Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27217 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 136(@200wpm)___ 109(@250wpm)___ 91(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27217 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 136(@200wpm)___ 109(@250wpm)___ 91(@300wpm)
10
HARPER
It feels like the day is dragging more slowly than usual. Even with the streets clear, the majority of my professors end up canceling their classes. The free time gives me a chance to go over my syllabus and the requirements of my project. However, my mind can't stop thinking about Hunter.
The wind pushes and pulls against the garbage bag covering the hole in the window. I pull out my phone to make a call I've forgotten I need to make until now.
It doesn't ring for long before Hayden answers. "Harper, what's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong." I sigh with a chuckle. I glance at the window just as the plastic flaps against the wind. "Well, there's maybe a little bit wrong but nothing crazy."
"Crazy like being snowed in at a church with a priest you're trying to defile?"
My eyes widen with shock. "I would never defile a priest."
"You know they're still a priest even with their clothes off, right?" Hayden asks with a hearty laugh.
I hear something in the background before Hayden exaggerates a yelp into the line.
"Shit, for Christ's sake, Halo. It was just a joke."
Halo's voice comes over the line crystal clear. "Leave her alone. If she wants to date a priest, she can do that without your input or judgment."
Hayden grunts and comes back onto the phone. "Harper, you have my sincerest apologies, being forced out of me by my wife, but still you have it. What's going on?"
"A piece of the gutter snapped off during the storm. It crashed through the window in the other bedroom."
"Hang on, Harper. I'm on my way."
"Hayden, wait a second. It's fine."
Hayden takes a deep breath. "What do you mean it's fine?"
"I mean it's fine. The glass is cleaned up and the window is taped up for now—"
"Okay, I can swing by in about an hour to make sure you taped the window up tight enough and to get the measurements to replace the broken gutter."
"Hayden, you don't have to do that. The piece of the gutter is along the side of the house, and I didn't seal the window. Hunter did."
"Hunter? Who the fuck is that?"
"Father Hudgens."
"The priest? When did he do that?"
"Friday night."
"The same night you were snowed in at the church?"
"Yes. I left my phone at the church when Jimi came to get us out. Father Hudgens brought it back to me and happened to be here when the window shattered."
I don't want to give him any more details, but the way Hayden looks out for all of his siblings is scary if I decide to withhold information.
"Harper," he says my name low like he's ready to give me a lecture. "If you've defiled that priest, I…"
"You're going to what?" I prod him, wondering what he thinks he's actually going to do.
"I'm going to tell Mom, and you're going to hell."
I scoff at him. "At least I'll be going to hell with a big-ass smile on my face. I didn't call you for your approval. I only called to let you and Halo know what happened to the window and not to worry about it because Hunter's going to take care of it, just like he took care of me."
"Woah, woah. Stop. I don't want to hear anymore about you bringing Mom's priest to the dark side."
"Don't do that Hayden," Halo says in the background. "You have no idea what their relationship is like or where it's going. People have looked at you and me and have said—"
Hayden cuts her off. "Who said what?"
The anger radiating from his tone tells me that he's ready to knock someone's head off. I try my best to defuse him before he gets Hendrix and Hudson riled up in the process. They're liable to hurt someone if there's any disrespect to Halo.
"Would you calm down and listen?" Halo says in a tone that has no sign of concern. Rightfully so because Halo's never on the opposite side of Hayden's temper. I hear her going to bat for me, which warms my heart. This is what having a sister is like, and I'm happy that I have them now, even if I didn't have them with me growing up.
Halo continues to talk Hayden down. "You're too smart to ignore that our age difference isn't noticeable and that you being a bounty hunter and me being the bounty look like you would take advantage of me. Yet, they have no idea that I support you and your business or the depths of our connection."
Hayden grunts, but Halo continues, "Have you seen Father Hudgens? Does it look like Harper can make him do anything he doesn't want to do? He's an adult and so is she. Thank you, Harper, for letting us know about the window. We're sorry if it caused any damage to your things. If Father Hudgens wants to replace it, that's fine with me and Hayden."