Pretend You're Mine(36)
“So what are you going to do now?”
“I’m going to get a job, find a place to live, and be worth it.”
“Sounds like a good plan to me. Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Wanna be friends? I’ll understand if your answer’s no, considering I got you punched in the face.”
“I got myself punched in the face, and it got me waking up staring into the beautiful eyes of Luke Garrison. I think I owe you a lifetime of friendship.”
Gloria laughed. “I went to school with Sophie and Luke. He’s a good man.”
“Yes he is,” Harper nodded.
After lunch, she walked Gloria to the door.
“It was really nice officially meeting you,” Gloria said. “And one more time for the record, thank you and I’m sorry.”
“And again, no thanks or apologies necessary. I fully plan to be BFFs with you and we should have dinner sometime soon,” she said, opening the front door.
“Did someone say dinner?” a male voice asked from the porch. A barrel-chested man in shorts and running shoes took the front steps in a single bound. His thick dark hair curled at the ends and a white-toothed grin split his face.
Harper noticed a pink tinge warm Gloria’s cheeks. “Hi, Aldo,” she said shyly.
He took off his sunglasses. “Hi, Gloria. How’s it going?”
She blushed deeper.
“You must be Aldo because Gloria called you that,” Harper said, extending her hand.
“And you must be the famous Harper.” He had a strong, warm grip. “I thought I’d stop by while my best friend is out of town to see why he forgot to mention that he has a live-in girlfriend.”
“And make sure I’m not some kind of psychopath?”
“You know the saying. Bros don’t let other bros date psychos.”
“I’m actually not familiar with that one. Is there some kind of test I have to take?”
“Why don’t I give you the test at dinner? Monday. Here. I’ll grill burgers and dogs.”
“Gloria, I feel like I should confirm that this gentleman actually is a friend of Luke’s before I agree to let him cook dinner in Luke’s house.”
Gloria nodded. “He is.”
“Since elementary school,” Aldo supplied.
“Good enough for me. 7 o’clock here okay for you, Gloria?”
She saw the hesitation on Gloria’s face.
“Please tell me you’ll bring your apple pie. I’ll be your slave for life,” Aldo pleaded, taking her slim hand in his.
Gloria bit her lip. “I’ll bring apple pie.” She turned back to Harper. “I’ll see you Monday, Harper.”
“See you, Gloria,” Aldo said, leaning against the doorframe.
She hurried past him, down the walk, but smiled the whole way.
“It’s nice to see her smile,” he said. “So, Harper, if that is your real name, tell me about yourself.”
“Want to come in?”
“Normally, not until I know whether you can be trusted. But I’m four miles into my eight and I could use some water.”
Aldo was indeed Luke’s best friend from elementary school, Harper learned. The two ran wild in the summers together, played football together, and in their senior year of high school, they signed up for the Guard together.
“So, do you know Gloria?”
“I actually just met her officially when she stopped by.”
“Rumor has it she moved out and is pressing charges.” He toyed with the water bottle Harper gave him.
“Rumor has it,” Harper agreed, smiling innocently. “How long have you known Gloria?”
“Since forever. She was a sophomore when we were seniors. Glenn was bad news back then, too.”
“Yeah, the years don’t seem to have mellowed him.”
“Heard you had quite the shiner.”
“Please. You should have seen the other guy,” she snorted.
“Wish I would have been there.”
Harper stayed silent and let him sulk.
“So how long have you been into Gloria?”
“Since I heard her sing in the school musical.”
Harper grinned as he stared at his water.
“How did handsome football star Aldo not win the girl?”
He shook his head. “I never took the shot.”
“Maybe now you can pull the trigger.”
Aldo leveled his gaze at her. “I like the way you think, Harper.”
“Bring your A game to dinner Monday, sport.”
“‘Sport’? Are you serious?”
“Let the lousy nickname contest begin.”
***
That night, after a dinner for one of canned soup and a BLT, followed by pretending to watch TV, Harper curled around Luke’s pillow in bed. She picked a shirt Luke had worn, which she purposely didn’t wash with the rest of the laundry, so she could still catch his scent. She had gone to bed an hour ago and was still staring at the ceiling.