The Girl In The Night

Chapter Forty-Four

Chapter Fifty-Four

Nate's P.O.V.

Harper is not too happy with me at the moment. She really ragged on me while we were out last night. She kept commenting on me watching Lex; saying I was paying more attention to my best friend's sister than I was my actual girlfriend.

I tried to brush it off, telling her I knew Harper already had me watching out for her. I said that Lex didn't have a boyfriend to do that, and I was trying to help my best friend out so he could spend some time with Casey as well.

Harper was very affectionate and I think it had something to do with making sure Lex knew I was with her. Harper doesn't need to worry about that because Lex doesn't think about me like that. Still, despite my attempts at reminding her she doesn't need to worry, there were many PDAs. I'm not really that kind of guy, but I guess my girlfriend doesn't know that.

To be honest, I'm really struggling with this relationship. I can't get Lex out of my mind and I feel like I'm cheating without actually doing anything. I don't think that's fair to Harper or myself. I nearly had a stroke when I saw Lex follow that guy into the bathroom. Lex doesn't belong to me and I have no right to tell her what to do. I have no real right to be jealous, but I can't seem to help it. I think she should respect herself way more than that. She's worth more than a quickie in a bathroom and I told her so. She denied it, but I knew she was lying. I always know when she's lying. A little fact she seems to have forgotten.

I'm pretty sure she's avoiding me again. I don't want her to do that. We should be able to have differing opinions about something and still be friends. I'm not trying to be the boss of her or anything, I just think she deserves better than what she thinks or allows.

It's nearly eleven pm, but I haven't seen Lex pass to check the barn. She has to pass our den window and we pretty much keep the blinds open, so I should have seen her by now. I slip out to check the animals and then head to the cabin.

Chris answers when I knock on the door.

"Is Lex around?"

"She's asleep. Everything ok?"

"Yeah. She was supposed to do the final check in the barn, but I didn't see her. I wanted to make sure she's ok."

"She went straight out to work this morning after getting back from Franklin. She crashed while we were watching a movie."

"Ok. As long as she's ok."

Chris steps out onto the porch and closes the front door after him.

"Actually, can I have a word?"

"Sure."

"What's the deal with Harper and her mom?"

I frown, "What do you mean?"

"Well, Rox and I went into town earlier and we came across Harper's mom in the grocery store. Obviously she recognized me."

"That's not unusual here. We don't get many outsiders visitin'."

"I kind of guessed that. You care about Lex, right?"

"Of course. She's my best friend's sister and she's part of my family."

He shoots me a strange look, but doesn't explain what it means.

"Then you might need to have a conversation with your girlfriend. I haven't said anything to Lex, because I don't want to upset her, but Harper's mom had a lot to say about us and Lex."

"Oh. Like what?"

"She said that Harper told her all about us and our night out. That Lex's behavior wasn't 'becoming of a lady'. Her words, not mine. Apparently, Lex was deliberately showing off her 'filthy tattoos' to get all of the guy's attention, and that she's trying to steal you away from Harper. Now, I'm not saying that Harper told her all of that, but I will say that her mom doesn't know about the other tattoos, so she couldn't make comment on that without someone telling her."