Page 16 of Reckless

“I really like you, Madelyn Hurley. You’re very smart.” Harlow winked. “I’m glad we bumped into you both this morning.”

“We are too,” Poppy said. “Look, Miles is going to do what he wants to do. There’s no way to manipulate him anyway. Trust me, I’m his little sister and I’ve tried! He’s um.”

“Bossy,” Maddie interjected. “He’s bossy and used to being in charge and, to be honest, he usually takes that and protects people.”

“I did notice he seemed unfamiliar with being refused,” Harlow said with a snort.

“He was really shy until he hit like seventeen or so. Then, I don’t know, he just leaned into himself. If he pushes too hard, you have to just flat out say you’re not interested. He’ll back off then. Otherwise? He’s going to be in your business trying to take care of you. Which is nice but also annoying,” Poppy told them. “Our dad is the same. He’s a caretaker.”

“Thank you for the insight.” Harlow was grateful to hear from others that her initial impressions of Miles were correct. She didn’t get womanizer vibes from him, and after the last dude she dated, her womanizer radar was finely honed. But it was good to have her own intuition underlined.

“We’ll definitely be at the dinner,” Nora added. “We rarely turn down offers of food.”

They headed back to the rooms shortly after that because Maddie and the others were off to do media before that night’s show.

“Let’s go ahead and pick you out a super cute outfit. We’ll bring it to the venue and you can change after our set.” Nora bustled into the room and began to rustle through Harlow’s clothes.

“Do you think I should back off?” Harlow asked, knowing Nora would tell her the truth.

“Do you?” her friend countered.

Harlow snarled a little. “If we have this chemistry now, we will in a few months, right?”

“Maybe. Or maybe shoving aside what so trulyiswill slowly strangle it and, by the time the tour is over, you two won’t be interested in each other anymore. In which case, the real question is, are you willing to lose this thing by backing off? Is backing off what you truly want or are you asking because you want to pursue him, and you need me to reassure you?” Nora pulled out a sleeveless teal halter type blouse and tossed it on Harlow’s bed.

“I don’t want to make a mistake with someone’s feelings.”

“What about your feelings?”

“Why are you answering my questions with questions?” Harlow demanded.

“Because you know the answers already and you want me to validate you. But if I had a problem with this, you’d know it.” Nora dropped a pair of well-loved jeans next to the shirt. “Jeans will be fine.”

And just like that, in her Nora way, she’d gotten Harlow to focus on herself and her choices without judgment. It was what she’d needed, naturally, and of course Nora had understood.

“You’re going to be a great mom someday,” she told Nora.

“I’ll settle for being a great friend right now.” Nora grinned. “Plenty of time for babies later. Still, it’ll take practice.” She waggled her brows at Harlow, who snickered.

“Practice makes perfect, I’m told.”

“Poor Brian,” Nora said. “Sometimes I want him so much I think I might just wring him dry.”

“He appears to like it, so I don’t know that he’d consider himselfpoor Brian. I think he believes he’slucky Brian.”

“Aww. I really do love that guy.”

“He deserves you.” Not many would, in Harlow’s opinion. Nora was a fantastic catch.

“I think he does. I hope I deserve him. He’s the best.” Nora shrugged with a smile.

Harlow had watched Nora and Brian grow up and into their partnership. They’d stumbled here and there, like anyone else did. But they seemed to share a bone deep commitment to putting in the effort to keep their relationship strong and healthy.

It gave Harlow a visible reminder that cynicism aside, the thing she wanted so deeply was possible.

“You two are sappy as fuck and I love it.” She hugged Nora to her side a moment.

“I can’t believe you hung out with her for hours and didn’t invite me,” Miles grumbled at his sister after she’d informed him how she and Maddie had spent their morning.

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