by Brinda Berry
Josie races through the door without another word, and I’m left waiting. I glance to my vehicle. The rest of my belongings are light, so I travel down the steps carefully. I’m aware of a faint soreness in my back that will set in by tomorrow from all physical movement I’ve done today.
The duffel is stored in the cab along with a shopping bag. I grab both and return to the stairs. Halfway up, I hear a faint argument coming from the hallway inside.
“Josie,” the deep voice says. “I’m sure she doesn’t need us butting in.”
How embarrassing. He doesn’t want to help. Josie’s probably dragging Leo, his heels scuffing up the wood floor of the hallway.
I knew there was something off about Leo’s face when I said hello earlier. He thinks I’m going to be loud or needy or nosy. Mr. Expose is wrong. I’m going to be the best neighbor he’s ever had.
I only wish Leo would look happier to see me. He studies me as if I’m a dangerous animal at the zoo, and he’s glad to be on the other side of the cage. He’s such an enigma and too young to be a curmudgeon. Too cute. Too clever.
Also, he volunteers at the library. How many people my age do that? He’s practically ready for sainthood.
My mouth twitches at the corner as I walk the rest of the way up. Not only am I going to retrieve my postcard from his stash, I’m going to get to know him—the guy who volunteers his time. Maybe he’s so crabby because he needs a friend.
The door pops open and Leo nods at me. “Harper.” He says my name with a clipped tone.
“Leo.” I only say his name and forego conversation, since he didn’t like the small talk earlier. I smile at him with only a partial parting of the lips. No need to scare him. At his startled look, I attempt a more genuine smile in case I look like a fox eyeing the lone chicken.
“Don’t pick anything else up,” he says, echoing his sister’s words from earlier. “I’ll be back.” His thoughtful words are the complete opposite of his gruff tone. He lifts the heavy box.
“He’ll be back,” Josie says in a Terminator voice and opens the stairwell door for Leo to go through. She holds it for me, so I follow Leo. He’s not a tall guy. But he’s not short either. He’s average height with a lean frame, but his biceps bulge from the effort of holding my heavy box.
Josie catches up to walk beside me in the hallway. “I peeked in your apartment. Where’s the rest of your stuff? Your furniture?” she asks. She runs ahead so she can open my apartment door.
I shake my head. “I don’t have any. I lived in a furnished apartment before. I’ll have to get some.”
“Oh. That’s too bad. It’ll be expensive to get all new stuff,” she says. Josie steps aside to allow Leo and the big box through first. I follow and try to stop staring at his toned arms and tantalizing biceps. My, what nice arms you have. I smack the wolfish voice down inside my head.
Ogling the unfriendly neighbor is wrong.
“Where do you want this?” Leo raises one eyebrow.
Did he see me looking at him? At his arms? And now I’m staring at his face. A really nice face. And he’s waiting for me to snap out of it and answer him.
“Anywhere,” I say, my voice a little squeaky.
“Harper? You get too hot out there?” Josie presses fingertips lightly to my shoulder and my mind leaps to the present.
“Oh yeah. I’m fine. Just resting for a second.”
Josie looks at me with concern. She glances around the sparse room and then at Leo. “You look like you could pass out. Let’s go over to Leo’s. You can sit at his place for a bit, since you don’t have furniture.”
“I think she just needs a minute.” Leo gives her a hard stare.
“Leo,” she says, her mouth dropping open a bit at the end of his name.
He’s silent, and looking at her like they have some sort of telepathy. “Look. She said she’s fine.”
Josie smacks her brother’s arm. “What is wrong with you?” She pivots to me. “Come on. Leo will fix us both a cold drink.”
“Um…I’m good, Thanks.” My embarrassed laugh draws Leo’s gaze to mine.
He shakes his head slightly. “Ladies.” He waves a hand forward, sweeping in the general direction of his apartment. The hard line of his mouth says he’d rather be flogged than serve me a cola.
