“Morning, D. Mom made breakfast for us, and it’s delectable,” he says proudly, using one of his summer vocabulary words.
“Damn, Jam, you’re breaking out words your mom doesn’t even know.”
Harper laughs and sets his plate down on the table. “Thank you,” he says as if he didn’t just insult her intelligence.
“Jerk,” she says, sticking out her tongue.
He laughs and starts saturating his plate with syrup.
“Hey, Jam, you know what my favorite thing is?”
“What?” Jamie asks, stuffing his fourth pancake in his mouth.
Dakota swallows a piece of sausage and puts on a mischievous grin. “Noogies,” he says as he jumps at Jamie and starts attacking his head.
“D! D—stop! I’m going to choke!” he screams, laughing hysterically.
Harper laughs. “You guys can never stop playing.”
Dakota stops and looks down at Jamie, who nods in silent agreement. Dakota rushes over to Harper and puts her into a headlock. “What, you thought you weren’t going to get some too?” he says as she starts to laugh hysterically.
She screams and giggles simultaneously as he ignores her protests and tickles her too. He catches her in his arms before she falls down on the linoleum floor. She grabs hold of his neck, holding onto him for dear life until he lifts her upright. Dakota’s arms leave her waist reluctantly, but Harper still has her arms in place, staring at him just as he is her.
“Should I take my breakfast in the, uh, living room?” he asks cheekily. Harper lets go of Dakota and quickly turns back to her cooking. Dakota comes back to the table, his face heated. He looks at Jamie, who’s smiling at him goofily. Dakota gives him a good kick under the table, which makes Jamie’s smile go away quickly and reappear on Dakota’s face.
***
Harper
Ding Dong.
The doorbell sounds, and Harper rushes to the door with her spatula still in hand, eager to leave the kitchen. She opens the door with a smile, but as soon as the visitor is revealed, her smile fades.
“Wh-What are you doing here?” she stammers.
“Can I come in?” Aiden Shaw asks.
Harper blinks back her shock and opens the door widely. She follows him into the living room. “You should have called first, Aiden.”
“Now I have to call first before coming over to see my son?” Aiden says.
Harper rolls her eyes.
“Where is he?”
Harper motions her head toward the kitchen. “You should really start calling first. How do you know I didn’t have plans with him this weekend? It’s the weekend before he starts school.”
“I’m going out of town for a few months, so this is the only time I have until Thanksgiving, okay?” he says.
Harper scowls. “You’ve been out of town all summer, Aiden,” she says sourly.
Aiden groans. “I have to do my job, Harper. I know I’m not here as much as I should be, okay, but I try to be here as much I can.”
Harper purses her lips together and puts her hand up to stop him from talking. “Whatever.” She sits on the end of the couch and folds her arms.
“Does he need anything for school?” he asks.
“No, I bought him new clothes last month and…Dakota bought him a couple pairs of sneakers.” She looks up at him, knowing that he’s going to have something negative to say. “What?” she says when she sees his annoyed face.
“Why is another man buying stuff for my kid?”
“He wanted to. Aiden, please don’t start.”
“Doesn’t he have school supplies to buy for himself? He’s what, seventeen now?” Harper’s eyes narrow, and she restrains from putting up any fingers. “Do you honestly think he’s still sticking around here for Jamie?”
“Yes, I do, Aiden. He actually loves being a part of this family, something you wouldn’t understand, I guess.” Aiden nods.
Harper gets up from her spot and turns her back to him.
“Hey, woman, get in here and make the men some more pancakes!” Dakota yells playfully as he enters the living room. He stops dead in his tracks when he sees Aiden.
Aiden stands up straight and looks at Dakota, a small smirk on his face. “Hello, Dakota, lovely to see you,” Aiden greets.
Dakota walks over to Harper, standing beside her casually. “Can’t say I feel the same,” he says.
“Oh, ouch,” Aiden says sarcastically. “Two points for the twenty-three-year-old babysitter.”
“And negative two for the deadbeat,” Dakota says sharply.
