Page 26

Jamil

“That’s a lot of cameras,” Harper said as she looked out the window of my car at the paparazzi lined up on the other side of the red carpet, snapping pictures of the attendees for tonight’s event.

“That’s nothing. There’s like ten of them,” I told her as I pulled up next to the valet.

“It’s more than I’m used to.”

I glanced over at her, struck again by how beautiful she looked tonight. “Aren’t you in front of cameras every day for your job?”

She rolled her eyes and leaned over to punch me in the arm.

“Ouch,” I rubbed at the spot where her fist connected, surprised by how much strength she’d put behind it.

“This feels drastically different. I’m controlling the narrative at work. They are trying to create a narrative with a single picture. Potentially creating a narrative out of nothing.”

The valet knocked on my window and motioned for me to step out. I held up a finger, asking for just a moment.

“There isn’t a single bad thing they could write about you, Harper Nelson. I promise.” I stuck out my pinky for her.

“A pinky promise?” she asked as she eyed my finger. “And how can you even give a promise like that and expect to keep it? They could write a million things about me. They could write about my parents, they could write about my job, they could write about us .”

“And what would be so bad about that?”

Those perfect brown eyes widened. “You don’t want to be in the press.”

I dropped my pinky to slip my hand into hers.

“I don’t want to be in the press because I’m tired of the expectations that pile on top of me.

Like saying I’m the next Babe Ruth, and those are some large shoes to fill that I didn’t ask for.

You’re right in thinking the media likes to tell everyone who a person is.

They’ve done it to me my entire career. So why shouldn’t I finally give them a narrative I want them to share? ”

After giving her hand one more squeeze, I lifted my pinky once more. Harper looked at it for a moment longer before she wrapped hers around mine. “Let’s go give them a show then.”

That tenacious energy that drew me to her that first night in Florida was back. I leaned over the center console and stole one more kiss while it was still just the two of us before I opened the door and tossed the keys to the valet.

“I’ve got it!” I called out to one of the event workers that reached to open Harper’s door. The worker backed away so I could open her door and offer her a hand as she stepped out of the car. “Are you ready?”

Harper lifted her gaze to mine once she had both feet safely beneath her. “I think so,” she breathed as I fit her hand into the crook of my arm.

“Let’s go find Tommy and Maggie. Maybe even a shot or two of tequila,” I told her as we started down the red carpet together.

I pulled us to a stop so we could get the obligatory photos taken for the event. “Tequila seems to get us both into trouble.”

With a laugh, I leaned in close to her, “Isn’t that the point?”

She rolled her eyes at me and threw her head back. I made a mental note to hunt down the photographer that managed to catch this moment, so I could display it somewhere in my home.

“Come on, let’s get you inside before you say something you’ll regret.”

The event tonight was being held in an old factory building that had been recently restored.

The floors were still the original wood and every wall was covered in brick.

A stage was erected in the center of the room with white tablecloth covered tables surrounding it.

The items that would be auctioned off later this evening lined the walls.

I spotted the signed baseballs, uniforms, and glove I’d donated for the cause displayed on a separate table.

Normally I hated events like tonight, but Tommy had gone as far as sending me photos of him with the kids at the Boys & Girls Club on his visits there to convince me to help. Tommy Mikals did not play fair—he knew I was a sucker for kids.

“I can see why you hate events like these, rubbing elbows with people.” Harper eyed the crowds, taking in the way gala attendees were trying their best to be seen and making sure they were seen with someone worthy enough to draw attention.

“We’re not here for any of them,” I told her. I placed a gentle hand on the small of her back and steered her toward the edge of the room as I looked for Tommy.

“Over here!” Maggie was waving like a madwoman at a table near the stage in the middle of the room. Tommy was in deep conversation with the president of the Chicago Boys & Girls Club.

Harper waved excitedly back at Maggie before taking the lead. Her delicate hand slipped down my arm and into mine as she started to pull me toward the center of the room.

I could feel the looks from people as we moved, wondering who my date was. This time, I didn’t mind them. Only because I was being seen with her.

“You’re here,” Maggie exclaimed as she jumped up from her seat and wrapped her arms around Harper before pulling me into a hug.

