Midnight Kiss

Chapter Seven

(Word Count: 2329)

Harper placed the carnations on the pedestal beside where the casket would be located. It was a busy time of year, being just after the holidays and she'd hoped it would act as a distraction. Alas, her mind would not stray from the ordeal of the night before.

Needless to say, sex was off the table after Devon left. The mood went up in flames and the entire thing was just too exhausting and emotional. So James just showered, and they went to bed. When Harper awoke, he had already left, having to go home to get ready for work at six in the morning.

"Any missed calls or texts from lover boy?" Nevaeh, her boss asked.

Nevaeh's father had opened the funeral home forty years ago, when she was just a child. After he died, Nevaeh took over the managing side of things, but preferred being more hands on. Harper often wondered how she dealt with it all, handling families at the worst times of their life.

While funeral homes were subdued and rather depressing, Nevaeh's had an incredible, lively personality that showed through her work. Many people ended up choosing this funeral home because of that. They weren't spoken to wearing kid gloves. She made everyone's day a little brighter and Harper was hoping she could do the same with hers, to no avail.

Nothing could focus Harper's mind on the incredible date she'd had with James rather than the debacle that came after.

"I've been too afraid to look. I wouldn't doubt there's a bunch of hate texts from my brother waiting for me, and I don't think I can handle that right now."

Nevaeh rubbed Harper's arm, then gave her body a light squeeze. "I'm sure he didn't mean all those terrible things he said. He was just angry, and we all say things we regret when we're angry. He'll come to his senses soon enough."

Something told Harper that Devon meant every single word he said the night before. His words echoed through her head for hours, leaving Harper restless and unable to sleep for hours.

"So tell me more about this man of yours," Nevaeh continued when Harper remained quiet. "The only time you've mentioned him was after that break up."

The break up between him and Layla had occurred about a month after Harper began working there. Layla became needy afterwards, calling her at all hours of the day and night, wanting Harper to come over or just wanting to vent. She had to keep her phone in her car because the calls when the calls became borderline exhausting to deal with. That, and it didn't look good being a new employee with a phone going off every minute.

Harper didn't open up about her personal life or feelings often. It wasn't because she was closed off per se, just didn't feel the need to air everything about herself.

"James is... James. He's always been good to me and helped me when I needed it. There's never been a time when he wasn't in my life. Even when I went away to college, he'd call me every Friday and send care packages. Even when I was little, James never treated me like the annoying tag-along."

"You're in love with him," Nevaeh stated. Her voice made it a far cry from a question. Rather, it was simple and all-knowing, just as she was. "I've seen that look on many people when they tell me about the love of their life they just lost. Getting people to talk about their life rather than their death brings out that exact look and just a few moments of peace. Does he love you back?"

A stupid, wide grin took over Harper's face as she remembered the words from last night. 'I fell in love with you five years ago out in that field,' he'd told her.

James knew her strengths and weaknesses. He knew her flaws and her heart. He knew her past and present and now would become her future. 'Surreal' didn't even cover how Harper felt about all this. Four days ago he was still her lifelong fantasy. She'd been raised, beat down and everything in between since then. Harper had even allowed herself to be nearly scared away despite wanting this for years.