Chapter 12

Twelve

Everly

O n Saturday morning, we cooked a large breakfast, watched cartoons, and lounged around until Harrison declared it was time to go ice-skating.

I loved hanging around the house almost as much as Harrison’s spontaneity. He’d always been full of life, but it was magnified living with him. If I thought he wasn’t like that behind closed doors, I was wrong. Harrison was fun, engaging, and determined to show me a good time. Who was I to say no?

I didn’t have skates, but Wren and Harrison did. It was something they did together often on his weekends with her. Harrison ordered tickets to the outdoor rink while we got ready. I’d pulled out everyone’s warmest hats and gloves because it was unseasonably cold for November.

“It’s opening day for the rink,” Harrison said casually when we were on the road.

“Will it be busy?” I asked.

“I suspect most people aren’t even thinking about ice-skating yet. It’s early in the season, despite the weather.” He waved a hand at the gray clouds.

“I can’t believe Thanksgiving is in two weeks.” The wedding season slowed for a few weeks and would pick up again around Christmas and New Year’s, then again around Valentine’s Day.

“I love Thanksgiving,” Wren said from the backseat.

“Me too.” Harrison smiled.

I bet his family made it a big production. I usually spent it with my mother because I felt guilty if I didn’t. But she was morose during the holidays since Dad left before Christmas. I couldn’t remember the exact day, just that Christmas had sucked, and it was his fault.

When we arrived, the rink was just opening for the day. Only a few people waited at the shack to rent skates. Harrison asked my size and offered to get them while I helped Wren lace hers.

Returning with skates in his hands, he asked, “Have you skated before?”

“No. Never.” It was something Harrison usually did with Wren alone, and it was a date activity otherwise.

“You’re in for a treat,” Harrison said with a smile.

“I hope so.” Was this part of his fairy-tale plan, showing me how to have fun? I wasn’t against letting go and having fun. Was I? I racked my brain for the last time I did anything out of the norm, and I couldn’t remember anything. I was boring. I’d gotten used to the safety and security of my job and my apartment. I had a few friends, dated occasionally, and dutifully checked on my mom, even though every phone call or visit left me feeling let down.

Wren stood, made her way to the break in the fence, stepped onto the ice, and was off.

I toed off my boots, pulling on the skates. Harrison crouched down in front of me, his cheeks red from the cold. “Let me help you with those.”

“I can do it myself.”

Harrison’s lips twitched as he looked from my laces to my face. “You could. But why should you?”

I shrugged, content to let him help me. “You got me there.”

He laced my shoes, checking to make sure they were snug on my feet.

“I feel a bit like Cinderella,” I said, remembering the scene when the prince fitted the glass slipper to her foot.

Harrison winked as he stood, offering his hand. “That’s the idea.”

I laughed despite my reservations about the whole thing. It was sweet, and Wren was really into it. Who was I to deny them a little fun? It had the added effect of making me forget that this was all pretend and that we needed to meet his family for dinner tonight.

Harrison talked to his parents about me, but I hadn’t seen them since the big announcement. They’d apparently insisted we come over for dinner now that I was settled.

“I don’t want to fall,” I said when we reached the ice. Kids were flying around the rink, and toddlers pushed a penguin device that helped them keep their balance.

“I’ve got you. Don’t worry.”

Harrison was the one person who’d say something like that, and I believed him. That was probably because no one else ever said that to me. I took care of myself.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped onto the ice next to him.

“It’s not hard. Just push off with your blade.”

I mimicked his movements.

“And again, with your other foot. Remember to bend your knees.”

I concentrated on my feet, shuffling along.

“You’re doing it,” Wren cried as she flew past us.

“She had lessons last year,” said Harrison by way of explanation.

“That explains it.”

Eventually, my shoulders relaxed, and my legs loosened. I improved with each lap until I didn’t need to hold on to Harrison’s hands. Wren gradually slowed and kept pace with us, reaching for Harrison’s hand. It was sweet watching them together.

Not everyone was my dad or reacted like my mother. There were people who stuck around. I saw it with my friends and Harrison’s family. And I was fine on my own. If my father taught me anything, it was how to be independent.

I didn’t need anyone, and I shouldn’t be craving Harrison’s touch and his daughter’s laugh. They weren’t mine, and it would be reckless to forget that.

Still, I pushed those thoughts out of my mind so we could enjoy the day. After our time was up, we put on our boots and got hot chocolate from a nearby stand. Then Wren and I ducked into a few stores. The older she got, the more she liked shopping. It was something we enjoyed together.

When we were done, we found Harrison sitting on a bench outside, his hands wrapped around a steaming cup.

