Chapter 75 HARPER
He was finally giving me a listening ear. This was my chance to come clean about how I truly felt. But the subtle traces of hope in his eyes—the way he looked at me, as if he were waiting for me to give a command—made my resolve falter. Damn it. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t crush his heart after everything he’d done for me—at least not without putting in some effort first.
“I just wanted to say… I know I haven’t exactly been girlfriend of the year,” I began, my voice softer than I intended. “But my parents’ divorce, and then being Tyler’s temporary therapist, and all of that—it’s just… somehow taking a toll on me.”
I paused, waiting to see if he realized that the words spilling from my mouth were only half-truths. If he did, he didn’t show it.
“I just wanted you to know that I really care about you, Mark,” I continued, the tension inside me loosening for a split second. “I want this to work, and I promise I’ll try my best. Just… know that you’re the best boyfriend a girl could ever ask for. Never for one second be surprised that I agreed to date you. You’re good-looking, smart, caring—I could go on forever. I’m not even sure I deserve—”
“Don’t,” he cut in gently. “Don’t say that, babe. You deserve every bit of it. I promise, I’m going to love you in all the right ways, because you deserve every bit of it.”
I choked back a sob. Why did he always have to make me feel so guilty?
I had told the truth. Half the truth. I did care about him, and the divorce—and Tyler—were taking a toll on me. Just not in the way I was making it sound.
But one thing I meant for sure was that I was going to make an effort this time. Relationships required more than love to survive, and since I already cared about Mark to some extent, maybe if I focused harder on us, I could eventually forget about Tyler and learn to appreciate what I already had.
I leaned across the seat, reaching up to place a soft kiss on his cheek. It should have been his lips, but I couldn’t bring myself to do that just yet.
Which was why, when Mark finally dropped me off at my doorstep, I took the next cab to Tyler’s house.
It was late. The cold was biting. But if I didn’t get some kind of closure, I knew I wouldn’t sleep at all. Confessing my feelings to Tyler would probably make things worse—but I needed him to know, at least to some extent, how I felt. Maybe then I’d finally be able to let go of whatever this was and focus on Mark.
I was still questioning my decision, standing outside the gate and hesitating, when Tyler’s text came in. I took it as a sign.
I didn’t bother going inside the compound. I didn’t plan on staying long. I just wanted to unload this guilt and leave. Still, part of me wondered what he wanted to talk about.
As if summoned by the thought, my eyes landed on him.
Tyler stepped out wearing nothing but a T-shirt, pleated pajama pants, socks, and a pair of slides, a jacket slung over his arm like the cold meant nothing to him. His blond curls bounced slightly as he walked, the sling strapped across his chest somehow making him look more put together than I’d expected for a guy already dressed for bed and clearly not anticipating visitors.
It was one of the things that made him unfairly attractive—no matter how disheveled he looked, he always managed to appear collected.
The gate unlocked as he reached it, and he stepped outside, already taking the hint that I didn’t want to come in.
“Hey,” he said, his usual greeting.
“Hey.”
“These are for you.” He held out the jacket, gloves tucked neatly into the sleeves. “I figured since you were already outside waiting for me, you must’ve been freezing by now.”
I stared at him, incredulous. I was already wearing a jacket and scarf, but they did little against the sharper cold that came with the heavier snowfall compared to earlier this morning.
“Thanks,” I murmured, slipping it on.
His scent hit me immediately—clean, musky, with a faint hint of petrichor. Warmth seeped into me, and I almost sighed before catching myself.
“You could’ve called me to come get you,” Tyler said, brows knitting with worry. “It’s late, Harper. You shouldn’t be outside at this hour. Why would Mark drop you off alone this late?”
The resolve I’d built melted instantly at the restrained annoyance in his voice. Tyler was good at hiding his emotions, but somehow I always felt them anyway. He cared—deeply. Just not in the way I wanted him to.
I fidgeted with my gloved hands. “About that—Mark didn’t drop me off here. He dropped me at home. I came over because I knew I wouldn’t sleep if I didn’t say what’s been on my mind for a while now.”
His expression remained flat. Too neutral to read.
“Oh.”
“Yeah,” I muttered, my breath fogging the air. The temperature was dropping fast. I needed to make this quick before Tyler caught hypothermia because of me.
“I—I also wanted to talk to you about something,” he blurted, before I could find my footing again.
“Oh?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay then. You go first.” I poked his chest lightly, but the placid look he gave me made the gesture feel awkward. Stupid. “You’re staring, Tyler.”
He blinked, dragging a hand through his hair. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine. Just… get it off your chest.”
“If only it were that easy,” he muttered, so quietly I would’ve missed it if I weren’t good at reading lips.
For some reason, my heart kicked faster.
What was so hard for him to say?
What if—
I shook my head, forcing the thought away. I had an objective. If he wasn’t ready, then I’d start.
“Tyler, I just wanted to say I’m ready to move on from you—”
“I like you, Harper—”
We said at the same time.
I froze.
He froze.
My breath caught, the world narrowing to a single, deafening silence.
Did he just… confess to me?