Page 20 of Maybe, Probably (Love Me, Maybe #1)

Chapter Eleven

Xavier

F uck.

I was so caught up with watching Harpers expression as she was taking in the ducks enclosure that I forgot to give her the warning about these fuckers.

The thing is, they’re food motivated. I used to have treats in my pocket when I first got them.

They caught on quickly that my pockets were always full of something, like they are right now.

What they don’t realize? It’s only me who has the treats in their pocket.

So, when I see the wide eyed look on Harper's face before she starts booking it to the left side of the pond, I already know that these damn ducks have seen her pockets and set their targets on her.

I try to intercept them as they power forward, but trying to herd ducks is just as bad as you think it is.

They easily dodge my efforts and continue their pursuit of Harper.

She screeches as she continues to run. “Wait, Harper!” I try to warn her that she shouldn’t go that way.

It’s uneven ground, and if you don’t know where the holes are, it’s guaranteed you’ll fall.

Harper isn’t the most graceful of humans, either.

Just as I’m about to call for her again, I see it happen in slow motion.

I see one foot go down to plant on the ground.

Then, I watch as her foot rolls, and she careens forward toward the ground.

My feet are moving before I even realize what I’m doing.

I hear the harumph as her body collides with the ground.

“Oh my fuck!” She screeches as the ducks begin their descent to her jean pockets.

It only takes me a short time before I’m by her side.

I quickly grab into my pockets and throw the cracked corn away from Harper’s body.

Her hands are still covering her face when I turn to her.

The ducks have officially left, happy to have accomplished their mission.

I caress her shoulder, letting her know that it’s me. “Hey, you’re okay. I’m so sorry I forgot to warn you about these greedy assholes.” Her eyes connect with mine as she peeks between her fingers. The emerald green shines with fear.

“That was fucking terrifying. Those things must be Satan incarnate.” Her voice trembles as she begins to sit up.

I can’t help the laugh that bubbles up from my chest as her words settle into me.

I take a step back and offer my hand to her.

She hesitates for a minute before she puts her hand in mine, and I pull her up.

“Yeah, they’re assholes. I meant to tell you they’re food motivated and think everyone's pocket’s have cracked corn in there.

” She side-eyes me quickly before letting go of my hand to wipe off the grass and dirt now covering her.

The warmth of her hand in mine quickly fades, and it sets something off in my chest. I take a step back quickly as I rub my knuckles over the crown on my chest. The tattoo is an everyday reminder of my past.

A hiss slips from Harper's lips as she tries to take a step forward on the foot she twisted. I’m immediately back at her side offering her support.

“Crap, this is just what I need.” She continues mumbles to herself, the words running together

Before she can protest, my one arm slides behind her back and the other behind her knees, as I pick her up and head back to my house.

“Xavier!” She squeaks. “Put me down! You don’t need to carry me. Honestly, I’m fine.”

I grunt, continuing the trek back to my house. “It’s fine. I don’t want you to injure yourself more than you already have. Now, shush.”

Her lips thin, like she’s holding her tongue from saying something. Eventually she sighs. “Thanks, I guess,” she mumbles.

We reach my house, and I walk straight through the screen door on the porch.

Using the arm that's under her knee I lean forward, opening the door and walk through the threshold. I veer to the right and head straight to my sectional couch. The olive green suede couch has honestly seen better days, but I haven’t bothered to replace it.

It’s comfy as shit, and I love laying on the couch watching the hockey games with Monty when he can make it out.

Placing her down on the center cushion of the long side of the couch, she shuffles back and forth to get comfy.

Dropping down at her feet, I grab her foot gently, unlacing her shoe.

“Oh, I can do that.” She stutters, reaching down and removing the shoe I was unlacing.

I don’t miss the wince on her face when she takes off her left shoe.

I gently grab the bottom of her left foot and bring it up to get a better look.

Before I can lift up her pant leg, I can already begin to see the swelling of her ankle.

I place it down lightly before I get up and head to the kitchen.

“Wait— where are you going?”

“That ankle is already swelling, I'm going to grab you some ice and ibuprofen to help with the pain and swelling.” My sentence leaves no room for argument as I open my fridge and grab the ice packet from the door of my freezer, then grab a bottle of water and stick it into my sweater pocket.

Grabbing a dish towel, I wrap it around the ice pack while I make my way back down the hallway, stopping quickly at my small bathroom to grab the ibuprofen and stuff it in my pocket.

Continuing my trek down the hall toward the woman who has easily taken over my thoughts over the last couple days.

The faded brown mixed in with the beige of my hall carpet shows the wear and tear on it.

It just reminds me of the home I made for myself and the comfort that comes with it.

Harper is exactly where I left her, leaning back against the couch with her left arm across her upper stomach and her elbow resting on that left hand while she chews on the thumb of her right hand.

“Hey.” I say in a low voice so I don’t startle her.

Her eyes flick up to mine. She removes her thumb from her face and sits up straight while rubbing both hands down her thighs.

The movement makes me notice the thick thighs that look like they could be the comfiest things to use as a pillow.

I quickly shake my head out of that train of thought and sit next to her.

Grabbing one of my throw pillows, I toss it on the coffee table.

Bending forward, I guide her swelling ankle and rest it on the pillow before blanketing the ice pack overtop.

