’ve been gathering, dealing with sleazy people.
“This is sad but true, Ms. Fallon Opal.”
The way he says my name makes it sound like a prayer. I shiver with pleasure, immediately wanting to hear it again. I get the feeling that I could easily become addicted to this man and the charm he oozes effortlessly.
The waitress comes back with a silver tray. She leaves it with Harper and walks away without even looking at me. I tilt my head to the side. “Well, that was rude.”
Harper shakes his head while setting the tray between us. I realize it’s laden with dark roast coffee and various creams and sugars. There are also bags of various kinds of teas but the coffee is what catches my attention.
“She wasn’t trying to be rude. I knew that you must be tired of all of the attention you get, so I told her not to fawn over you. You know that the wait staff is quite excited just to see you, right?”
I blow out a breath and reach for the cup he offers me. Just from the smell, I can tell this is high-quality coffee. I bet the cream is fresh as well. “This courtyard is filled with important people. Why would anyone be excited to see me, of all people?”
Harper laughs and I notice that he is setting up a cup of tea. He uses a comb to spoon in a generous dollop of honey into it. “I’m surprised you don’t know. You’re special, Fallon. You’re something more than the liars and schemers here. You’re pure.”
My blush deepens and I’m not sure what to say. I’ve been called a lot of things in my days as Fallon Opal, movie star. “Pure” is not one of those things.
I continue to sip my coffee, taking in the scene before me. Harper has us sitting in the perfect spot along the fountain. We are close enough to be seen by anyone who bothers to take a look so nothing improper could be happening. However, there is an air of…secrecy around us that would prevent anyone from interrupting.
“This is nice,” I whisper into my cup without thinking.
Harper responds with the same whimsical tone as I had used without thinking about it. “You’re right. It really is. I’m not sure why, but I feel very relaxed when I’m with you. As if you’re a great balance for my mind.”
I don’t know what to say to that. The way he talks about me is otherworldly. I’ve had guys say nice things to me before. Don’t get me wrong. But somehow, I have always felt as if those things were shared with some kind of intent. As if they meant what they were sharing…but they still wanted something in return.
From Harper, I get the feeling that all he wants in this moment is this moment. He isn’t asking for my time or even my attention. Just for me to share the same space with him while I enjoy a cup of coffee.
The orchestra starts a song that signals the end of the gala. While I know a few people will stay past the time that was printed on the invitations, for the most part, the networking efforts will be wrapping up soon. Which means that Harper might also be leaving.
I don’t want that. I know he has to go but when he is near me, I feel…peace.
I want to hold on to that for as long as possible.
But what can I do? I finish my cup of coffee and turn to him. “It was only for a short time, but I really enjoyed sitting with you.”
He nods, setting his cup down on the tray. Before I even have to ask, he takes mine too and sets it down beside his. “I was hoping…that we could do it again sometimes. If you’d like.”
That hastily tacked on “If you’d like” makes me want to giggle. I want nothing more than that but the shy, unsure way he asks is so different from the way he’s handled everything else leads me to believe he’s a much more confident person than that. I decide to reward his openness with some of my own and take his hand.
“I would really like that…Harper.”
He smiles and I feel it all the way in the bottom of my stomach.