foolish enough to think she would welcome me back with open arms, but it didn’t hurt to try.
When her phone beeped, I lunged for it. She slapped at my hand. “What are you doing?”
“I want to see what she said.”
She pried my fingers from her phone and got up from the stool. “I will beat you if you read my messages. Remember that.”
“Just look, please.”
She shot me a dirty look before unlocking her screen. I watched her smile and type a return. She put the phone back on the counter and sat down. She started eating again.
“Dammit, Cori! What did she say?”
“How do you know it was her?”
“I swear I’m going to shove your face in that plate if you don’t tell me.”
When she didn’t answer me, I grabbed for her. She burst into laughter and hopped out of my reach. “Damn, someone is testy.”
“Cori, I’m not playing.”
“We are having lunch tomorrow,” she finally answered.
My heart soared. “Really?”
“Yes. There. Are you happy now?”
“I will be once you convince her to come work for us.”
“No promises,” she warned.
I didn’t need promises. I was convinced with enough money, I could persuade Harper to come to the resort. To come back to me. I had to play it cool. Things would be tenuous at first. I would need to be just a little aloof or she would think I wanted her to work there because I was hoping there would be something between us.
One step at a time. Cori was a charming young woman. I knew she was hard to resist when she asked for something. She would bat her eyes and play up that innocent look she had. She’d been using that tactic for years. I just hoped it was enough to convince Harper. If Harper turned down the offer, I would come up with another plan. I needed her on board.
I knew she was exactly what the grand opening needed.
Chapter 7
Harper
I should have known Cori would be in town if her brother was in town. It was a little weird to get a call from her after not hearing from her for years. I got the occasional birthday message from her or a Merry Christmas but never anything more than that. I figured I had nothing to lose having lunch with her. I would very casually ask about Chase. Was he married? Engaged? I didn’t care. At least that was what I was telling myself.
Mild curiosity about an old friend. It didn’t mean anything. We’d catch up and go our separate ways again, probably never to see each other for another five years. It wasn’t like I had a job to get to or anything else to do besides worry about paying rent next month. It would be a nice distraction from reality.
I walked into the restaurant that was way out of my price range, but I agreed to meet Cori there because I knew it was what she would be accustomed to. I gave my name to the hostess and was escorted to a quaint table for two. Cori was already seated.
She hopped up. “Harper!” she squealed and threw her arms around me.
“Hi,” I said and hugged her back. “It’s good to see you.”
We both sat down. I couldn’t stop smiling and neither could she. “You look good,” she said. “Really good. Did you fall into the fountain of youth?”
“Ha, ha. You don’t look like you have aged a bit.”
“We cannot be twenty-eight-year-old women on the brink of the big three oh. No way.”
I cringed at the thought. “I like to say I’m in my twenties. It keeps me from feeling old.”
“How have you been?”
“Good. Great.”
“Chase told me he ran into you at Banners and you were the head of marketing. That’s awesome.”
My smile slipped a little. How did he know what my job was? I wasn’t a liar and wasn’t going to lie to her to keep up the charade I was doing well for myself. I had been, but now I wasn’t. “I did.”
“You did what?”
“I did work at Banners. I don’t now.”
She looked confused. “He told me he saw you yesterday.”
I smiled and picked up my water glass. “He did.”
“Oh my god,” she gasped. “Did he do something to get you fired?”
“No,” I said with a laugh. It was just like Cori to take my side. She always did when it came to Chase and me. “It’s a long story.”
“Let’s order cocktails and you can tell me all about it. It’s not like you have to go