"Eight thirty, I"ll bring coffee." Lauren paused, adding, "I"m glad Jane found you."
"You make me sound like a lost puppy."
"Maybe you were, but you"ve found a home now," Lauren said smiling, and then she reached over to hug Harper.
Harper responded, after a moment, when she realized Lauren expected her to lean in for the hug. It was only a few seconds, but Harper felt every millisecond. Lauren was soft and warm and she smelled delicious. Harper had to let go before the feelings intensified. She stepped out of the car quickly, almost too quickly. Just before she shut the door she said weakly, "See you in the morning."
Harper bounded up the steps and unlocked the door. She turned to wave at Lauren, who waited for Harper to get inside. Lauren pulled away. Harper watched her taillights disappear, before closing the door. Jasper was b.u.mping, whining and pawing at her legs, but she ignored him. She put her back on the door and slid down to the floor. Jasper began licking her face.
"Hey buddy, I just met the woman of my dreams. Bad news is she is happily married, so we can only be friends. That"s okay with you isn"t it. I think you"re going to like this team."
Jasper licked her in the face again.
"Okay, let"s go outside and then get to bed. We have to early up in the morning. I"m going to go buy you a couch."
Chapter Four.
Lauren stood smiling in the doorway holding two paper coffee cups. "I didn"t know how you liked your coffee, so my pockets are filled with all kinds of cremes and sugars."
It was only eight fifteen. Harper had gotten up earlier, showered, dressed and taken care of Jaspers needs. She was standing in her socks at the door, looking at the woman who had haunted her dreams last night. She reached out and accepted the coffee from Lauren.
"Thank you. Come on in. I need to put my shoes on. You"re a bit early aren"t you?" Harper started back down the hall toward the great room.
Lauren followed, "Yeah, I"m a little early. I was just so excited for some reason, I couldn"t sleep."
Harper sat down to put on her shoes. She watched as Lauren took in the house and view out back. Lauren was wearing jeans, a powder blue turtleneck and a royal blue down jacket. All that blue made her eyes even more penetrating.
"This is really a lovely home. Your view is fantastic," Lauren said, gazing out at the back yard through the French doors. "How many acres do you have?"
"Four and a half. It was what attracted me the most to this place. Jasper has plenty of s.p.a.ce to run and explore." Harper finished tying her shoes and walked into the kitchen. You say you have some sugar and creme?"
Lauren followed Harper into the kitchen and emptied the pockets of her jacket on the counter. She had not exaggerated. Lauren had multiple flavors of cremes, sugars and sugar subst.i.tutes.
"You weren"t kidding." Harper laughed. "I don"t think I"ve ever seen this many flavors."
"I hope I brought something you like," Lauren smiled and Harper flushed.
Harper pulled her turtleneck and sweater away from her throat. "Wow, I might be a little overdressed for inside."
"You"ll need it outside; it"s still frosty this morning." Lauren looked around, sipping her coffee, while Harper fixed hers. "So, where"s this dog you talk about?"
Harper grabbed a towel from the utility room and waved to Lauren, "Follow me."
Harper opened one of the French doors leading to the deck, allowing Lauren to pa.s.s onto the deck first. Harper closed the door and walked over to where Lauren was leaning on the railing, surveying the property. Lauren looked up and saw the upper decks.
"This is truly amazing. I love it," Lauren beamed. "Shelby and I remodeled an old Victorian from top to bottom, but I love this feeling of new and old brought together and so much gla.s.s. I love the light here."
"My dream home is an old farm house to remodel, but this will do for now, I guess."
Harper was glad Lauren liked her house. She was mostly glad that Lauren was here, because the hollow feeling that had begun when Harper left her in the driveway last night, had slowly ebbed and ceased with Lauren"s arrival this morning. Harper laughed a little at herself. She hadn"t had a crush like this since high school, even though at the time she didn"t realize what the feelings were.
"What are you grinning at?" Lauren was speaking.
"Oh, I was just...wondering what Jasper is doing out there. I was thinking I should put a wireless camera on him so I can see what he sees."
"I"m sure it would be very enlightening," Laurel chuckled.
Harper placed two fingers between her lips and whistled. Out of the very back of the yard a golden head popped into view, ears at attention. Jasper saw Harper and bolted toward the deck. He arrived just seconds later, grinning and breathless. Harper introduced Lauren to Jasper and then Lauren helped Harper dry his legs and paws with the towel, for which she was rewarded with a wet dog kiss. She didn"t seem to mind, but laughed and giggled at Jasper"s attempts to give her many kisses. This made her even more attractive.
"He"s a smoocher," Harper said.
"I"m used to it, remember we have two labs. They would love this place."
"You"ll have to bring them over for a play date. Jasper would love it."
