CHAPTER 12
Harper stepped backto examine her display. The sun was shining and spring was definitely in the air, yet Harper couldn’t seem to enjoy it. She was restless, jumpy, and truthfully, she wanted to walk out of the market and head straight back to Mason’s house.
She missed Mason...and Layla... Somehow the little tot had wormed her way into Harper’s heart all too quickly. Those large eyes and silky curls were a constant in the back of Harper’s mind.
“It’s only been two days,” she reminded herself. “Give it time.” That had been her mantra for the last forty eight hours. Give it time. She’d done a good deed in helping Mason, and now she needed to put her focus back where it belonged.
The fact that he hadn’t called or texted for help since she left only attested to his ability to grow and adapt, but would Harper be okay? With the way her heart was hurting, she wasn’t so sure.
Once she had taught him a few basics, Harper had forced herself to go home and focus on her career. But her heart wasn’t in it. The painting for the competition wasn’t going well, and for the first time that she could ever remember, Harper didn’t want to be a vendor, selling paintings and interacting with customers. She had always loved this aspect of her job, but not today.
Unfortunately, her heart was two hours south, locked up in a cabin with a man and a baby, and neither of them had any clue.
“It looks great.”
Harper gasped and spun. “Oh my gosh, Mason. What are you doing here?” Harper had been positive Mason wouldn’t attend any more live exhibitions that summer, which was part of why she’d been brave enough to come. It was taking all her willpower to stay away from him and she knew that seeing him in person would ruin her.
He adjusted Layla, who was grinning wildly, and looked around. “I, uh, I’m carving today.”
Harper frowned. “With Layla?” She reached out and took the girl without thinking. Those little arms were reaching for her and Harper was far from immune to the cuteness. “You’re going to try and work while watching her?” Harper snorted. Mason still had a lot to learn, apparently.
“Yeah, well...I figure it’ll all work out.” Mason squished his lips to the side where they nearly disappeared into his beard. “I know I don’t really have any right to ask, but we were wondering if you would help us.”
Harper automatically swayed Layla on her hip. “Oh?” She couldn’t explain how her heart skipped a beat and her ears perked up. Okay...that was a lie. Harper knew exactly why her body was responding that way, but she was trying not to think about it. Wanting things to be different just made it harder.
He reached out and caressed Layla’s cheek.
A corresponding sensation ran down Harper’s face and she held back a shiver.
“Both Layla and I have missed you,” he said softly.
“Has there been trouble with your schedule?” Please say no, please say no. Once again, Harper’s heart was yo-yo-ing. She felt as if she had no control of the organ. Mason had been a point of joy and pain and yet this tiny bit of hope had it speeding up like a runaway freight train with only one destination in mind, and her career completely forgotten in the rearview mirror.
His head shake was slower this time and he took another half step closer. “It’s not the schedule.”
Harper waited, that freight train nearly bursting through her chest.
“Layla keeps looking for you and wandering the house like she’s lost,” he explained. “And we’ve had a couple of close run-ins when I had no idea what she wanted.” He huffed. “She’s still not speaking and I don’t read minds very well.”
Harper blinked and stopped bouncing Layla. That runaway train had come to a screeching halt. “What?” she whispered hoarsely. This was not where her hormones had thought this conversation was going. Her cheeks were flushed and Harper felt too warm. She hoped Mason would attribute it to the glorious sunshine, because she certainly wasn’t going to explain her overactive imagination.
“I guess I just wanted to ask, if you’re not too busy, if you wouldn’t mind stopping by once in a while.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “You know, show me what I’m doing wrong and help me make sure I’m giving her everything she needs.” He raised his eyebrows, those golden eyes pleading. “What do you think?”
Harper had no words. Her mind went through every reason why she should turn him down. She was on a deadline. She needed to spend more time trying to advertise her business. Her social media accounts were lagging. She had a competition to enter. Her mother was threatening to take away her income. She was sending out paintings to new art houses, hoping to be included in their exhibits.
“Sure.”
Wait, what?That was not what she had planned to have come out of her mouth.
Layla began tugging on a piece of Harper’s hair and Harper leaned her head down, resting it on the child’s silky crown. She wanted to sigh in contentment. She had missed this. Something about having a tiny person rely on her made Harper feel...needed...and wanted. Two things that always seemed to be missing from her life. Her mother only wanted her to change careers. Her customers wanted the paintings. Even Mason only wanted her help. But Layla? Layla seemed to simply enjoy Harper. It was a heady sensation.
“Great!” Mason said with a wide smile. “Uh, I mean...great.” He nodded, looking slightly embarrassed. They stood staring at each other for the next few seconds.
Layla was still pulling on Harper’s hair, but Harper barely noticed. She was caught in a golden gaze that was drawing her in like a bee to honey. The air began to grow thick and heavy, like maple syrup, and Harper found her body leaning forward ever so slightly.
Mason blinked. “Yeah. Let me grab her from you.” He reached out and took Layla, lifting her off Harper’s hip.
“Oh, yeah...thanks.” Harper cleared her throat. Oh my gosh, can I get any more pathetic? She mentally face-palmed herself. If she got out of this conversation with any pride still intact, it would be an absolute miracle.
“I gotta run to my stuff, but...we’ll see you around?” Mason asked, looking slightly worried, like she had changed her mind in the last two minutes.
Harper nodded. “Yep. I’ll be around.”
“Great.” That heart-stoppingly wide smile was back. Really, if she was going to be stupid enough to spend time around him, the least Mason could do was have a crooked tooth or something. Anything that would take away from his attractiveness.
Harper gave a little wave as Mason walked away, Layla hanging on around his neck. Her heart lurched and Harper admitted, once again to herself, that her heart was no longer hers. She had thought it was back at Mason’s log cabin, but now she knew better. It was here at the festival, but it was walking around, handsome and cute as sin, doing whatever it pleased.
“Excuse me, miss,” a voice called.
Harper spun, grateful for the interruption. “Good morning! How can I help you today?”
“I was curious about that painting in the back,” the woman said, pointing with a gnarled finger. “The one with the pine trees?”
Harper smiled, but there was a distinct lack of joy behind the effort. This was her life. Pleasing patrons and talking about painting....all by herself. Somehow, the realization hurt more than it usually did. Her bright, career driven future had suddenly turned very dreary and lonely.
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