Breaking Clear (Full Hearts Series Book 3) (15 page)

Kneeling on the bed, he tugged the sheet off her, leaving her fully exposed to him. “Yup. Best decision I’ve made all year,” he said, lowering his mouth over her neck as Harper laughed and coiled her arms and legs around him.

*     *     *

Two hours later, Evan found himself at the next Pine Crest house he was starting, laying out the wall lines on the foundation. He preferred doing this task alone, without distractions, carefully marking out the window and door lines as he went, double- and triple-checking the angles and measurements against the blueprints until he felt certain that he wasn’t even a millimetre off in any direction. This was the beginning of someone’s home. The place where they would live their lives, where they’d make their memories, and he wanted it to be perfect for them. He wanted the owners to move in without unnecessary delays or unfinished details. He hoped that they would remember fondly the months spent waiting for their house to be completed, and that they would have the utmost confidence in the quality of their new home as they unpacked their dishes and collapsed into bed on their first night in it. He built a house the way he would want it done if he were paying for it. No cigarette butts tossed carelessly down the furnace vents, no garbage left scattered around at the end of each day. It was about respect and meticulous care each step of the way.

He hummed to himself, smiling as he worked, thoughts of Harper passing through his mind. Images of them cooking side by side in his small kitchen or snuggled up on the couch to watch a movie they would never see the end of. He could picture her sitting across from him at the deli as they were eating lunch two days earlier. He had talked for a long time about his work, knowing that she would really hear what he had to say, that it mattered to her. He mattered to her. She challenged his opinions and ideas and brought a fresh new perspective to his world. In a heartbeat, he had become addicted to telling her all the little things and big things that make up a life. She wanted to know, wanted to keep his secrets safe in her heart. He could tell by the look in her eyes, her questions, her expressions. She cared for him in the deepest of ways and it felt wonderful to have that.

He thought of how she loved the smell of rain so much that she couldn’t help but leave the windows open, even if it meant she’d be chilly. He had teased her about leaving them open just to get him into bed to warm her up, but he knew she couldn’t resist the scent of rain any more than she could resist him. Maybe this could work out after all.

But that was a thought he couldn’t let take seed in his brain. That thought would grow like a weed, choking out his common sense and ruining what they had. She was leaving in a few months and this whole thing would have to end. If he could just keep his heart from getting involved, he’d be left with warm memories, like in those summer romances of youth where both people know it’s just for a little while before they have to move on. No one regrets those, do they?

He could rein in his feelings. He was smarter now than when he’d thrown himself into his relationship with Avery. When they met, he was already very successful, with cash to burn. Like a fool, he had believed himself invincible. He had known nothing of heartbreak, and he had been too cocky to think that it could ever happen to him. Young and rich, he was all too happy to spend his money and time on someone so beautiful and cultured. Someone he had never thought he could get in the first place. Avery had grown up wealthy and had developed only the finest tastes. With her on his arm, he felt like he had finally made something of himself.

He thought of how the two women couldn’t be more different. Avery had grown up with doting parents who gave her every advantage in life and made sure she knew she was beautiful and the best at anything she tried. Her mother had schooled her in how to catch the perfect man, to make sure she would always be cared for. Her parents hadn’t been thrilled with Avery’s choice of husband and Evan could tell. They were reserved, always polite, but full of questions about his business and its financial stability. The wedding had been a social event more than it had been a ceremony of commitment between two people. He had felt as out of place at the posh reception as he had at her parents’ dinner table. He sensed that he would have to prove himself to these people for years to come before he was brought into the fold of privilege.

In the end, he never was accepted by her family. He lost everything first. The recession hit hard, leaving him with two nearly completed executive homes the purchasers backed out of at the same moment as every other new home was being abandoned. He had fought with Avery for weeks before putting their house up for sale. She just couldn’t understand why his employees were their problem. If those people hadn’t saved enough to pay off their mortgages already, it was on them. She wasn’t about to suffer the humiliation of moving to some little old house in his old neighbourhood just because other people were bad with their money.

