Take me Somewhere

Chapter 3

“Meet me for lunch today?”

Harper went to say sure but stopped short as the door closed, cutting her off. Daren always wanted to meet her for lunch on work days and it was always the same time and place. She didn’t know why he even bothered asking or why she thought he wanted a reply.

She sighed and looked around the living room. She always had a half hour to kill before she had to leave once she saw Daren off. She either filled it with reading or cleaning and her newly finished novel was already on the shelf and everything was spick and span.

Just before she turned and made her way to the bedroom to see if anything needed cleaning in there her phone started ringing. She quickly dug it out of her purse, thinking Daren had forgotten something, but paused at the unknown number.

“Who is this?” Her finger hovered over the decline button but quickly tapped answer. The area code was the same as hers so she might as well answer it.

“Hello?”

“Good morning Harper. This is Liam; from last night. I hope I’m not interrupting your morning.”

His voice was warm and welcome over the phone and Harper pulled it away from her ear staring at the timer ticking away on her screen. How in the world had he gotten her number and why was he calling her?

“Harper?” She heard his far away voice and quickly put the phone back to her ear and yanked the chair out from the dining table next to the entrance and sat down with a hard plop.

“Hi Liam.” She managed to squeak out.

“So you do remember me.” She could hear the grin in his voice all the way from wherever he was.

“Uhm…of course I do…were you looking for Sarah?” She slammed her palm against her head at her idiotic question. Of course he wasn’t looking for Sarah. He must have already spoken with Sarah and gotten her number from there.

She heard his chuckle, “Actually no. I’m talking to the exact person I was looking for at the moment.”

She stood up and pulled out the bar stool at the counter. It felt like her skin was on fire and she couldn’t sit still, “Can I help you with something?” Real smooth Harper she thought as she found a napkin to start tearing apart to keep her other hand busy.

Liam ignored her awkwardness and easily jumped onto her question, “Actually you can. Would you like to meet me for lunch today?” Her mouth dropped open at his direct question, “That is if you are available and would like to…”

“Oh…uhm…I actually have lunch plans today.” Before she could continue he cut her off.

“What about coffee this morning? When do you go into work?” She could hear the eagerness in his voice but with it was a calm confidence that she desperately wish she had.

“I don’t think…It’s just that it’s probably not a good…9 AM.” She put her head back and stared at her ceiling; what in the world was she doing?

“Great. Where do you work? We could meet somewhere close that way we could have a cup or two and you wouldn’t have to feel rushed.” Apparently he had already thought all of this through or he was quick on his feet.

“Downtown…at the local hardware store…I do their books and inventory…really anything that they don’t like.” She couldn’t help but laugh at all of the employee’s reactions last week to her suggesting they put some colorful flowers out front to draw more eyes to the front of the store; especially women.

“I know just the place then. Mind if I text you the address and I’ll meet your there in say 20 minutes?” She pictured his face and closed her eyes and let the sounds of his voice wash over her. She really shouldn’t be doing this.

“Sure. It might take me a little longer to get there though.”

“I’ll be impatiently waiting.”

She couldn’t hold back her laugh, “Goodbye, Liam.”

“See you soon Harper.”

She sat her phone on the counter after the call ended and stared at it as if it had grown a pair of wings and was trying to fly off. She didn’t plan on doing anything other than have coffee with him, she was honestly interested in why he wanted to meet with her at all. She refused to consider that he wanted anything other than to talk to her about something because if she did that then the guilt would come in and just the thought of Daren finding out made ice crawl up her spine.

She scrolled to her recent calls and saved Liam’s name under “restaurant” and quickly hopped off the stool and dropped it back into her purse. There was no reason to start a fight when there clearly was nothing wrong. She would see what he wanted and that would be the end of that.

()()()()()

Harper looked around as all heads came up as she walked through the door and the tiny bell jingled. She really hated those things. They were specifically made to make her life miserable; she just knew it.

Before she could let the awkwardness consume her she saw Liam sitting across the room and her breath caught as a smile transformed his face and he stood up, pulling out the chair across from him, and motioned her over.

She gripped her purse tighter and pushed her hair out of her face as she stared at the ground and made her way to him through the sea of people. She should have asked him to meet at the park, on the bench that was in the farthest corner from the carousel at the center, the one no one ever used but her.

She made it to his table and sent up silent thanks that she hadn’t tripped on the way, “Thanks for meeting me. Here, let me get that.” He took the bag from her shoulder and draped it on her chair; helping her sit. She mumbled a thank you not knowing what to say since it had been so long since she’d had such treatment.

He sat across from her with that same breath taking grin on his face and where she usually couldn’t keep eye contact with someone new for more than a few seconds she found she couldn’t look away. His green eyes were even greener since he had sweater to match them, his hair was short on the sides but long on the top in the way that seemed to be all the craze, but on him was so suited that she wanted to smack his hand away when he tried to tame it with his hands.

