Page 80 of Sweatpants & Sweet Tea

Aunt Rhonda leaned on Harlan as he guided her to the front room. It took her quite a while because she was still having a difficult time getting around, but he cracked a joke, and she laughed. He’d done the one thing I hadn’t managed to do for almost a month: put a smile on her face and make her laugh.

Harlan Mitchell had a gift. He had a way with people that made them feel seen. He made people feel safe. He made people feel important.

Everyone from his grandad, my Aunt Rhonda, Mrs. B, AJ, Zoe, to all of his Farm Strong clients. He had this magic that allowed people to be totally themselves.

It made me think about what he would be like as a dad. Not just any dad, but a dad to our kids. I had visions of him kissing my pregnant belly and him rocking our baby in the middle of the night.

Stop it. I shook my head.That is not what you want.

I started up the stairs with Aunt Rhonda’s bags, but Harlan was suddenly behind me. “I’ll take those up.”

“It’s okay, I’ve?—”

“I’ll take them,” he insisted gruffly.

The only other time I’d heard him sound that authoritative was when we had a lot fewer clothes on. My body responded to his commanding tone with a tingle spreading from the tip of my head to the tips of my toes. I immediately set the bags down, and he picked them up.

I felt flushed as he walked past me. A thrill chased down my spine as he made his way up the stairs, his muscles bunching beneath the cotton of his T-shirt. His triceps flexing as he lifted the bags. He was a walking Greek god.

Trying to shake off the arousal that had just spiked in me, I headed to the kitchen. “Can I get you some water, or lemonade, or some sweet tea?”

“Water would be great,” Aunt Rhonda’s voice sounded weak.

The drive home had clearly taken it out of her.

I walked back into the front room when Harlan was coming down the steps.

“Alright, Miss Rhonda, well, I’m glad you’re back home. You let me know if you need anything; I’ll be right next door.”

“Okay, thanks for stopping by and being my welcome home party.”

The fact that she kept saying welcome home party made me wonder if she’d been lying about not wanting anyone to ‘make a fuss’ and had actually wanted a welcome home party.

I set the water down and went to walk Harlan to the door. When he stepped out onto the porch, I tilted my head to the side and lifted my hands, silently asking him what he was actually doing there.

He lifted his phone from his pocket and mouthed, “I left it in your room this morning, and the house was locked up.”

“Oh,” I smiled widely. Now I understood why he was waiting outside and insisted on taking Aunt Rhonda’s bags upstairs so he could get his phone. “Okay, well…” I started to say goodbye, but I stopped myself.

Harlan bent down and rested his forehead against mine and repeated. “Okay, well…”

I closed my eyes as his breath fanned my face. Even though I knew my aunt was just in the next room, I really wanted him to kiss me.

“Buttercup, can you get my pills from my bag?” Aunt Rhonda called out.

My eyes opened, and I sighed.

Harlan grinned. “Duty calls.”

“Yep, duty calls.” I stepped back, and the screen door shut behind me.

I walked up the steps to get the pills from Aunt Rhonda’s bags. Halfway up, I turned back and saw that Harlan was gone. He wasn’t on the porch. I wondered if I’d see him again before I left. I was sure I’d see him teaching, but I didn’t know if I’d talk to him again or if ‘duty calls’ would be the last words we’d say to each other… I guess it was better than goodbye.

40

HARLAN

I grabbedmy towel after stepping out of the shower. Today had not gone as planned. After my classes, I’d had to take Grandad to the pharmacy and grocery store, and then to visit his friend Mrs. B at her boarding house.

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