Sharing Harper (16 page)

“I just…can’t,
” he began to speak as his eyes got heavy and a curtain of water started forming over his blue eyes. “I can’t talk about this right now.”

Just as he was about to continue, the wa
iter came over and brought our drinks to us.

“Sir, please tell me what you think.” The tall man who donned a beautiful bottle of red wine in front of Ryder said. As he poured a taste, Ryder sipped it taking in the deep pressed smell that accompanies a fantastic glass of red wine.

“This will do. Thank you.” Ryder spoke in a formal manner, quickly dusting away his tears that started trailing down his face from earlier.

The waiter poured my glass first and then continued to top off Ryder’s glass.

“Would you like to order some appetizers?” the tall man asked.

“Yes, we
will both have the house salad,” Ryder commanded taking charge of the entire dinner.

“Very well.” The waiter scurried away placing our orders in and Ryder’s eyes fell back to face me.

“So, tell me about your parents,” I asked with force; desperately trying to make the conversation fall on him talking and me listening. Plus, I wanted to get to know who Ryder Kent really was.

“What do you want to know?”
He asked and while I investigated his demeanor I found that he wasn’t as tense or stressed when I asked about his parents but actually willing to talk about them. He still seemed very reserved about opening up, obviously uncomfortable about talking anything about his family. When I tried to ask him earlier about them he shut down not able to speak, but I was determined to get it out of him this time. This was very much unlike when I mentioned anything about Evelyn to him.

“Where are they from?”

“They are from Texas, where I grew up.”

“Okay, I knew that,” I said rather bitterly,
quite pissed off that he wouldn’t tell me more about them and where they are from and what they do.

“That’s all. They are my parents, nothing special. I got punished when I did things wrong and rewarded when I made them proud, though those m
oments were few and far between,” he mumbled the last part slurring the words hoping I wouldn’t understand.

“Well, if we are all for being honest here, which I think we should be because who starts a relationship by telling lies, although I should add, this relationship is already full of secrets,” his ears perked up as I stood my ground for the one
of the first times since he had met me, “How the hell do you have so much money for being a guy who works at a coffee shop? No offense but this here,” I said as I indicated around the room, “is too lavish for a coffee shop employee.”

“I mean, I could ask y
ou the same question Harper Mae so don’t get all snide on me. How do you afford that beautiful apartment, gorgeous Ford Mustang, work at Rita’s and go to school?”

I was really getting frustrated that he
would continuously answer my questions with another question. He avoided talking about everything and here I was open and available to bare my soul to him but he refused to reciprocate. I felt like this was going to be a continuous battle with him, trying to get him to open up whereas even though I was nervous and hesitant to, I knew I had to bare my soul to him to finally let him understand who I really was as a person and a human being.

“
My grandfather was very wealthy. He was involved in some investment banking company and when I was born set away a trust for me. When I was ready to move away he gave me access to the trust, which is why I can afford what I can,” I said honestly, finally showing someone a glimpse into my past, even just by mentioning my grandfather’s name, it was something simple and complex in the same sense. He didn’t seemed affected by what I told him, he almost understood.

“Now it
’s your turn,” I said demanding answers from him, not shifting the topic away from this.

“Well,” he began, “it’s a similar situation for me.”

“Uh-huh, please continue.” I edged him on to elaborate instead of just cutting him off right there.

“Okay, okay, hold your horses, first, let me find a way to explain.”

“So, I grew up in a family who was very wealthy and I was able to do anything with my life possible. My father owned the largest real estate company in Houston and therefore afforded us a fantastic life.” He was now staring at me his eyes were desperately seeking a response from my body, a small gesture to indicate that this was enough and that this was all I needed, but I remained stoic commanding more.

“Anyway, I didn’t want to be involved in the real estate business
, but this was not in my father’s plan. I had been a great football player when I was in high school. I loved the game, but my parents saw it as an after school activity, whereas I saw it as something I wanted to pursue. Football was my passion, but they always said that I was one injury away from retirement,”

“When I was a senior in high school, the scout for the University of Texas Longhorns saw me playing as a quarterback one day when I scored the most epic touchdown anyone in college football has ever seen. It was the last quarter of the high school state championship game. I drop back in the pocket and gaze
d at the scoreboard seeing that there are only twelve seconds in the game. The high school state championship was on the line and my only shot at a scholarship was here so I had to make it worth and seize the opportunity. The linebacker ran at me and I dodged to the right. I ducked under the safety as he jumped to tackle me from above and looked down field and saw the wide receiver that was my only cover. I released the perfect spiral and I could sense the anticipation as the ball was flying through the air. The crowd silenced. As I looked up, I saw the receiver catch the ball at the end zone and I celebrated with joy as we won the last point.”

I looked—mesmerized--
at Ryder who was recanting a tale of his past. His face was lost in the past and I envied the fact he was able to talk about his past with such joy. This was a clear moment for Ryder where he escaped to another place in time where he was proud of who he was and who he had become.

“Anyway, to continue with the story that you initially asked and not go on some rampant tangent.”

“No, I loved your tangent, you looked completely lost in your past, and it was wonderful to see,” I interrupted.

“It was stupid.”

“It was not stupid Ryder.”

