by Susan Meier
But he would also know he couldn’t kiss her again.
And that would make him even more nuts.
He sat in his chair and threw himself into his projects as if his life depended on it. Around two, his stomach growled. He hadn’t had lunch. He got a snack cake from the vending machine in the employee lounge and went back to work.
He should have left at six. He waited until seven. But he couldn’t stay any longer. If he did, Harper would wonder why and probably realize a kiss that was supposed to be a show for her mom had been a little too real for him.
Of course, she had kissed him back.
Cursing himself for reminding himself of that, he rode the elevator up to his floor, then ambled down the hall. Using his key, he opened the door and stepped inside.
“I’m home.”
He almost cursed again. He sounded like a husband.
“We’re in the kitchen.”
He walked into the main area and found Harper at the island, sitting on a stool, feeding Crystal a bottle.
The silence in the room was so thick, he scrambled for something to say. Anything to get them over the awkwardness. “So, she drinks milk?”
Harper glanced over at him. Probably confused by the stupid question. Still, she answered it. “She drinks formula.”
“Formula” sounded like something made in a laboratory. Sympathy for the kid filled him. Glad to forget his misery over kissing Harper, he sat on the stool beside them.
“She seems to like it.”
“Do you think I’d feed her something she didn’t like?”
After a few seconds, the bottle was empty. Harper rose and patted the little girl’s back until she burped like a sailor.
She laughed. “Okay. That’s enough for now.”
She buckled Crystal into the baby carrier, which she fastened to one of the tufted chairs around the dining room table.
“I made dinner.”
He wished with all his might that he could get out of eating with her, but his stomach growled. “What’d you make?”
“I was going to make spaghetti, but I think Mrs. P. plans to make that for you next week.”
His mouth watered. Mrs. P. was a wonderful person to have for a neighbor. Which reminded him—
“How did she do babysitting while you were at your interview this morning?”
“She loved having someone to watch her morning soap operas with.” Harper airily moved into the kitchen, over to the oven, and pulled out a casserole. “She told me that she’d be happy to keep Crystal anytime I have an interview or a condo to look at.”
“That’s good.”
“She also loved the clothes we picked out.” She lifted the casserole to the countertop, pausing for a second before she turned to Seth. “I’m sorry about my mom.”
He reached for his mail to give himself something to look at other than her apologetic blue eyes. “It’s fine.”
“No. It’s not fine. She’s a snob and a gossip and just plain hard to get along with.”
“I already told you my dad wasn’t exactly a prince. In fact, he was so bad he makes your mom look good.”
Her quick laugh told him he’d sufficiently gotten her past her embarrassment about her mom.
Now, if she’d just not say anything about—
“I’m also sorry you had to kiss me.”
Just the mention of it turned him on again, while Harper still appeared apologetic. Only apologetic. Not breathless. Not curious. The kiss might as well have not happened.
A little annoyed, a little insulted, he tossed the mail on the counter. “It’s not like I had to scoop up dog poop. Besides, I seem to remember the kiss was my idea.”
And that she’d participated. She hadn’t stayed still. It hadn’t been like kissing a rock.
“Okay. Maybe instead of apologizing I should say thanks.”
She should. She really should because he was suffering the torment of the damned and she’d gotten away from her mom without having to explain that she was broke.
He was a prince, a saint, to have helped her.
Especially since every time they discussed her mom, he thought of his dad. The humiliation. The fact that things weren’t right with his own mom and would never really be right.
His phone rang. He glanced at caller ID and saw it was a female friend who visited New York only a few times a year. Glad for the interruption of his thoughts, he answered it. “Marlene! How are you?”
He drifted toward the sofa for privacy, knowing this was exactly what he needed. The reminder that he was a happy serial-one-night-stand guy. Not a knight who rescued nice women. Not a guy who thought too much about his past with an abusive father and a mom who turned a blind eye.
“I’m in town. Want to get a drink?”
“I’d love a drink.” He needed a drink. “Where and what time?”
“I’m staying at the Waldorf. There’s a lovely club just down the street.”
“I’ll meet you there in a few minutes.”
He disconnected the call and headed for the door. “Sorry, but that was an old friend. I’m meeting her for drinks.”
One of her eyebrows rose. He was absolutely positive she was going to remind him he wasn’t allowed to date, so he added, “Seriously. She’s just a friend. A business associate. If I pay, I can write this off as an expense.”
“Oh. Okay.”
He’d never heard two words said with such relief and that compounded the I’m-an-idiot feelings currently bubbling through him like stew in a big, black witch’s pot.
All she was worried about was keeping the charade intact. While he was mad at himself for kissing Clark’s wife, thinking thoughts about his parents that he’d believed he’d left behind when his dad died, and worried about his attraction to a nice woman when he was so unreliable, she was only worried about fooling her mom.
Not that he blamed her. He understood how hard it was to try to please an unpleasable parent.
“Have a nice time.”
“I will.” He headed out to meet Marlene.
