IT'S BEEN TWO WEEKS SINCE I'VE SEEN HARP. I slither my fingers through my hair in frustration. It was stupid of me to think everything would be fine. I've been busy at the station and she's been avoiding me like the plague; with the excuse that she's busy preparing for the start of school. Matt hasn't said anything and appears oblivious to the whole thing.
I swipe my thumb over my phone screen as if I'm going to magically find her number. I refuse to ask Matt or anyone else. I want her to give it to me, not anyone else.
My thumb stops at Emily's contact info. I ended up taking her out on a date. She's a really nice girl with goals, but like every girl before her, something was missing. There was no pull. At the end I walked her to her door and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She was disappointed, but understood. And it didn't help that the whole time we were at dinner, Harp was on my mind.
I drop my phone into the cup holder and start my patrol car. Enough of this! My route takes me right by the little league fields today and I know from Matt that Harp's coaching a game. The windows are rolled down and I let the fresh summer breeze into my car. There isn't much time left to enjoy it with fall right around the corner.
I pull in to the little league and see the fields filled with kids. Matt's the president and the number one coach. He's had high school's and even some colleges offer him positions. He ended up accepting one for the local high school where he also works as the health and gym teacher now. I do a quick patrol of the area and then decide now is a good time for lunch.
A parking spot opens up and I immediately take it. I get out and shut my car door, automatically searching for that flaming copper hair. People shoot wary glances towards me. It's a known fact that people are nervous around cops.
Matt's orange head pops into view and I take strong strides over to him. "Hey."
He turns and smirks. "What are you doing here?"
"This was my patrol route. Decided to get lunch from the concession stand."
He nods. "Have you gotten used to this place again?"
I chuckle, "Oh yeah, it's been very nostalgic."
Matt waves to a family and then asks, "So the kids will be done this week with little league and then the fields are open to the public for tournaments. Think you'd be interested?"
"Definitely. Actually, guys at the station have been interested in starting a team."
"Perfect." Matt exclaims, "Now we can play against each other like the good old days."
I smack Matt's back. "Be ready to be humiliated when you lose to me."
He taunts, "Yeah right, you seem out of shape."
I bark out a loud laugh, "Says the guy with the gut."
He cocks a brow. "Watch it! Not all of us can go to the gym. Some of us have people to go home to. Besides my wife says the dad bod is sexy."
I place my hand over my heart as I walk over to the concession stand. "That one hurt Matty."
He rolls his eyes. "Whatever man."
I get in line and my eyes immediately find Harp at the field closest to me, coaching at first base. She's wearing a baseball cap and her striking locks are in a ponytail. A broad smile is on her lips as she claps and cheers, while one of her kids runs the bases. He reaches home plate and her magnificently strong legs run over to him giving him a high five.
The score board shows me that her team is winning. I order my food and lean against a post eating my hot dog while Harp sends her kids out to the field for the last inning. Her freckles are prominent under the sun's scrutiny and she claps her hands when one of her kids catches a fly ball.
I throw my garbage away and get closer to her field as the last out ends the game. Harp hugs her kids as they cheer from their victory and I smile watching her interact with them.
She's going to be a great mother.
Her white t-shirt climbs up her stomach a little showing just a slight amount of skin. My muscles coil and I look away as she tries pulling it down. This woman is trying to get my attention I swear. My eyes lift back up and she's walking, her shirt still lifted a little. I lick my dry lips and taste the mustard from my hot dog.
She seems off and guilt plunges straight through my gut like a samurai sword. I should've never ignored her. I had made a promise with Matt, but I was also trying to find my footing in life. To decide if I should go pro or become a cop. To see if my relationship with Lina would lead anywhere. But none of that is a good enough reason.
I was the one who found her that night on the field crying, ripping balls into the outfield when her dad left. She was a wreck and angry with the world. I acted like I was on a run, but when Matt told me the news I ran to where I knew she would be. I ran my heart out that night only to have it crushed when I saw her angry tears.
I made a promise that day to make sure that girl always would know that she's treasured and have failed miserably. I saw it in her eyes at the pie shop, she felt worthless and it slashed right through my heart. Not only that, but these men her mom has her go on dates with are for some stupid reason rejecting her.
The sound of a ball being smacked by a bat knocks me back into reality. Am sits on the stands picking at her nails and I go over.
"Hey."
The doll-like woman turns to me with a flirty smile. She reminds me of Helen of Troy, a beauty that launched a thousand ships. Am is far from my type and something about her being Harp's friend makes her even more unappealing to me, but we're friends.
"Hey there Officer. What brings you by?" She asks as she slowly puts on her lipstick.
"Thought I'd stop by and see some of the game."