“Well I played for the University of Texas for three years kicking everyone’s ass who tried to step on my game. I was the shit on campus. Everywhere I went people either wanted to be me, wanted to know me
or wanted to get in my pants,” he said as he winked at me for effort as if to joke that was the only reason I was with him. “I was drafted by the Houston Texans with a 1.2 million dollar contract. After the second home game, I was tackled and felt the bones crush under me in my knees and ankles. I was blindsided with pain, but from what I heard, my ankle was 180 degrees from where it should be pointed and my right knee was crushed. That was the end of my career. Instead of listening to my parents tell me I told you so, I left Texas and moved here. I used surfing as my way of coping with not being able to play football and used the earnings I had made plus some of my trust to live, but to occupy my time, I work at the coffee shop, and I want to instill good work ethic in those around me.”

“Wow,” was all I was able to say. I wanted to jump across the table spilling our glasses of wine and give him a huge hug. Although he drifted over the part where he got injured, it was clear in his body language that it hurt him that he failed at something he loved to do.

“Have you picked up a football since?” I asked curiously.

“Nope, I don’t think I can. It was too painful to be proven wrong by my parents. To this day, I am their biggest disappointment. My older brother runs the office with my dad and has the perfect southern belle family. That just wasn’t for me. I was too much of a rebel child.”

“Do you blame yourself?”

“Absolutely. You have no idea
. When I ruined my knee and ankle, it didn’t just ruin my career; it affected everyone around me at the time. I went from being the irresponsible dope who just came into a ton of cash to knowing that I have absolutely no skills whatsoever and therefore have no idea what I would do.”

“But you still found a job and you
’re working now.”

“At a freaking coffee shop Harper, I feel like such an ass. I am a complete and total useless loser.”

“You are not. Do not say that. I think you should do something with football. You know there are things other than playing the game? Like maybe you could get into something like coaching or teaching kids?”

“Maybe,” h
e said just as our waiter came with our salads.

He dove into his
, clearly wanting to avoid the topic by stuffing his face so he didn’t have to talk about it.

“How did you find the coffee shop?” I asked in between bites of salad.

“It is near my house and I loved going in there anyway, so I figure I might as well give it a go.”

“I met one of your cowor
kers, her braces are super sexy,” I sarcastically joked.

“You know I love young meat,
” He winked at me making me blush.

“I am not that young!”

“No, true. I don’t really work with her but the guy who runs the place is my age and he’s pretty cool. His name is Christian.”

“Oh! I’d love to meet him maybe?” I said
unsure of where that came from. I wasn’t expecting this to even last after tonight, so that was completely unexpected coming from my mouth.

“Yeah. We always go out together. He was with me at the club where we danced that one time.”

“It would be nice to meet him,” I genuinely responded.

As I took an obnoxiously large
gulp of my wine, Ryder finished up his salad, which disappeared as fast as it appeared. I was beginning to think that Ryder told someone that we wanted to have our privacy

“So, you and Skye are friends then?”

“Yup, I have known her since I started school here. She’s my rock.”

“She seems nice, very…bubbly.”

“Ha, yes, that is exactly how I describe her. It takes a while to get used to her, but she really means well and she is certainly on your side.” He looked surprised but laughed.

“Well, then I propose we go out together as a group one night.”

“Let’s try to get through tonight first,” I responded hesitantly, not sure if we would make it pass tonight.

“Oh, you trying to get in my pants again Ms. Mae? I just might have a solution to your problem
,” he said while reaching his hand under the table and grazing his fingertips across the hem of my dress. Slowly pushing the hem upwards, he circled his fingers around my thigh instantly exciting my core. His hands were sliding upwards towards me while he maintained a completely relaxed face above the table.

Almost immediately the waiter came back to take our entrée orders and Ryder’s face look frustrated as he slipped his hand back
on top of the table.

“What can I get you folks for dinner?” the waiter asked un
aware of the fact that Ryder was just about to taste his own delicious dinner with me.

I hadn’t gotten a chance to look at the menu and my appetite was fading quickly into lustful desire.

“Whatever he’s getting.” I stared at Ryder hoping that he wouldn’t order something completely strange. I normally wasn’t a picky eater, but when it came to things I couldn’t pronounce I tended to shy away from those items.

“We
will have the spaghetti al mare,” he announced to the waiter who then quickly shuffled off leaving us alone yet again.

“What did you order?” I asked hesitantly, only understanding that it was some sort of pasta dish.

“It’s pasta with sea scallops, salmon, and other kinds of fish in a white wine sauce.” His voice was unassuming as if he knew these things, which was odd because I thought all Texans knew was great barbeque.

Either way, it sounded delicious. “Yum.”

“You know what is delectable? You.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” I can’t believe he would say something like that while licking his lips. It made me seem like a piece of meat.

“I could stare at you all day Harper, you amaze me and when I see the gears grinding in your head while you’re lost in thought, it’s something out of a movie. You are intuitive beyond your years.”

“I am not. I am too young for my own good and I
barely understand myself so that’s what you’re seeing. You’re not seeing someone who is producing something wonderful in their head, but rather someone just trying to understand the world around them. I am weak.”

“Don’t say that.” Ryder’s voice raised from his normal tone and his southern accent seemed to disappear when he commanded
me with force to stop talking.

“You don’t know me
so don’t pretend that you do.”

“You never tell me about you. You hide yourself when we are out together
, pretending like everything is okay and asking questions and doing what is right and proper, but when you are alone I have seen you break down tearing, literally tearing, yourself apart.”