Falling For Her Enemy [Book #5]

Chapter 26

Landon's POV
My girlfriend has been staying at my place every night for the last few days. And when she's not spending time with me or hanging out with my friends, she's at work or helping her brother at his soup kitchen. She's decided to make herself busy in order to keep her mind off of her brother.

I can tell she misses him. This is the longest she has gone without speaking to him, and it's killing her on the inside. Every little thing she does reminds her of him. When she was playing 2k with James and Kai the other day. When we were watching a scary movie last night. And this morning, when she was scrolling through her phone and found pictures of the two of them together.

I feel like shit for putting her through this. She's insisted that it's not my fault and that she should have told him about her feelings for me sooner. Though I'm not too sure it would have made a difference. Hayden and I's rivalry goes back years.

After meeting up with Harper for lunch during her break, I stopped by my mom's house to see how she was doing.

She's been taking this divorce way better than I had expected. While there are sometimes moments where she breaks down into a sob missing my dad, it doesn't last long. She knows that this divorce is for the best.

"How's Harper?" My mom asked, trying to redirect the conversation away from her and my dad.

"She's... okay."

"Her brother's still upset?" I nodded. She shook her head in disappointment as she used the wooden salad tongs to toss the chef salad she was making.

She began talking about how he and I had our differences, but we deserved to be happy. And I agreed with her. Harper deserves to be happy. But it just feels like us being together is only making her miserable.

I need to talk with her brother. I just hope that what I say will be enough to mend their relationship. I can't live my life knowing Harper won't ever be fully happy with me. I won't forgive myself.

"Are you staying for dinner?" My mom asked after a beat.

"Yeah, I can."

"Good. Invite Harper."

Ever since Harper and I made our relationship official, my company has no longer been enough for my mom. I'm starting to think Harper has become her favorite person.

I can't say that I'm really jealous, though. This is the first girl my mom has ever approved of. And the first girl I've ever introduced her to as my girlfriend.

I checked the time on my phone. Harper's shift just ended. Deciding to video call her, I open up the FaceTime app. It rings a few moments, and then her gorgeous face pops up onto the screen.

"Hey."

"Hey."

She's walking out of the shop, the golden rays of sunlight making her skin glow. Especially the dark freckles on and around her nose. I'm so in awe of her that I zone out and almost forget what I had been calling her for.

"My mom wants us to stay for dinner. More so you than me. You down?"

"Yeah. I'll be there in an hour. My mom needs me to run a few errands for her."

"Okay. I'll see you when you get here."

****

Harper arrived just as I was setting the table. My mom shoved me out of the way to get to her.

"Harper!"

I was surprised. I haven't seen my mom this happy in a while. Not even her trip to Bora Bora or Greece put this big of a smile on her face.