Too Good

by Kayla Carson

  She laughed into the receiver. “You won't be able to see me Cole.”

  “What do you want?” I gritted out.

  “I don't know what you're trying to prove by “dating” my sister, but I'm telling you right now, it isn't going to work.”

  “I don't have anything to prove to anyone Vanessa, especially you.”

  “You have a thing for sisters? Is that what this is? Because, while I'm up for a little menage a trois, I'm not sure Harper's into that kind of thing.”

  “Fuck off Vanessa, you got your money, leave us alone.”

  “Leave you alone?” She said, with anger. “You're fucking my baby sister, because you feel bad for sicking me on Wes, and his little play thing. I'm not going anywhere. Not without Harper.”

  “She's happy. She's finally out from under your thumb, and living her life. If you ever gave a damn about her, you would take that cash, and your boy toy, and get the fuck out of the country! Start over! She sure as hell has.”

  “Do you really think she's done that? With you?” She mocked. “Do you really think she loves you? She needs someone to protect her. She's never been on her own. She's only using you. The sooner you realize that, the easier you'll make things on everyone.”

  Before I had a chance to respond, she hung up. I swore under my breath, saving the recording, and shoving my phone back into my pocket. I dropped down onto the sand where I stood, and ran my hands through my hair. Harper was so sure that Vanessa wouldn't hurt her, and maybe that was true, but she wasn't planning on leaving her alone either.

  I don't know how long I was sitting there, watching the water crash up onto the shore, but when I felt a hand on my shoulder, I jumped. “Hey baby.” Harper's voice said softly, as she sat down beside me. “You alright?”

  I placed my arm around her shoulders, pulling her tightly against me. “You're back early.” I said, my eyes still not leaving the water.

  “I've been gone for a few hours.” She said, warily. My stomach grumbled then, and she laughed. “Have you been here all day?”

  “Yeah, I guess I have.”

  “Cole? You're worrying me.”

  I turned my head to look at her, kissing her temple lightly. “I'm sorry Sweetheart, I've just got a lot on my mind I guess.”

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “Your sister called me.”

  “What?” She asked, jumping to her feet, and crossing her arms over her chest. “What do you mean she called you? How did she even get your number? What did she want? Why would she-”

  I stood then, pulling her into my arms. She was stiff against me, her arms still crossed. “Calm down.” I soothed, pressing my lips to her forehead. “Why don't we walk back to the house, alright?”

  She nodded against my chest, and releasing her from my embrace, I took her hand. Together, we walked down the beach in silence towards our home. I wasn't sure if I should play her the recording just yet. She was already upset enough, knowing that Vanessa had called, but to hear the way her own sister spoke of her, it might be too much. Everything in me wanted to protect Harper, but I also knew that she was much stronger than she let on. If she and I were going to work, and be happy together, I couldn't treat her like Vanessa did.

  When we got back inside, I placed my phone on the kitchen table. I motioned for her to sit down, and I sat beside her. “I recorded the conversation.” I said, pulling it up on my phone and sliding it towards her. With a shaking hand, she pressed play. I watched her expression change from curious, to angry, and back to curious again. She replayed it over, and over again. I wasn't sure what she was listening for, but I didn't stop her. When she'd finally heard enough, she slid the phone back to me.

  “Do you believe her?” She asked, sounding far away.

  “Of course I don't. I've told you before, you're one of the strongest women I know, and I'll tell you every day if I have to until you believe it.”

  “She isn't going to stop is she?”

  The sadness in her voice almost broke me, but I had to be strong for her. I took her hand in mine, forcing her to face me. “The police are looking for her, they know she's still in town. And thanks to Jake's friends in high places, we know she's with Robert Drake. We'll find her.”

  “You would tell me, if you were only with me because of her right? I mean, I'm not just some charity case to you. You really love me?” She asked, her head hanging down, staring at our interlocked hands.

  “We've gone over this.” I said, releasing her hands to use my finger to lift her chin. “If I have to tell you I love you every day until you're convinced, I will Sweetheart.”

