Page 110 of Seeing Harper

Maia rubbed her back as she went past. “Let’s go into the office. They can’t see you from outside if we’re in the front office.”

Harper nodded and allowed Maia to escort her into the office at the front of the house.

“Okay. Now, have a seat and tell me what’s going on,” Maia said.

“I feel so stupid.”

“We’ve all been there. Why do you feel stupid? And before you tell me, I have no doubt that I could outdo you with some of the things I’ve done.”

Harper, still struggling to control her tears, just looked at Maia.

“Come on, tell me.”

Harper took a deep breath, then let it all out at once without pausing between sentences. “He’s my mate. In fact, I think we’re already mated. I went to tell him, and I was so excited to tell him I love him. I ran in the restaurant when I saw his car parked outside because I thought he was still at school. He said he would let me know when he got home, but I hadn’t gotten a call yet. But I was happy that he came back early and I could finally tell him. But he was in there with someone else.”

“Oh, Harper, I’m so sorry. Maybe she’s just a friend.”

Harper shook her head. “You don’t understand. He said he’d met someone he thought might be his mate. But we both felt a pull, I know we did. We spent some time together, even with me knowing that he might actually choose this other person, though he denied there was anybody. Somehow we managed to actually finalize the mating bond even though there was no biting.”

“Blood exchange,” Maia said.

“Unintentional, but yes. I didn’t say anything to him about it. He’s had finals and I didn’t want to mess them up for him if he didn’t already know. But while he’s been gone, I realized that it’s getting harder and harder to be away from him. And wanting him wasn’t just a choice. I belong to him and I was so sure that he would feel the same. But then when I got inside, he introduced me to Erica.”

“What did he say when he introduced her?” Maia asked.

“It’s almost like he was afraid to introduce her. Like he knew he couldn’t tell me who she was. I felt the tears start to sting and ran. And it makes me so angry.”

“Of course it does. You're his mate.”

“No, that part hurts, but it’s my reaction. I’m so angry. And with everything that is going on with my father lately and I was so proud of myself for being strong despite being limited on what I could do. And now this. I just ran. I cried and I ran because I refuse to let Clay see that he made me cry. It was all just too much.”

Maia leaned over and hugged her tightly. “Did you leave your car over there?”

Harper shook her head. “I rode with Summer. We were picking up a to-go order for our moms and ourselves.”

“Did Summer know you were coming over here?”

“No.”

“At least call Summer so she knows you're safe. Then we’ll figure out what to do next.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I just couldn’t take anymore and I lost it. I’ve been holding it all in and trying to be so strong,” Harper said, as she patted her pockets looking for her phone. “I don’t have my phone!” She closed her eyes and raised her head to the ceiling. “I must have left it in her car.”

“I’ll call her, and then we’re going to have a talk about what it is that you’ve been holding in that contributed to you falling apart today.”

“No, it’s…”

Maia shot her a look that said, ‘did you really just tell me no?’.

“Yes, ma’am,” Harper said as she watched Maia walk over to her desk and take her phone and several tissues from a box of tissues before walking back over to her. She handed the tissues to Harper, patted her on the back, and dialed Summer’s number.

“Harper!?” Summer screamed into her phone without looking at the screen.

“No, and you will not give any indication of who I am either. It’s Maia.”

Summer, ever quick to catch on, replied immediately. “I know, Dad! But I’m not leaving here until I know that Harper is alright.”

“She’s here with me and she’s distraught but fine. Don’t let them know where she is. Send them elsewhere. Make something up.”