Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
I laughed. “Same. Let’s get in before they start without us.”
Harper took my hand this time, and we maneuvered back inside and to the table.
“Sorry about that, guys,” Harper said, sliding onto a chair. “We had to talk to Declan’s mother.”
“Tell me the fake dating is over?” Brystol asked, a hopeful look in her eyes.
“Yes,” Harper replied. “It’s over, and I am free!”
“To go out on dates, I see,” Aurora added, with a wink in Declan’s direction.
“Are we late?” Gavin asked, as he approached the table with a stunning woman on his arm. Behind him were Evelyn and Denny.
Brystol stood and hugged Evelyn, then Denny, ignoring Gavin as usual.
“Hi, Evelyn, Denny!” Aurora said, hugging them both. “What’s going on, Gavin?” she asked, offering him a smile and peck on the cheek.
“Not much,” he replied.
Aurora turned to the guy I didn’t know. “Now seems like a good time to introduce everyone. Chuck, this is Declan Gallagher; he just returned from the Marines, and now serves as one of our police officers. Next to him is Harper Browning. She’s the daughter of our mayor, and she owns the floral shop on Main Street.”
Chuck smiled and reached out to shake my hand, then Harper’s. “Pleasure to meet you both.”
“This is Gavin. He’s also a police officer,” Aurora said, with a nod in Gavin’s direction. “I don’t know your date’s name…?”
Gavin pulled a chair out for said date. “Cindy.”
“Nice to meet you guys,” Chuck said, with more handshakes.
Aurora pointed and finished, “And this is Evelyn and Denny McCain.”
“Pleasure’s all mine,” Chuck said, as Evelyn and Denny both exchanged greetings with the man.
After everyone was seated, the waitress came and took drink and food orders.
“Okay, has anyone been to trivia night before?” Brystol asked.
Everyone shook their heads.
“Is the first question going to be, why doesn’t Brystol have a date?” Gavin asked with a smirk on his face.
“Fuck off, Gavin,” Brystol replied, while managing to maintain a sweet smile.
After getting the rules from Brystol, we broke up into two teams.
“I think having Bry and Gavin on opposite sides is a bad idea,” Harper whispered.
“Couldn’t agree with you more,” I replied.
The next few hours were spent eating, drinking, and laughing. Of course, we had to step in to keep Gavin and Brystol from killing one another on more than one occasion, but overall, it was a blast.
“That was so much fun!” Harper said as we walked back down Main Street toward the flower shop.
“It was lots of fun. Aurora handed us all our asses.”
Harper giggled. “She’s pretty good at trivia, isn’t she? And man, she takes it so seriously.”
I chuckled. “She does. And seriously, what in the hell is up with Brystol and Gavin? The sexual tension between the two of them is off the charts.”
“You think they’re attracted to each other?”
“Please. They couldn’t stop looking at each other when they didn’t think anyone else was watching. Why don’t they just sleep together and get it over with?”
“I don’t think Brystol likes Gavin that way. At least, I’ve never heard her utter a single nice thing about him.”
“Maybe not, but something’s going on there.”
Harper nodded. “That I can agree with. I wonder if Brystol’s given any more thought to being a surrogate for Evelyn and Denny.”
“Couldn’t say. That’s a pretty big thing to ask of someone.”
“Yeah, it is.”
We walked the last bit of distance in silence. When we got to the front of the flower shop, we turned and faced one another.
“I had a lot of fun tonight, Declan.”
“Me, too, Harp.”
She chewed nervously on her lower lip. “I don’t know about you, but I’m not ready for the night to end.”
I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face. “Neither am I.”
“Are you working tomorrow?” she asked.
“No.”
Even in the light from the streetlamp, I could see her cheeks turning red. “This will be really forward…but would you like to spend the night with me? The shop doesn’t open until nine tomorrow morning, so I don’t have to rush down super early.”
Taking her hands in mine, I smiled and drew her closer. “Why, Harper Browning, are you asking me for a sleepover?”
A nervous bubble of laughter slipped free. “Yes, I am.”
Placing my finger on her chin, I raised it so our eyes met. “I would love to stay the night with you. Let me run over to my place to pack a bag.”
“When you come back, make sure to use the alley door. I’ll keep it unlocked.”
“Are you worried about someone seeing me come to your place?”
She laughed. “After this evening, I’m pretty sure the whole town will know what happened. If they don’t already.”
“Ah, yes, the gossip,” I said, as I took her hand in mine and we slipped into the small alley between the toy store and the flower shop.
As Harper went into her shop, I headed to my apartment and packed a small bag for the night. I wasn’t sure why my heart was racing in my chest. It wasn’t like this was my first time with a woman. I’d been with plenty of women, most of them one-night stands…but this was Harper.