  “I'm sorry. I know I'm being selfish, and insecure. Vanessa does that to me.” She said, the anger rising in her voice as she stood, making her way towards the front window. “She makes me feel weak, and desperate, and I hate her for it.”

  “You are neither of those things.” I said, coming up to stand behind her.

  “Not anymore.”

  “Not. Ever.” I reaffirmed, placing my hands around her waist, and kissing the top of her head.

  “I want to do something, anything. Maybe I could draw her out, talk to her, convince her to leave.”

  “Jake has people on it, and so do the police. It's safer if we leave the luring to them.”

  “Safer for who? Me? You? Zoe? What if she comes after Zoe again? She's pregnant Cole. No, I can't keep playing the victim. I know what I need to do, and I know how to make her come to me.”

  Chapter 12

  I was nervous. I know I shouldn't be, but it didn't change the fact that I was. Harper seemed completely calm about everything, and if I weren't terrified, I'd say it was pretty damn sexy watching her sudden transformation. She meant what she said, she was ready to walk out of Vanessa's shadow, I just didn't think she'd want to marry me to do it.

  We pulled into Wes, and Zoe's place just after noon. This was Harper's plan, and I was just along for the ride. She didn't even give me a say in the ring she was wearing. We'd stopped on the way over to make the purchase, and she'd picked out exactly what she wanted, like she'd been thinking about it for years. Hell, maybe she was? It isn't like we've ever talked about marriage before, we both admitted we weren't ready.

  “Ready?” She asked, toying with the rock on her hand.

  “You sure about this?” I asked. “We can still go back to the jewelers, and ask for a refund.”

  “It has to be believable Cole.”

  “Wes, and Zoe will go along with it, and so will Jake and Evie, we don't have to convince them.”

  “Vanessa has eyes, and ears everywhere. It's better this way.”

  “I'm not so sure Wes will believe me.”

  “Zoe will believe me, and she'll convince Wes. We all know who really wears the pants in that relationship.”

  Taking a deep breath, I climbed out of the car, walking around to open Harper's door. “After you.” I said.

  Grasping my hand firmly in hers, she led me confidently to Wes' front door, and rung the door bell. A few seconds later, Zoe appeared wearing what appeared to be a pair of underwear, and a tank top. I heard Wes yelling from the kitchen for her to put some damn clothes on, and she flipped him the bird in return, telling him it was too damn hot, and she was too damn pregnant. She then smiled widely, inviting us in.

  “Sorry about that.” She said. “The central air is on the fritz, and these babies do not like the heat. What brings you by?”

  Harper took the lead, breaking away from me, and slowly placing her newly ringed finger in front of Zoe, with a smile plastered on her pretty face. “We're engaged!” She said excitedly. If I hadn't known any better, I would have believed her. She looked genuinely happy, and it made me start to think that maybe a fake engagement wasn't such a bad idea.

  “You're getting married?!” Zoe asked, with surprise. “Harper that's wonderful!” She said, bringing her in for a hug. “I'm so happy for you. For both of you!” She added, coming to hug me next.

  “
Get your hands off my under dressed wife Stephens.” Wes said, rounding the corner as he tossed a towel over his shoulder.

  “Cole's getting married!” Zoe said, leaving my embrace, and turning her attention to her husband.

  “Married?” Wes laughed. “Is this some kind of joke? It isn't April fools. What is this?”

  Harper came to stand beside me then, looping her right arm in mine, and showing off the ring on her left. “What's so hard to believe.” I said, dropping my arm to her ass, and giving it a tap. “It was time to put a ring on it.”

  “I really hope that isn't how you asked her.” Zoe said, rubbing her hand up and down Wes' arm. He was uncomfortable, I could tell.

  “Of course not!” Harper said, laughing. “We were taking a walk on the beach last night, and about five minutes in we came upon some candles flickering in the night. When we got closer, I seen that they were in the shape of a heart, and there, written in the middle in the sand, were the words “will you marry me?” I didn't think it was for me at first, but when I turned around to ask Cole about it, he was down on his knee. It was the most romantic proposal, and of course I said yes.”

