Chapter 16 THE SISTER'S WARNING
Three days after the Seattle Magazine interview, Harper's phone rang while she was reviewing renovation budgets at the dining table. Claire's name flashed on the screen.
"Hey, Claire," Harper answered.
"Hi. Are you free for lunch today? I thought we could catch up. Just us girls."
Harper glanced at her laptop, then at the stack of contractor quotes. She had been working non-stop since the interview, partly because the renovation actually needed attention, partly because it gave her something to focus on besides the confusing feelings swirling around her marriage.
"Sure. What time?"
"Noon. There is a great place near Pike Place Market. I will text you the address."
"Sounds good. See you then."
After hanging up, Harper felt a flutter of nervousness in her stomach. This would be the first time she had spent significant time alone with Claire since the wedding. Sebastian's sister had been friendly and welcoming, but Harper wondered if this lunch was just social or if Claire had an agenda.
She changed into jeans and a sweater, applied minimal makeup, and headed out. The restaurant Claire had chosen was small and elegant, tucked away on a side street with big windows overlooking the market. Claire was already seated when Harper arrived, looking polished in a cream blouse and tailored pants.
"Harper." Claire stood to hug her. "You look great. Marriage agrees with you."
"Thanks. You look wonderful too."
They settled into their seats and ordered. Small talk filled the first fifteen minutes. Claire asked about the Adriatic renovations, and Harper asked about Claire's foundation work. It all felt pleasant but slightly forced, like both of them were dancing around something bigger.
Finally, after their food arrived, Claire set down her fork and looked at Harper directly.
"Can I be honest with you about something?"
Harper's stomach tightened. "Of course."
"I like you. A lot. You are genuine and smart, and you clearly care about things that matter. When Sebastian told me he was getting married, I was shocked. When I met you, I understood why he had done it so quickly."
"Thank you," Harper said carefully, unsure where this was going.
"But I need to warn you about something." Claire's expression grew serious. "Sebastian has a history of emotional unavailability. He is my brother and I love him, but he is not good at letting people in."
Harper set down her own fork, her appetite suddenly gone. "What do you mean?"
"Our father died when Sebastian was twenty three. He had just finished college and was supposed to join the company as a junior executive. Instead, he ended up taking over because Dad had made some terrible decisions that nearly bankrupted everything. Sebastian spent three years cleaning up the mess, rebuilding relationships, proving himself to a board that did not trust him."
"He mentioned some of that," Harper said quietly.
"What he probably did not mention is what it did to him. He built walls, Harper. Huge ones. He decided that caring about things, letting himself be vulnerable, was a weakness. He watched our father make emotional decisions that almost destroyed the company, so Sebastian went the opposite direction. Cold. Calculated. Strategic."
Harper thought about the phone call she had overheard with Richard. The coldness in Sebastian's voice. "I have seen that side of him."
"Then you know what I am talking about." Claire leaned forward. "Sebastian has dated plenty of women. Beautiful, successful, appropriate women. But he never lets them in. Not really. He keeps everything surface level. The moment someone gets too close or wants too much, he ends it."
"He was engaged to Vanessa," Harper pointed out.
"For six months. And he broke it off because she wanted to set a wedding date. She wanted commitment, and he could not give it to her."
Harper felt her chest tighten. "But he married me. In two weeks."
"I know. And that is what worries me." Claire's eyes were kind but concerned. "Harper, I do not know the details of your arrangement with Sebastian. I am not asking you to tell me. But I can see that you care about him. I really care. And I need you to understand that Sebastian might not be capable of caring back. Not the way you deserve."
"You think he married me for business reasons," Harper said, her voice flat.
"I think Sebastian always has business reasons. He does not do anything without calculating the benefits." Claire reached across the table and took Harper's hand. "But I also think he likes you. Maybe even more than he is willing to admit to himself. The problem is that liking someone and being able to have a real relationship with them are two different things."