“I really don’t want to.” I especially don’t want to give Leo the impression that I’m going to be an unwanted guest hanging out at his apartment all the time. “I have stuff I stuck in the refrigerator here. Want something?”
My place is identical to Leo’s in layout. There’s an open living area and kitchen with high ceilings and exposed black ductwork. The kitchen boasts the usual furnishings—refrigerator and stove. At least I have those things.
I make my way across the room before Josie can protest further and open the stainless steel door. “I have bottled water, sodas, and I can make tea if you want. I have a teapot and kitchen things in the heavy box Leo brought in.”
“Well, if you don’t have anything else heavy…” Leo trails off, waiting for my response. His statement doesn’t surprise me. It’s like he can’t wait to get out of the room.
Josie doesn’t respond, but glares at Leo. I grab a bottled water for me and one to offer her. “I’ve got it from here. Thanks.”
I barely have the last word out when he turns on his heel and exits. He closes the door behind him. My throat tightens at the outright hostility.
“What the frick?” Josie’s eyes are wide and confused. “I am so sorry. He’s not usually so anti-social. I have no idea what his problem is today.” She takes the water from my outstretched hand.
I lift my shoulders in a careless shrug. “Men. Who knows what they think.”
Turning my back on her is the best way to hide the hurt I feel at his hostility. I make my way over to a spot near the window and sit on the floor.
“I know him better than anyone. We’re twins,” she states, like I’ll get the extent of their relationship.
My only child status leaves me lacking any knowledge of sibling relationships. “So you’re close.”
“Very. We are uncomfortably aware of how the other thinks. Something is going on with him, but I guess I’ll find out the details later,” she says and sits near me with her back against the wall. She glances back at the closed door, as if she can see through it to read his thoughts across the hall. “He’s had some drama this year that put him in a funk. That’s all. His attitude doesn’t have a thing to do with you.”
Now she’s got me curious about Leo. He can’t have problems. He lives in a beautiful apartment, he’s gorgeous, and he seems to have lots of friends. In fact, I’m slightly peeved that Mr. Expose thinks he’s got anything to be unhappy about.
We need a new topic that doesn’t involve her rude brother. “Where can I get some furniture? Inexpensive. Maybe just a sofa or a bed for starters.”
I take a swig from my water bottle and let my head fall back on the wall.
Josie tilts her head while she thinks. After a moment of comfortable silence, she nods to herself. “IKEA or something like that, maybe. I saw you have a truck. Want me to help? I’m free today. And my brother’s attitude stinks at the moment, so I think I’ll wait a while to visit.”
“Oh. Well, I can’t imagine you’d want to spend your Saturday doing this.” I wave a hand at my bare room.
“No problem. It’ll give us a chance to visit. I need to get to know the girl Leo will have the hots for soon.”
I laugh, a little too high-pitched and short. She’s trying to make up for the horrible way he treated me. “I doubt that will happen.”
“Why not? Listen, don’t judge him on today. He’s a sweetheart. Quiet sometimes. A little on the suffering-writer, broody side, but always sweet to women. Gets him in trouble, actually.”
“I’m not looking to date anyone.”
Josie glances down at my left hand. “Oh, gosh. That was totally insensitive of me. I’m so sorry.”
My ring
finger is empty. Empty like my life. Last night, I took out the wedding set from where I keep it as a reminder of my mistakes. I don’t even have to wear the rings to feel the weight of their impact on everything I am now. The invisible circles might as well be tattooed on my finger. An unpleasant heaviness has settled deep in my chest, an anchor from four years based on lies.
I smile at her. “Nothing to be sorry about. I think I will take you up on your offer. But only if you’ll let me buy you lunch. Deal?”
“Works for me. Cool.” She stands and screws the lid on her water bottle.
I get to my feet and grab her empty bottle so I can put them both in the trash. My back is to her when she clears her throat.
