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We pulled up a gravel drive to a house that appeared to be perched on a boulder, a wide deck reaching out toward the driveway from the front, suspended over the open ground below.
“Wow.”
“Yeah,” Cam agreed.
I waited while he came around the car to let me out. I knew I could have opened the door myself, but I couldn’t help liking the way it felt to let someone else look out for me. Even just for a little while.
Chapter 9
CAMERON
Idrove Harper to Maddie’s, my mind more fixated on my neighbor’s light hair and curves than I would have liked after the evening we’d spent together playing cards. It had only gotten worse over the course of the day. I’d seen her come and go, watched her without really meaning to. I was thankful for the invitation to my sister’s, since having other people around meant I could keep a little distance and give myself some time to think about what exactly I was doing when it came to her.
I knew I was flirting—it was a skill I hadn’t practiced in a while, but with Harper it was easy. She invited the banter, made me want to laugh. I hadn’t felt that in a long time, and it made me feel like I was doing something wrong now, taking something that didn’t belong to me. My mind was in pieces, which I guess matched my heart. I knew I should stay away, that my focus should be looking after my sister and keeping her happy and safe. She was what I had left, and pulling anyone else into my mess wasn’t a good idea. Besides, Harper was a temporary fixture in Kings Grove. My heart had probably had all the disappointment it could handle, and getting attached and then watching her leave wouldn’t be helpful. Easier to just stay away. There was also the possibility that the Cameron Turner curse would hurt her, and I knew I wouldn’t survive that. It might have been nuts, but I wasn’t sure that Harper would survive it if I let myself become too attached to her. I didn’t have a good track record there.
I parked and opened Harper’s door, and together we went to the front door.
“There you are,” Maddie said, pulling open the door at the bottom of the big house. The place was essentially built into a giant boulder, and the main deck hung overhead, jutting out from the side of the rock. The fireplace inside had been carved into the rock—it was a pretty insane house. She hugged us both. “Come in,” she said, turning and leading us up the stairs to the main level. “I’m so glad you guys came. Together.”
She finished this sentence as we topped the stairs, and her words sank in at the same time as I felt Harper’s hand find my arm, her little fingers sliding into the crook of my elbow as she climbed up the last stair. An irrational happiness spread through me, and guilt followed immediately on its heels. Not for the first time in the last few days, alarm bells rang in my head, but it was impossible to force myself away from her, her vivacity and smile pulling at me like a magnet. I handed my sister the wine. “Here, Harper brought this.”
“Thanks,” said Maddie, shooting me a knowing look as she noticed Harper’s hand moving from my arm. “Come in. Have a drink.”
“Your house is beautiful,” Harper said, her eyes sliding around the room, taking in the dark wood and leather furniture.
“Thanks,” Maddie said. “I’m trying to make it less man cave and a little more feminine, but I’m meeting with some resistance.” Connor stepped to my sister’s side then, his dark red hair and beard making him look intimidating as ever, like he might be part Viking.
“Hey Cam,” he said, shaking my hand. “Harper, right?”
Harper shook Connor’s hand, and then Maddie pulled us to the kitchen.
We followed and I accepted the beer she pulled from the refrigerator. Harper asked for a glass of water, and we soon found ourselves standing with Chance and Mike, standing just inside the doors that led out to the wide deck where Chance’s brother Sam and his fiancee Miranda stood with their heads bent together.
“Hey, Cam.” Chance greeted me, drawing me into the conversation, and forcing all eyes my way.
“Hey,” I returned, feeling a spotlight pinning me in place. “Chance, have you met Harper Lyles?”
“Hey again,” Harper said.
I couldn’t help but smile at her as she shook Chance’s hand and then fell naturally into conversation with the couple. I watched as she charmed them, talking about the Inn, about what she’d been doing in New York City. She was humble yet confident, vivacious but not at all irritating. Something inside me was pushing me toward her, and my mind was churning, trying to figure out why. It was like giving in to a building pressure that was driving me to do so much more than just smile at her. I felt like if I stood this close to her for too long, I’d end up forced to pull her into my arms, press myself into her, get as close as humanly possible to whatever it was that radiated from her like an addictive force just to let off some of the pressure.
“How’s it going?” Chance said, clearly undeterred by my distraction. His arm fell easily around Mike’s shoulder.
“Yeah,” I said, hating the sound of my own voice. “Good.”
“Harper says you guys have heard the mountain lion across the ravine?” Mike said, her smile bright and easy.
“Think so.” I sipped my beer, but all eyes remained on me so I continued. “Talked to Ranger George this morning. They’re going to try to trap it, move it to the back country.”
“Tell them about the other noises too, though,” Harper prodded. “The thing you’ve been feeding.”
I wasn’t excited to have the whole village know I’d been feeding some strange animal—it was somewhat contrary to everything we all knew about keeping wildlife wild, but I suspected whatever I was feeding wasn’t wild in the first place. “I honestly think it’s a dog,” I said. “Not sure what it’s doing up there, or if it’s hurt…”
“You said it couldn’t be a dog,” Harper said, reminding me of one of our first conversations. “You think it is?”
“Yeah, maybe ran away from a campground. Haven’t actually seen it.” I swallowed more beer, hoping the conversation would shift again, and I wouldn’t be the center of attention. I got my wish when Chance turned to whisper something in Mike’s ear and she laughed, looking up into his face.
I stepped back, hoping to escape outside, but Harper came with me. I stopped in front of the windows looking out onto the deck.
