She stands up and takes a step toward me. Her forehead is creased, but that’s the only evidence that she’s unsettled right now. Her makeup is perfect, she doesn’t have a hair out of place, and she looks completely put together. Definitely not like a woman that has been worried about her fiancé. “It’s done, Harper. I want you to leave.”

“But...”

I shake my head and point at the door. “Leave, Harper. I don’t even want to look at you right now.”

She gasps, and her eyes go wide. I’ve offended her, obviously. She grabs tightly on to the strap of her purse and turns, stalking toward the door. I don’t let out the breath I’m holding until the door shuts behind her and I’m reminded that I’m alone... again.

Chapter 2

Ella

I stare at the computer screen in front of me and hit delete. First one sentence. Then another. Before I know it, I’ve erased everything I just typed.

I love reading romance books. I have for a long time. I never dreamed I would be able to turn it into a job that actually pays money, but that’s what I did. Plus, I love helping authors, and reading their books and writing reviews is the best way I know to do that. However, sometimes it’s hard to find the exact words to share your love for a story. I pick up the paperback and stare at the couple on the cover. They are both beautiful, and the photographer did a great job of telling a story with just an image. I’m lost in thought when I hear a knock.

I lay the book down and walk over to the door. I live in an apartment over the garage of a military man who’s never in town, so I know it’s not him. He’s supposed to be overseas for another month. When I look through the peephole, I almost consider not answering it.

It’s my landlord’s girlfriend, and there is no part of me that wants to deal with her right now, but I know I need to. I look in the mirror hanging by the door and attempt to fluff my hair before quickly giving up. It’s a lost cause at this point. Harper is one of those beautiful women that every man—heck, even me—stares at. She’s literally perfection. At least to look at. Her personality is a different story entirely.

Deciding to give up on making myself presentable, I open the door and peek outside. “Hey, Harper, what can I do for you?”

She looks me up and down and then scrunches her nose up. Obviously, she’s not a fan of my sweatpants and T-shirt. She shakes her head as if I’ve let her down or something. It’s like I’ve personally offended her with my taste in clothes. “I need you to take care of the cat.”

I wait for her to continue. She’s asked me before to take care of Logan’s cat. It’s not a big deal, but when she doesn’t say anything else and instead turns on her heel to walk away, I follow her. “For how long?”

She shrugs her shoulders as she walks down the stairs. “I don’t know. Until Logan gets home, I guess.”

I almost stumble down the last few steps. I’m barefoot and following her as fast as I can. I’m tiptoeing across the patch of gravel and almost stumble when I notice a strange man carrying a suitcase out of Logan’s house. “Wait. Who is that?”

Harper looks at me over her shoulder, and I can tell she’s not being completely honest. “My friend. He’s helping me move out.”

“Move out?” I ask loudly, but Harper keeps walking. When she doesn’t slow down, I call her name. “Harper, wait, what is going on? You and Logan are getting married and what? You’re leaving him while he’s serving our country overseas? Are you kidding me right now?”

She finally stops and turns, putting one hand on her hip. “He’s not overseas.”

None of this is making sense. I usually try to stay out of Logan’s business. The man is hot, capital HOT. Truth is, I’m a rambling fool whenever I’m around him, but besides his taste in a fiancée, he’s a really good man. Too good for Harper, even though I’d never say that to her. “Okay. If he’s not overseas, where is he?”

She blinks and averts her eyes. “He’s been in the States for a month.”

My mouth falls open. I know for a fact Logan doesn’t have any family. His mom and dad are both gone. I know he has some military buddies that he’s close to, and they come around when he’s in town, but he never goes and stays with them. And when he’s not at work, he’s home. There’s no way he’d be in the US for a month and not come home. A sick feeling starts to come over me. She’s holding out on me. “Where is he, Harper?”

Tags: Hope Ford Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net