Page 92 of Hard Hat Hottie

“What?” I gasp, my hand flying to my heart as if I was trying to prevent it from cracking in two. “Gone?” the four letter word is almost unrecognizable, suffocated by a sob. My eyes immediately fill with tears, thinking of Harrison. How devoted he was to her. I’d only met Carolyn a few times, but each instance with that sweet woman was as permanently etched into my memory as the tattoo on my arm.

Harry loves you.

“Oh, Harlow. I’m sorry. I thought you knew?” Charlene’s tone is soft, sincere.

I shake my head, batting away the tears before I remember the hand towel. “We hadn’t spoken for so long. Then I was in Germany with the Guard for two weeks. Once I got back, I’ve been focused on my boys. I had no idea.”

“He’s so lost. He was away when she died. I’m not certain he’s forgiven himself for not being there.”

Oh, that poor man. He tried so hard to give her the moon and the stars. The memory of the night she knocked on his door flashes in my mind’s eye. How sweet he was with her.

Shay grabs hold of my hand, giving me a reassuring squeeze.

My gaze lands on a vibrant bottle of red nail polish and I blink back the remaining moisture in my eyes. “I’m really sorry to hear that.” I sniffle. “She definitely left her mark on my heart. I’m glad I got to know her, even if only for a short while.” I pause, trying to regain my composure and lift my chin at the memory of him in his driveway. “But lost or not, he’s moved on. And I deserve better than the way he treated me.”

“You’re right—” Charlene pauses. “Hold up. What do you mean? He’s moved on?”

My eyes fix on Shay who gives me a nod of encouragement. “Shay had pushed me to man up and go talk to him. Thinking it would give me closure. Our relationship had dissolved into text messages, before eventually going radio silent. So, last week, I went by his house early one morning to speak with him in person, hoping I’d catch him before he headed out for the day. No more hiding behind a phone.”

I pause, biting the inside of my cheek to try and stay strong in front of Charlene. She doesn’t need to see me breakdown over Harrison’s rejection after I finally recovered from hearing about his mother. “But it was too late.”

Charlene tilts her head flashing me a perplexed expression.

My face falls as I force myself to repeat it out loud. “He was kissing a pretty redhead goodbye.” The image of him in the low slung shorts reappears. “It was clear she’d spent the night there.”

When the silence lingers longer than feels comfortable, I peer up to Charlene’s blank expression.

“What day was this?”

“Um, Saturday, I think. Yeah. Saturday.”

She taps her lower lip contemplatively before an unexpected grin pulls at the corners of her mouth. “Harlow, that was my OG BF, Ellie. She’s Harrison’s sister-in-law. Matt had to fly back to Sycamore Mountain. He’s a firefighter there. But Ellie stayed behind to help Joyce and me pack up Carolyn’s things. I remember she called to ask for a last minute lift to the airport, but I had a client I’d already moved twice. She said Harry needed to jump onto an unexpected zoom call to tie up a few things at work and so she offered to catch a ride from Barnacle Bob.”

I slump back in my chair, relief spreading over me like mist in a rainforest.

“Har.” Shay squeezes my hand.

My head is spinning. This is too much information for one day. Pulling my hand back from my sweet friend, I drop my face into my open palms and fight the need for a good cry. I’m clearly overwhelmed. “Charlene, I really appreciate you sharing this with me. It’s a lot to digest.”

“I’m sure it is.”

“But that’s half of the problem. I adore Harrison. But I’ve had nothing but one failed relationship after another with the men in my life. They all treated me as if I wasn’t worthy of them. My father didn’t stay either, but the others… well, I can’t get rid of them.”

Shay snickers.

“I’m all my boys have. And I refuse to have a relationship with anyone where I’m not treated as an equal. My heart hurts for him, but I really do deserve better.”

Charlene scoots her chair closer, looking directly into my eyes. “You’re right. You absolutely do. And you’re well within your rights to walk away. Let some other woman deal with helping him learn how to be a good partner.”

Her words are like driving a stake through my heart. I don’t want to let some other woman anywhere near him. I’m simply hurt.And afraid.

“Think about it. If you decide you’re willing to give him a chance, I know he’ll take it. He’s nuts about you. And they don’t come more loyal than Harrison.” She stands from her seat, her arms outstretched. Walking into her embrace, I accept her hug, shocked at how this morning has gone. “See, besties already.” She laughs.

“Now, you two give me a call in a few days so we can reschedule this spa day. I only want happy tears around here.”

Shay and I return to Charlene’s salon the following week. She greets us with drinks in hand, declaring its spa day 2.0. This girl. She’s so incredibly likeable. You can’t help but smile in her presence.

As I lay with my face covered in a mask, cucumbers over my eyes, I reflect on the last few days. My heart hurts for Harrison. Sure, he’s a grown man and needs to learn how to communicate better. But if anyone deserves a pass, it’s someone juggling work and an ill parent. Knowing his issues of abandonment, only make his plight that much more endearing.

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