Harper pulled her hand back, feeling defensive. "He told me he is falling in love with me. Just a few nights ago. He said this was real."
Claire's expression softened with something that looked like pity. "He probably believes that. At the moment, he probably does feel something. But Harper, when things get hard, when you need him to be emotionally present, I do not know if he can do it. He has never been able to before."
"People change."
"Do they? Or do they just get better at hiding who they really are?"
Harper felt tears pricking her eyes and blinked them back. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I like you. Because you seem like someone who deserves honesty. And because I have watched Sebastian hurt people before, and I do not want to watch him hurt you." Claire's voice was gentle. "I am not saying you should leave him or that your marriage cannot work. I am just saying go into this with your eyes open. Protect your heart. Do not give him everything until you are sure he can handle it."
They sat in silence for a moment. Harper stared at her plate, appetite completely gone.
"Did he love Vanessa?" Harper asked quietly.
"I do not know. He said he did, but he also said he loved the woman before her and the one before that. Sebastian knows what he is supposed to feel. He just does not always actually feel it."
"That is a horrible thing to say about your own brother."
"It is an honest thing to say about someone I love but also know very well." Claire picked up her water glass. "Look, maybe I am wrong. Maybe you are different. Maybe you are the person who finally breaks through all those walls. I hope so. I really do. But I would rather warn you now than watch you get blindsided later."
Harper thought about the past few weeks. The demolished pillow wall. Sebastian's confession on the dance floor at the gala. The way he held her at night like she was something precious. The morning coffee was made exactly right. The small gestures of care and attention.
Was all of that just performance? Or was Claire wrong about her brother?
"Has Sebastian ever been to therapy?" Harper asked.
Claire looked surprised by the question. "No. Why?"
"Just wondering. It seems like someone with that much emotional baggage might benefit from talking to someone."
"I have suggested it before. He always says he is too busy." Claire paused. "Though honestly, I think he is scared. Going to therapy means admitting something is wrong, and Sebastian does not admit weakness."
"That sounds exhausting."
"It is. For him and everyone around him."
They finished lunch with lighter conversation, but the warning hung heavy between them. When they parted outside the restaurant, Claire hugged Harper tightly.
"I am sorry if I upset you," Claire said. "I just want you to be okay."
"I know. Thank you for being honest."
Harper walked back to the penthouse in a daze. Her mind was spinning with everything Claire had said. Emotional unavailability. A history of pushing people away. Incapable of real commitment.
Was that who Sebastian really was? Or was he changing?
When she got home, Sebastian was in his office on a conference call. Harper could hear his voice through the door, calm and professional. She went to the bedroom and sat on the bed, staring at nothing.
Her phone buzzed. A text from Jessie. "How are you doing? I have not heard from you in a few days."
Harper stared at the message. How was she doing? She was married to a man who might be falling in love with her or might just be really good at pretending. She had spent the last hour hearing about all the ways her husband was emotionally broken. She was deeper than she had ever planned to be with someone who might not be capable of being equally deep with her.
"I am okay," she typed back. "Just processing some stuff."
"Want to talk?"
"Not yet. Still figuring it out."
"Okay. But Harper, I am here when you are ready. Love you."
"Love you too."
Sebastian emerged from his office an hour later to find Harper still sitting on the bed, staring out the window at the Seattle skyline.
"Hey," he said from the doorway. "You okay?"
"I had lunch with Claire."
"That is nice. How is she?"
"Good. She had some interesting things to say about you."
Sebastian's expression shifted, becoming guarded. "What kind of things?"
"Things about your emotional availability. Or lack of it." Harper turned to look at him. "She warned me about you. She said you have a history of pushing people away when they get too close."
Sebastian was quiet for a long moment. "What else did she say?"
"That you have never been able to commit to anyone. That you broke up with Vanessa because she wanted to set a wedding date. That you might not be capable of the kind of relationship I deserve."
"And you believe her?"
"I do not know what to believe." Harper stood up. "You told me you were falling in love with me. You said this was real. But Claire says you have said those things before and never meant them."