“More hot chocolate?” Wren asked.

Standing, he said, “I switched to coffee. You want to grab lunch?”

Wren eagerly agreed, and we went to a local grill where they served burgers and crab cakes. It was all too easy to fall into this role of girlfriend.

At home, we played card games and then watched a movie before it was time to head to Harrison’s parents’ house. I’d been dreading it all week. I wasn’t sure we’d be able to fool them. Wren and his grandmother wanted it to be true so badly they’d believed it easily. But his parents would be harder.

What if they wanted something different for him? Someone with a different background or a better job?

When we were dressed and ready to go, Harrison pulled me aside while we waited for Wren to grab something. “You’re not nervous, are you?”

I licked my lips. “We have to convince them we’re together.”

His arms hung loosely around me. “We’ve been doing that for weeks.”

His body heat warmed me all over. “Will they believe that you moved me in without telling them about us?”

Humoring me, he said, “It would be easier if we had an excuse like your lease was up.”

I frowned. “We both know it’s not.”

“We’ll just say we’ve been friends for years, and we just realized we were more. Why wait? They already know you. We knew it wouldn’t be an issue.”

I drew in a breath. “That could work.”

He smirked. “What did I tell you? I’ve got this.”

Harrison was more charming than I was. If he was confident he could win over his parents, I’d let him take the lead.

After Wren grabbed the essay she wanted to show her grandparents, we drove to their house. They’d moved outside of town to a newer development after Harrison went to college. Their new house was bigger than the old one. Which didn’t make a lot of sense because the kids were gone, but his mother liked to say it was more space for the grandkids. She only had Wren so far.

Here, the houses were on sprawling three-acre lots with mature trees. It was beautiful. The kind of house I dreamed of when I was a kid. Mom couldn’t afford a house after Dad left.

Wren got out of the truck and ran toward the porch, leaving her door open.

I moved to get out, and Harrison squeezed my hand, stopping me. “It’ll be okay.”

I let out a breath. “I’m glad you’re so confident.”

“I think it helps that I love you. This isn’t coming out of left field.”

“Definitely not.” Wait, he loved me? Surely, he meant as a friend. My heart thumped hard in my chest at his declaration.

He waved a hand at the porch where his mother was hugging Wren. “We’ve got this. Besides, my mom is usually wrapped up in Wren the whole time.”

“If you say so.” I drew in a deep breath.

He winked at me. “Come on.”

Harrison was happy to spend the evening with his family, and I wouldn’t let my nerves get in the way of that.

We met at the hood of his truck to hold hands.

His mom, Mabel, raised a brow. “You said it, but I wasn’t sure I believed it.”

My stomach dipped as I looked at Harrison to catch his expression. “What’s not to believe? We’ve been friends forever, and we finally gave in to the attraction.”

“We were worried we’d ruin our friendship.” My statement was the truth. Was his? Was he giving in to an attraction, or was he a great actor?

Harrison winked.

I couldn’t help but soften under his gaze.

“Let’s go inside, then. I want to hear everything,” his mom said, going inside and leaving us alone on the porch.

He kissed me softly, surprising me. He pulled back slightly and said, “Told you.”

I shook my head. “Your mother said you could convince anyone of anything.”

“The trick is to add a bit of truth.” Then he was tugging me inside, not giving me a second to ask a follow-up question when I had several. Which part was the truth? Some of it? All of it?

I was losing my mind. I tried to unscramble my brain as we walked toward the noise in the kitchen.

Harrison’s sister, Sage, was talking animatedly with Wren about something that happened at school.

“You two finally figured things out, huh?” his dad, Barrett, said.

I hugged him like I always did. “Something like that.”

“I’m glad.” Then to Harrison, he said, “You made your mother happy. She’s been hoping for this for a long time.”

His mother, Mabel, waved a hand at Barrett. “Enough of that. Stop telling everyone my secrets.”

That surprised me. She’d never said anything, not like Wren and Gran had. It added to the list of people who’d be disappointed when this was over. I couldn’t meet Harrison’s gaze. Instead, I asked, “Can I help you with anything?”

“You can help Wren set the table.”

“Absolutely. Come on,” I said to Wren. “You get the silverware and napkins. I’ll get the plates.”

Harrison and Barrett took turns carrying in the platters and bowls of food. With all of us, we had the table set in no time. His mom filled the glasses with water while we sat. I sat next to Harrison and across from Wren and Sage. His parents always sat at the ends of the table.

I’d eaten here many times before but not with this level of expectation. His parents knew us the best. Were they looking for something? Watching us to make sure it was real?