* * *
He left for work the next morning after not much more than a few grunts in Harper’s direction. Respectful of his mood, Harper didn’t say anything, either. That kiss by the limo the day before had ruined the complicated but civil relationship they were developing. She knew that was why he’d eagerly accepted the chance to get out of the condo the night before. And why she’d been so glad he had.
The kiss had been amazing. Because of Clark, she’d talked herself out of making a big deal out of it. But it wasn’t easy. Seth was an experienced kisser. She remembered every brush of his lips. Every sweep of his tongue. When she least expected it, she’d remember it, and had to admit, she’d liked it.
But maybe Seth hadn’t. In fact, his edginess the night before and grumpiness that morning might be a sign he regretted kissing her. Not a sign that he’d liked it.
She smacked the side of her own head, hoping to knock some sense into herself. It was crazy, stupid, to think about it. The damn kiss had only been part of a charade. Plus, she had bigger problems that should be occupying her mind and her time. Like a job and a place to live.
While Crystal slept, she brought her laptop to the kitchen island and searched for jobs online, keeping her cell phone beside her with the baby-monitor app opened.
An hour into her fruitless search, her phone rang. The sound echoed through the quiet condo and almost made her jump out of her skin.
Seeing her mom’s picture pop up on the screen, she grimaced. She’d want the juicy details about Seth. Harper was either going to have to continue the lie or tell the truth...which would open the can of worms Harper had kept tightly closed for the past year.
She took a breath. Blew it out slowly. Then answered. “Hey, Mom.”
“Good morning,
sweetie. How’s Crystal today?”
“The same as always.” She slid off the stool and paced into the area with the sofa and television, her feet drifting along the soft shag of the white area rug on the rustic brown hardwood floor.
“Has she said ‘Nana’ yet?”
“No. She hasn’t even said ‘Mom.’ Right now, we’re working on getting her to say ‘goo.’”
“She’ll say it. Then ‘Mom’ will follow and pretty soon she’ll be saying ‘Nana,’” her mother said enthusiastically. “I’m calling because I haven’t heard from Seth’s people yet.”
Harper squeezed her eyes shut, still undecided about what to say. Did she admit that she and Seth weren’t dating? Did she say he was helping her find a job? Did she mention that he was letting her live with him—because she was nearly broke? And if she did, how would she handle her mom’s anger?
She stalled. “It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours.”
“I know. But when a man like Seth is dating a classy woman like you, he’s Johnny on the spot with things like dinner invitations.”
She glanced down at her worn jeans and the shirt that had stretched out from too many washings. She was hardly classy.
But this was her opening to end the charade. She had to take it. She didn’t like the lie—or Seth’s regret. “Mom, this thing with me and Seth—”
“I know. You’re not making a big deal out of it. In fact, you’re probably brooding because of Clark, but it’s time, Harper.”
The easy way her mother dismissed Clark set her nerve endings on fire. “Time for what, Mom?”
“To let go. To date. To think about marrying again.”
Oh, Lord. She already had them married? “Mom, Seth is thirty-one and he’s never married—”
“Because he’s particular. Many wealthy men wait until their thirties to marry, even their forties, because they have enough female attention that they don’t need to marry the wrong woman. Though some do. Look at George Clooney. He waited until his fifties to settle down for good.”
Harper frowned at her phone. Her mother certainly knew how to whitewash things she wanted cleaned and sanitized.
“That’s one way of looking at it. The other is that they like dating, don’t want a commitment, don’t want kids.”
Her heart pinged when she remembered Seth telling her he was afraid of kids. Even if that kiss had caused her to swoon, this was reality. Seth didn’t like kids. She had a child. There would be nothing between them.
Her mind cleared. And while it was clear, she wanted it to stay clear. It was time to tell her mother the truth.
“Mom, what you saw yesterday—”
“Was adorable. Stop talking yourself out of liking Seth because you think he’s is too good for you. Don’t be angry, honey, but I know that’s why you married Clark. Lack of self-confidence.”
Anger burst in Harper’s chest. “Mom, Clark was a gorgeous blond. He could have had his pick of women. I was lucky he chose me.”
“You were young and thinking with your hormones. But we don’t have to worry about that with Seth. He’s gorgeous and has money. No. Not just money—a pedigree. He is someone.”
“He’s someone, all right. Probably a better person than you think he is.” She opened her mouth to explain Seth was helping her out of her bad situation, but the words stuck in her throat. With the way this conversation was going, if Harper told her mother that she needed Seth’s help because Clark had left her broke, her mom would explode. The only way that discussion went smoothly would be if Harper had a job and a place to stay when she told her parents that she’d had to sell the investment firm and her condo.
She needed time. Seth’s lie bought her time.
“You know what, Mom? I think dinner with you and Dad is too soon.”
After a short pause, her mom said, “Too soon?”
“We’re barely dating.” At least that wasn’t a lie. “I think we just need to be on our own for a while.”
Her mom sighed. “I get it.”
Surprised that she’d given up so easily, Harper said, “You do?”