She nods and I pat the wood stand she's sitting on. "What about you?"
Those striking silver eyes turn to me and away from her mirror. For a second, I see pain cross her features, but it disappears as fast as it came. She gives a fast blinding smile, "I always try to stop and watch my best friend coach."
And that is why these two are best friends.
Despite their differences Am and Harp make time to be there for each other, even if it's not their thing. Her smile turns weak and eyes glaze over, making me raise a brow. "You okay?"
Her eyes clear and she throws her little pocket mirror in her expensive looking purse. "All good, just tired, been working long nights on a case. Tell Harp I'll see her later."
My knuckles tap on the stand again. "See you around."
Am winks. "You sure will."
I head over to Harp as she ends her little victory speech to the kids. They all seem to be around seven or eight years old. I lean over the wire fence and shout, "Good game!"
All the kids turn and some come running over and I'm bombarded with questions.
"You're a police officer, do you have a gun?"
"Have you arrested someone before?"
"Have you shot someone?"
My hands fly up. "Woah there, one at a time. My names Officer Samuels what are your names?"
"Nick."
"Lexi."
"Curtis."
I walk around the fence and bend down to their eye level. "Yes, I do have a gun, and yes I have arrested people, and yes I have shot someone, but for good reason."
The kids jump up and down as Harp comes over. "Guys your parents are waiting for you. Maybe you'll see Officer Samuels again soon."
They ignore Harp as a cute pig-tailed Lexi turns to me. "Are you Miss Collins's boyfriend?"
I smirk as Harp coughs, "Absolutely not."
"Why not?" The tiny girl asks. "He's so handsome."
I give the little pig-tailed girl a charming smile. "Why thank you sweetheart."
She gives a cute blush and a gap toothed grin. The three kids run away and Harp quirks a brow at me. "Tell me, is it nice being so suave?" I smirk at her and she just rolls her eyes. "What are you even doing here?"
"Came to see you." I scratch the back of my head and walk up to her but she swiftly whips around.
"I don't have time. I've got a late lunch date to get to."
My jaw flexes at her shortness and also at the fact she's going on another date. "Your mom again?"
"Yep." She quips as I follow her into the dugout. She starts picking up and I help her out. "I'm guessing your date with Emily didn't go well since you're here."
I clear my throat at the venom in her voice. "I'd be here either way."
She picks up her bag filled with stuff and gives a very stressed and fake smile. "So, it didn't go well. Let me guess..." She puts her finger to her mouth cocking her hip to the side, "it didn't go well because you felt bad about me."
I look away knowing that's exactly why and she gives a bitter laugh at it. "So I'm right."
She begins stomping away and I'm quick on her heels. "Harp what can I do to make you forgive me?"
The stubborn red head throws her bat-filled bag at me and I catch it with ease to her displeasure and I'm thankful for my body armor. Yep, always wear body armor with Harp around.
"I don't know Owen. You ignored me for years... years. For a stupid reason." She tries ripping her bag from me but I keep a strong grip on it
"Please Harp."
She bites her lip. "You were like... my best friend and a huge support for me. I know you probably didn't feel the same way and thought of me as the annoying little sister, but I told you things that I didn't even tell Am, or anyone for that matter." She throws her hands in the air and smacks them back on those legs of hers. "You dropped me like I meant nothing."
"Is that what you think? That you mean nothing to me?" I ask her with slight annoyance in my tone.
She gives a heavy sigh, "I don't know. What exactly am I supposed ot think?"
We stand there not saying anything. I take her arm in my hand and I'm shocked by how soft her skin is. Electricity shoots through my veins and I take a deep breath.
She finally breaks the silence but her eyes remain on my hand around her arm. "I'll forgive you, but only because I could use you for this upcoming event at school."
My chest tightens and I drop my hand from her arm. "Sure, what is it?"
She bounces a little looking at the last of her kids leaving with their parents. "The idea just kind of came to me when the kids ran up to you. Would you mind coming in and giving them a lesson in what cops do."
I grin. "I'd love too."
She nods, pursing her lips to the side. "You've always loved kids and have been good with them, so I figured you'd agree."
I watch Harp try her best not to look at me, still hurt. I step closer to her, like maybe if I hug her or hold her, it would melt off her like wax. She fidgets and her breathing quickens as I stare at her blushing face. Silence continues to encase us but this time it's Matt that interrupts it by smacking my back. "Hey man, you free tonight? Found out I got a free night. Elise is taking the girls to her mom and dad's."
Harp grabs her bag from me slinging it over her shoulder. "See you around." She passes by me and is so close a little bit of her scent lingers. The pleasant aroma of pumpkin spice hits me and I watch her walk to her car.
