Page 11 of Guilty Pleasures

HARPER

Ipush my food around the plate, trying to dodge my mom’s penetrating gaze. The air is thick with her curiosity as she asks, for what seems like the hundredth time, “So, has that Silas boy finally left you alone?” Her voice is a mix of concern and insistence.

“He’s been… better lately. And he’s not a boy. He’s a thirty-nine-year-old man,” I reply, quickly stuffing a forkful of crisp lettuce into my mouth to sidestep further discussion. The crunch is loud in the quiet room, providing a momentary shield.

“I know he’s a man, darling,” Mom says, taking a delicate bite of her shrimp cocktail. Her eyes twinkle with amusement. “He’s a gorgeous man who made me so flustered that I failed to put the true fear of God in him. I’m glad whatever I did has proven effective.” Her words hang in the air, tinged with a hint of satisfaction and underlying relief.

For the sake of discretion, I decide against telling my mother the specifics of why Silas had a sudden change of heart. She doesn’t need to be burdened with all the sordid details.

Across the table, Zoe narrows her eyes at me, her gaze sharp and probing. “What’s going on with you, Harper? You’ve been acting strange these last two weeks. Business is thriving, and you’ve finally carved out some time for yourself. But you seem more stressed than ever.”

“I have not,” I protest, though my voice lacks conviction. I can feel the heat rising to my cheeks, a telltale flush betraying my thoughts as I recall the moment I sank to my knees, allowing Silas to guide his impressive length into my mouth. The memory of how intensely his eyes bore into mine still sends a shiver of excitement through me.

My mom and Zoe exchange a knowing glance, and I prepare myself for the inevitable barrage of questions. Mom leans forward slightly, her eyes narrowing with curiosity. “Are you seeing someone?” she inquires, her tone both casual and probing.

Zoe, her eager accomplice, jumps in with her own exclamation. “Are you? I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!”

“No, I’m not.” Lying through my teeth, I keep my voice steady, despite the blatant falsehood.

“Is it drugs?” Mom persists with her relentless inquisition.

“Did you get a tattoo?” Zoe leans in closer, her eyes wide with curiosity and disbelief, as if trying to uncover a well-guarded secret.

The questions come at me in rapid succession, each more outlandish than the last, like missiles seeking to penetrate my already fragile defenses. I sink lower in my chair, feeling the hardwood against my back, wishing desperately that I could vanish into thin air.

I try to hide my grimace as Mom launches into yet another story about her Bahamas vacation and the long line of gentleman suitors who wined and dined her, begging her to run away with them. My mother is a beautiful woman who never lacks male attention, but it gets tiring hearing how about all her action.

Zoe catches my attention across the table and gives me a subtle eye roll. I have to stifle a laugh.

“Oh, that reminds me,” Zoe interjects smoothly as Mom pauses for breath. “Harper and I have a meeting with Adeline Ross’s representatives this evening. You know, for that Pink Dream deal.”

Mom’s eyebrows shoot up. “Adeline Ross?TheAdeline Ross? Oh my, how exciting! Her mother and I grew up together, and I’ve heard about her accomplishments.” She turns to me. “Harper, why didn’t you tell me about this?”

I shrug, pushing my salad around the plate. “It just came up recently. We’re meeting Karl and Rolf Becker for drinks to discuss preliminary plans. But our meeting is tomorrow—not tonight.” I furrow my brow and check in with Zoe, who suddenly looks confused.

“The Becker brothers?” Mom practically squeals. “They’re quite the power duo in the entertainment industry. This could be huge for your store!”

“No, it’s tonight. I sent you the meeting update on your calendar. They need to leave for France tomorrow and wanted to get this done before they go.” Zoe grabs her phone from her clutch and pulls up her digital planner. “You see?”

“I never got that,” I say, unsure if I ever accepted it. Between the store and Silas’s sexual demands, I’ve hardly had time to check my email. “Tonight isn’t good for me. I already have plans.”

“What? What plans? “Plans?” Zoe arches an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. “With who? You never make plans, Harper. The business is your entire world.” Zoe slams her palm on the table to make her point. “This will be huge for In the Pink.”

She’s right, but I promised to meet Silas for dinner to discuss the state of our quasi-relationship. I’ve already put him off twice, and a third time may put him off for good. But isn’t that what I want? No, not really.

I chew my lip, debating how to answer. I’m not ready to tell Zoe about Silas yet. Things between us aren’t exactly defined and I don’t want to jinx it by talking about it.

“Well, things change,” I reply nonchalantly, trying to brush off her question. But I know Zoe better than that. She’ll smell a secret like a bloodhound on the hunt.

“More important than meeting with the Beckers? This isn’t like you. What the hell is going on?” Zoe leans closer, as if I’ll explain if my mother can’t overhear.

Guilt gnaws at me, but I push it aside. I’ve sacrificed enough evenings and weekends for work. I deserve one night to figure things out. “Just something I need to handle.” “Fine, don’t tell me.” Zoe crosses her arms over her chest, but the glint in her eyes betrays her interest. “Just know that Karl and Rolf won’t be happy about this.”

“You’ve got this. You said you wanted to handle more of the marketing, and this is a great opportunity to earn the enormous salary you claim you deserve.” I attempt to calm her anger with bribery.

There’s a long pause before Zoe replies, “All right. But you owe me an explanation, and if I close this deal, I’ll expect a bonus.”

I sigh, knowing I won’t be able to dodge her questions forever. But that’s a problem for tomorrow’s Harper. Right now, I have to get ready for my date.

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