Chapter 63 HARPER
The first thing I registered was the soft glow of morning light brushing across my eyelids. The second was the shape of someone sitting in my room.
I rubbed my eyes, blinking until everything came into focus.
Mark.
He was slumped in the chair beside my bed, head tilted at an uncomfortable angle, hoodie bunched beneath his cheek. His arms were folded loosely, his breathing slow. He looked like he’d been sitting guard instead of sleeping.
Everything rushed back in pieces—snacks on the coffee table, a dumb movie we barely watched because we kept talking, me yawning halfway through it. Mark lifting me from the couch with that gentle smile, tucking me into bed like it was the most normal thing in the world. And me, stupidly tired and emotionally drained, asking him not to leave yet.
I remembered how he hesitated, like he wasn’t sure he should stay. Then he nodded and sat in the chair instead of anywhere near the bed, saying he’d stay just for a bit.
‘Just for a bit’ had clearly turned into the whole night.
A guilty warmth crept up in my chest. He could’ve made it easier on himself, but he didn’t. He kept his distance, careful not to cross a line I hadn’t even drawn out loud. He was trying—really trying—to respect me.
And I appreciated it, even though he wasn’t the person I wished I’d fallen asleep thinking about.
I sat up quietly, trying not to wake him, but his eyes fluttered open as if he’d been on the edge of waking anyway.
“Oh,” he murmured, rubbing the side of his face. “You’re up.”
“Yeah.” I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Did you sleep like that the whole night?”
He stretched his neck with a small wince. “Guess so. You conked out, and I didn’t want to leave until I knew you were asleep for real.”
The corners of my mouth lifted despite myself. “You could’ve slept on the bed, you know.”
His eyes widened. “Harper, no. I wasn’t going to do that unless you asked. I didn’t want you waking up and thinking I’d tried anything weird.”
That warmth in my chest twisted again. “Still. The chair looks uncomfortable.”
“It wasn’t that bad,” he lied, terribly.
He pushed himself up, brushing off imaginary dust from his sweatpants. There was something nervous in his movements even though he was trying hard to act casual.
“Well,” he said, glancing toward the window, “I should probably head home before my mom and Megan thinks I’m up to no good here.”
I laughed softly. “They wouldn’t think that.”
“You never know.” He hesitated near the door, looking like he wanted to say something but wasn’t sure how. “I had fun last night. Really. It… meant a lot.”
I nodded slowly. “Yeah. Me too.”
His shoulders relaxed, hope flickering across his face. “So I was wondering if maybe I could come by again later? If you wanted.”
The hope made my stomach tighten. I didn’t want to encourage it—not when I wasn’t in the same place he was.
“I’ll let you know if I’m free,” I said, choosing my words carefully.
He tried to hide his disappointment with a small smile. “Cool. No pressure. Just text me.”
“Okay.”
He left with a quiet goodbye, pulling the door shut behind him. As soon as he was gone, the room felt heavier, like the air shifted back to its original weight.
I pushed the thoughts aside. Mark was sweet—too sweet, maybe. But he wasn’t who I wanted. And if I kept overthinking last night, I was going to drive myself insane. Brushing the thought aside, I began getting ready for my sessions with Tyler, my heart beating in anticipation.
The morning air was crisp as I walked up the long driveway of the Mercer estate. The sun glinted off the perfectly manicured lawns and the modern glass-and-stone façade of the house. Even after coming here a couple of times, it still made me feel like I was stepping into a different world.
I let myself in through the side door, careful not to make too much noise. The kitchen smelled like coffee and something sweet baking.
“Morning, Rose,” I said, giving Tyler’s mom a wave as she stirred something on the counter.
“Hey, Harper. Boys are still upstairs, sleeping off whatever chaos they got up to,” she said with a soft laugh. “Go wake them whenever you’re ready.”
I grinned. “Thanks. I’ll be up there in a second.”
I headed for the polished staircase, the banister cool to the touch as I ran a hand along, making my way upstairs. Pushing open the Tyler's bedroom door, I found an unusual mess: blankets everywhere, open textbooks, and evidence of a late morning of lounging.
Peter was sprawled on the floor, face down, like he’d surrendered to gravity completely. Tyler was still on the bed, his good arm flung over his eyes, hair sticking up in every direction.
I stepped in casually. “Morning, sleeping beauties. Time for some stretching or should I come back in an hour?”
Tyler shot up so fast I thought he might fall on Peter. “What? Oh… hey.” He ran a hand through his messy hair, trying to look casual but failing.
Peter groaned from the floor. “Wow. Could you be more awkward? You sound like you've been caught red handed doing something illegal, dude.”
Tyler gave him a glare but didn’t answer me.
I raised an eyebrow, watching the silent exchange between them as Peter picked himself up from the floor. The look he gave Tyler seemed like he knew something I didn’t, and Tyler immediately looked away.
I rolled my eyes and moved closer to the bed. “Alright, enough stalling. Let’s just get this over with.”
Tyler shrugged and started adjusting the strap on his shoulder. “Yeah, let’s just… do it.”
And that was it. He wasn’t joking, wasn’t chatting, just wanting to move through the exercises faster than usual.
I tried to make a few comments to lighten the mood, but he barely reacted. Something about him today felt off, like he wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible.
When we finished, I stepped back, expecting him to settle into his usual relaxed posture on the bed. Instead, he sat up and said, “Done?”
“Yeah,” I muttered, a little surprised.
Peter lifted his head from the floor, grinning. “Wow. Someone’s in a hurry today.”
Tyler shot him a look that could freeze lava.
I felt my stomach twist. Had I done something wrong? Yesterday he’d been fine—even kind of playful. Today, it was like he didn’t want me there at all.
“Seriously, if you’re annoyed or tired, just say it,” I said lightly, trying to mask the frustration creeping into my voice. “No need for the weird vibes.”
His eyes widened. “No! I mean… I’m fine.”
“Okay,” I said, standing and packing up my bag. “Let’s just call it a morning.”
Peter pushed himself up from the floor, glancing between Tyler and me with a careful, almost calculating look. “You sure you’re done for today?” he asked casually, giving Tyler a chance to say more without making it obvious.
Tyler’s jaw tightened slightly, his posture stiff, as if weighing whether to respond. He finally nodded without a word.
“I’m leaving,” I said, even though I didn’t have anywhere urgent to go. I just needed space. The room felt smaller than usual, the tension lingering in the way Tyler kept his gaze away from me on purpose.
I stepped outside, pulled out my phone, and pressed Mark’s number.
“Hey, what’s up? Is everything okay?” he answered quickly, a note of concern in his voice.
“Yeah,” I said, even though my chest felt tight. “You free? Want to come over?”
There was a pause, then a warm laugh. “Yeah. Definitely. I’ll be there.”
I hung up slowly, leaning against the railing. Maybe company was better than overthinking. Maybe comfort was better than confusion.
At least with Mark, things weren’t complicated. At least with Mark, I knew exactly where I stood.