Harper's Rules (27 page)

Harper published his book and dedicated it to his daughter Jess, and to me. He is back to full swagger again, and sometimes I miss the humble version. One morning Jamie and I were doing what people with a teenager do: playing chauffeur and heading to a lacrosse field. The commercial on the radio ended, and the host said, “And now we're here with Harper Scott, noted headhunter and the author of a new book called
Harper's Rules
that claims if you correctly learn how to find a job, you can also find true love.”

Jamie got excited and told me and Brea to shut up—Harper was on the radio! We both rolled our eyes. Anything he was going to say, I told Jamie, I gave him. But the host asked Harper what he wished people would learn from his book, and I guess it's only fair to give him the last word, because it made me look at Jamie and smile.

HARPER'S FINAL RULE

If we used the language of work in our relationships, we'd have fewer problems and a lower divorce rate. We need to stop saying we “fell in love.” Falling implies a misstep, a mistake. We would never say we fell into a job; we accept a job offer. We need to start saying, “I love you, I want to be with you, I accept your offer of love.”

For now, and I hope forever, I accept Jamie's offer of love. And if it doesn't work out, well . . . I know a really good headhunter.