He knew it was over weeks before she moved back home to her parents. They had done nothing but fight, Evan growing more anxious as each minute ticked by and the money finally stopped trickling in. The last straw had been when she told him that she’d asked her dad for a loan. Her father had agreed to buy into the business but things would need to be run “properly” from now on, with him at the helm.

But he had his pride and he wasn’t about to let anyone rescue him, especially a man who had so little respect for him. He had said some very harsh things about how spoiled and uncaring Avery was. None of it far off the mark, but hurtful all the same. And he had wanted to hurt her. She hadn’t once offered sympathy about what was happening, only censure. What kind of a woman had he chosen for his wife? Someone selfish, with no idea about what really mattered in life.

She hadn’t understood him at all. She didn’t know that for him, building was about creating homes and communities, about providing work for honest people who were trying to live the American dream. He could help give them that dream, and for him, that was one of the best parts of his life’s work. And even though he had tried to share that with her, he could see her eyes glazing over. She didn’t understand the value in those sentiments. When push came to shove, none of that mattered to her.

The humiliation and pain that accompanied the end of his marriage served as a reminder of why he couldn’t let himself fall again. A reminder that he needed to keep his feelings for Harper in check. Even if she was Avery’s opposite, it didn’t mean things would turn out any better. And the fact that Harper was leaving soon was exactly why he could be with her in the first place. He would have to stay realistic about the affair and never forget that it had an expiry date.

“Have you heard from Wes at all?” Harper asked, opening the window to let fresh air into her dad’s room at the Rosewood Clinic. Immediately, the sounds of the birds brought nature inside with them.

“Not since last week. It’s hard with the time change.”

“I know. I haven’t spoken with him in months now. We’ve been emailing since you got hurt, but I have to do better at keeping in touch with him.”

Roy nodded. “Yeah, you should. The thing with his job is that you never know if he’ll even come home again.”

“You’re right. I’m going to make a better effort.”

“Good girl,” Roy answered.

Harper scrunched up her face for a moment. “You know, you are the only man on the planet who can get away with saying ‘good girl’ to me. Anyone else would get a knee to the groin.”

Roy chuckled at his daughter. “You always were a tough little thing. You used to beat the snot out of Craig when you were kids.”

“Well, I’m pretty sure the only reason I won was because you’d have killed him if he ever hit a girl.”

“True. But you were a real fighter in your own right. Even Wes had trouble stopping you when you got going.”

Snapping her fingers, Harper picked up the bag she had set on the floor when she came in. “Speaking of my competitive nature, guess what I found.” She pulled out a wooden cribbage board and a deck of cards. “You up for a challenge, old man?”

A grin spread across Roy’s face. “A challenge? Does that mean you’re hiding someone who knows how to play crib in that bag?”

Harper laughed, loving to see her dad seem so happy. “Very funny! Laugh now, because I’m about to open up a can of whoop-ass on you.”

She cleared the tray and set the board down, handing Roy the deck of cards to shuffle.

An hour later, one of the nurses came by to let Roy know it was time for his therapy session.

“We’ll go best out of seven tomorrow morning. Prepare to lose,” Harper said with wide eyes.

Roy gave her a little nod. “Alright, tomorrow morning it is. What are you going to do today?”

“I’m actually going to help at that charity again today.”

“Nice. How’s that going?”

“I love it there. It’s so rewarding. I’d like to join the New York chapter when I go back.”

Roy’s face fell a tiny bit before he caught himself. “Good plan.”

“Well, that’s not for a long time, anyway,” Harper said, trying to brush it off. “Oh, I was thinking about painting the living room, then maybe the kitchen? . . . Okay, and the hallway, bathrooms and bedrooms?”

“Alright, as long as you don’t overdo it.” Roy’s tone was sarcastic. “You need to learn to take it easy, kid.”

“Never,” she answered, giving him a peck on the cheek.

“Well, in that case, I might as well put you to work. Oh, wait a minute. No peach or pink or other girly colours. I have a reputation as a tough guy to uphold.”