“Do you mind if I ask what happened? Your husband, I mean? You’re really young, so I’m guessing it was something bad.”
“Wesley—that’s my husband. Was my husband. He was killed in a car accident.”
“Oh God. That’s horrible.”
I almost wish I could cry at this moment. I feel the numbness settling in more and more lately when anyone asks about Wesley.
My past is all a lie that doesn’t make sense.
But I don’t deserve to be detached from all that’s happened. I need to remember how easily a person can be fooled. My life before Wesley was all sunshine and rainbows and unicorns. A true fantasy where my parents sheltered me and friends were who they appeared on the surface.
Now I understand that a person’s character can run as deep as an ocean.
“Yeah. Well, death is not an un-horrible thing.” I pause and inhale deeply.
Josie waits for me to say more. When I don’t, she glances at her phone. “It’s getting late and it’s going to be really hot by lunchtime. Let’s get this shopping trip started. I get to pick where we eat afterward, right? I know just the spot. They serve carnitas to die for and huge margaritas the size of melons.”
“Sounds like the perfect lunch.” I grab my purse and throw the strap over my shoulder. As I walk to the door, I rub my itchy ring finger.
* * *
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Dear Isabella,
I’m settled into my new place. It’s nice. I’ll have the postcard in my possession soon. You don’t have to worry. Charley will never know her father is anyone different from the man she loved.
Take care,
Harper
5
Another Think Coming
Leo
Josie storms into my apartment without knocking. Her eyes flash with something beyond irritation. She’s ready to rumble. “You were a jerk. You know that, right?” She tosses her bright orange purse onto the sofa and then joins it. Next, she grabs a pillow and tosses it at me in case I’m not paying enough attention to her rant.
“No, I was not. I helped carry the heavy box inside.” Guilt tickles my conscience. I scratch it by remembering how her appearance in the apartment next door can’t be coincidence.
“You know what I mean.”
“What do you know about this girl? You just met her.”
My sister’s eyes narrow. “I know enough to wonder what’s making you act like a total douchebag. And for your information, I met her the other day and know a lot about her already.”
“Really.” I draw out the word and sit in the chair near her. Ah, Josie. She has a heart for strays. She’s like the proverbial cat lady, but with people. You have issues? Josie takes you under her protective wing. She and my ex were friends at one time.
I don’t blame Josie for what happened, but we were both taken in.
“She’s been stalking you, too?”
My question has the desired effect. Josie’s eyebrows lower in a confused dip. “Are you kidding me?”
“Not a bit. Stalking, chasing. Whatever. I mean, come on. Girls like her are exactly like Tori. They go after what they want with a vengeance.”
Her expression changes from confused back to confrontational, her mouth kicking up at the corner. “And just how has she been stalking you? I have to hear this.”
“She eats lunch at Dastardly Bastards when we do.”
“So?” She’s actually grinning now. “How else?”
“She’s has a post office box where I do.”
“Uh huh. It’s probably the closest mailing center.”
My argument feels lame all of a sudden, but I’m not crazy. Dane knows. “Come on. Then she moves in here.”
“Because I told her about the empty apartment when she was in the bookstore.”
“And how did she happen to go to the store my sister owns? See, stalking.”
A delighted bubble of laughter is all I get from Josie. “Gosh. You are an idiot. How does your ego even fit in this room?”
I tamp down the urge to get mad at her amusement. It’ll only feed her delight, as she knows how to push all my buttons. “I’m serious. That woman has been watching me.”
“Has it occurred to you that she might think you’re attractive?”
“Again, stalkers probably think that about the person they stalk.”
“Oh, brother.” Josie rises and strolls over to my kitchen cabinets to begin her usual pilfering for a snack. “She mentioned seeing us together at Dane’s place for lunch one day. She thought you were a famous singer or something like that.”
“That’s a good reason for following me? Because she thinks I’m a singer?”
