Page 57 of Seeing Harper

“Hey,” Summer said.

Harper paused and looked back at Summer.

“It’s not that bad of a thing if you’re kind of feeling Clay. He is really pretty, and very sweet.”

“I didn’t say that I’m feeling any kind of way about him.”

“You didn’t have to, Harper. I see it. But don’t worry, nobody knows you like I do so I’m sure they can’t see it.”

“I think I will post this,” Harper said, waving her phone at Summer over her shoulder as she quickly left the room, which caused Summer to get up and quickly follow her out of the bedroom, after she grabbed Harper’s robe to wrap around herself.

Moments later Harper finally left her bathroom, leaving a light cloud of English garden scents in her wake as she walked into the living room. “Morning,” she said.

“Morning,” Travis answered,

“Good morning,” Summer said, as she walked out of Travis and Libby’s bathroom. “I couldn’t wait until you got out and was pretty sure I’d choke on all the flowery crap floating out of there. And do not post that picture!”

Travis looked up quickly. “Summer’s right. It’s a little strong. Y’all hungry?”

“Starved,” Summer said as she sat down in the chair at the dining table that she’d always sat in since she was a little girl. “Delete that picture.”

“Good! I have blueberry pancakes, warm syrup, and butter. I have biscuits with cinnamon honey butter, or sausage gravy or both. Bacon — lots and lots of bacon, because, it’s bacon. I made country style potatoes with peppers and onions, and I have grits loaded with cheddar cheese, and some scrambled eggs, too.”

“I may never leave here. Why don’t I sleep over all the time?” Summer said, as she picked up her napkin and placed it on her lap.

“Because I take pictures of you sleeping to blackmail you with.”

“What pictures?” Travis asked.

Harper produced her phone and showed it to her father.

Travis laughed and shook his head. “That’s just all kinds of wrong. But regardless, you’re welcome to sleep here whenever you want.”

“Thank you, Uncle Travis.”

He disappeared into the kitchen and moments later approached the table with more platters of food. “Y’all serve your plates. Whatever you want, dig in. Now, do you want coffee, juice, or chocolate milk?”

“Coffee, please. And maybe some chocolate milk on the side,” Summer said.

“Coming up,” Travis said, as he went back to the kitchen. “What are you going to have, Harper?”

“Coffee, please.”

“I’ll bring it to you.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

Travis was back a few moments later gripping two mugs of coffee by their handles in one hand, and a tall glass of chocolate milk in the other. He set them on the table and hugged Summer. “It’s good to see you, baby. You should come by more often.”

“Aw, thank you, Uncle Travis. I would if any of us had more time. Harper is always working, and I’m always… well, I’m doing something somewhere. But I do invite myself over when I realize I miss her.”

“I miss you, too,” Harper said.

“We need to make a standing sleepover night each week or two,” Summer said.

“We should do that. Sundays? You want to set up Sundays?” Harper asked.

“Yeah. And we could do movies one night, too. I miss going to the movies.”