Harper was standing now, looking down at Lauren petting Jasper on the head. Lauren was looking up at her and Harper was sure Lauren held her gaze longer than she intended to, but she didn"t look away.
"We"ll have to make a date," Lauren simply said, softly and turned her eyes back to Jasper.
Harper was glad to be outside because she felt the flush burning up from her chest. She busied herself with getting Jasper in the house. She went about checking doors and windows. She grabbed a jacket even though, at this rate, with all the flushing she doubted she would need it. Harper was also wondering what in the h.e.l.l was going on? What just happened on the deck? This woman is married isn"t she? Lauren had been quiet while Harper locked up. She walked around looking in the rooms downstairs.
"Do you have a list of what you are looking for?" Lauren finally broke the silence.
"List? Who needs a stinking list?" Harper was feeling playful.
Lauren feigned disbelieve, "A scientist who does not make list? I don"t believe it."
"I make lists, but sometimes it"s fun just to go where the day takes you." Harper opened the front door. "I believe this is one of those days."
"I like your style, Harper. I think we"re going to get along just fine."
They had just stepped into the sunlight, when Harper noticed the Tahoe in the driveway.
"That"s not what you brought me home in last night."
Lauren said, almost apologetically, "I was driving Shelby"s car. This in mine and yes it"s an SUV, but it"s a hybrid so I feel okay about driving it. We have to have something to haul the dogs in. Shelby suggested I bring it, in case we find some things you like."
"Where is Shelby?" Harper said climbing into the pa.s.senger seat.
"She"s at the lab. She"s up against a grant deadline. She"s been really busy lately." Lauren sighed and cranked the Tahoe. She visibly refocused then turned to Harper and smiled, "I thought we"d start at the fairgrounds, it"s a huge flea market. That sound okay to you?"
"Sounds great, I love flea markets," Harper said enthusiastically, for she really did love flea markets, thrift stores and estate sales.
On the drive to Raleigh, Harper learned that Lauren had grown up in Chapman"s Mill and graduated from UC with a degree in Fine Arts. She was a successful painter, a published poet and freelance writer. She and Shelby met when Lauren was a senior and Shelby was working on her doctorate. They had been together for six years, bought a Victorian house together in Kerrville, remodeled it and were now in the process of creating a water garden, in the back yard.
"Shelby wants to go very traditional, a mini Victorian Garden with Gazebo," Lauren continued, "I"m okay with the Gazebo, but I really want a waterfall and koi pond. She doesn"t think the river rock waterfall fits into the design. We"ve been arguing over it for months."
Lauren paused, "I"m sorry, I"ve been talking forever."
"It"s okay, I"ve enjoyed listening to you," Harper smiled. "I would love to read your poetry."
"You"re just being kind. Scientists don"t enjoy poetry."
"Maybe the scientists you know, but I happen to like poetry. I fell in love with Byron, Sh.e.l.ly and Keats in college." Harper recited, "Would that breast were bared before thee, Where thy head so oft hath lain, While that placid sleep came o"er thee, Which thou ne"er canst know again."
"That"s from aFare Thee Well," by Byron, very good." Lauren grinned at Harper. "You are full of surprises Harper Lynch."
"You have no idea," Harper said flirtatiously.
Lauren pulled into the parking lot and put the car in park. She c.o.c.ked her head and smiled at Harper, "I look forward to finding out."
Once again they looked into each other"s eyes long enough to make them both uncomfortable. They dropped the gaze and busied themselves with exiting the car. They spent the morning roaming up and down the aisles of the flea market. They stopped at a stall selling sticky buns and coffee. Eating and talking they finished walking the flea market. Harper saw a few pieces that interested her, but didn"t buy them. Lauren insisted Harper buy her first Carolina sweatshirt, which she did, along with a Tar Heel tee shirt and a ball cap. After a few hours of shopping, Harper still had no furniture.
"I just don"t see anything like I"m looking for. I really want mission style. I guess I"m just going to have to bite the bullet and spend some money," Harper was saying as they walked back through the parking lot.
"I know a furniture store in Durham that has a big collection of mission furniture, but it isn"t cheap," Lauren said as she pointed the remote opener at the Tahoe.
"I"ve looked online so I know what I"m getting into. The couch I like is thirty-four hundred," Harper said shutting the door. "I want this furniture to stay with me for a long time, so I want to make sure I like it. I want to sit in it, before I pay that much."
"I take it money is not an issue?" Lauren said, with one eyebrow c.o.c.ked.
"I don"t like to talk about it but I have a trust fund and..."
"Say no more, I too am a trust fund baby. You don"t like to tell people, because they change when they know you have money."