“Thinking you are a star is a good excuse for looking at you. I can assure you. She’s not a stalker.” Josie pulls a box of crackers from my cupboard. “I think she’s sweet. You should get to know her. We went shopping and to lunch today.”
“Perfect. My sister is now friends with Harper the Stalker.”
“Don’t call her that. I think she’s lonely.”
“Common characteristic of a stalker.”
“There’d be a lot of stalkers in the world if that’s what makes you one. Besides she needed some help.” She pauses and pops a cracker into her mouth.
“She has a husband to help her move in. You have to quit getting into people’s business.”
Josie shakes her head. “Not married.”
“She is. I saw her mail at Letters Express the other day.” I do know something about Harper. Josie’s been blinded by some sort of superficial charm. “She’s is a married woman who’s been following me and—
“Wrong.” Her mouth pinches ruefully at the corners. “She’s a widow.”
“Widow?”
“Yes. Her husband was killed in some accident.”
“Oh.” I stare out the window to avoid looking at Josie. Harper shouldn’t be trying to carry all that stuff by herself. I’d assumed she had manipulated the situation to get Josie’s help. But there is no husband, no parents, friends, or anyone to help her.
She’s all alone.
“Yeah. It’s sad, huh? Remember how we felt after Mom and Dad died?”
There’s a tiny residual clench of my heart, the one that will never go away at the mention of my parents.
“Um hm. What else do you know about her?” My voice is softer now. I picture her pretty features, those eyes that hypnotize me. Her small, high breasts and tight ass. She’s so feminine and frail.
I think about her all alone in this city, prey to guys who don’t know she’s lost a husband, and my feelings shift from suspicion to sympathy.
Josie takes her former position on the sofa and curls her legs underneath her bottom. “She moved here from Tacoma, Washington, but doesn’t know anyone. She used to live in Texas.”
“So, why Nashville?”
“I guess she just likes it here. She’s funny. Leo, I think you’ll get along with her. And she needs friends. Do me a favor and be nice to her. She’s not stalking you.”
I nod at Josie. I’ll make it up to Harper. “OK. You win. Seeing her in so many places was kind of freaky, that’s all.”
“Say I was right.”
“You were more informed.”
I shoot her a warning look. “Josie.”
“It’s about time you stopped moping around and move on. Bad breakups happen. It’s life.”
I gather up my ammunition and shoot with an unfair advantage. I know how to make her back off. “Let’s talk about you and Dane. I think—”
“Shut. Up.” She scolds me with comedic flair and a grin, but she’s conflicted. It’s in the way she’s overly dramatic with her response.
We both lock in a stare—a sign of a truce for as long as I can remember.
Then, she nods at me. “I can’t stick around, but be nice to Harper. Offer a sort of olive branch, because she thinks you don’t like her.”
I roll my eyes to the ceiling and lean my head against the back of my chair. “What do you want me to do? I can’t just go over there. And if I tell her I thought she was watching me…well, I don’t see that as a good start for her as my neighbor.”
“No. Definitely don’t do that. Just go over and take her something. Like food.”
“Like a bag of chips and a six-pack?” I raise my eyebrows.
“Oh, you’re a riot. She’d move out if you did that. Go to Fresh Market and grab some cheeses and a put them in a basket with some crackers. Add a bottle of wine to it.”
“For Pete’s sake, don’t you think that sounds a little…” I wave a hand around, searching for the right word. “A little like a romantic gesture? Cheese and wine? I’m not asking her out. I only want to make her think she’s OK as my neighbor.”
“She might be fooled into thinking you’re cultured. I’d love my neighbor if he brought me that.”
“Don’t need her to love me. Tolerate me? Yes. You’ve got to do better than the cultured argument. What about chips and dip?”
She huffs at me. Literally huffs. “Why do I even try? Fine. Take her some Fritos and bean dip.”
“Sounds great. They sell those at the local gas station.”