Page 66 of Freefall

I kept my cool on both fronts, and then Harper told me she wanted me.

Still, I’m not convinced Harper hasn’t talked herself out of it already. It’s been two days. Before I left her in that parking lot, she agreed to tell me when she was ready. That was Thursday. Now it’s Saturday, and I still haven’t heard from her.

I sigh, pulling a container of Greek yogurt from the refrigerator and setting it down with the rest of the ingredients for my smoothie: frozen blueberries, peanut butter, protein powder. Four ingredients. I make the same one every morning after my coffee.

The blender roars to life, but my phone stays silent.

I check it anyway for the fiftieth time.

Fifty times is probably an exaggeration. It’s more like forty.

I pick up my phone, scroll to her contact, and stare at it for another second before giving in and calling. She answers on the second ring.

“Nate?” A hint of surprise colors her voice, like she didn’t expect me to ever call.

“Did you change your mind already?” I blurt out.

There’s a beat of silence. “No.”

“I haven’t heard from you.”

“I’ve been busy.”

“Are you busy tonight?”

Muffled footsteps come through the speaker. “Yeah.”

“Doing what?”

“Nate.”

“You never said I couldn’t ask.”

She sighs. “I’m going out with your sister for a girls’ night. I still haven’t met her, and since I’ll be working with her…”

I don’t hear the rest. The thought of her spending time with Emory sends a knot twisting through my stomach. The last thing I need is my sister finding out about us before I even know what us is.

“Nate?” she says when I don’t respond.

“Okay. Have fun.”

It sounds so stupid, but it’s all I can think to say.

“Thanks,” she says softly.

Cursing myself, I pour the smoothie into my glass and am about to end the call when she speaks again.

“Um, actually…”

She takes a breath, letting it out slowly. “Maybe you could…”

Another pause.

“I mean, would you want to watch Daisy tonight? My parents were supposed to, but if you wanted to spend some time with her, you could…”

“Yes,” I say before she’s even finished speaking. “I would like that.”

“It’s okay if you’re busy,” she rushes on, like she didn’t hear me. “We can do it some other time.”