33. Daphne

33

DAPHNE

My eyes were barely open, and my sight was bleary as I stepped out onto the porch. Even with my cloudy vision, I could make out half a dozen vehicles parked in front of Harlan's barn. The moon was still visible. Getting up before the sun was not what I was made for. I stepped onto the grass, dampened by morning dew, and began the quarter-mile trudge to his place. Halfway there, my phone buzzed.

Nadia: I got up at the Butt crack of dawn. If you're still in bed, I will be coming over and dragging your butt out of it.

I quickly messaged back.

Me: I'm up.

It had been two weeks since our chili dinner, when I'd pitched him my thoughts on Farm Strong. He'd taken my advice, and after meeting with three potential managers, Harlan had signed with Bethany Morris, who worked with a mix of A-list actors, influencers, fitness stars, athletes, and musicians. He'd also hired someone to run his social media and manage his online presence.

This morning was Harlan's first sponsored class. It was being filmed for content, and Zoe, Nadia, Ashley, and I all decided to come to support him. I'd agreed that it was a great idea last night at Southern Comfort after my third lemon drop. This morning, I was regretting that decision.

My tennis shoes sank into the field as I trod on the damp blades of grass. Summer was turning to fall, and the mornings were downright chilly. Last night, after I came home from the bar, I'd chosen and laid out a very cute Alo Yoga set. The deep green sports bra served as a push-up bra, and the crisscross back was sexy yet supportive. The leggings matched and worked as much magic on my backside as the sports bra worked on my lovely lady lumps.

Unfortunately, I'd been too tired and perhaps a little too hungover to shimmy my way into the form-fitting garments. Instead, I was still wearing the black sweats I'd slept in, had thrown on my wireless bralette, a cutoff Garfield T-shirt I'd had since I was in middle school, and for good measure, I'd thrown on a dark gray oversized hoodie. It was a layered look.

As I approached the group gathered in front of Harlan's barn, I immediately wished I had chosen style over comfort. There were a dozen women in barely there tops and yoga pants that were molded to their curves.

"You look cute!" Nadia enthused as I joined her, Ashley, and Zoe.

"Thanks," I appreciated her trying to make me feel better for looking like I'd just rolled out of bed, which, in all fairness, I had.

"I love your hair." Ashley smiled widely.

"Thanks!" I lifted my hand and patted the double French braids I'd done before I passed out last night. I was glad I'd had the forethought to do them. Otherwise, my hair would be in a messy bun that would look like a rat's nest by the time the class was over.

"Do I need to check in?" I glanced around, looking for a line or something.

"No. I already took care of that," Zoe assured me.

Out of the group, Zoe took on the maternal role. I wasn't sure if it was because she was the only one who actually was a mom or if that was just her nurturing nature. She was a nurse, after all.

"How's your aunt?" Ashley blew hot air into the palm of her hands and rubbed them together.

"She's ready to come home. Or should I say, she thinks she's ready to come home."

"We practically have to strap her down," Zoe teased. "But that's good. She's got a fighting spirit."

"Yeah, she does. And every day, she does look a little better. She looks stronger. She's had a few setbacks since her surgery. A blood clot and some nerve damage. But she's been working on that with her PT, and she is improving," I explained.

"Good, that's good." Ashley smiled.

"I can't believe AJ got up this early to come." Nadia shook her head as she motioned toward the barn.

I looked and saw AJ standing beside Harlan, deep in discussion about something. Harlan was clearly giving him advice about something. One day, Harlan would make an amazing dad. My ovaries ached at the sight.

"Aww, that's so sweet." I sighed.

"AJ's so supportive,'" Ashley added.

"It's not support. It's Kendall," Zoe whisper-mouthed to the group.

"Who's Kendall?" Nadia questioned.

"Don't all look at once," Zoe instructed as she casually tilted her head to the left in a stretching motion. "Blonde with her mom, Ariana Culpepper."

"I'm first," Nadia called dibs as she turned her head. "Oh, cute."

As if we'd choreographed it, when Nadia looked back at the group, Ash took her turn. Her response was a grin as she hummed, "Mmmm."

I was last to check her out, and when I glanced in her direction, I recognized both the blonde and her mom. I'd seen the blonde on the pier the night I had the date with Mark. A shiver raced through me at the thought of what I'd done after that date below the pier. But I digress; Kendall's mom was the woman who bid five thousand dollars for a date with Harlan.

Another feeling rushed through me, and this time, it was not so pleasurable. I didn't like the fact that she'd gone on a date with him and was now taking his class. Even though Harlan said it was more of a business dinner because she'd offered to buy the farm, I still didn't like that she was here.

Which was ridiculous. Especially considering after our chili dinner, I'd told Harlan I thought it would be best if we were just friends for the rest of the time I was in town. After the way I'd felt when he hugged me by the door and then finding out that he'd stayed the entire day at the hospital with me even though he thought I'd lied about having a secret boyfriend, I knew I couldn't risk falling even further for him.

But now, I was stuck in this town, living next door to a man I had a major crush on, or worse, who I'd friend-zoned out of pure self-protection. And the truth was, I would rather have my impacted wisdom teeth pulled without any anesthesia and then recover without any pain medication because my dad stole them again than have a front-row seat to Harlan's dating life.

"Do you know if Harlan ever took her out on a second date?" Nadia turned and asked me.

"No. What? I mean, I don't know. How would I know?" I shot back, hearing defensiveness in my tone, and immediately regretted not taking a breath before answering.

From the expressions on the faces of the three women staring at me, I knew that I'd fucked up.

"I just thought you two were friends." Nadia lifted her hand and started counting on her fingers. "You live next door to each other. You danced at the ball, and?—"

"He took you to the hospital and stayed with you all day," Zoe cut her off.

"You're helping him with his business," Ashley pointed out.

"Right, yeah." I tried to cover up my overreaction. "I don't know. I don't really, you know, ask him about, you know, that stuff."

All three of the women shared a ‘knowing' look. I'd been in town for a month and a half and had been able to hide the fact that I'd hooked up with Harlan Mitchell, but thanks to an early morning with no caffeine and an overdose of jealousy and whether or not I'd admitted anything, I knew the gossip train had definitely left the station. I might as well have just said ‘no comment.'