at her like she was crazy. “What? No way. I wouldn’t sleep a wink with him next to me.”
“You did in our hotel room.”
“But that was a short snooze. And we weren’t alone, and we were on top of the covers in our clothes.”
“I suppose you’re right. But you should still bring protection.”
I snorted at that ridiculous suggestion.
“Even if the one-hotel-room, one-bed thing won’t happen with you two, you should totally put something like that in your next book,” she said, pointing her glass at me.
“It would have to be a really good reason because it’s been done before. A lot.”
“Yeah. Because it works, and women like to read that shit.”
“Hmm. That’s true,” I said and immediately began brainstorming how to get the idea into my next book.
The back door opened, and we heard the pounding of little feet running toward us.
“Mommy.”
A blur flew past me and landed on Harper.
“Hey, buddy. How was the park?” The hand that was holding her wine was stuck up in the air, so Wyatt didn’t knock it over.
I reached for the glass, so she didn’t have to worry about spilling it.
“Thanks,” she said and lifted her almost two-year-old into her lap. “How was the park?” she asked again.
“Fun.”
There was a large sigh behind us, and Ian dropped a bag on the counter.
“How’d it go?” Harper asked her husband.
“Good. I’m exhausted, but it was fun.” Ian walked over and sat down in the recliner adjacent to us. “How’s it going, Sydney?” he asked me.
“Good.”
“She’s having man troubles,” Harper said.
I looked at her. “I thought we’d just established that I was not and that I was going to let it go.”
“I thought maybe we could get a man’s perspective,” she said as Wyatt slipped from her lap and went for his toys in the corner.
“What’s the problem?” Ian asked.
I hesitated. I didn’t care if Ian knew. I liked him and considered him a friend. But he was very logical about everything.
“Nothing really. A guy kissed me, and then that was it.” I shrugged. “No follow-up.”
“It’s the male model who’s going with her to Chicago.”
Ian’s dark eyes widened. “Oh.”
“Oh? What does oh mean?”
He shook his head. “Nothing.” He put his finger to his lips. “So, you’re going on a trip together, but he hasn’t mentioned the kiss?”
“We’re going on a business trip together, and no, he hasn’t. Harper and I decided that it hadn’t meant anything, or he would have brought it up or asked me out.”
“Hmm.” He tapped his mouth.
“What does that mean?”
He dropped his hand, lost his thinking face, and shrugged. “I have no idea. You’re asking the wrong guy.”
I looked at Harper. “Your husband is worthless.”
She smiled. “But he’s mine.”
Eighteen
Sydney
The following Thursday, there was a knock at my front door before it opened, and Harper barreled through. We lived close enough that we just walked into each other’s houses.
“Hey, what are you doing here?”
“I just came to see how you’re doing since you’re leaving for Chicago with Travis today.”
Our conversation had been last Saturday, and I was feeling better. “Good. Less emotional.”
“Are you nervous?”
“A little. He’s still a cute guy even if he’s not interested in me.”
“What time do you leave?”
“About one. He’s working this morning. He already took off Friday, so I said it would be okay if we didn’t leave until this afternoon.” I looked down at Harper’s hands. “What’s in the bag?”
She grinned, her eyes looking sneaky.
“What are you up to?”
She threw the plastic bag at me.
I caught it and looked inside. I pulled out the box. “Condoms? Really?”
“Hey, you never know. And, if it’s not Travis, maybe you’ll find someone else. Maybe, if you have sex with someone else, you’ll stop crushing on Travis.”
“I see your point, but I don’t think that’s going to happen.” I walked toward my kitchen, setting the box down on the dining room table as I went. “Do you want any coffee?”
“Sure. And why don’t you think it’ll happen?”
I pulled a cup from the cupboard. “Because I’ll be working a lot.” And, for some crazy reason, I didn’t want Travis to see me with someone. Basically, just in case I actually had a one in a million chance with him. I didn’t say it was a rational thought.
Harper pursed her lips. “You’re a spoilsport.”
I laughed and took a drink of my coffee. “Trust me; I know. I agree on the sex part. Maybe after I get back.”
She lifted her cup and clinked it against mine. “That’s the spirit.”
I looked at the clock on the microwave.