Page 34 of Taking A Chance

Harper nods, urging me. “Go on.”

“He’s nice. Respectable. He’s got layers,” I say.

“And he’s hot,” Harper adds.

“Right, there’s also that. Which apparently I can see better when I’m not blinded by hate,” I huff.

Harper places her hand on my shoulder, patting lightly and sighing. “Well, I guess you should look into that a little further then.”

I laugh and shake my head, wondering how Harper always finds herself in the middle of everyone else’s drama. “Do you just intentionally insert yourself into people’s love lives or is it a happy coincidence?”

Harper checks her face in the mirror, smoothing her hair. “When it comes to people I care about, it’s intentional.”

I smile, both of us stepping toward the exit. She cares. I get it.

21

Declan

When the girlsarrive back at the table, I breathe a sigh of relief. It’s not that Jensen put on a big brother act about his sister or isn’t nice. It was actually the opposite, though it didn’t make me any less uncomfortable having him ask me when or if I was going to make a move.

To be honest, I had no idea what to say, how to respond to his line of questioning. I dodged most of his attempts to probe me for information on the topic, but I’m no less relieved. Because what the hell do you say to that coming from the brother of a woman who has hated you for years and now maybe doesn’t hate you but you’re definitely not at amake a movelevel?

Do I want to make a move?Maybe I should decide that first.

Cora lays her napkin across her lap then looks up at me and I realize it looks like I was staring at her lap. I guess I was, but not for the reason she probably thinks. I just like the way she laid her napkin down. She folded it into a triangle so precisely, her long fingers running along the hem of the white fabric.Yeah, that’s not weird at all. Jesus.

“Sorry,” I mutter.

“For what?” she asks, her eyes narrowing, not in an upset way but more confused or curious.

“Staring,” I say. “It’s a bad habit.”

“I don’t mind.” She shrugs.

Wait.She doesn’t mind? Is this a trick?It feels like a trick.“Oh.” That’s all I got.God, I’m terrible at this.

We begin eating, everyone settling into mostly silence, with an occasional comment about the food, weather, and other mundane things. It seems Cora has good people in her life. Jensen and Harper feel good. Sometimes I find you can tell a lot about a person by the people they surround themselves with. On the other hand, I hope no one judges me based on the way Ryan interacts with women, so the theory has its limitations.

“After this, can we go shopping?” Harper asks, before she stuffs a forkful of pancakes into her mouth.

“For what?” Cora asks, as she cuts a piece of her omelet away.

“I’m not sure, maybe some baby outfits,” Harper says, shrugging.

“She’s starting to nest.” Jensen sighs. “We’ve been buying a lot of baby stuff lately.” Jensen rubs Harper’s back in a reassuring, comforting way and I find the display warming.

“I’m sure you’ll find some great stuff to take back with you. Unfortunately, I have to meet with my agent at a venue for my next exhibit,” I say. I would’ve liked to have gone, to have spent more time with them and Cora especially, who’s now looking at me.Is that a hint of disappointment?I can’t be sure, but I’m going to say yes to make myself feel better.

“Bummer,” she says, her one-word reply more a mumble than anything.

The slow realization creeps in, her comment confirming it. She’s bummed I’m not going.This is new. This is interesting.

I lean in closer to Cora, making every attempt to conceal what I’m about to say next from the others at the table. “If you want, I’d like to make it up to you.”

Cora stiffens slightly, obviously surprised by what I’ve just whispered to her. Or perhaps it’s my close proximity.

“What did you have in mind?” she asks, leaning in toward me.

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