Page 24

Harper's alarm blared, jolting her from a deep sleep. She blinked, disoriented, as her hand fumbled to silence the insistent noise. A warm presence beside her made her pause. She turned her head, her eyes widening as they met Nathan's warm gaze.

"Good morning," Nathan murmured, a soft smile playing on his lips.

Harper's cheeks flushed, a shy smile spreading across her face. "Good morning," she whispered back, her heart fluttering in her chest.

"Did you sleep well?" Nathan asked, his fingers gently brushing a stray lock of hair from her face.

Harper nodded, her blush deepening. "Yes, I did. You?"

Nathan's smile widened. "Better than I have in a long time."

They lay there for a moment, basking in each other's presence, nestled together in a cocoon of contentment. The world outside their cozy bubble seemed distant and unimportant. But reality, ever-persistent, couldn't be put off. Harper's gaze drifted to the clock on the nightstand, its glowing numbers a reminder of the day ahead. She sighed, a mix of reluctance and resignation in the soft sound. "We should probably get up," she murmured, her voice still husky with sleep. "Work awaits."

"For both of us," Nathan agreed, reluctantly pulling away from her warmth. "I'll make some coffee while you shower," he offered, climbing out of bed.

Harper watched him go, her heart swelling with love. His retreating form, still sleep-rumpled and endearing, made her want to call him back to bed. Instead, she forced herself to get up, stretching languidly as her bare feet touched the cool hardwood floor. She padded to the bathroom, the memory of the previous night dancing through her mind, bringing a soft smile to her face and a rosy tint to her cheeks. She caught sight of herself in the mirror, noting the telltale glow of contentment in her eyes, a becoming flush on her cheeks.

After her shower, Harper found Nathan in the kitchen, two steaming mugs of coffee on the counter. She took over breakfast duty while he went to clean up and change back into yesterday's clothes.

They ate together, stealing glances and sharing soft smiles between bites of toast and sips of coffee, with only a hint of awkwardness that did nothing to diminish the tingle of awareness between them.

As they finished, Nathan glanced at his watch. "I should head home to change" he said, a note of regret in his voice.

Harper nodded, walking him to the door. They paused in the doorway, neither quite ready to part.

Nathan cupped her face gently, his thumb brushing her cheek as he leaned in for a kiss that lingered, soft and full of promise. Their eyes fluttered closed, the world around them fading away. When they finally pulled apart, both were slightly breathless, a warm glow left in the wake of their connection. Harper's lips curved into a shy smile, her eyes meeting Nathan's gaze, which held a newfound tenderness.

"I'll see you tonight after work?" Nathan asked, his eyes searching hers.

Harper nodded, a smile blooming on her face. "I can't wait."

With one last kiss, Nathan reluctantly stepped away, his fingers trailing along her arm as if reluctant to break contact. Harper watched him go, her heart light and full of joy, a soft warmth spreading through her chest. She leaned against the doorway, a small sigh escaping her lips as she clung to the memory of his touch.

Harper hurried into the bank, her heart racing with a mix of anxiety and determination. She made a beeline for Lydia's office, her heels clicking against the polished floor. As she approached, she noticed Jake standing by Lydia's desk, his expression serious.

Lydia glanced up as Harper entered, her piercing gaze locking onto the younger woman. A flicker of understanding passed across her features, her lips curving into a slight smile. "Harper, good morning," she greeted, her voice warm yet tinged with a hint of concern. "Jake was just filling me in on the situation." She gestured toward the wolf shifter, who stood with his arms crossed, his posture tense. Harper felt a flood of gratitude for Jake, who'd obviously told Lydia about the reporter… a conversation Harper had been dreading.

Lydia leaned forward, her elbows resting on her desk. "All the security guards have been given a photo of the man. They've been instructed to alert Jake immediately if they spot him."

Harper felt a wave of relief wash over her. "Thank you," she said, her voice soft with gratitude.

Jake's expression softened slightly. "Don't worry, Harper. We've got this handled."

"Jake will handle it if the reporter shows up," Lydia said, her tone carrying a weight that Harper easily interpreted. 'Handling it' meant Jake would contact Jacinth to take care of. Harper's gaze flickered to the other employees bustling about the bank, their oblivious chatter a stark contrast to the gravity of the situation. A shiver ran down her spine as she imagined being the focus of covert glances, and whispers, the attention she most definitely did not.