  She ended the lie, with a kiss to my cheek, and I could feel myself blushing. I didn't blush. Ever. Where did she pull this shit from? We didn't even rehearse a proposal story. Was she really just winging this? I cleared my throat, and Wes, and Zoe closed their dropped jaws in unison. “I think you're giving me too much credit Sweetheart.” I said, rubbing her hip with my hand.

  “Don't be silly baby, you did everything perfect.” She cooed, leaning into me.

  “She's pregnant!” Wes blurted out, like he'd finally figured out the answer.

  “What? No. I'm not, I mean we never-” Harper stammered, her confidant demeanor beginning to slip.

  “Wait.” Wes interjected. “You mean you two haven't?” He asked, waving his finger back and forth between the two of us. “And your getting married?”

  “Wes!” Zoe scolded, grabbing his arm, and dragging him off towards the kitchen. “Excuse us, for just a second.” She said.

  “Oh my God!” Harper whispered, when they were out of ear shot. “That was mortifying. We should just leave. Yeah, let's just go before they come back and-”

  I placed my hands on either side of her face then, effectively silencing her. Then, I kissed her. I kissed her like nothing else mattered, because it didn't. Our engagement may have been fake, but Wes' words, what he said, they stung. I wanted her to know that it didn't matter to me that we still hadn't sealed the deal. I'd be happy with oral sex for the rest of my life if it meant spending it with her. I couldn't exactly tell her that in my brother's living room though, so my kiss would have to suffice.

  As if on cue, a loud throat clearing brought me back to the here and now. I reluctantly released Harper, and turned to face the offender. “I thought you'd be happy for me.” I said, reaching for Harper's hand, and giving it a squeeze. “For us.”

  “I am. I just, this isn't you; You aren't the marrying type, especially without sealing the damn deal first. I mean shit, what if it's terrible. What if you get married, and on your wedding night you realize you have no sexual chemistry at all?”

  “Sexual chemistry isn't a problem.” I assured him. “Besides, I don't owe you any explanations about my sex life. I don't ask you about yours.”

  “What sex life?” He scoffed. “You can't be serious right now. You hardly know each other.”

  Harper's intake of breath coming from beside me, made me angry. She was getting upset, and Wes was making her that way. “I know that I love her. I know that when she laughs, her nose crinkles, and the little dimple on her left cheek appears. I know that her favorite movie is Dirty Dancing, and that she knows the entire soundtrack by heart. I know that she secretly hates black olives, but she orders them on the pizza because they're my favorite. I know her favorite color, favorite band, favorite place, the way she sleeps. What more do I need to know?”

  I didn't let him answer, instead I turned to leave, Harper's hand still firmly in mine, and led us out of the house and back to the car. I've heard the saying a million times, about finding out who your friends are, but I never thought I'd ever question Wes. Maybe he did know me, but the fact that he thought I was someone so shallow, really pissed me off. I faintly heard Zoe yelling out an apology from the door as we pulled away, but I ignored it.

  The entire drive home was quiet, I don't think either of us knew exactly what to say, but when the car was parked in the garage, I turned to face Harper. “I'm sorry about what happened back there.”

  “I'm not angry.” She smiled, reaching up to brush my face with her hand. “I don't think I'll be needing that reassurance anymore.”

  “No?” I asked, raising a brow suggestively. “Why's that?”

  “I seen myself, the way that you do, for the first time today.”

  “And?”

  “I like what I seen.”

  Chapter 13

  In order to put the wedding announcement in the paper, we had to actually apply for a license. Harper assured me, that it was only to keep up pretenses, but it still felt real. We needed Vanessa to see the announcement to draw her out, I only hoped she wouldn't be gunning for Harper when she showed up. The wedding was set for a few weeks time, and with any luck, Vanessa would show up to crash it.

