Aurora | H.S.

21. playing games

"I'll get you back before nine," he assures. "Uh, I know it's not really my place, but I think she needs to lighten up on you."

"Well, she's not wrong—I'm a single mom and I mess up a lot," I mutter.

"All parents mess up," he states, his voice steady and slow as if to emphasize his words.

I watch him for a moment, consistently amazed by how smooth he his with advice. It's unnerving to know that for as long as I've known him he's been willing to show me all his cards, but I'm still keeping mine until the right moment. It's like I know in the pit of my stomach that playing the wrong card could cause this whole thing to fall apart.

*     *     *

The drive to Liam's isn't long, and I barely remembered the way since this is my first time driving myself. As I pull into the driveway, I notice that Harry's black BMW isn't in the driveway. Curious if he had to run out, I sit in the car for a few minutes, looking up at the house that looks like it was pulled out from a Southern Home Magazine. The front door opens and I notice Harry stepping out onto the porch wearing what he wore earlier when he stopped by the flower shop.

I grab the bottle of wine from my passenger seat and climb out of the car just as he reaches me. His kiss takes my breath away—just as it always does. He takes the wine from me, mentioning that I didn't have to bring anything, but I couldn't come empty handed. Forgetting about Harry's missing car, I follow him into the house where the air conditioning makes my exposed skin tingle and burn from the sudden temperature change.

In the kitchen, Avery is at the island cutting up some vegetables to put into a bowl of mixed greens. She looks up, smiling widely at me. "Hey there," she gushes. "It's good to see you."

"You too," I walk around, deciding to give her a friendly hug. She smells like lavender, a smell I've gotten used to after working in a flower shop. "Thanks for inviting me."

"Oh, of course!" she insisted, waving her hand as if to say it's not a big deal. I'll admit, making new friends wasn't in my plans for this summer, but when Harry came everything changed. I'm so used to Cecilia and Peter than being around other people is slightly refreshing. "Dinner is just about done—Liam is out back with Quinn."

"Quinn?" I question.

"We adopted a dog from a shelter outside of town last week," she tells me. "It was Liam's idea, but Quinn is so cute. You'll meet her when she comes in."

A warm hand settles on my lower back, my attention turning back to the man I'm truly here for. He smirks down at me, brushing his thumb over my bottom lip as the gap between us closes. I take a shaky breath, pressing my hand to his chest and splaying my fingers over the smooth fabric. Whenever we touch it's like the world around us stops; at first it was terrifying, but I've started to succumb to the feeling much easier.

"Did I tell you that Eliana has been sleeping with her duck every night since you gave it to her?" I laugh a bit, cocking my head to the side.

Harry chuckles, "really?"

I nod, biting down on my bottom lip as he brushes his nose against mine. My eyes flutter shut and the rush of blood in my ears causes my skin to grow hot. Our lips press together, the sounds around us drowned out by my raging heartbeat.

The slamming of a screen door pulls us back to reality. Harry pulls away, his lips redder and his cheeks flushed. I giggle, nudging him with my arm before turning back to the counter where Avery is looking over as Liam walks into the room. "Hey," he says to me, "good to see you."