“Hey, Canon. You clean up nicely.” I took Maggie’s hands in mine and gave her a spin, the silver dress she was wearing fanning out around her.

“So do the both of you,” Maggie gushed. “This dress is stunning on you, Harper.”

Maggie took Harper’s hands and pushed her out at arm’s length to get a good look.

“I agree,” I added, not missing the deep blush that covered Harper’s cheeks. “You two are the most stunning women in this room.”

“You don’t know how to be subtle, do you?” Tommy cuffed my shoulder as he joined our conversation.

“That’s rich coming from you.” I raised an eyebrow at him.

He laughed as he grabbed two glasses of champagne from a passing tray, one for me and one for Harper. “Maybe I’m rubbing off on you, J.”

I gladly accepted the glass of champagne and motioned toward the room that was beginning to fill up. “This looks great.”

“It does, doesn’t it? I think this will be a successful night for the club. We have a lot of great items that people are eyeing.” Tommy paused. “Thanks to you, man.”

“It’s the least I can do. I know how much this means to you and I’ve got a soft spot for this kind of stuff.”

Tommy cleared his throat. “You two look really good together.”

I followed his gaze to where Maggie and Harper were moving toward the auction items, arm in arm. “I’m just happy to see her friendship with Maggie taking off. She deserves someone like that in her life.”

Tommy’s gaze never left my face. “You didn’t even acknowledge that I said the two of you look good together .?.?. like a couple. Are you okay?”

His hand inched toward my forehead slowly like he was going to test my temperature, and I reached up to swat it away. “Knock that shit off. I’m fine.”

“Not answering my question is an answer in itself.”

I wanted to wipe the smirk on Tommy’s face right off. “What do you want me to say, Tommy?” I asked. “That I like her? You already know that I do. What else do you want me to say? That I want to date her? That’s not up to just me.”

By the time I was done, Tommy’s eyes had drifted to something over my shoulder. I slowly trailed off and turned my head to see that Maggie and Harper had returned. Harper was looking at me with wide eyes. Maggie was trying her best to hide a smile, but the sparkle in her eyes gave her away.

“Uh, Harper,” I started, rubbing at the back of my neck. My stomach felt like it was a brick sinking to the bottom of a lake as I stared at her, dumbstruck.

Neither of us had discussed what was going on between us. The only obvious part of it was the clear chemistry we had. There was an immediate attraction between us, but neither of us had made a move to be the first one to define it.

Hell, this was the first time I’d even thought about the idea of dating her.

Was that something she wanted?

Was I an idiot for not thinking about it before?

Was that even possible for us?

Harper rushed to cut me off before I could say anything else. “Let’s sit down. I think dinner is going to be served soon.”

A sigh escaped my lips as everyone moved to take their seats. Tommy tossed me a wink across the table that made me clench my teeth with annoyance.

“What are you going to get?” I asked Harper as we all looked at the menu placed in the center of our plates.

Harper’s gaze stayed locked on the menu as she whispered, “Were you serious about what you said?”

The last time I’d felt gripped in the throes of panic like this was the first time I’d found out how bad my brother had gotten.

I knew what needed to be done—needed to be said to him—but the moment I spoke those words aloud, I could never take them back.

There was a before and there was an after.

I was terrified of what the after would bring with Harper.

I wasn’t sure I could bear losing her and the time we spent together.

A waiter stopped by to take our orders and buy me more time while I weighed my options. Do I confess my feelings for her and my interest in exploring something more serious or do I keep things casual? As soon as the waiter left, the air grew heavy with anticipation.

Before I could overthink things, I turned to look at the woman next to me. Her eyes wide as she waited for what I was going to say. “I wouldn’t say something like that unless I meant it, Harper.”

“Oh,” Harper replied before clearing her throat, although her eyes never left mine.

Oh?

“Is that .?.?. an issue?” I asked cautiously, but before she could reply, the host for the gala walked onto the stage to begin the evening.

“Hello everyone and welcome to the Boys & Girls Club of Chicago Gala. We are so grateful all of you wanted to be here tonight and are so thankful to every business and person that donated to tonight’s auction.

We will start the auction here shortly over dinner, but first we wanted you all to hear a few words from one of our premier donors, Tommy Mikals. ”