The barista came up to the table and asked what they’d like, knocking Harper out of her obvious staring and making her look down at the table, “What can I get ya?”

“I’ll have just a straight black coffee and a blueberry scone…Harper, what would you like?”

“Just a green tea and a blueberry muffin please.” She couldn’t meet the barista’s gaze but she was proud she had ordered with at least a bit of force.

“Sure thing.” She was gone before Harper could get out a thank you.

A minute passed without a word and Harper finally found it within herself to look up at Liam. She was here and she really shouldn’t be so rude; shyness or not.

“Ah, there she is. I figured I’d get to look at you eventually.” He was leaning down a bit trying to catch her gaze even more.

She tried to hide the smile on her face. Not many people were so at ease with her awkwardness enough to instantly make her feel more comfortable and not like she was just making everything worse.

“I’m sorry. It just takes me a moment.” She took a deep breath and sat back in her chair, meeting his gaze fully. He was so handsome…she really shouldn’t be here.

“I don’t mind.” He said softly and she really believed him.

The barista sat their order down and he handed her a napkin, “You’re probably wondering why some strange man has asked you to meet him for coffee I assume?” The amusement in his eyes couldn’t go unnoticed as she blatantly stared at him as he took a bite of his scone. Was it possible to eat in an attractive manner? His hands looked so strong.

She shook her head and focused on his question, “A little…well a lot actually…Sarah gave you my number?”

“Are you mad at her?” He sat his pastry down and glanced at hers.

She quickly picked it up and took a bite, “Of course not. Just curious as to why you got it from her in the first place.”

“The truth?” She dragged her eyes away from admiring his shoulders and nodded her head.

“I originally called her late last night thinking I might as well take her up on her offer,” At the look on Harper’s face he held up his hand, “I know, typical single male was at the forefront. But once she answered all I could think about was the beautiful woman who had given me her note and all but ran away from me. I was curious about you and wanted to get to know you better.”

Harper sat her drink down and just stared at him for a moment. She wasn’t used to such honesty being thrown at her and couldn’t quite process what he was saying, “You were interested in me?”

He dumped a creamer into his coffee and smiled up at her, “As any sane male would be, yes.”

“But someone like you doesn’t get interested in someone like me.” She quickly continued before he could speak after seeing the disapproving look on his face, “No, I didn’t mean it like that. I believe in myself, I know I’m not some horrible looking creature, it’s just that you are so…you and I am so me. Not many people can stand to talk to me for more than a few seconds before I run them off with my obvious lack of social skills.”

He seemed to relax at her explanation, “What do you mean I am so me?”

She was already feeling more and more comfortable around him and was thankful she wasn’t stumbling over her words as much. Her stumbling had caused many a misunderstanding in her life and she really didn’t enjoy it, “You’re attractive, confident, and carry yourself as if you know it. Not in a cocky way…but in an approachable self-assured way…if that makes sense.”

“Well thank you for the compliment Harper but I do think you sell yourself short.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well you may be awkward at first but you’re quite funny. And I mean that in the best way possible. Add that to how pretty you are and you’re quite the catch.” His gaze had changed into something less ‘friendly’ and more warm, and she couldn’t stop the blush that crept into her cheeks.

“Thank you.” She said softly.

“You’re welcome.” She stared as he tried to push his hair back again.

“You should really leave it.” The words left her mouth before she could stop them.

His hand paused midair and slowly lowered back to the table. She had to fill the silence or she would die, “It looks nice a little messy. Even when some pieces fall into your face. You should leave it.” There she went just making it worse.

His grin said otherwise and he reached up and ruffled his hair into obvious disarray, “Well who can argue with that.”

She laughed at his action and realized she hadn’t enjoyed herself this much in quite some time. Girl’s night was one thing but this was something completely different. At that thought she instantly felt guilty. She really really shouldn’t be here saying the things she was to him. She was in a relationship with Daren and this was all wrong; and god forbid if he ever found out she had even spoken to another man in such a way.

She quickly got up and grabbed her purse and pulled her wallet out, “I’m sorry but I really shouldn’t be here. I’ve got to go.”

“Hey, what happened? You were just laughing and now you seem like you’re scared of something.” He was standing in front of her and pushed the money away that she was trying to give him, “No, it’s my treat.”

“I…I just need to go.” She tried to walk past him and he laid his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him and had to swallow when she realized how close their faces were.

“Is everything okay?”

“I’m fine. I just really need to go. I’m sorry.”

He paused for a minute and then stepped back from her, “Do you mind if I call you again Harper?”

She knew she shouldn’t, she really really really knew she shouldn’t, but couldn’t stop the “I don’t mind” that came out of her mouth.

“Then I’ll talk to you again soon. Thanks for meeting me again.”

“Thank you for such a nice morning.” She couldn’t help but smile back at his small grin.

As she walked out of the coffee shop and towards her work she knew she was setting herself up for something bad to happen, but something was pulling her to not let this green eyed stranger go.