  I hadn't heard from her since our talk on the beach, but I knew she wasn't going anywhere. We were only two days away from the prom at Harper's House, and I agreed to go with Jake to pick out suits. Normally, I would have done this sort of thing with Wes, but after what happened at his place, I wasn't ready to walk back into the lion's den. Harper had already left to go dress shopping with Zoe, and Evie, at least they were all getting along. It took a long time for Harper to feel comfortable around them, and actually call them friends.

  I waited impatiently for Jake to arrive, taking comfort in the fact that I'd be cleared to drive soon. I hated relying on every one else to get me where I needed to go, that and the asshole was never on time. Twenty minutes later, I heard him honk the horn as he pulled into the driveway.

  “Took you long enough.” I said, slipping into the passenger seat of his truck.

  “The baby sitter fell through for Gabriel.” He said, hiking his thumb towards the toddler in the back seat. “We've got to make a pit stop at Wes' to drop him off.”

  “Fuck this shit!” I said, reaching for the door handle. Before I could open it however, Jake hit the lock button.

  “First of all, watch your fu- your mouth around my son. Second, you and Wes need to stop acting like little pu- girls, and figure your sh- stuff out.”

  I couldn't help but laugh at Jake's failed attempts to watch his own mouth. “Well if Wes would get his hot dog, out of his bun, and admit that he's wrong, we'd be fine.”

  “I admit, he was wrong, but he was only looking out for you, just like he always has. What did you expect when you showed up with a fu- fiance!”

  “I expected him to say congratulations. Not insult me, and ask about my darn text life!”

  “Darn hot dog!” Gabriel yelled from the back seat.

  “We're dropping him off, now, before he starts telling his mother to duck off.” Jake said, putting the car into drive. “You don't have to come in, just sit outside like a little bish.”

  “Bish, bish!” Gabriel laughed.

  “Yeah, because that doesn't sound like bitch.” I said.

  “Fuck, Cole!”

  “Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Gabriel yelled.

  I held it in as long as I could, but inevitably the laughter had to come out. From the corner of my eye, I could see Jake fighting just as hard, only he was succeeding. I guess it was some kind of parental super power, because I was rolling. When I finally composed myself, Jake cleared his throat quietly.

  “Gabriel.” He said, sternly. “That's a grown up word. Please don't say that word again, okay buddy?”

  “What word?”

  “Yea daddy, what word?”
I asked, blinking my eyes innocently.

  It was clear that Jake had given up, because instead of answering either one of us, he turned the volume up on the radio, and focused on the road. The rest of our drive was quiet, and when we pulled into Wes' place, I sat in the car. I was being a little bish, but I didn't give a stick. I watched as Wes took Gabriel from Jake, and ruffled the top of his curly head. It reminded me of when we were younger, when Wes would look after me. He was going to be a great father, even if he was an asshole.

  Jake returned a few minutes later, and we headed to the local mall. Harper sent me a text, telling me to pick out a gray suit, because it would go with her dress. I asked her to send me pics, but she said no. Maybe I should have asked to see the dress, instead of nudes? She did tell me it was rose gold, but when I asked her if she was talking about her dress, or her pussy, she sent me the middle finger emoji.

  There were two suit shops in the mall, and luckily Jake, and I were able to find what we needed at the first. The tailor assumed one of us was getting married, but when I mentioned we were going to the prom, he gave us both a questioning look. Jake quickly explained the situation so that we didn't look like a pair of creepy old guys, while I scoped out the corsages.

  “You have any of these in rose gold?” I interjected.

  “Flowers don't grow rose gold in the wild dumb ass.” Jake said, paying for his tux.

  “They dye flowers all the damn time. Isn't that right, Lenny?” I asked, squinting at the tailor's name tag.

  “Yes sir.” He said, nodding enthusiastically. “You can choose any of the white, or light pink flower selections. For an additional fee, we can have them colored to match. Do you have a swatch or sample you'd like to match?”

  “How many rose golds can their possibly be?” I asked. “Rose gold. What ever happened to pink?”

  “Rose gold has actually become a very popular color. Women are even using it to dye their hair.” Lenny informed us.