It had taken ten minutes to get to the restaurant by taxi. When we walked into the exclusive eatery, I ignored the hostess and headed for the table that I’d reserved for Shane earlier that day. From the look of the other patrons, Nik and I were severely underdressed in jeans and T-shirts. I hadn’t known what Shane had planned, only that he was meeting Harper’s mother. Of course, Lana had told me a few hours ago that Harper and
Nik was right behind me as we walked through the dining room. I heard the murmurs of other diners, mostly the females, as they realized who Nik was. Sighs and giggles reached my ears, but they didn’t bother me like they once had. I was more confident in Nik’s love for me these days.
I spotted Shane at his table and could tell right away that there really was a problem. Shane was running his mouth, his face almost purple with his temper as he spoke loudly to the two women across from him. Meanwhile, Harper was just sitting there like a statue. She looked pale, and there was something in the set of her shoulders that told me she was less than amused. The way she was looking off in the distance made me wonder if she was even aware of the conversation going on around her.
“…I’m a rock star, bitch!” Shane’s words filled my ears and I rolled my eyes. Whatever was going on, it seemed more like a pissing contest than anything else.
“You’re trash,” came the retort of the older woman at the table that I assumed was Harper’s mother. She looked nothing like the sweet girl I had met just a few days ago, so I had to make a guess.
Hearing that old biddy speak to my friend like that did nothing for my own temper. I stopped just behind Shane and glared down at the older woman that smelled like a perfume factory and looked like an advertisement for clown school with all the makeup she was wearing. My mouth opened and I wasn’t even sure what was about to come out when a strong hand covered my lips.
I shot Nik a glare, but he just grinned down at me. “Sorry, baby girl. We want to stay and your mouth will get us kicked out.”
Of course he was right, but that didn’t mean I had to like it.
“High paid trash, actually,” Shane informed the older woman with what sounded like a smirk in his tone. “With big connections. One phone call and that cushy modeling contract you have will no longer exist.”
Oh, I liked that idea. I didn’t know if Shane was bluffing or not, but I planned to follow through on it. Mentally, I rubbed my hands together in glee. Nik, seeing the wheels turning in my eyes, laughed and released me.
Before I could step forward, Harper stood. She murmured something about the ladies' room and hurried away. Shane started to follow her, but I put a hand on his shoulder. I felt some of the tension leave him when he realized that I had arrived. He knew I had his back and would always do so.
“Hey.”
I grinned down at him. “Hi. I would ask how your evening is going, but I caught the last five seconds of your conversation.” My gaze went to the two women seated across the table. “Why don’t you show these two delightful ladies to the door while I go talk with Harper?” I suggested with frost in my tone.
“She’s so upset…” Shane’s voice cracked ever so slightly, making my heart squeeze for him.
“I’ll be gentle,” I promised. After everything that had happened with Lana, I had learned my lesson. It didn’t matter that I had only been looking out for Drake. I should have treated Lana better. Unfortunately, it had taken her nearly dying for me to realize that…
Pushing those thoughts away, I followed after Harper.
The bathroom was empty except for the beautiful girl standing by the long sink frowning at her reflection. Shane had told me so much about her over the last month or so. I hadn’t really believed him about her self-esteem problem until now. I mean really? She was gorgeous with her thick, silky caramel hair. And that body? Fuck, I would kill for that ass. And those eyes? I had to spend a good ten minutes on makeup to get that wide eyed, soulful look even behind those kick ass chic glasses.
“No offence, but your mom is a bitch,” I told her.
She stiffened at the sound of my voice, and I watched her eyes fill with annoyance in the mirror. I didn’t blame her. She probably thought I had come to put my two cents in. I was sure that Lana had vented to her friends about me, and I only respected Harper more for being loyal to Lana.
But instead of sounding annoyed, Harper’s tone was just tired when she agreed with me. “Yeah, she’s always been like that.”
I sat down on the little sofa. I still couldn’t understand why there was one in the ladies’ room at these snotty ass restaurants but appreciated it in that moment. “I can relate. My mother was a real monster.”
Harper turned to face me. “She told you on a daily basis that you were ugly and would never compare to your incredibly beautiful stepsister?”
“No, sweetie. She beat me daily. That is when she wasn’t stoned out of her mind.” I patted the spot beside of me on the sofa when Harper’s face paled.
After only a small hesitation, she moved and sat beside of me. “I…I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. That part of my life was over when she overdosed.” And that was when my real life began on the road with my guys—my family, if not by blood then by choice. “There are different types of child abuse, though. And I think you were just as much a victim as I was.”
Harper shook her head. “No, my life was perfect compared to yours…”
“So you enjoyed being called ugly?” I rolled my eyes at her. “Verbal abuse leaves wounds too, sweetheart.” She clenched her jaw and I sighed, not wanting to argue with her. “So tell me about it. Tell me how it was growing up with that hag out in the dining room.”
She was quiet for so long that I started to wonder if she was even going to talk to me, but then she grimaced. “Monica and my dad divorced when I was young. Neither of them really took an interest in me, not that I cared. Less than a year later, she married my stepdad. He had more money than my dad…but Cecil was sweet. He cared about me. Still does.”
“That’s great. I’m glad you have him. Shane’s told me about him and the few times that you guys have gone out together.”
Violet eyes flashed with surprise. “Really?”
“Of course. Shane is always talking about you. I’m seriously getting tired of hearing all about Harper Jones.” I was only half joking because, really, I couldn’t call Shane without having to hear about the girl.
“I knew Ariana even before my mom married her dad. Our mothers were best friends. I was being compared to her from birth, actually. But when she became my stepsister it got worse. Then she started the modeling and life went from bearable to not so great in the blink of an eye. Of course puberty sucked ass.” She ran a hand through her hair. “I had horrible skin, thick glasses, and braces. Really, I was hideous.”
I couldn’t contain my snort. “That’s just teenage years. They suck for us all, babe.”
“Yeah, well it’s hard when you’re surrounded by perfect models and the attitude that goes with them,” Harper informed me, and I tried to see it through her eyes. I had never really had a girl as a friend until I had met Layla, but I knew that teenaged girls were nightmares from the one year I’d spent in high school before I’d gone to live with the guys. Girls were truly evil. I could only imagine the horror of being surrounded by those types of girls that also got paid for their looks.
All of that on top of being told by the one person that should have been supportive but was nothing but negative would have given any girl a complex.
“Isn’t your best friend one of those girls though?” Shane and Lana both had told me that Dallas was an ex model.
A small smile teased the corners of Harper’s Cupid’s bow mouth. “Yeah, but Dallas isn’t like them. She never wanted to be a model. Her mom is even more of a nightmare than my own. She forced Dallas into beauty pageants back in Texas until she was discovered and her mom signed her life over to a modeling agency until she turned twenty-one.”
“That sucks.”
“It hurt Dallas a lot. She always dreamed of being a nurse. She’s really caring under all that attitude.”
“I believe you.” I had actually really liked the other girl, her tattoos and piercings only drawing me to her more.
For a good twenty minutes I sat and talked to Harper. Then Shane started texting me, and I figured it was time to go out and let him work things out with this girl of his. I stood but Harper remained seated. “Come on, let’s go out and have some dessert,” I urged her. “I know you have a weakness for lemon cake.”
