CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
“You don’t need to decide today or tomorrow, Harp,” Kristen said, leaning her face on her hands. “If it’s meant to be, it will be. Just get home and clear your head.”
They were Facetiming, and Harper had her phone leaning up against a spare cushion while tucking her hands under her pillow. If she wasn’t in Hawaii, she would’ve declared it a duvet day. It was already 10:30 a.m. and she’d been talking to Kristen for over an hour.
Thank you, free penthouse Wi-Fi.
Cooper had walked Harper to her room and wished her goodnight. Then she’d walked into her bedroom and face planted on the bed.
And cried.
When her phone had beeped, Harper had scrambled across the bed to read the message and smiled sadly at Cooper's cute goodnight gorgeous lips xx message.
Daniel's silence was deafening and painful.
“I feel like I’m about to lose a wonderful man because I’m obsessing over one who doesn’t love or want me. I’m insane.”
“He did say he loved you, though, right?”
Harper flopped onto her back and sighed at the ceiling. “Yes. But he left, Kristen! He left, he hasn’t called, and he didn’t fight for me.”
“You’re right,” Kristen said and let out her own sigh. “Who knows what he’s dealing with back home? It sounds messy and complicated, but I do agree if he truly loved you, he would be fighting for you. Unless he really has to marry this girl and cannot be with you. He might be just as upset as you.”
Harper chewed her bottom lip.
“I don’t know. He isn’t the kind of man to do something he doesn’t want. But then again, I don’t know his family dynamics. All that money—it makes people do stupid shit.”
She turned to face the screen and the two of them frowned in agreement.
“Whatever is going on with Daniel, just know it’s okay to still be in love with him. Don’t feel bad. He swept you off your feet, honey.”
He most certainly had.
“Yeah, he’s going to take some getting over,” she said.
“For what it's worth, and I’m no love expert, but it sounded like it was the real deal,” Kristen said, making her heart ache all over again. “But life doesn’t always play fair. I’m sorry, babe.”
Harper's eyes moistened.
“Thanks,” she said, wiping her eyes, then sat up. “Ugh, I need to get up. I only have one more day on the island. I leave tomorrow morning.”
Harper suddenly had a desire to throw herself into the ocean and wash away all this sadness.
“I don’t know how I feel about seeing Cooper again, but I will say goodbye to him before I go. I think I just need some time to process everything.”
“Things will feel different when you get home.”
Home.
A shiver ran through her.
Why did it not feel like home anymore?
Harper shook off the weird vibe.
She said goodbye and then cleared her messages. Two from Cooper and one from BookFlix. They had sent her some emails to review, which she responded to after eating a late breakfast in her room.
Finally, she looked at the two from Cooper.