Another smack on my shoulder causes me to jolt. "Hey, you free or not?"
"Yeah, I'm free."
"Sweet." Matt pumps his fist in the air. "Your place?
"Sure." I smirk and both of us turn has Harp pulls away waving to us. "Your mom is stubborn as ever."
Matt cracks his neck. "Yeah, it's getting to the point I think Harp's going to boil over. She hates going on these dates and it bothers Elise how these guys treat her."
My head snaps at that. "Why don't you do anything?"
Matt reels his head back a little like I took a cheap shot right to his nuts. "I've tried interfering, but Harp won't have it. Honestly Owen, her and I were on bad terms when I first came back home. We fought all the time because she said I would fight her battles for her and that she didn't need my help. She even once went as far as saying I was as bad as mom and that I didn't think she could succeed on her own. Since then I've backed off and we've been better."
My blood boils at that. Seriously Harp? Matt and I are her protectors, that doesn't mean we don't want her to grow up, we just want to help her. She can be so stubborn. But I am slightly relieved that I wasn't the only one in the hot seat with her.
Matt rubs his neck and I can tell he's frustrated. He cares deeply for his sister and what she's doing is killing him. I cock my head over to where we last saw her. "I ran into one when we went for pie."
Matt raises a brow. "Oh yeah, how was he?"
My mind races back to how the guy looked at Harp in disgust and said those awful words to her. "A real piece of work."
Matt continues to rub his neck and sighs, "I wish mom would give it a rest. She's so obsessed with my little sister getting married and it kills me to watch Harp constantly go out with idiots."
I nod as Matt practically rubs his neck raw. I drop the subject. "Football, drinks, you bring the pizza?"
He flicks my badge, then my police cap. "Got it. Can't wait for a night of football talk, pizza and no women."
I smack his face walking away. "Normal night for me. See you at six."
I jump into my patrol car which is still running, because an officer of the law should be ready for anything, and proceed with my route. I station myself at the mall sitting back and watching cars slow down when they see me. I chuckle knowing almost none of them are really speeding, but freak out when my patrol car comes in sight.
Memories pop in my head of me, Matt and Harp driving to get Chinese after our games back in high school. Harp would always sit in the back, right in the middle because she had designated it as her seat, no matter whose car we were in. The place we went to was right here in the mall and we would have a race to see who would get there first.
I would always let Harp win.
I would even go so far as to box Matt out.
I glance around the mall and see how different life has become since then. The parking lot is practically empty and in terrible shape, showing how inadequate the mall has become, and it's the summer. Looks like online shopping has really done damage to it.
I smirk at the food court and remember one night in particular. Harp had tripped, spilling her Styrofoam boxed teriyaki chicken and rice all over the concrete. Matt and I laughed as she dramatically whined, bouncing on her feet in frustration. Matt helped her pick it all up and throw it away. We all sat on a bench as I shared mine with Harp letting her eat most of it.
I was wrapped around her finger even back then.
The Chinese place is still there surprisingly. I was called to the mall for theft reasons and saw it in passing. Feeling nostalgic, I text Matt that I'll be getting dinner tonight.
A car speeds past way over the speed limit and I turn on my lights. The minute my eyes see the license plate I start cracking up. I pull the little car over and quickly get out and knock on the driver's window.
"License and registration Harp." Her fingers are digging into her roots as she lectures herself and hisses as she hands me her information.
"Is there any chance you'll let me off with a warning cute officer? I'm going to be late again." She gives me a very Harp like expression, where she bats those bubbly eyes and bites her lip with a pretty please smile. Her lip biting draws my eyes greedily to them and I fight back the need growing in my core.
Good thing I'm wearing my sunglasses.
I stare at her. Her thick hair is down and brushed out looking sleek and shiny. She's wearing a nice loose black dress that shows off her adorable freckles and gorgeous legs. "You were going forty in a twenty-five."
Her face falls and she hits her head on the steering wheel. When she pops back up there's a red imprint making me smirk a little. "If you give me a warning then I'll fully forgive you and never bring it up again."
I bend down and put my head in her car, only inches from hers. "You look pretty Harp."
Her eyes widen and she blushes. I chuckle knowing I got her flustered and head back to my vehicle with her license and registration. My arms tense as I wish that Harp would come watch the game in that pretty black dress instead of going on this stupid date with some random guy who doesn't deserve her.
I sigh and throw my sunglasses on my dash in irritation and pinch the bridge of my nose.
What's going on with me?
I pop my neck and turn my brain off to start writing her ticket.
A/N So what do you all think of Owen writing Harp a ticket? lol! I just had to do it. Anyways, please vote and comment. Hearing what you all think makes my day :)
~ Living Red