Page 52 of Seeing Harper

“You cheat!” Cruz called out accusingly.

“No, you just don’t know how to drive!” Roman said while laughing and continuing to drive circles around his son on the video game they were playing.

Cruz glanced up when he came to a stop beside him. “Hey! What’s up?”

“Thinking about going home tonight. You up for it?”

“Absolutely!” Cruz said, laying down his controller and getting up off the floor to talk to Clay.

“You hungry, Clay? There’s plenty of food in the kitchen. Help yourself,” Roman invited as he turned off the video game and started putting the living room back together.

“No, thank you, Uncle Roman. I ate earlier. I was just coming over to see if Cruz wants to go tonight instead of waiting for morning.”

“Yeah, I do. I hate driving in first thing in the morning,” Cruz said.

“Pack your stuff. Let’s go,” Clay said.

“I’m packed!”

“Perfect. Won’t take me but a few minutes and I’ll be ready, too. I tried to call Sebastian but there’s no answer, and his car isn’t at home, so I’m assuming he’s not planning to leave tonight.”

“As usual, he’s chasing some girl in town. I’m pretty sure he’ll still be doing this when we’re all sixty.”

“I hate when he does this,” Clay admitted. “I mean, do you, whatever that is, you know? But don’t mess with our schedules and classes, too.”

“Same,” Cruz said.

They both looked up when Roman walked out of the kitchen with two plates loaded with baked macaroni and cheese, roast and gravy and smothered yellow squash.

“Uncle Roman, I ate already,” Clay said.

“Dad, I just ate two hours ago,” Cruz said.

“And you’re making the drive back to school. Eat again. And Clay, eat again,” Roman said, setting them down on the coffee table in front of them.

“Thank you, Uncle Roman,” Clay said.

Roman winked at him as he went back into the kitchen to grab the tea he’d already poured for them.

“You know he’s got to make sure everybody has more than enough,” Cruz said, lowering his voice.

“It’s a good thing,” Clay said.

Cruz nodded as he started mixing the gravy into the rest of his food. “You’ve been out of pocket this weekend. Haven’t seen you since you drove off with Harper,” Cruz said.

“I took a ride with her to go check on the horses at the equine center where she volunteers. Had such a nice time that I went back this morning to help her again.”

“Really?! You and horses? I’d have never thought it.”

“Me, either. It was hard work, but somehow still relaxing. Calming. And I enjoyed spending time with Harper, too. I’ve never really done that before, except as a group.”

“Harper’s cool. She’s quiet, but deep. Crazy loyal.”

“Yes, she is.”

“Y’all both eat up,” Roman said, coming back into the living room and handing them each a glass of iced tea. “And don’t let Cruz give you too much trouble over hanging out with Harper this weekend. He hasn’t spent much time alone himself.”

“Wait, what? Who have you been spending time with?” Clay asked with a smirk.