color in her cheeks deepening. “Never mind. Was there any specific reason you called?”
Harper wanted to ask what that outburst about her dad meant. What did her mom want from her dad? But she’d learned early on during their separation that asking questions led to answers she’d rather not hear.
“I just wanted to check in and see how you are, Mom, that’s all.”
“I’m fine, don’t worry about me and my ramblings.” She waved away her concern. “When are you back?”
“In a few days.” Days filled with Manny, naked, if she had her way. “I’ll call you then.”
“Okay.” Lydia hesitated, and Harper willed her to open up, to tell her what the hell had happened between her parents to shatter their perfect marriage, to trust her.
Lydia had always been Harper’s closest confidante and she’d cherished their mother-daughter relationship. But her mom had steadily withdrawn over the last year and nothing Harper said or did could change that.
But she tried one last time, because they were an ocean apart and she wanted to reassure her mom. “You know you can talk to me anytime, about anything?”
Lydia nodded, and Harper didn’t know if it was the reflection of light on the screen or the angle of her mom’s laptop, but she caught the shimmer of tears in Lydia’s eyes.
“Talk soon.” Lydia blew her a kiss and shut the call down, leaving Harper torn.
She’d got what she wished for, a distraction from her constant thoughts about Manny. But at what cost? There was something going on with her mom and when she got home she’d find out what it was. She was done being the diligent daughter, staying out of her parents’ business because she didn’t want to make things worse than they already were.
Her dad still wasn’t coping well, and her mom may appear poised on the outside but her eyes hid a multitude of secrets.
She’d definitely deal with them back in Melbourne.
But for now, she had a date with a deliciously addictive doc to look forward to.
28
As Harper strolled across the foyer toward him, Manny hoped he didn’t look like one of those cartoon characters with his eyes bulging out and his tongue lolling to the floor.
There was nothing out of the ordinary with her paisley top, denim capris, and sparkly flip-flops, but the woman wearing the outfit made it exceptional.
She wore her hair down, flowing past her shoulders in tousled waves. Beyond sexy. She’d worn it up while working and he preferred this laid-back look. Her makeup was flawless as usual, and while he appreciated the effort, he couldn’t wait to see her first thing in the morning, completely natural.
“Ready to be wined and dined?” He held out his hand as she got nearer and did a funny little bow.
“I’ve been looking forward to it all day.”
She placed her hand in his and he raised it to his lips, pressing a lingering kiss on the back of it that made color rush to her cheeks.
“You look beautiful.”
“This old thing?” She shrugged like his compliment meant little, but she beamed as her gaze swept him from head to foot. “You don’t look too shabby yourself.”
“High praise indeed.”
He’d gone for a polo and denim. The jeans were a necessity if he couldn’t keep his hands off her and he had a repeat of his inopportune boner on the walk earlier. “Shall we go?”
“We should, because if we don’t leave this hotel right this very minute, I don’t think we’ll make it to the picnic at all.”
His eyebrows rose at her bluntness. “So that phone call this morning affected you too, huh?”
“You have no idea.” She winked. “How desperate to eat are you?”
Extremely desperate—to devour her. But he didn’t want their time together to end up like all his previous encounters with women—brief, fleeting, and meaningless. He liked her too much for that, and she deserved a proper date at the least.
“I’m ravenous for you, but we’ll need our strength, so food first, feasting on each other later?”
“Oh boy,” she muttered, heat creeping into her cheeks. “Lucky you’re a doctor, because I’ll probably expire from combustion before then.”
He ducked down to nip her ear. “Glad to know you’re so hot for me.”
“You have no idea.” She turned her head quickly, sneaking a quick kiss that left him hankering for more.
With a glance over his shoulder to make sure they weren’t being observed, he backed her into an alcove, hauled her into his arms, and plastered his lips to hers.
She moaned a little, opening her