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My next stop was the kitchen. I’d barely been home in weeks, so there was nothing in the fridge, aside from a random assortment of condiments. I resigned myself to the crackers I found in the cupboard and brought them with me to the living room. Even though I was hungry, they were so unappealing that I tossed the box on the coffee table. Then I paused and looked around me.
Had my apartment always felt this empty?
It was way too quiet, and it just seemed so drab. Maybe it couldn’t help but suffer by comparison, after spending time in Harper’s beautiful home and the luxurious hotel suite. But it wasn’t just that it was plain and kind of basic. It was also lifeless.
To distract myself, I picked up my guitar and settled in on the couch. Then I spent some time tuning it before running through one of my favorite ballads. This was how most of my free time was spent, either practicing or writing songs. Tonight though, my mind kept wandering—straight to Harper.
If only I’d stayed with him. But since we’d just spent all weekend together, I figured he’d probably had enough of me for a while, so here I was.
I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly. Loneliness was nothing new for me, but it felt so much sharper now. Apparently the last two nights with Harper had destroyed my ability to just be by myself.
A knock at the door startled me. I’d never really gotten to know any of my neighbors, so I couldn’t imagine who that’d be. It felt late too, but I had no idea what time it was.
When I opened the door, I was shocked to discover Harper standing there with an armload of groceries. He flashed me that stunning smile of his as I blurted, “What are you doing here?”
“I needed a do-over on the grilled cheese sandwich. I got real cheese this time, which should help it along.” I stared at him in disbelief for a moment, until he asked, “Can I come in?”
I mumbled, “Yes. Sorry,” as I moved out of the way and held the door open for him. As he stepped into my living room, I asked, “Can I take some of that?” For some reason, all the groceries were just loose in his arms.
“Actually, that might cause an avalanche. I’ve barely got a hold of it.” I trailed after him as he went into the kitchen and piled everything on the counter. “I should have gotten a shopping bag, but it didn’t seem like that much stuff. Not until I tried to bring it in, anyway.”
He turned to face me, and I finally got a good look at him. He’d obviously showered, because he smelled like his expensive body wash, and he was dressed in gray sweats and a form-fitting white T-shirt. The thing that absolutely killed me was the fact that he was wearing my red and gray flannel shirt, the one I’d used to cover him when he fell asleep. He wore it unbuttoned like I did and had rolled up the cuffs, and while it was baggy on me, it fit him perfectly.
It was surprisingly touching to see him wearing something of mine. I never could have predicted what that did to me. It was just so sweet and intimate, and I ran my hand over the soft flannel and down his chest.
“Is it okay that I’m wearing this? You left it behind and I liked the fact that it smelled like you, but I can take it off if you want.”
He started to reach for the front of the shirt, but I interrupted by catching his hands and saying, “No, keep it on.” I let go of him and added, “I’m glad you’re here.”
“Oh good. I wasn’t sure if you’d be sick of me after spending all weekend together.”
“Not even a little.”
“Sorry I drifted off earlier, and I’m also sorry my attempt at dinner was such a disaster. I think it’ll go better this time. You haven’t eaten yet, have you?”
I shook my head and turned to look at what he’d brought. In addition to bread, butter, and cheese, there was milk and cereal, a box of cookies, some chips, a jar of olives, and a couple of bottles of alcohol. I put a pan on the stove as he asked, “Where do you keep your cocktail shaker?”
“That’s hilarious. At best, I can give you two plastic tumblers and some ice, and you can sort of wedge them together if you insist on your martini shaken, not stirred. Just so you know, I don’t have martini glasses either, or anything else that’s suitable for entertaining.”
“What do you do when you have friends over?”
I shrugged and said, “If someone wants to get together, I meet them at a bar.”
