Page 84 of Hard Hat Hottie

“Whoah, whoah, whoah. Just listen to me, Harry. I love you. I’m only saying this to give you an ounce of perspective. From what you told me about this girl, she sounds as if she was perfect for you. Hell, she’s living a life just like Mom did. A single mother to two boys, getting the job done alone.”

“Kicking ass and taking names.” Charlene snorts. “What? She’s like GI Jane or something, right?”

Now I roll my eyes at her.

“Shit, that’s hot.” Matt fans himself.

“I don’t know what any of this has?—”

“It has everything to do with you. Weren’t you there yesterday? Listening to that song? Mom would want you to take a chance. You’re the only one standing in your way.”

My head falls. I know they mean well, but we’ve barely buried our mother, and they’re focused on my love life.

“Look, that song did a number on me, Harry. I’m so grateful I took a risk and Ellie did the same. You forget, she was all alone too. You aren’t the only one struggling with the hand they were dealt. Once her grandfather died, she could’ve pushed me away. But we leaned on each other. I’m just asking you to give this girl a chance. And if not her, someone else.”

I’m still not ready to think about a romantic relationship with anyone right now. Maybe once I can handle my grief more. If there was anyone who I’d want to consider one with, it’s Harlow. But I worry after not hearing from her in so long, that ship has sailed.

Maybe I need to go back to The Wild Shrimp and find a pretty “here today, gone tomorrow” kind of girl. I haven’t gotten laid inmonths. What had Gus said? Knock the cobwebs off of my dick to clear my head? Who knows? That could be the answer. At least that’s one relationship I can handle.

One night, no strings.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

HARLOW

Stepping off of the shuttle bus, I hike my tote bag over my shoulder, Shay colliding into my back as I come to a halt.

“Sheesh, sista. Give a girl some warning next time. What gives?”

A bright blue Nissan pulls up next to us, the door swinging wide to allow Sadie to rush over.

“Hey, where’d you come from?” Shay asks.

“Ah, I spent the night with Aaron. He’s headed back out on business so he dropped me off. If one of you guys can’t give me a lift home, I guess I’ll have to call Barnacle Bob.”

Sadie and Shay laugh beside me, but I barely take in their conversation.

“What’s going on, Harlow. You okay?”

I haven’t seen Harrison in over a month. Heck, it may be closer to two. Not since he was standing in almost the same spot, but looked right through me as if I wasn’t there. Sure, there have been a few casual text messages, but nothing of substance. Well, except for one I found when I returned from Germany saying he’d missed me. But that was dated weeks before. Likely while I was in the air on the way to my two-week duty abroad.

Without international cell service, my communication was limited to video chat through the military computers or phones. And that’s all he’d written. It seemed a bit too late to answer until I was back home. And I had spent my first few days back wrapped up in my children. There hadn’t been a good time to see if he wanted to talk.

While his back is to me, I know from his height and build that it’s him. Yet even from this distance, he appears thinner. No matter. I need to keep moving and not entertain thoughts of him any longer. It’s clear his life is moving on without me. We burned hot and heavy for a short while. Enough, I was certain I’d fallen for him.

But this girl isn’t begging for any man.

“Isn’t that your hard hat hottie?”

“No. He’s not my anything.”

My eyes connect with Shay’s, her frown making my heart ache more than it already had.

“What happened? I thought you guys were taking it slow. Because of his mom and your kids, and all that,” she asks.

“No. I don’t think he was all that interested in me.” Maybe my kids and ex-husbands were a little more real than he could handle.

“Do I need to go over there and kick him in the kneecaps, Harlow?” Sadie crosses her arms over her chest. The image causing me to laugh out loud.

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