Page 21 of Caramel Apple Cupcake

Harper looked down at her glass of soda, trying to hide the disappointment she felt from Anders’ lack of enthusiasm. She really needed this trip, and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. They were trying to build something together. It was only for a couple of days. A week at most. But she understood where he was coming from and appreciated his honesty.

“Did you hear me?” she asked, bringing his attention back to her. “I really need this, Anders. That email came at the perfect time.”

With a sigh, Anders finally gave her a small smile and nodded his head. “Yeah, I guess it did,” he said, trying to hide the snarkiness in his tone. He knew he shouldn’t stop her from going, and he didn’t want to be the reason she missed out on this opportunity.

“So, what do you think?” Harper asked, looking down at her glass as she twirled the straw nervously.

He realized he had heard nothing she said. He needed to stop going off on tangents in his own damn mind. Pausing, he tried to recapture what she said, but knew he had missed something important. “What do I think? I’m not sure.” Anders drummed his fingers on the top of the bar, trying to act nonchalant as he waited for her answer. He knew he should have been paying more attention to her words earlier, but now he had to fix it, and fast.

Her eyes lifted to his, and her mouth was turned down. “You don’t know if you should go with me to see my cousin? Even though I’m asking you to?”

“The question is,” he said, forcing a smile, “do you want me there? I know you asked, but I don’t want you to feel obligated to have me tag along.”

In truth, Anders desperately wanted to go with her. Not just because he wanted to support her during her big speech, but because she had invited him to meet her family for the first time. They had been dating for three months now and she still hadn’t introduced him to her parents or brother.

But, deep down, he didn’t really care. He knew how her family treated her. Anders didn’t give a damn if they ever accepted him. He also couldn’t shake off the memory of last week when she called him in tears after leaving their house. She had been secretive about what happened that night, and it made Anders’ blood boil just thinking about it.

He watched Harper’s head nod up and down. “I do. I want you with me when I go see her. When I meet her family. You’re important to me, Anders. And I want the most important person in my life with me when I start down this new path.”

“Then that’s where I’ll be. With you. Just tell me when we need to leave and where you need to be. I’ll make all the arrangements.”

She smiled at him. “Thank you, but you don’t need to do that. My cousin’s husband has a private plane. We only need to get to Dulles Airport, and he’ll take care of everything else from there. A car and driver have also been arranged for us. My cousin definitely married the right man.” The smirk on her face caught him off guard.

“What’s your cousin’s husband’s name again?” He didn’t know how he felt about taking another man’s private plane. Was that a stupid thought? Probably. But right now, the potential of having Harper away from him for more than a week did not put him in the best mood.

“Tristan Lucarelli. Apparently, he’s some big businessman in Providence.” Harper knew there was so much more to Tristan than she was letting on. But, then again, she didn’t care. As long as he treated her cousin well, that was most important. Now thatshe knew the truth, she realized Camille wasn’t related to her by blood. Since they were cousins on her father’s side, that blood tie was now out the window. None of that mattered to her anymore. Family was who you chose for yourself. Blood was not always thicker than water.

“Alright,” he said noncommittally, filing away the name for later. He would do his own thing and check out this guy. Something was off about him, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

As he worked, their conversation continued, filling the room with an easy banter. Every so often, he would lean in towards her, motioning for a kiss with his finger. Each touch, whether it was a smile or a gentle caress against her skin, only drew her further under his spell. She knew she was completely captivated by him, and she didn’t mind one bit.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Harper knew it was time to retreat to her cozy apartment and tackle some work. With a heavy heart, she bid farewell to Anders, her hand reaching out to deliver a small token of appreciation. His eyes widened in surprise as he glanced down at the key resting in his palm.

“You’re giving me a key?” he exclaimed with an incredulous smile.

She nodded, a shy grin spreading across her face. “You gave me one last week. I’m just returning the favor.” Standing on tiptoe, she pressed a tender kiss to his lips before pulling away.

A roguish sparkle lit up Anders’ eyes, and he teased, “If you keep treating me this well, I’ll never be able to leave. You’ve already got me completely addicted to you.”

Harper’s hand playfully tapped his chest. “Well, my master plan has clearly worked then. Now off to work. I’ll see you later tonight.”

Alone in her apartment once again, Harper threw herself into her work while anxiously awaiting Anders’ arrival. Despiteher troubled family situation weighing heavily on her mind, she was grateful for someone like Anders in her life—someone who accepted her for exactly who she was without judgement or expectations.

But thoughts of her parents and their strained relationship crept into her mind, causing a dull ache in her chest. She hadn’t heard from them in weeks, but her brother RJ had reached out recently. She hadn’t mustered up the courage to respond yet, still not ready to confront the toxicity of their family dynamic. For now, all her focus was on building and nurturing her relationship with Anders, and that brought a sense of comfort and peace amidst the chaos.

The evening drew in, pulling a blanket of darkness through Harper’s windows. She tidied up, the clinks and clatters of her movements echoing softly in the otherwise quiet apartment. Every once in a while, her phone buzzed with a message from RJ, each one slipping into her ignored notifications like stones into a pond. He could wait until she was ready.

When Anders finally arrived later that night, his presence filled the space with an immediate warmth. After he kicked off his shoes and pulled Harper into his arms, the day’s fatigue melted away while they embraced. She breathed him in, the smell of his cologne mixed with the faint scent of the bar. It was comfortable; it was home.

“I missed this. I missed you,” Anders murmured against her hair, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead.

“You just saw me a few hours ago,” she said and laughed into his chest.

“Doesn’t matter.” He leaned his head down and captured her lips with his. After a few moments, he pulled back. “Now that’s what I call a sweet treat.”

The smile on Harper’s face dropped, and she pulled back slightly to look at him, her hands resting against his chest. “I’ve been thinking,” she began hesitantly. “Maybe it’s time I sorted things out with my family. It’s just…” Her voice trailed off as uncertainty flickered across her face.

Anders cupped her cheek, thumb brushing lightly across her skin. “I know it’s tough, Harper, but I’m right here. Whatever you need. Whenever you’re ready.”

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