Page 21 of Surprise Baby for Mr. Fischer
CHAPTER SEVEN
Lincoln
She’s really here.
My feet ate up the distance between us and then came to an abrupt halt at her horrified expression.
Not what I expected.
“Harper, I was hoping I’d run into you today,” I murmured. My eyes drank in her long hair that had fallen forward, partially covering her eyes. I longed to run my fingers through those auburn locks and push them back behind her ear.
As though reading my mind, she reached up and did it herself. Her blue-green eyes narrowed on me. “Lincoln,” she said, her voice sounding stilted.
My chest tightened. It sounded strange to not hear her use my middle name. Our weekend together had been magical, but each time I tried to tell her the truth about who I was, I held back. If I told her my name was Lincoln, not Kade, then I'd have to reveal my lie.
Heidy moved to my side. “Harper, Mr. Erickson needs our help.”
At the sound of my stage name, Harper’s lips flattened, but she continued to hold my gaze.
“He, uh, has a bunch of antiques he’s hoping we can take off his hands,” Heidy continued. Her eyes darted between Harper and me. She’d recognized me immediately and was probably wondering how I knew Harper.
Harper stayed silent. My stomach churned at the look of betrayal stamped across her face.
“Earth to Harper.” Heidy waved her hand in front of Harper’s face. “You’re the only one free tomorrow to go to his house to look things over.”
Harper’s eyes cut to her sister’s. “What? No. Someone else has to be available. You know that’s not my thing.”
The sister next to Harper loudly cleared her throat, her eyes huge. “Heidy, I think Harper can work this out. Besides, I need your help with something in the back.”
Heidy glared. “Hazel, can’t it wait?”
“No, it can’t.” Hazel wrapped her hand around her sister’s arm and tugged her to the back of the store, whispering to her the whole way.
“What are you doing here?” Harper snipped at me once her sisters were out of earshot.
I winced. “I guess I was hoping for a warmer welcome than this. I’d thought we’d left things on a good note in July.”
“Maybe so. Before I found out you lied to me.”
“I didn’t lie to you.”
“Really, Kade? Or should I actually be calling youLincoln? You must’ve thought I was a complete idiot not knowing who you were.” Red infused her cheeks and scorched down her neck.
“Lincoln is my first name, Kade is my middle. Erickson is my stage name,” I replied. “My real last name is Fischer. When my dad’s best friend adopted me, I took his name. It helped get me out of the spotlight.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. I hadn’t thought I’d be airing my dysfunctional family details to her today. “He was more of a dad than my father.”
Even as her gaze softened, she gripped the box harder, her knuckles turning white.
“You don’t believe me? I can show you my license.” I reached into my back pocket.
She waved a hand at me, dismissing what I’d said. “Forget it. It doesn’t matter. Did you come here to find me?”
“I—” My words stuck in my throat. How could I tell Harper that I had without sounding crazy?
Harper shifted the box in her arms. “Of course you didn’t,” she muttered, not waiting for me to finish my sentence.
The box looked heavy. I reached out my hands to help her. “Let me take that for you.”
“No!” she said sharply.
