Page 3 of Game Over
“Believe me, people come to him.” Jude pulled three denim skirts out of the closet: one faded blue, one black, and one white. “That’s the beauty of social media in his biz, I guess. Once you post your stuff online people start beating your door down. Last I heard he had a waiting list eighteen months long.”
“Huh.” Good for him. In spite of their break-up Harper was happy to hear he’d made his dreams come true. After the crummy upbringing he’d had he earned a little security in his life, and to be recognized for his incredible talent.
Harper watched her friend riffle through her clothes as she wondered whether the years had been kind to Deke. He’d been so sexy in high school. Well over six feet, longish black hair, broad shoulders, and gray-blue eyes she still saw in her dreams sometimes. Ugh. She was in trouble.
“This works, don’t you think?” Jude held up a black tank top with a plunging neckline and white denim skirt. “The girls are still your best feature. Why not show them off?”
It was a running joke between them. Jude wanted Harper’s big breasts and Harper wanted her friend’s long legs. But they’d agreed a long time ago to make the best of what God gave them.
“I told you, I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard.” Or at all.
“Relax, Deke’s not gonna know you’re getting all sexed up for him. You’re coming off a bad break-up. For all he knows you’re there to hook up with a random stranger.” Jude laughed. “You should totally do that. Hook up with some dude, just to see if you get a reaction out of Deke.”
“Are you crazy?” Harper shrieked. “We’re not in high school anymore. I’m not into playing games. Besides, Deke wouldn’t care anyways.”
“I bet he would.” Jude reached into the closet for a pair of turquoise beaded flip flops. “There’s only one way to find out. Test him.”
Sometimes Harper thought she should have started all over in a town where no one knew her name. “Uh, I don’t think so.”
“I love these earrings,” Jude said, holding up a pair of turquoise earrings with matching bracelet. “Can I borrow them sometime?”
Harper would give them to her if she’d agree to stop talking about Deke and their failed relationship. “What’s mine is yours. You know that.”
Chapter Two
Deke didn’t know why he’d agreed to go out drinking tonight. He should be home taking care of his five year-old nephew, not out carousing, but when his best friend told him Harper would be there he couldn’t resist.
He heard she’d rolled back into town after her fiancée cheated on her. Idiot. Deke couldn’t imagine anyone stupid enough to cheat on a woman like Harper. She was sweet, but sassy. A natural beauty who wasn’t afraid to get dirty. In and out of the bedroom. Just about perfect. Or at least she had been when they were kids. But that was a long time ago. For all he knew she’d become a bitter, chain-smoking shrew who dressed like a librarian but cursed like a trucker.
“Here’s to making peace with the past,” Donski said, touching his long neck to Deke’s.
Kyle Donski had been his best friend since they were eight years-old, trying to hide from the devil in their respective homes. Donski got him like no one else… except maybe Harper. He’d told that girl things he hoped she’d take to the grave.
“If that’s possible.”
He knew he owed it to Harper to try. The way he’d broken up with her had been messed up. Over the phone. After years together she deserved better. But knowing that she was moving on with her life without him was eating him up inside. The thought of her meeting other guys, maybe falling for someone else, was making him crazy. So he finally did the only thing he could. Ended it. For the sake of his sanity. And hers. He didn’t want to make her miserable the way his old man had made his mama miserable. She deserved better. He couldn’t give her much back then, but he could give her her freedom, so he did.
“No way she still hates you after all these years, man.” Donski chuckled. “I know she’s a little spitfire, but—”
“She was,” Deke said. “We don’t know anything about her now. That girl’s a stranger.”
Except when she walked in and their eyes met it felt like he was looking into the eyes of… his soul mate. Damn. He hadn’t seen that coming.
She was still gorgeous. Tiny, with rockin’ curves. Her ash blonde hair fell past her shoulders and when she flashed a smile as their friends bombarded her with questions, Deke felt like he’d been sucker-punched.
Trying to ignore the scene playing out across the bar he reached for his beer. It took him three seconds to knock it back. He had his truck parked outside but his tattoo shop / apartment was only three blocks away so he could walk if it came to that.
And after seeing Harper it just might come to that. He wasn’t a heavy drinker anymore. He tried to set a good example for his little nephew, but sometimes a man needed to forget about being a responsible adult for one night and let loose.
“Damn,” Donski whispered. “Had no idea she’d look so good after all these years.”
Deke swallowed as Donski’s words triggered a memory. Harper, when she was his girl, squealing when she heard Billy Joel’s song, Scenes From an Italian Restaurant, come on the radio. She’d tapped her bare feet on the dash of his old truck and sang every last word of her daddy’s favorite song at the top of her lungs. His heart twisted at the memory. They were so young. So much in love. They thought they were unbreakable. But Deke quickly found out he was a lot weaker than he thought he was, at least when it came to Harper.
“Years have been good to her.” Deke’s voice was hoarse, the pain of all those memories lodged in his throat. He hadn’t expected to react this way. He was usually good at masking his feelings, his pain. Growing up in an abusive home taught him those lessons long before he’d learned to read.
“You okay?” Donski asked, shooting him a side-long glance. “If you’re not feelin’ this we can bail.”
Deke considered it, but when he saw Harper make her way towards him he felt rooted to his stool. “Too late now.”
