Page 80 of The Luminosity of Loriana Harper

Mitcharrivedfordinnerright on time.

Dinner was delicious. Dessert was even better. After-hours fun? To die for.

And he stayed the night. Again.

And the next and the next.

Loriana liked that. Most of the men she dated tended to take off after sex. Mitch’s consideration knew no bounds as he was often up before her, making her coffee and egg-white omelets.

On Friday morning, she gave him a wide smile as he presented her with the food. “What are your weekend plans?”

“Well, with Nosy Norma’s permission, I planned to spend the time with you.”

Loriana clucked her tongue. “She giving you a hard time?”

“Just making sure I see her every morning when I leave. I’m sullying your excellent reputation.”

She wanted to think he was kidding, but she sensed the truth behind his words. Or his perception, anyway. She didn’t give a flying fuck what her neighbours thought. And Colton hadn’t darkened her doorstep again, so she considered that a win.

“How about we do a movie tonight?”

“Here?”

She poked him. “No. The Cineplex down at the Junction.”

He nodded, obviously having spotted the megaplex cinema while grocery shopping. “You sure you want to be seen with me?”

Again, she saw the doubt behind the teasing. She went up on her toes to give him a kiss. “Of course. You’re like, my boyfriend. Right?”

Too soon? Please let it not be too soon.

He snagged her around the waist and pulled her in for a deep kiss. When he finally ended it—leaving them both breathless—he said simply, “I’d be honored.”

So they saw the movie. And spent the weekend lazing around. Except when they went to the Christmas Bazaar. Then they spent every night the next week together. And the next weekend. Loriana even dragged him to the Christmas party thrown by Dickens down at The Owl’s Nest.

Slowly, bit by bit, Mitch was opening up. He shared more about his childhood. He relayed antics from his time at the university. He even ventured—a bit—into his life in California. How he wound up there, what life was like, the struggles…each story a bit more of himself.

She, in turn, offered all kinds of stories of the people who’d come into the library over the last fifteen-plus years. Sometimes it took her aback to realize how long she’d been at this. And how, aside from her time in Vancouver at UBC, she’d barely left this corner of the province. Her parents had jetted around the world but had rarely thought to bring her. She stayed either with a grandparent or a babysitter. Heck, one time they forgot to secure someone to watch her, and she’d come home from school on a Friday to an empty house. All of eleven, she’d hunkered down until school on Monday. Her parents had come home that night, and she hadn’t said anything. Even then, she knew better.

She still knew better—she didn’t share that anecdote with Mitch. She didn’t want his pity—never that. If the story made her look awkward or funny, she could handle that. But something that might prompt empathy? Not touching it.

And so they continued on. Each evening a journey of emotional exploration and each night filled with carnal exploits.

Mitch, for all his pleadings of limited experience, was actually pretty talented.

Loriana, for her part, had a few tricks up her sleeves.

Another thing happened—Marnie started to loosen up a bit.

Just a bit.

But Loriana’d take it as a win.

From day to day, her petite co-worker didn’t appear changed. But when Mitch was around, the woman smiled more. She even ventured a couple of jokes in the bigger man’s presence.

Why? Why him?

Loriana was happy for Marnie’s minute change in demeanor…and desperately curious. Part of her—a very small and insecure part—wondered if Mitch and Marnie might be better suited. Both introverts. Both self-contained. Neither prone to gaffes. And part of her—a very small and selfless part—wondered if she should be pushing Mitch and Marnie together. What if Mitch was Marnie’s chance at a happily ever after? What if Loriana, by clinging to him, was preventing her friend from finding her soulmate?

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