Loving Harper

III.

"Harper?" Jade asked. Harper clicked on the next article.

"New York's It Couple Breaks Up. James Blair breaks supermodel, Zarah Phillips heart. It's official! You can now add Zarah Phillips to the long list of women who've had their heart broken by New York playboy, James Blair. The picture perfect couple surprised all of New York when they called it quits. Although both parties have continued to stay mum about the break up, sources close to the couple say the break up was not amicable. Phillips recent drunken outburst at several Hampton parties only confirms rumors about the less than friendly break-up." Harper continued reading.

"Harper?" Jade asked with concern. "You got to stop reading."

"Model of the week. James Blair steps out with another blonde bombshell in LA shortly after break up with Zarah Phillips. The break-up, which had New York buzzing for months, ended with Blair moving to the west coast and Phillips drowning her sorrows in the Hamptons."

"Harper, it's just gossip."

Harper backed away from the computer unwilling to read anything else. She stood up from her chair and ran to the bathroom.

"Harper!?!" Jade shouted.

Harper entered the stall and immediately began to vomit.

"Harper!?!" Jade whispered as she entered the bathroom and locked the door. "What the fuck?"

She watched as Harper emptied the stall and rinsed her mouth in the sink.

"Jade, I slept with him."

"What!?! When!?! Was it good? It must have been so fucking good. No wonder you didn't call me back." Jade rambled.

"Jade." Harper groaned, covering her face.

Jade started pacing again. "How big was he? I mean, what exactly happened?"

"That's not the point."

"Harper, that's the whole fucking point! You got fucking laid. James fucking Blair fucked you." Jade squealed. "I don't know if I am jealous or proud?"

"Shhhh!" Harper whispered trying to calm Jade down. "I didn't know I was sleeping with New York's favorite playboy."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing." Harper paused. "Everything. The man is practically a walking tabloid. We write crap about these people all the time. Not to mention the string of women at his disposal and this weekend I was fucking one of them. Gosh, how I could I be so dumb?"

"Calm down. You're not that dumb." Jade asked jokingly.

Harper rolled her eyes. Jade's reaction made her realize that she never wanted to see James Blair again.

"Harper, you had a fucking one night stand with the guy. Relax. Based on his previous history with women, he has probably forgotten all about you. Besides, you had fun with James right?" Jade questioned.

Harper nodded as Jade pulled her into a hug. "Good. Because there is another guy I want to set you up with..." Jade continued.

"No. No. No. It was your blind dating ideas that got me into this mess. I am never doing this again." Harper replied as she unlocked the bathroom door and headed back to their cubicle.

"Harper." Jade whined as she followed.

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It was mid-afternoon and Harper was finally getting back into the swing of work. She was working on a piece about some reality star. The drama from this morning had subsided and she was no longer thinking of James. Jade was still trying to persuade her to go on another blind date.