Callum & Harper (9 page)

Once I heard the shower running, I sat on Charlie’s sofa and picked up the book he was reading before he left, face down to save his page. I started reading the first paragraph. The main character, Elliott, professed his life and his love for this girl named Jules. Pretty good, but not my flavor, if you catch my drift. I prefer non-fiction. When I heard Charlie’s blow dryer start, I smiled, thankful that the doofus had long enough hair that he could supply Harper with what she needed to tend to her own silky strands.

Twenty minutes later, the door opened. Still sitting, I glanced up, full intending to return to my page but was struck dumb. The book slid from my grip, spilling to the floor. I had to remind myself that she was standing there, expecting me to speak but was literally driven mute.

Harper stood under the door frame, her feet were clad in black combat boots but she pulled them off well with a horizontal stripe black and white floor length cotton dress that painted every curve of her body. Modest. Modest yet sexy as hell. Her lengthy locks flowed to her waist and curved at the ends.

But the show stopper were the eyes. Those incredible eyes I could spot from a mile away, sharp and almost a translucent gold.

“
Because I’ll be in jail before Cherry can even go on. I’ll have to fight off every bloke who tries to talk to you. No, you have to change. You’re going to get me in trouble,” I said, sincere as I’ve ever been.

It was true. I couldn’t step out of Charlie’s flat with her looking like that, not if I didn’t feel like leaving her side wearing a pair of handcuffs. Also, now, I’d never admit to this out loud, but I wanted to slide my hands down every curve she owned, every striped covered curve.

Harper laughed. “Oh, I get it. Ha, ha, Callum. You think you’re so funny. Now, you better tell me that I look nice or we’re going to have issues because this is all I have and it matters to me to look good, for you...I mean, I don’t want to embarrass you,” she covered up.

A slow smile crept across her mouth and she nodded in acknowledgement. “Thank you. Now, you’re turn.”

The Bowery was the busiest I’d ever seen it. Chris was working the door and we were on the list so we were able to bypass the seemingly mile long line.

I furrowed my brows and tried to overcome the screaming voice inside my head telling me to kick this acquaintance in the chest. Instead, I said through gritted teeth, “Chris, this is Harper. Harper, Chris.”
The freaking introductions lately.

They shook hands and I had to quell the urge to snatch her hand from his grasp.
Get a hold of yourself, Tate. Jeez, man.

Chris held his arm out after crossing our names off the list, gesturing us inside. I grabbed Harper by the arm and pulled her close to my body. This served many purposes. It sent a clear message to Chris, it kept her safe because The Bowery was packed, and, well, it just brought her close to my body. I loved being near her.
Careful, Callum.

“
What time is it?” She yelled in my ear.

“
Ten fifteen. Cherry doesn’t goes on for another forty-five minutes,” I yelled back, digging the proximity the band currently playing was forcing us to take.

“‘
Kay. Hey,” she yelled, leaning in closely, “this band blows. Let’s find some place to talk while we wait.”

Just what I wanted to be, alone with Harper Bailey.

But that was not going to happen because the second we stepped onto the rooftop I lead her to, although the music was dulled and the breeze was wonderful, Cherry, her band mates and a few of our friends were already there, as if in waiting.
You can’t turn around and drag Harper with you, Callum.
When they saw us coming, they whooped and hollered, thoroughly embarrassing me.

“
Ladies and gentlemen,” Cherry started, rising and bowing at her engrossed crowd, “if I may have your attention, please! Introducing, for your entertainment, a one mister Callum Tate and his lovely assistant, Harper!”

The dramatic group all rose to their feet and clapped at our approach.

“
I’m sorry about this,” I whispered at Harper but she only laughed. “Thank you! Thank you!” I make a slight bow myself.

“
Freddy.
Pink
hair? Seriously?” I teased.

    “
What kind of speech was that?” He joked.
    “Harper, pink-hair-dude is Freddy.” Freddy waved. “This is Tie-Dye Tom, as you can tell from his tie-dye t-shirt.” Tom stuck his hand out.

“
Tie-Dye, eh?” Harper asked.

She shoved her shoulder into mine. “Am I as transparent as you?” She teased.

“
Shut up,” I laughed then smiled stupidly. “Probably not.” I watched Harper’s mouth. “I want to kiss her so badly, Cherry.” I turned back to Cherry, leaning my head on the railing.

“
What ya’ tellin’
me
this for? Tell her,” she said, bringing my attention back to Harper, who was now staring and smiling at me.

I stood and walked over to Harper, grabbing her hand, barely acknowledging Sam. “Come with me.”

“
Where are we going?” She asked.

“
We go on in fifteen, Callum! Don’t stray too far!” Freddy yelled.

“
We’ll be there,” I yelled back, keeping my eyes on Harper.

I looked across the rooftop deck and found a dark corner with our names written all over it but Harper surprised me by bringing up the furthest topic from my mind.

    “
Callum, when Charlie comes back from touring. Where are we going to stay?”
What surprised me the most in that question wasn’t the fact that she was concerned about what was going to happen but what’s going to happen to
us
.
    “Don’t worry, Harper. I’ll take care of us.” And I meant it. I’d figure out a way. “We’re going to be fine. I have two weeks to figure something out. We can save our money and cross that bridge when we come to it. Now, for tonight, stop worrying?”
    “Alright,” she grinned.
I tucked a stray hair behind her ear and hugged her tightly.
    “Callum Tate,” we heard over the scratchy speakers. “You’re needed near the stage.”
    I sighed loudly. “I’m gonna’ kill Cherry. Come on,” I said, dragging Harper back down the stairs and into the main hall.
    We dug our way through the crowd and stood close to the edge of the stage. Cherry poked her head from between the curtains and winked at us. So many beautiful sounds surrounded us and I grabbed Harper’s hand as I listened to them; glass bottles clanked like bells against others, happy people laughing all around us, the pumping of awesome tunes coming from up above, Cherry’s band tuning their instruments.
    “So, who’s in the band?” Harper yelled in my ear.
    “Oh, Cherry’s on keyboards, Nat’s on drums, Freddy’s lead singer and lead guitar, Sam’s on bass, and Tie-Dye Tom is rhythm guitar.”
    “Oh, very cool,” she smiled. She looked around her a bit before leaning into me. “Uhh, at the risk of sounding rude, I’ve observed that they’re all older than you,” she added.
    “Yeah!” I laughed. “They’re probably mid to late twenties, the lot of them. I seem to relate to them better than kids our age. Maybe because at this age, they know what it’s like to be the only one responsible for yourself.”
    “I can see that,” she said. “Older’s cool. Except for Sam, though, right?”
    “Yeah, Sam’s our age.”
    “Mmm, yes.” She cleared her throat. “I know.”
    “What?” I furrowed my brows at her.
    “Oh, nothing. It’s just...I think Sam may like you.”
    “
What!
What gave you that idea?”
    “Well, when we were talking earlier she sort of gave me the impression that I wasn’t to touch you.”
    “You’ve got to be kidding me. That is really weird.”

“
Why? You’re kind of a catch,” she teased.