"Is there anything else I need to know?" Harper asked, looking between Jake and Lydia.

Jake shook his head. "Just go about your day as usual. We've got eyes everywhere, so don't worry."

Harper nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. The tension in her shoulders eased as she absorbed the reassurances from Jake and Lydia. As she and Jake turned to leave, their footsteps echoing softly in the quiet office, Lydia's voice stopped them, cutting through the air like a knife.

"Actually, there's something else I wanted to discuss with you both," Lydia said, her tone serious. The sudden shift in her demeanor sent a small shiver down Harper's spine, and she exchanged a quick, concerned glance with Jake before they both pivoted back to face the lynx shifter.

Harper and Jake exchanged glances before turning back to face Lydia. Harper's heart quickened, wondering what else could be on the agenda.

Lydia took a deep breath. "Now that Katerina has had her interview, and public response is so positive… well, mostly," she added with a quirk of her lips, "Alex and I have decided to go public as shifters next week."

Jake nodded, his expression thoughtful.

"I wanted to give you both a heads-up," Lydia continued. "The bank owners already know about us, of course. We'll be holding a bank staff meeting before I go public, to let the employees know so they're prepared for the extra attention when the news comes out."

Harper felt a mix of emotions swirling inside her. On one hand, she was glad more shifters were coming forward, potentially making it easier for her to reveal herself in the future. On the other hand, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of anxiety about how the bank employees would react.

"How do you think they'll take it?" Harper asked, worrying at her bottom lip with her teeth.

Lydia's expression softened. "I'm hopeful. We've got a good team here, and I think most of them will be supportive. But it's important we prepare for all possibilities."

Jake nodded in agreement. "We'll increase security around the bank for the first few weeks after the announcement, just to be safe."

Harper felt a surge of gratitude for the precautions being taken. She looked at Lydia, admiring her courage. "Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked.

Lydia's gaze softened as she looked at Harper. "For now, I need you to keep communications with your clients to 'business as usual.' If any of them ask about me or shifters in general, you can confirm that I am indeed a shifter, but try to guide the conversation back to bank business. Just like you're already doing."

Harper nodded, understanding the delicate balance they needed to maintain. Everyone everywhere were talking about the shifters among them, and even customers loved to gossip and speculate. "Of course. I'll do my best to keep things professional and focused on our services."

"Good," Lydia said, her tone appreciative. "We want to be open and honest, but we also need to ensure that our clients' financial needs remain our primary focus. This revelation shouldn't overshadow the work we do here."

Jake chimed in, "And if anyone gives you trouble or pushes too hard for information, don't hesitate to call for assistance. We're all in this together."

Lydia stood up, signaling the end of their impromptu meeting. "Remember, none of us are alone in this. We're a team, and we'll face whatever comes our way together."

Throughout the morning, Harper found herself being hyper-aware of every interaction, every glance from her coworkers. But as the hours ticked by, she realized that nothing had really changed - at least not yet. Her clients called with their usual questions about investments and account management, blissfully unaware of the revelations to come.

It wasn't until after lunch that Harper faced her first test. Mr. Jameson, one of her regular clients, called to discuss his portfolio. As they were wrapping up, he hesitated, then asked, "Ms. O'Neill, I hope you don't mind me asking, but all this about shifters, and now it seems there are some here in our area. Are you aware of any?"

Harper's heart skipped a beat, but she kept her voice steady, aiming for gentle amusement. "Yes, I saw the interview with Mz. Kazakis, that was amazing, wasn't it? I'd never seen a Maine Coon before. Is there anything else I can help you with regarding your accounts today?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and Harper held her breath. But apparently Mr. Jameson was simply changing gears back to his finances, as he replied. "Could you remind me of the projected returns on that new investment we discussed last week?"

Harper exhaled slowly, relief flooding through her. "Certainly, Mr. Jameson. Let me pull up those numbers for you..."

Having successfully guided the conversation back to familiar territory, Harper felt a small surge of pride. She had navigated her first shifter-related inquiry successfully, maintaining professionalism while acknowledging the truth. It was a small step, but an important one. It took another moment to come to the realization that with each interaction, each conversation steered back to business, she was helping to normalize the presence of shifters in everyday life.

Recognizing the truth of that caused a warm glow in her chest, a sense of purpose and pride mingling together. Harper settled back to work with a smile curving her lips, her fingers flying across the keyboard with renewed energy as she pulled up the investment projections.