Sebastian moved into the room, his jaw tight. "Claire does not know everything about me."
"She is your sister. She has known you your whole life. How can she not know you?"
"Because people are more complicated than their histories. Yes, I have had trouble with relationships. Yes, I have kept people at arm's length. But that does not mean I cannot change. That does not mean what is happening between us is not real."
"How do I know the difference?" Harper felt her voice rising. "How do I know if you are actually feeling something or just performing really well?"
"Because I am here." Sebastian's voice rose too. "I am showing up every day. I am trying. I am letting you in more than I have let anyone in. Does that not count for something?"
"It counts if it is real. But what if it is not? What if in three months or six months you wake up and realize you cannot do this and you push me away like you have pushed everyone else away?"
"I will not."
"How do you know?"
"Because you are different." Sebastian ran his hand through his hair, frustrated. "Everyone before you was just going through the motions. Meeting the right kind of person, doing the right kind of relationship, checking boxes. You are not a box to check, Harper. You are real. This is real."
"You said that to Vanessa too, did you not?"
Sebastian flinched. "That was different."
"How?"
"Because I did not marry Vanessa. I did not wake up every morning wanting to be near her. I did not feel like my day was incomplete if I did not see her." Sebastian moved closer. "With Vanessa, with everyone before you, I was playing a role. With you, I am just being myself. And yes, that is terrifying because being myself means being vulnerable. But I am doing it anyway because you are worth it."
Harper wanted to believe him. She wanted to so badly. But Claire's words kept echoing in her head. "How do I know you will not change your mind?"
"You do not. That is what faith is. That is what trust is." Sebastian reached for her hands. "I cannot prove to you that I am not going to mess this up. I probably will mess up because I am learning how to do this as I go. But I am not going to push you away. I am not going to run when things get hard. I am here, and I am committed to making this work."
Harper looked at their joined hands. "Claire said you have never been to therapy."
"I have not."
"Why not?"
"Because I do not need therapy. I am fine."
"Are you? Because from where I am standing, you have a lot of unresolved issues about your father and vulnerability and relationships."
Sebastian dropped her hands, stepping back. "Do not do that. Do not turn this into me being broken and needing fixing."
"I am not saying you are broken. I am saying maybe we could both benefit from talking to someone. Learning how to navigate this together."
"I do not need someone else telling me how to feel or what I am doing wrong."
"See, that is exactly what Claire was talking about. You cannot admit when you need help. You cannot be vulnerable enough to ask for support."
"I am being vulnerable with you right now."
"Are you? Or are you just getting defensive because I am getting too close to something you do not want to examine?"
They stared at each other across the bedroom, the space between them feeling wider than just a few feet.
"I need some air," Sebastian said finally. "I am going for a walk."
He left without another word, and Harper sank back onto the bed. This was the first real fight they had ever had, and it felt terrible. She did not know if she had pushed too hard or if Claire's warning had made her paranoid or if Sebastian really was as emotionally unavailable as his sister claimed.
Her phone buzzed. A text from Sebastian. "I am sorry for walking out. I just needed to clear my head. We should talk when I get back."
Harper typed back. "Okay. I am sorry too. For pushing."
"You were not pushing. You were asking fair questions. I just do not always have good answers."
Harper sat with that message for a long time. Maybe that was the most honest thing Sebastian had ever told her. He did not have all the answers. He was figuring this out just like she was.
The question was whether they could figure it out together, or if Claire was right and Sebastian would eventually push her away like he had pushed everyone else.
Harper did not know. But she knew she cared about him too much to give up without trying.
When Sebastian came back an hour later, they talked. They really talked. About his father, about his fears, about the walls he had built and why. It was not easy, and they did not solve everything, but it was a start.
And maybe, Harper thought as they fell asleep that night, that was all they needed. Not perfect answers, just a willingness to keep trying.
Even if Claire's warning still echoed in her head…