“Funny. You should really think about a career in comedy once you’re done with this whole chasing-after-my-leftovers thing.”
Harper holds Dakota’s arm as he steps toward him, his fists clenched. Aiden walks past him, heading for the kitchen, satisfied with the reaction. “Why do you two always have to go for each other’s throats?” Harper asks once Aiden is out of sight. Dakota shrugs.
“He’s the biggest asshole in the world,” he says matter-of-factly.
“Yeah, well, I’d like it if you two would at least be civil. It’s annoying always having to break you two up like six year olds. Neither of you are going anywhere, so you might as well try to behave like adults.” She sighs, exasperated. Dakota bites his lip to hide grinning at her scrunched-up nose.
“Plan on keeping me around forever, huh?” Harper rolls her eyes, smiling slightly.
“Shut up, Daughtry,” she says. Dakota laughs.
“I’m going to go. I have to get ready for work anyway.” Harper folds her arms in front of her chest and nods, trying to hide her disappointment.
“Okay, I’ll see you Monday morning then, right?” Dakota nods, smiling.
“Oh, yeah, Jamie’s big day, of course. Just make sure the lighting is perfect for me.”
Harper chuckles. “I promise,” she says softly.
He pulls her into a hug, and she inhales his scent involuntarily. He kisses her on the forehead. “See you later,” he says and then heads out the door. Harper looks at it for a few seconds after it closes and then heads back into the kitchen.
“Where’d Dakota go?” Jamie says immediately when Harper enters the kitchen without him.
“He had a photo shoot today. He’ll be here Monday for your first day.” She turns on the water to wash the breakfast dishes.
“Why is he coming?” Aiden says.
“Because he’s invited,” Jamie answers, clearly offended. Aiden clears his throat, feeling embarrassed. “Is it okay if I spend the weekend with Dad, Mom?” Jamie asks, his face back to normal. Harper nods.
“Yeah, you don’t have to ask,” she says, smiling.
“I just know you were off this weekend so I didn’t want to ruin it if you had plans for us.”
Harper shakes her head. “All I plan to do is lie in bed and watch an endless amount of movies while eating up all the chocolate we have in the house,” she says.
Jamie laughs while bringing his empty plate up to her. “Okay,” he says. He kisses her on the cheek. “I’ll go get ready, meet you in the car in ten, Dad,” he says.
Aiden stands up and walks to the counter. “Thanks, it’s been a while since I’ve had an entire weekend with him,” Aiden says.
“Yeah,” she says.
Aiden looks down at the titles on the floor.
“Did Dakota sleep over here?” he asks, changing the subject.
Harper looks at him. “That’s really none of your business, but if you must know, yes he did. He sleeps over from time to time, usually when he’s here with Jamie late.”
“Jamie’s getting a little old for a babysitter, don’t you think?”
Harper sighs. “Aiden, I know you don’t like Dakota, but believe it or not, he’s important to Jamie and that’s not going to change any time soon or ever for that matter.”
Aiden looks up at her. “Is he important to you?” Aiden asks.
Harper sighs, not really knowing how to answer the question. �
��He’s important to Jamie. He loves our son, and he fills a lot of the void you have left in Jamie. He deserves your respect, and if you can’t give it to him, then you’re not welcome in this house.”
Aiden doesn’t speak; he just looks at her. He scowls and shakes his head. “Fine, I’ll lay off of him,” he says softly, and after a few seconds Harper nods. “I’ll bring Jamie back Sunday morning.” Harper nods again, seeming to have lost her voice. He leaves the kitchen. Harper doesn’t let out a loud groan until she hears the front door slam shut.
Chapter Three
Harper
“Hey, I thought you were busy all weekend?” Harper says as she opens her front door for Dakota later that night.
Dakota takes off his jacket and hangs it on the rack. “I had some free time so I thought I’d come by.” They walk over to the sofa and plop down.
“Jamie actually went to his dad’s for the weekend, so it’s just us,” she says.