“Sure. Nobody starts out dating by introducing a guy to her parents. It was a fluke that we ran into each other, but that doesn’t mean we can push the schedule along and ruin things.” Her mom took a long breath. “But your father and I also can’t ignore you, if we see you around town.”
Relief and disbelief of her luck fluttered through her. “You won’t see us.”
Her mom laughed. “You’re so sure of that? Your dad and I eat out five times a week. We go to parties. Now that you’re with a man in our league, you’re bound to run into us.”
No, they wouldn’t. Because she and Seth would never go anywhere.
Harper’s chest loosened. Her blood began to flow again. She desperately needed the next few weeks to get her life in order. If it meant her mom had to think she was dating Manhattan’s most eligible bachelor...so be it.
“Thanks, Mom.”
“You’re welcome.” She paused. “You could still come by with the baby some afternoon when Seth is working.”
“I have a few things I have to straighten out.”
Her mom’s voice soured. “Clark’s estate still not settled?”
“Something like that.” She winced, thinking of the whirlwind job search and house hunting in her near future and oh, so glad she hadn’t ended the lie. “But as soon as I’m free, Crystal and I will be over.”
“Good. I love you,” her mom said in a singsong voice.
Harper said, “I love you, too.”
She disconnected the call, wishing she could mean it. She knew her mom’s intentions were good. But even as Amelia Sloan happily chatted about Seth, she’d subtly bad-mouthed Clark. When Harper finally told her mom that she’d lost Clark’s investment firm because it was barely worth what he’d owed on it and sold the condo because Clark had mortgaged that, too, she had to have everything sorted or Amelia would have the kind of tirade about Clark that broke Harper’s heart.
Seth had been correct. The lie really would hold for a few weeks. It had, too.
A little after six, Seth arrived home and Harper didn’t waste a second. He’d run out of the apartment the night before and that morning because things were tense between them. She could fix that.
“My mom called this morning.”
His expression shifted from neutral to cautious. “I forgot to have someone phone her about dinner.”
“It’s fine. I told her we had just started dating and needed a few weeks ‘on our own’ and she agreed.”
His face contorted. “What does that mean?”
“It means she won’t be calling or dropping by. We’re fine.”
He studied her for a few seconds. “I thought you said she was a meddler.”
“She is. She’s a smart one. She agreed to the pull-back to make sure she didn’t ruin things before they start. But the bottom line is she’s giving us a few weeks. Which means I can find a job, find a house, move out...and then tell her we broke up. Which will horrify her as much as Clark putting us in debt. I’ll take most of the heat for her anger.” She shrugged. “In a way, this charade is perfect.”
* * *
Seth stared at Harper. The way she always deflected bad things away from Clark and to herself amazed him. But this time, it also made him a little angry with Clark that he’d put Harper in this position. Still, he’d never tell Harper that. And all things considered, he’d rather have their attention on her mom, than that kiss.
“So, you think she’s going to let us alone?”
“Yes. We should be fine. As long as we don’t go out.”
The house phone rang. He walked to the island where it sat. Seeing the caller was Rick, another doorman, he answered. “What’s up, Rick?”
“Your mother is here.” There was a knock on
his door. “I already sent her up.”
Confusion made him frown, but he said, “Okay. That’s fine.”
He turned to Harper. “That knock at the door is my mother.”
“Oh! Should I hide?”
The door opened before he could answer. He’d forgotten he’d given his mom a key in case of emergencies. Maureen McCallan looked past Seth and to Harper. She took in her torn jeans and bare feet.
“So, it’s true. You are living with Harper Hargraves.”
“It’s not what you think.”
“Really? Her mom bragged about it to everybody at the ladies who lunch meeting this afternoon.”
He started to say they weren’t living together in the conventional sense of the word, but then he’d have to explain the charade. If he told his mom the truth and his mom told someone, who told someone, who told Harper’s mom, it would ruin everything.
He stuck to the lie. “It’s more like we’re dating.”
“So, Harper’s just here for dinner?” She sniffed the air. “You made French toast casserole?” She faced Seth. “You don’t cook that well, Seth.”
“I made it, Mrs. McCallan.”
His mom gave Harper another quick once-over. “If you’re dating my son, you can call me Maureen.”
Harper swallowed hard and caught Seth’s gaze. He hadn’t believed her when she’d warned him the lie could cause trouble. Still, it was only for a few weeks and it wasn’t like he was hurting a perfect mother/son relationship.
Maureen headed for the door. “Well, I have plans for tonight and don’t want to interrupt your dinner. We’ll catch up at the opening for the gallery on Saturday.”
So much for not being seen in public. The gallery—Hot Art—was only reopening after his family had bankrolled renovations. He couldn’t miss it. And now he couldn’t go without Harper.
“Yes. We’ll see you then.”
CHAPTER FIVE
HARPER AND CLARK had gone to fund-raisers at various art galleries, and she knew most women wore cocktail dresses.
Shopping with Seth, she hadn’t bought a cocktail dress, but she had bought a simple black sheath that she could dress up with pearls. The outfit was simple and elegant. She looked like the lady her mom wanted her to be.