Chapter 9
Liam
Something has changedbetween us, and I don’t know if I should worry or not. Harper mentioned us moving too fast, but I thought we were moving at a great pace. I might not have slept with her and that’s where it was leading last night, but things seem great. We’ve had four dates now, over the course of a week, and each interaction has shown me the kind of woman she is, what she wants, and future aspirations. Things have just been clicking between us, and I would hate to do anything to jeopardize that. Some might find it weird how close to her I already feel, but it’s not about the length of time we have been dating, but the amount of time spent with each other. Some people only go out once a week and fall in love over the course of a couple months. Another big component is we don’t just sit around and watch movies, but we discuss the things that are important to us. In hindsight, this might be why I’m so attracted to her. My aspirations to be a father one day might not happen, but if there’s even a chance than the person I end up with needs to be maternal. Harper is funny, kind, intuitive, and most of all understanding. If I have learned anything from being around Tessa’s kid, Emily, it’s the older they get the more patients you must have to deal with them. Harper will make a wonderful mother someday.
Is it possible I’m putting too much pressure on her? After mentioning slowing down last night, she did end up on my lap and if I wouldn’t have stopped it, we most likely would have made love, and that’s the opposite of what she expressed. So, I couldn’t in good conscience go through with it. Instead, we can take the time apart to evaluate where we want to go from here with a clear mind.
Damon is the only brother I will talk to about this because Aiden wouldn’t even begin to understand. He hasn't been a real date since his high school sweetheart dumped him on Graduation day. He has been womanizing ever since. I keep telling him that he better stop or he is going to end up with a sexually transmitted disease or something since he doesn’t know half the girls he takes home. Why does he find random girls wanting to bone him attractive? I think a woman wanting to settle down and give her all to another person is infinitely sexier.
He’s here today and I’m sure he will bring her up, but can I trust him not to discuss what I tell him with Tessa? Or, is Harper discussing us with her too? It's a fine line and we haven’t really discussed that aspect of our relationship yet.
“Hey, the family in 2604 just called. Apparently, the plumbing is acting up, and they had to turn off the water. You know anyone who can go assess it without charging us an arm and a leg?” Damon asks.
My lips scrunch to the left as I think of someone who could help. What’s the guy's name we want to high school with? Jack? No, I pull up my profile and search.
“Yeah, I’ll call Joseph. You know, the one we went to school with, he owns a plumbing business. I’m sure he can give us a good deal.”
Clicking on the message button, I send him my number and ask him to reach out to me for a quote.
“Let me know what he says, so I can tell them. Don’t want them to have to go without water overnight.”
The duplexes are full right now with families who have been displaced by recent fires. They are all very grateful to us for letting them stay there without paying a dime of rent. I always tell them to thank Damon because it was his idea. Aiden and I just helped him bring it to fruition.
Joseph: It’d be fifty bucks for the tech to go look at it and see what’s wrong. Once he knows, I can give you a quote on fixing it. Sound good?
I let Damon know that Joseph is going to send someone out immediately.
The duplexes have proven to be a good investment, just to help the community, but the upkeep on them is going to be more than we realized. Some of the appliances that came over with the sale have stopped working, and the electrical in one of them looked to be done by someone unlicensed who didn’t know what they were doing. So in the last two months, we have poured another twenty-grand into upgrading all the electrical within the duplexes, and replacing appliances. I’m not at all complaining because giving needy families a place to safely sleep with their kids is worth of every penny.
“Listen, we’ve got to come up with a better system for maintenance on these duplexes. Do you think we should contract someone to work on them? Like someone we can call when we need something worked on at a fixed price?” Damon asks.
“Actually, that sounds like a good idea, but I wouldn't know where to start,” I reply.
“I’ll research it tonight when I get home. Could save us so much money in the long run. As much as things keep going wrong.”
He calls the tenants and lets them know a technician will be there shortly, and then we go back to our poker game.
“Dare I ask how the wedding planning is going? Have you guys picked a venue yet? Or is it still undecided?” I ask.
Tessa is scary when it comes to the wedding. The only thing she has decided is the color scheme, the rest is yet to be determined. I’ve offered to help, but she wants to make these decisions with Damon. I respect that, but it needs to be made soon if she wants to get everything together in time. Hell, she hasn’t even picked the venue. In my opinion, that’s the first thing she needs to work on. It determines how many people can attend.
“Listen, you don’t understand. I have told her that I’m happy with whatever she decides, and her response was it’s important where we get married, and it's the memories we will have for the rest of our lives so we need to make it. As long as she’s standing next to me, I could care less where we are.”
Poor Damon. Things are only going to get worse the closer we get to the wedding day. Has Harper tried to help? It might be better coming from her than us anyway. Wait, no. We should keep our relationship separate from theirs. Even though I'm dating Tessa’s best friend doesn’t mean I need to tell her things, right? Isn’t that crossing a line?
“Isn’t Harper her Maid of Honor? Why doesn’t she ask for her help?” I ask.
“She’s offered, but right now Tess is stuck in this phase where it should be me and her making the decisions.”
“Are you guys fighting over the wedding?”
“I wouldn’t call it fighting, but we do make up afterward,” he laughs.
I have never seen them even argue before. Sure, even happily married couples fight, it’s inevitable, but it’s what you do to resolve it that makes a difference. Some couples say things they don’t mean, and once it leaves your mouth, you can’t take it back. Marriages are ruined because of fights all the time, but they are not going to break up. They are just too perfect for each other.
On that note, I decide to change the topic of conversation.
“So, Harper and I are still doing well. We’ve been out four times now, but something weird happened last night and I don’t know if I should be concerned.”