Dakota nods. “Oh, okay,” he says, standing back up. “I’ll let you have the house to yourself if you want.”
Harper shakes her head. “No, no!” she says. “I’d love for you to stay, actually.”
“Okay,” he says after a few seconds.
“Okay,” Harper echoes and then turns back around to choose a movie.
Dakota slips his shoes off, still smiling, and then gets comfortable on the sofa. He stretches his long body out, covering it completely.
Harper pops in her choice of movie and then turns around. She laughs.
“Dakota, get up,” she says, trying to push his body out of the way.
Dakota laughs. He sits back up and she sits down, tossing a pillow at him. “Hey,” he says when it hits him on the side as he’s pulling off his white t-shirt. He tosses the t-shirt on the small chair next to the sofa and rearranges the tank that was underneath so all his skin is covered. Harper swallows the huge lump that has risen in her throat. She licks her dry lips.
“I talked to Aiden earlier.” Dakota lies back on the sofa and sinks his body into the cushions.
“About what?” he says.
“About how he treats you.”
Dakota’s eyes narrow. “You didn’t have to do that. I can handle Aiden,” he says.
Harper nods. “No, I know you can handle him.”
She blushes at her words. “It just wasn’t sitting well with me personally. I didn’t like it, so I spoke up.”
“Thanks,” he says.
Harper nods. The movie starts; Harper, however, can’t keep focus on the screen. Every so often she shifts in her seat, sniffs listlessly, or glances at Dakota. After a half hour of this, Dakota turns around and looks at her.
“Are you okay?” Dakota asks.
“Yeah, I’m good,” she says quickly. “Why do you ask?” she says.
“You’re fidgety and your nose is scrunched up,” he says.
Harper relaxes her nose, laughing. “What?” she says.
“Whenever something is bothering you, your nose scrunches up like something smells.”
“Oh my god, it does not,” she says, touching her nose.
Dakota nods, chuckling.
“It does,” he says.
Harper folds her arms like a child and turns back to the television.
Dakota moves over next to her on the sofa and playfully pulls on the lobe of her ear. “What’s wrong, Harper?” he asks seriously.
Harper turns around and sighs. “Fucking Aiden,” she exclaims.
“What?” he says. She only swears when she’s really frustrated, and Dakota’s wide grin shows his amusement.
“No, he just—” She turns her body around so she’s facing him and folds her legs like a pretzel. “He said that he thought Jamie was getting a little old for a babysitter.”
Dakota looks down, his smile fading.
Harper bites her lip.
“Oh,” he says.
Harper puts her hand under his chin and brings his gaze to hers. “I mean, you’re a part of this family, but it just bothered me that Aiden said that because…” She sighs. “Because it seemed like he was insinuating something else.”
Dakota sits up a little straighter. “Like what, exactly?” he says.
“Like I’m using you or have been using you.”
Dakota shakes his head. “Never felt like that,” he says. “That’s Aiden’s way of trying to mess with your head…you know that.”
Harper sighs, rubbing her face with her hands.
“I know,” she says through her teeth. “I hate that it works most of the time.” Dakota chuckles. “It’s always bothered me how much you invested in this unit here.” She waves a hand to emphasize the household.
Dakota closes the space between them. He unfolds Harper’s legs and lays them across his lap.
“I don’t know why you feel like that,” he says. She runs her hand through her hair.
“You’re just so young and have so much future ahead of you. I feel like you waste a lot of your time hanging out with me and my kid when you could be working on possibly having your own.” He shakes his head a little.
“What?” she says.
Dakota shakes his head. “Nothing,” he says.
Harper pulls on his ear a little. “Come on, tell me what’s on your mind.”
Dakota sighs deeply. “Jamie said something the other night that really…” He sighs again.
“What did he say?” Harper says, a little worried.
“He said he wouldn’t mind calling me dad.” He looks down at her legs lying across his lap. He runs his hand up and down her leg slowly. “And when he said that I immediately thought I wouldn’t mind calling him son either.”