Harper nodded in agreement, "My grandparents started a trust fund for me and left my mother a trust fund, oil money, which pa.s.sed to me. With the settlement from the accident, I"m doing okay. I"m careful about what I spend, but I really don"t care what this furniture cost, I just want it to be something I can live with for a long time."
"Mine is from tobacco money," Lauren said, "My last name is Zachary after all, I am a little ashamed of how the money was obtained, but I don"t mind spending it, when I need it. It has allowed me to be an artist, so at least I use it to add beauty to the world."
"Well then, let"s go spend some money in Durham," Harper grinned. "I do have a secret that I need to tell you. Can I trust you not to tell, even Shelby?"
Lauren"s face became serious. Her brow clinched she said, "Harper you can tell me your deepest secrets. You can trust me."
Harper bowed her head, "I don"t know. It"s pretty serious."
Lauren reached across the seat and touched Harper on the arm, "What is it? It"s okay, you can tell me."
Harper looked into Lauren"s eyes, "I...I...I am a closet Dukie."
Lauren slapped Harper on the arm. "Oh my G.o.d, I thought you were sick or something."
Harper laughed, "I am sick. I secretly love the Duke Blue Devils. How am I going to exist in the Tar Heel nation?" It was getting good to Harper, "You can"t tell anybody, I"ll be shunned."
Lauren began to laugh and play along. "I won"t tell, unless I find that I can use it to my advantage. I can hold it over you to get what I want."
Harper still laughing, "And what is it that you want?"
Lauren stopped laughing. She wrinkled her brow and smiled, looking straight ahead as she drove, she said quietly "I don"t know."
Harper settled down and tried to change the subject. She talked about how she had watched every game Coach K had coached, on TV. She went on about his coaching methods and what she admired about him. She even talked about her other favorite coach Pat Summitt. Harper talked and talked about anything other than the elephant in the room.
Harper could tell Lauren was attracted to her. She could feel it in the looks and the way Lauren put her hand in her back or on her shoulder, when she was showing Harper something. She could also see how hard Lauren was fighting it. If she was feeling the aching yearning that Harper felt, Lauren was fighting hard not to give in to it.
Lauren had a lot to lose. Harper knew that. The part of her brain that was thinking straight reminded Harper that Lauren was in a committed relationship. She could destroy all that. Harper also reminded herself that she did not sleep with married people. She could also ruin any chance of having Lauren as a friend and it would also screw up the new friendships she was trying to forge, with the women she met last night. Harper needed to fight the feelings, as hard as Lauren did, because nothing good could come of an affair, they both knew it.
After about a half an hour drive, they pulled up to the Broadmore Cafe. Lunch seemed like a good idea before doing anymore shopping. The hostess seated them at a small table in the back of the crowded cafe. They ordered the Margarita pizza with fire roasted tomatoes, basil pesto and fresh mozzarella at Lauren"s recommendation. Over the pizza, the conversation turned to Harper"s romantic life.
Lauren probed, "So are you in a relationship now. I mean I haven"t heard you mention anyone."
"No, there"s no one now. I was seeing a guy for the last two years, but it was never serious. We just had fun together. He threw me a huge going away party. He"s a sweet guy," Harper said and took another bite.
Lauren played with the straw in her drink. "What"s his name?"
"Jeff," Harper replied trying to swallow first.
"He sounds great. Well, I guess that means you"re on the market," Lauren teased.
"On the market? What does that mean?" Harper took a drink.
"You know the meat market. You"re new meat. The sharks will be circling," Lauren continued.
Harper leaned back in her chair, "I guess I better stay out of the ocean then."
"Oh, you"ve been spotted already. It just depends on which side of the fence you"re on, if you know what I mean."
Harper leaned in close and stared into Lauren"s eyes, "You want to know if I sleep with women."
Lauren showed that crooked smile and her dimples, "Well, you mentioned this guy Jeff, but my gaydar says you"re at least bis.e.xual. Am I right?"
Harper flirted shamelessly. She couldn"t help herself. "I don"t like labels. I know that sounds so cliche, but I don"t have a preference, per se, for men or women. I follow my heart, so to answer your question; yes, I have slept with a woman."
Lauren was intrigued, "A woman, just one?"
Harper sat back again. "Yes just the one, unless you count drunkenly fooling around with a few girls in high school."
"No, we won"t count those. There would be a whole lot more lesbians, if that counted," Lauren replied. "I must know about this one woman. Who was she?"
"Her name is Jackie. She was on the softball team with me. She was a junior and I was a freshman. We were together for three years. It was hot, in the beginning, new and exciting, and so secretive. It fell apart slowly. We both cried, but it wasn"t going anywhere. We"re still in touch. She"s with a great girl now and they are very happy."
Lauren was leaning on her elbows, thoroughly enthralled with Harper"s story. "And then you went back to men?"