Page 9 of Love, Honor, and Ink

Chapter Three

Three days later, Arianna had the feeling if she didn’t start planning her life, Harper would just do it for her. Not that Harper couldn’t probably do everything on his own and have it end up better than she dreamed, but that wasn’t how she worked.

She needed to do this on her own.

Whatever this was.

Great, now she sounded like an ungrateful brat for all Harper had done for her. Her neighbor and best friend had always been there for her and supported her decisions—even when she had a feeling he didn’t agree with them.

Sure, he wouldn’t let her do something immensely stupid because, after all, friends were there to keep you from making those types of decisions. Harper, however, had always let her do what she thought she needed to do.

Arianna didn’t like the person she’d become in the past three days of sitting on the couch, trying to come up with a reason to actually find a new path. In fact, she wasn’t sure she liked the person she’d been for the last couple of years. When she’d been working for her father, she’d ignored all around her beyond the job. Everything she did at work had to be perfect; failure was not an option. Every single wedding had to be more spectacular, have more sparkle, be even more unique and talked about than the last.

She’d done that and more.

King’s Weddings had a two-year waiting list for couples that wanted to work with them. Though they could have hired more planners and delegated, her father had wanted them to be exclusive—and thereby, give them the ability to increase the minimum price they required for each wedding.

King’s Weddings dealt in the billions of dollars each year for a reason.

Arianna had put every ounce of herself into her work. Hence why her only girlfriend was Colleen—someone she’d met at work—and her best friend was Harper.

Okay, that wasn’t fair to make it sound like being friends with Harper was a hardship. Far from it. They’d known each other since they were kids and had quickly grown into friends even though he was a couple of years older. She’d even bought the house next to his when it came available because he’d been the one to recommend it. It hadn’t hurt that she’d been too busy to really shop around for a new home, but she’d trusted Harper.

She trusted Harper with everything.

And that said it all.

She knew it hurt him to know that she needed to pull away, do things on her own, but if she didn’t, she wouldn’t be Arianna anymore. Harper might want to fix everything, but she needed to do it herself, as well.

That’s why they were friends and not…more.

She blinked. Well, then. Where had that thought come from? She’d never had romantic feelings for Harper. He’d always been permanently in the back of her mind as just a friend, where it was safe. Sure, those sexy blue eyes always seemed to see too much, and she’d checked out his body before. Who hadn’t? His lean muscles and trim waist with strong thighs would totally appeal to her if she thought of him that way.

Which she didn’t.

At all.

She set down her coffee and stood up. Time to clear her thoughts of Harper’s body and take a shower…and not think of Harper joining her.

What the hell was wrong with her?

Three days away from her past life and the work she’d put everything into, and she was already lusting after her poor neighbor?

Maybe she really was going crazy. She just needed a cat to join her in her lonely house to make the set.

She quickly showered—and did her best to not think of Harper while in there—then dressed in nice jeans and a blouse, and went downstairs to her kitchen table. This would be her war room. She’d figure out what the hell she was doing with the rest of her life here. Harper had already started by buying self-help books and getting her office supplies organized in nice little piles.

With a fresh cup of coffee in her hand and her chin held high, Arianna picked up a new notebook and inhaled, the crisp paper smell intoxication to an organization fiend like her. Okay, so at this point, if anyone had been looking in on her, she knew she’d look crazy, but whatever. She needed things that made her happy right then, and office supplies did that.

Pads of papers, markers, and pens that Harper had bought for her.

The man knew her inside and out, and that fact started to scare her.

She quickly pushed those thoughts from her mind. She didn’t have time to worry about men and everything that came with them.

Arianna had a life to plan.

The doorbell rang, and she sighed. Thank God for distractions because she had no idea what to do.

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