“We’ll let that sit for about twenty minutes before we take it off and see where you’re at then, okay?

” Harper quickly nods her head in agreement.

I grab the water and ibuprofen from my pocket and pass it over to her.

She takes a tablet and swallows it down with some water.

I watch her throat work the water down with each gulp.

I clear my throat, bringing my right hand to the back of my neck, rubbing it, “I guess while we wait, we can discuss what I offered back at the bar.”

Harper's lips twitch as she looks at me. “And what exactly was it that you were offering me Xavier.” I realize the innuendo of my words as soon as she puts emphasis on the word offering.

I feel my cheeks heat a little bit. “Oh man, I didn’t– uh.” Sitting up straighter, I clear my throat. “About fake dating. The offer of fake dating.”

Amusement shines in Harper’s wide eyes as I stumble over my words. One hand coming up to her mouth, like she’s trying to hide her growing smile. Her focus moves from me to a spot in front of her, and her head moves side to side as she considers my words.

“I understand how this could benefit me. It would give me the advantage of sticking it to Dalton after finding out he cheated on me with Chloe. But I don’t understand what you get out of this.

You said it would get your parents off your back.

Why?” I go to open my mouth in answer but she immediately continues, “I mean maybe it’s none of my business.

But– I think if we’re going to do this we need to understand why we’re doing this.

And establish some ground rules. ” Pausing briefly, she looks over at me, a shade of pink tinting her cheeks.

“You can tell me to stop talking whenever I get too much. I– I tend to ramble when I get a little anxious.”

A smirk begins to form on my face as I take her in. She’s been moving her hands the whole time she was talking. She uses her whole body to talk and I find it endearing, it shows her passion.

“My parents have been bugging me about getting into a relationship for some time. It’s been a long time since I’ve dated.

It’s not something I’ve taken the time to do.

My schooling, and then the clinic, have been the most important thing to me.

Everything else has kind of fallen to the wayside, which I’m okay with.

My mother, however– well, it drives her crazy.

” I sit back and stare ahead of me. A sigh leaves my mouth, and I run my hand through my hair.

“So I figure, if we do this. It’ll make my mom happy and if I take you with me to whatever family events she has planned for the two months then –” I shrug, not thinking I need to finish my sentence.

We let the silence linger for a few minutes. Then she replies so casually. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

We’ve spent what feels like forever talking.

At some point, I toss something on the TV before running back into the kitchen to make some popcorn and grab some different drinks.

I tell her about Josie and Monty. I tell her all the stupid shit we used to get up to when we were younger.

Harper comes back with equally stupid things she and Evie used to get up to as well.

It isn’t until her phone goes off that I realize how much time has passed. It’s amazing for the time to pass this way with someone I barely know, but I feel a sort of comfort I haven’t felt in a very long time. It sets my stomach in a weird knot that I can’t shake off.

“I’m sorry” she says as she quickly looks at her phone, “It’s just Evie checking in on me. Making sure I haven’t been kidnapped or murdered.” She pauses a second before smirking at me. “Don’t worry, I told her you’re quite the host for someone who kidnapped me.”

“Tell her that your ransom is going to include all the medical support I gave while you were being held captive.”

She mock gasps. “I’m sorry your creatures of Satan chased me down.” Before she starts laughing, she quickly types out a response on her phone, then shuts the screen off and puts it down. She takes in the living room before she comes back to me with a warm smile .

“So, when does this fake dating commence?”

I scratch the scruff that’s begun to grow on my face. I think about when the next family dinner is. “I guess the next mandatory family dinner I have to go to would be Thanksgiving next weekend. So, I guess then?”

“Okay.” She nods her head in agreement. “Thanksgiving dinner it is! Is there a dress code? How nice do I need to look?”

I look at her for a minute, and before I think any better of it, I let the words come out unfiltered.

“You don’t have to work too hard to look nice.

” I freeze. I didn’t mean to say that, but I can’t take it back.

It’s true. She has this natural beauty to her.

I couldn’t not find her breathtaking. And honestly, I don’t want to take it back.

I continue, shoving the cringe from my mind. “It shouldn’t be that bad, dressing up wise. The dressier event would be the Christmas Eve dinner party, but I don’t think we will have to worry about it too much since our relationship is so new.”

Harper shifts on the cushion before placing her weight on her hand resting on the arm of my couch.

The ice pack I’d given her has been off for a while.

Harper tried to walk a little while ago when she needed to use the washroom.

She had a bit of a limp, but told me she was fine otherwise.

As she pushes off the couch, I step toward her, grabbing her bottle of water.

Harper picks up the popcorn bowl, tossing a few random items into it.

“Okay, that sounds good then.” Her fingers reach for the last pieces of trash scattered as she continues.

“You should probably take me back to my car though. It’s getting late, and I have to get home, get Winnie his dinner and let him out. ”

“Of course. Here, let me take those. You get your things together, and I’ll run this stuff into the kitchen then I’ll drop you off okay?

” She nods her head, reaching down to grab her phone.

I quickly drop the bowl off in the kitchen, grab my keys before heading back to the front door.

Harper has her shoes back on at this point and is waiting for me.

I find myself smiling as I make my way over to her. I stop beside her, opening the door and I look back at her. Nodding in the direction of my truck, I tilt my head outside. “You ready?”