“I know how you operate, Harper. I’ve known you since I could babble and walk. Take the chance. You’ve been waiting ten years for this man to come back home, and here he is. Don’t let it pass you by.”
3
Nathan
I lookaround the community center, the place bustling with activity as people mingle around, catching up with friends and relatives. The atmosphere here is a complete one-eighty from my life back in California. There, it’s all about who’s who, and who is wearing what designer label or what fancy restaurant can you bypass the six-month wait to get a table with hours’ notice. Here, none of those things would ever cross someone’s mind unless that “designer brand” was Wrangler or Carhartt.
I take it all in, immersing myself back into the way things constantly were growing up. When you live in small towns, you get used to everyone knowing your business. It’s hard to keep anything a secret in this town.
As I’m standing in the shadows, taking in the crowd, I catch a glimpse of the beauty who was behind the counter at Nothing Bundt Desserts yesterday. She looked so familiar, but I can’t place her. My guess is, she was a few years behind me in school, and I just can’t remember her name.
“And who might you be tracking?” my grandmother asks as she sidles up next to me. I drop an arm around her shoulders as I watch every move the beauty makes.
“Who is that?” I ask, pointing toward the dessert table where she’s unloading a new batch of cupcakes and cookies. She so easily talks to everyone that approaches, taking the baked goods that she puts out.
“Really, Nathan?” my grandmother asks, smacking the back of my head like I’ve got a screw loose.
“Really, what?” I question, rubbing at the back of my head.
“That is Harper Taylor.”
Holy shit.“That’s Harper?” I stupidly ask. I had the biggest crush on Harper all of our high school years but I was the shy nerd that never found the nerve to ask her out. We hung out a lot, but I’d never taken it any further.
“The one and only. She’s such a sweet girl. Took over her parents’ bakery awhile back and has grown it tremendously, added new bakery items, bought that fancy coffee machine to offer more than just black coffee we can all make at home,” she tells me. I can’t help but track her every move. She’s finished setting out the desserts and has started to make her way through the room, stopping every few feet to say a few words with the other attendees. I watch as she makes her way over to where I stand with my grandmother.
“I finally found the birthday girl! Happy birthday, Betsy!” Harper tells her, pulling her into a hug. “I hope you enjoy all the desserts I brought,” she says as they pull apart.
“Thank you, dear. If you made them, then I know I’ll love them.”
I clear my throat, hoping to subtly gain both of their attention. I might not have recognized Harper yesterday when I stopped into her bakery, but I know exactly who she is now.
They both turn my way, my grandmother’s eyes lighting up as her eyes flick from meeting mine to looking back at Harper. “You remember my grandson, Nathan, don’t you?” she asks Harper.
“Of course, we grew up together,” she answers, her eyes flashing to my own. It is obvious she doesn’t realize I know who she is, seeing as how I didn’t say anything to her yesterday.
I offer a hand for her to shake and immediately feel a zap of electricity when her small hand connects with mine. I wrap my fingers around her, pulling it closer as I place a kiss on the back of it. “Harper, it’s good to see you again,” I tell her, just before my lips connect with her skin. I don’t miss the quick intake of breath as her name crosses my lips.
“Nathan,” she says, and my dick twitches at the huskiness. I wonder if that’s what she would sound like when she’s coming on my tongue or cock. My jeans are feeling a lot tighter as my mind jumps to all kinds of dirty, sweaty scenarios. She clears her throat. “It’s good to see you finally coming back home. Are you here for just the weekend?” she questions.
“I’m here for at least the week. Figured if I was going to come back, I might as well make the most of my time.”
“How nice; I’m sure your family is happy to finally have you back. It’s been what, eight, nine, no--ten years?” she asks pointedly.
“About that,” I answer, feeling a bit uncomfortable.
“Well, it’s good to see you; I must keep moving,” she says before giving my grandmother another hug and then disappearing into the crowd.
“Something between the two of you I need to know about?” Grandmother asks.
“Ummm, not that I know of. We were only ever friends,” I tell her honestly.
“Mhmm, something tells me there were some stronger feelings way back when.”
“I swear, nothing ever happened,” I tell her, holding up my hands as if to say, I surrender.
“If you say so, but I still think there’s something more there. Maybe you should feel it out,” she encourages. She’s hounded me for the last five years, asking when I’m going to settle down. When I’m going to get married. When I’m going to give her great-grandkids.
“Whatever you say, G-Ma.” I call her the nickname my cousins and I have been calling her since I was little.