Under the table, Harrison interlaced his fingers with mine. His touch settled me in a way that nothing else did. I smiled at him before turning my attention to the rest of the table.

His parents were watching us with interest. Either Harrison was trying to comfort me, or it was a deliberate ploy to convince his parents we were together. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.

He only relinquished my hand when the food was passed around. Talk revolved around Wren, what she was learning at school, and her excitement about playing basketball.

“Have you talked to Lola about it?” Mabel asked.

Harrison had finally talked to her this past Wednesday when he’d dropped off Wren.

“She said it was fine as long as I picked her up and dropped her off.”

“I bet she’s tired, being so far along in her pregnancy. Isn’t she due in a couple of weeks?” his mom asked.

“Right after Thanksgiving.”

“I’m so excited that Daddy’s going to coach the team,” Wren said.

“Yeah?” his dad asked with interest. “Need any help?”

“I won’t turn it down.”

“I wonder how many of the kids will have played before?” Sage said.

“They can start in kindergarten, but Wren hasn’t played yet.”

“I’m sure there will be a mix. I’m glad Lola was open to it. I’m sure it’s hard adding another activity with a baby on the way.”

I agreed with that, but Wren deserved to have things in her life, too. Just because the baby was coming didn’t mean Wren’s life should be placed on hold.

We finished eating and cleaned up. Barrett, Harrison, Sage, and Wren went outside to play basketball. I found myself alone with Mabel. She brewed some water for tea while I leaned against the counter.

She pulled two cups down from the cupboard and set out the box of teas Harrison bought her every year for Christmas. “You seem happy.”

“I am,” I said, sifting through the various teas. Those words came easily because it was the truth. I couldn’t imagine moving back to my apartment and spending the weekends alone.

“Good. I’m glad. I’ve wondered about you two. Whether there was anything there.”

Pulling out an Earl Grey, I said, “I think we were in denial. Neither one of us wanted to make a move and ruin our friendship.”

“That makes sense, but then what changed?”

“Harrison convinced me it was a risk worth taking.”

Mabel smiled. “That sounds like my Harrison.”

“He can be very convincing,” I said, thinking of his plan to show me that fairy tales existed. “He and Wren have this crazy plan. He wants to convince me that fairy tales are real. That not all guys—” I broke off, not able to finish the sentence, even though I was close to Mabel, and we’d spoken of my dad on occasion. She listened to me in a way my mother hadn’t.

Mabel’s face softened. “Oh, that’s sweet.”

“Yeah, they queued up all these fairy-tale movies for me to watch. I guess he wants me to feel like a princess.”

If it were possible, Mabel smiled even wider. “There’s nothing wrong with that. Just make sure you’re open to listening to what they’re saying.”

“I’ll do my best.” After my admission, Mabel seemed happier, lighter. I think I’d convinced her, and all I’d really done was tell her the truth.

Later, when our tea was ready, Harrison asked, “Did you talk to my mom? She seems happy.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “Between the hand-holding at dinner and our conversation, I think she believes it.”

“And why wouldn’t she?” he asked, raising my hand to his mouth and kissing it.

Despite my insides quivering at the gesture, I managed to say in a normal tone of voice, “You’re so charming when you want to be.”

He brought our linked hands to his heart. “And here I thought I was charming all the time.”

“I think you’re charming, Daddy,” Wren said as she flung herself into his chest. He grunted at the impact, dropping my hand to tickle her.

Giggles filled the air for the next few seconds while I watched the two of them. I was falling for them. Even without their crazy plan, I never stood a chance. They were irresistible.

Nothing was mentioned about us getting engaged. Harrison hadn’t brought it up since that night at Gran’s. Was he having second thoughts? If so, I didn’t blame him. But on some level, it kept me from falling any deeper.

Sage had been giving us looks all night. I wasn’t sure if she believed us, but she’d always been more skeptical than the others.

On the way home, Harrison said, with his hand on the top of the wheel, “I thought that went well.”

“Me too.” We couldn’t discuss more because Wren was in the car. At home, we worked as a team to herd Wren into the house, reminding her it was past her bedtime. She protested, wanting to stay up and watch TV. It took both of us being firm to get her to change and brush her teeth while she pouted.

When she was finally tucked in, and we’d tiptoed out of the room, Harrison said, “Thank you. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“I think you would have managed.”

“Still, it’s easier with you here. It’s like having a partner, and I’ve never had that.”

That part was true. Even if his parents or I helped in the past, we weren’t here twenty-four seven. The reality was that he did most of the heavy lifting on his own. It felt good to be here for him like this, but at the same time, it didn’t feel like work. It was the most natural thing I’d ever done.