A small smile teased at Harper’s Cupid’s bow, but she didn’t chastise me. “Cecil is kind of the only family I claim. He wanted to adopt me, but my real dad wouldn’t let him.”

“Why not?”

“Because he’s a control freak.” She grimaced and took a sip of her coffee. “He and my mom are a lot alike in that area.”

“So you and your stepdad get along?”

“Oh yeah. He and I are so similar, just like Ariana and my mom. Dallas used to joke that we got switched at birth.” Her grin was adorable and I wanted to sit there and stare at it for hours. “We don’t get to see each other much these days. He’s been so busy with work, and I’ve been trying to find a full-time job. But we try to get together at least once a month for racquetball or dinner.”

“Then you should get going.” I didn’t want her to go, but I hated for her to miss out on time with her stepdad.

She glanced at the watch on her left wrist. “I still have a few minutes. He’s always a little late anyway.”

I would take anything she was willing give me. Minutes, hours, days. I wasn’t going to ever turn that down. “How is Dallas feeling this morning? Sore from the fight?”

Harper laughed. “Apparently, that drunk girl got a hit or two in last night. Dallas has a bruise on her right cheek. It really makes her dimple stand out.”

“Now I feel bad.”

“Why?”

“She was fighting because of me. I got her hurt.” I hated that. Don’t get me wrong. Catfights were hot as hell, but I didn’t want my friends hurt because of me.

Harper shrugged it off. “Dallas was half-drunk. She’s always looking for some kind of drama when she gets like that. That’s why I make sure Linc goes out with her when she wants to go clubbing.”

“Really? Sweet little Dallas likes drama? I never would have assumed that of her.” Harper’s giggles were sweet to listen to. I wanted to capture it so I could listen to it forever. 

Chapter 8

Harper

I had to admit that Shane could easily make me laugh. I loved that about him.

When it was time for me to go, I was reluctant. So of course the words slipped out before I could call them back. “Want to come play racquetball with me and my stepdad?”

His eyes widened as if my question startled him. “You want me to come with you? Meet your stepdad?”

“Yeah. It will be fun. You’re really athletic so you should be able to keep up with him better than I can.”

He glanced down at his gray T-shirt and basketball shorts. I liked them on him better than the club clothes he'd had on the night before. It hid more of his sinfully sexy body, and I could think easier like this.

“Okay.”

I wasn’t sure how Cecil was going to react to Shane. I had never introduced him to a guy that I liked before. He was protective of me, more so than he had ever been of Ariana. But then again, he knew that no matter what he said or did, Ariana would do what she wanted regardless.

When we got to Fit for Life, Cecil was just warming up. When he saw me his face lit up. I threw my arms around him, and he hugged me tight. “There’s my girl!”

When he released me, I stepped back and gave him a once over. He was tall with jet black hair, sprinkled with gray, and blue eyes. He was still a handsome man even in his late fifties. Ariana had gotten a lot of her features from her dad. Sadly enough, she had gotten her personality from her mother, who had been best friends with my mom until her death.

“You look tired,” I scolded. “Don’t you sleep enough?”

“I’ve been in meetings for over a week straight, baby cakes. The new takeover is draining this old man.” His deep voice sounded a little hoarse, and I wondered if he was getting sick or if he had started smoking again.

“Cecil…” I started to ask which it was when he glanced over my shoulder and noticed Shane.

Cecil’s blue eyes narrowed, taking in the rock star. “Who’s this?” Although his eyes weren’t exactly friendly, his tone was. That’s what I loved about my stepdad; he wasn’t readily judgmental about people. He gave them a chance.

“This is Shane Stevenson. He plays the bass for Demon’s Wings.”

“Ah, Lana’s brother-in-law’s band.” He had met and liked my new roommate on sight. Cecil stepped forward and offered Shane his hand. “Good to meet you, Shane.”

Was it just me or did Shane look nervous? I bit my lip to keep from grinning at that crazy thought. “Good to meet you too, sir.” Shane said as he shook the older man’s hand.

“Do you play?” Cecil asked, motioning to the racquetball room in general.

Shane shrugged. “A little. Haven’t had much time for it in the past, though.”

“Well, now is as good a time as any to start, son.”

Twenty minutes into our first game and I was sitting in the corner, winded and watching the two men playing like pros. For Cecil, that was the truth. He had been playing for most of his life. Shane, on the other hand, had openly admitted to not playing much racquetball. He was naturally athletic and after stumbling for a few minutes, he’d picked it up like he had been born playing.

He sure was giving my stepdad a workout. Cecil was enjoying the challenge, laughing and teasing Shane. I could feel him warming to the rock star with each passing minute. Shane seemed to be having a good time too. He had relaxed considerably since we had first arrived. I thought it was adorable that he had been nervous, if that really had been the case.

Half an hour later and the men were shaking hands. Cecil had won, but I wondered if Shane had let him have the victory. Actually, I was sure of it when Cecil ribbed him about it and Shane caught my eye and winked. My heart melted a little, loving that he had taken my stepfather’s feelings into account like that.

“Loser has to buy dinner,” Cecil informed him, dropping his racket into his bag before wiping his face with a towel. “I’m starving. Kicking your ass has given me a big appetite.”

“Absolutely,” Shane readily agreed. “I have a change of clothes in my locker upstairs. Beautiful, do you need to go home and change?”

There he went again, calling me beautiful. I didn’t know if I liked it or not, but I wasn’t going to ask him to stop. When he used that term of endearment, I almost felt like it was true. “No, I have a change of clothes in my locker too.”

Cecil rubbed his hands together. “Good! Let’s hit the showers.”