“Who would have thought I’d find a family?”
Harper’s body stiffens, and her heart races from his words and his touch, just as it always does. “Who would have thought you would be exactly what I was missing?” she says softly.
“What…you were missing?” he says, smirking slightly.
Harper blushes and looks down at her twined fingers. “Jamie. I meant for Jamie.” Harper doesn’t hear a response so she looks up at him reluctantly. The expression is on his face again. The one she is so afraid of; the one causing her throat to close and her eyes to blur.
Dakota doesn’t speak. Leaning over, he brushes the back of his hand over her olive cheek. She sighs deeply, and her eyes flutter.
“I’m going to go,” Dakota says, getting up from his spot on the sofa. He starts to slip on his sneakers.
Harper’s mouth turns down slightly. “Okay,” she says, clearly disappointed. “Or you can stay if you’re too tired to drive to your apartment.”
Dakota looks down at her after he finishes lacing up his shoes. He folds his arms across his chest. “Usually I would but I just don’t think I should. Not tonight.”
Harper looks down at her lap, nodding gently. “Okay. Is everything okay?” she asks.
Dakota walks over to the coat rack and grabs his jacket. She leans over the edge of the sofa, laying her head on it, watching him.
“Yeah, everything’s fine,” he says with a slight smile. Harper sighs softly. “Okay,” she says.
Dakota looks at her as he starts to put his jacket on, and she stares back at him, a slight smile on her face. He sighs deeply. “Why do you always look at me like that?”
Harper lifts her head up, a little alarmed. “Like what?”
“Like you don’t want me to leave,” he says, his voice suddenly serious.
Harper is taken aback by his change in mood and blinks. “I don’t know,” she says, looking down at the fabric of her sweat pants and picking off a stray piece of lint. “I guess because I just like to have you around…I’m sorry.”
He walks forward a little bit. “No, don’t be sorry. It’s just…the way you look at me sometimes makes me think that you…” He hangs his head and then looks at her.
Harper gets up from the sofa and walks over to him. “What, Dakota?” she says softly, concerned at t
he confliction on his face. He takes one hand out of his pocket and runs his fingers through her hair. Harper makes an intake of breath, but he doesn’t stop; he just wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her in to his chest.
“You make me think you want me to stay…and hold you until we wake in the morning,” he says. “It drives me insane, Harper.” Harper’s eyes are wide, but she doesn’t break their embrace.
“I-I…” Harper stammers but cannot form any words.
Dakota lets her go and turns his back on her. “I’m sorry,” he says as he opens the door to leave. “I’ll see you Monday.” He leaves the house.
Harper stares at the door when it shuts, jumping at the sound, finally connecting with reality. “Oh my god,” she says, looking around the living room as if to confirm that the last few minutes just happened. She plops down on the sofa, rubbing her legs, hoping it will calm her nerves. Her body is quivering all over, and she can’t seem to get the control back. The front door opens, and Harper pops up off the sofa as Dakota comes back through the door.
“I’m sorry, why did I leave?” he says, throwing his keys on the sofa. “That was stupid.”
“What?” Harper says, both confused and amused at the same time.
“Did you want me to leave? Am I crazy? I feel it. I feel you. Don’t you feel it, Harper?”
Harper looks at him for a second and watches his chest rising and falling just like her own. She presses her lips together, echoing his questions in her head. Dakota just stands in his spot. Harper walks over to him, inches away from his face. Dakota removes his hands from his pockets and stands up straighter.
“I do,” she says so softly he has to lean toward her face to hear her. “Please stay.” She’s shocked as her voice breaks with emotion. Dakota nods his head and removes his jacket, throwing it on the sofa. Harper laces her fingers through his, and he follows her as she leads them up the stairs to her bedroom.
***
Jamie
“Food is here,” Aiden calls out from the living area of his hotel suite. Jamie comes from the bathroom and plops down on the sofa. Aiden sits down next to him and hands him a plate and a fork.
Maybe Forever (Missing Pieces Book 1) Page 2