“Deal. Only very manly colours,” Harper answered, saluting with one hand, then picking up her purse. Taking out the books she’d brought in, she swapped them for the two that were sitting on his nightstand.

*     *     *

The early morning heat had Harper opening the window as she drove across town. Letting her arm catch the breeze as the truck rambled down the road, she felt a sense of freedom come over her. Her days were her own and this thought finally found a welcome place in her soul. Pulling off the road and through the open gate to the Pine Crest construction site, she parked in front of a small white trailer. She gave herself a quick once-over in the rear-view mirror, making sure her lips were still glossy, then made her way to the trailer door, giving a light knock before opening it.

Crammed into the space were four desks, several filing cabinets, a coffee station and a water cooler. Standing at one of the desks was a young woman in jeans and a T-shirt, her blond hair pulled back into a no-nonsense ponytail. She was cradling a phone on her shoulder as she spoke. Her eyes scanned the desk next to hers and she picked up the base of the phone, bringing it with her as she tried to reach for something but came up short. “Mmhmm, yes. Yes, I’ve got it right here,” she said into the phone. “I’m looking at it now.”

She glanced at Harper with an urgent expression, pointing to a grey file folder. Dashing over, Harper handed her what she needed. The woman mouthed “Thanks” and continued the call. Harper stood for a minute, looking around. At the far corner of the trailer was what she assumed was Evan’s desk. It was covered in blueprints and stacked with files. She waited another minute for the woman to finish her phone call.

“Thanks for your help,” she said with a southern drawl. “I’m Lacey. What can I do for you?”

“I’m Harper. Evan forgot his lunch and his briefcase this morning.” She held them up to Lacey.

Lacey tilted her head as a look of understanding crossed her face. “So you’re the reason he’s been tapping his toes to the radio around here. I thought he must have found a woman, but you know him, he won’t say a word.” She picked up a walkie-talkie from her desk and pushed a button. “Boss man, there’s a gal here to see you. And she’s a real beauty, so you better hurry before one of the other boys gets here first.”

A click sounded over the walkie-talkie before Evan answered. “Be right there, Lacey.”

Harper blushed at hearing his sexy voice. “Oh no. I don’t want to disturb him. I just wanted to drop this off and sneak away.”

“Now, why would you want to sneak away when you have a chance to make him watch you go?” Lacey asked with a little wink.

Harper laughed. “Smart lady, I can see why Evan calls you his right hand.”

“Does he call me that? How sweet. Well, he’s one hell of a great boss. My husband, Chad, and I have worked for him forever. He takes real good care of his crew. In fact, we would have lost our house if it weren’t for him.” Lacey walked over to the counter and started making a fresh pot of coffee. “Would you like a coffee, hon?”

“No thanks. I just finished one.” Harper smiled, glancing down at Lacey’s emerging tummy. “Do you mind if I ask how he helped you keep your house?”

“He kept us both on the payroll even though he hadn’t sold a house for over a year. We’d had our first boy about a year before the recession really started to take its toll. By then the second one was on the way. I don’t know what we would have done if it wasn’t for Evan.” She gave Harper a look, as though trying to gauge her reaction.

“Wow. That is really going above and beyond,” Harper answered as she digested the information.

“That’s Evan. He goes above and beyond in everything he does.”

“Oh, believe me, I know,” Harper said with a knowing look.

Lacey laughed. “You’re fun. I can see why he’s been in such a good mood lately.”

The door swung open, revealing Evan. He was wearing work boots, jeans and a hard hat that were in sharp contrast to his crisp white button-up dress shirt. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, displaying his muscular forearms. His expression went from curious to delighted as soon as he saw Harper. “From Lacey’s description, I thought it might be you. What are you doing here?” He hesitated for a moment before walking over and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

“You left these by the front door this morning. I thought I’d bring them by on my way to the hospital.”

“Thanks. I haven’t had a chance to go back for them.” He glanced over at Lacey, who was smiling at him excitedly.