Updated Feb 14, 2026 • ~9 min read
Two weeks after the dinner explosion, Harper’s life had settled into a strange new normal.
Her parents were officially separated. Richard had moved in with Garrett. Claire was seeing a therapist and drinking more wine than usual but handling it with her characteristic grace. And Harper was dating the man she’d hired to seduce her mother, which everyone now knew about and had opinions on.
So many opinions.
“I still can’t believe you hired him,” Owen said for the third time.
They were at Sienna and Owen’s apartment for game night—Harper and Mason’s first official double date as a couple. Sienna had been insufferable about it, texting Harper hourly updates: Owen’s making his famous lasagna! and We’re definitely not judging you! and Okay we’re totally judging you but in a supportive way!
“Can we please stop bringing up how we met?” Harper said, arranging cards in her hand. “It’s been weeks.”
“It’s been two weeks,” Owen corrected. “And the story is insane. I’m allowed to be fascinated.”
“You’re allowed to be quiet,” Sienna said, elbowing her boyfriend. “We agreed not to make this weird.”
“Too late,” Mason muttered, studying his cards. “It’s already weird.”
But he was smiling, relaxed in a way Harper had rarely seen him. He fit here, in her friend group, in her life, like he’d always belonged.
“Okay but seriously,” Owen continued, ignoring Sienna’s glare, “you hired him for $500 to flirt with your mom. That’s—that’s sitcom-level crazy.”
“I’m aware.”
“And now you’re dating him.”
“Also aware.”
“And your mom hired him to work at her gallery.”
“Owen, I swear to god—” Harper started.
“Which means your boyfriend works for your mother, who he was hired to seduce, by you, his girlfriend. That’s at least three conflicts of interest.”
Mason set down his cards. “Want to hear an even crazier part?”
“There’s more?” Owen looked delighted.
“I’m falling in love with her.”
Silence.
Harper’s head whipped toward Mason. “What?”
“I’m falling in love with you,” Mason repeated, meeting her eyes. “Have been for weeks. Probably since you sat down at my table with that insane proposition and looked at me like I was either going to save you or destroy you.”
“Mason—”
“I know we agreed to take this slow. I know it’s complicated. But I’m not good at pretending, and I’m tired of not saying what I feel.” His hand found hers. “I love you, Harper Montgomery. Terrible decisions and all.”
Harper’s heart did something acrobatic in her chest.
“You love me,” she repeated stupidly.
“Very much.”
“Even though I hired you to seduce my mother.”
“Especially because of that. Because it was desperate and terrible and you owned it. Because you’re trying to be better. Because when your family exploded, you didn’t run—you stayed and faced it.” Mason squeezed her hand. “Because you’re brave and damaged and real in a way that makes me want to be real too.”
“That’s—” Harper’s voice caught. “That’s the most romantic thing anyone’s ever said to me.”
“Good. Because I’m not taking it back.”
“I love you too,” Harper blurted. “I’ve been terrified to say it because of how we started, but I do. I love you. So much it scares me.”
“Don’t be scared.”
“Too late.”
They kissed across the coffee table, cards forgotten.
Sienna made an exaggerated gagging noise. “Okay, this is adorable but also I need you two to stop being so perfect. It’s making Owen look bad.”
“I’m sitting right here,” Owen protested.
“Exactly. Step up your game. Where’s my grand love confession?”
“You literally know I love you.”
“But Mason said it with poetry! With feeling!”
“I tell you I love you every day!”
“Not romantically enough!”
Harper laughed, watching her best friend bicker with her boyfriend, Mason’s hand warm in hers.
This was normal. Real. The kind of life she’d been too scared to build because building meant trusting, and trusting meant risking everything.
But maybe risking everything was worth it if this was what you got.
The next week, Mason introduced Harper to Caleb.
They met at a coffee shop near Columbia—neutral territory, Mason said, so Caleb wouldn’t feel ambushed.
“He’s protective,” Mason explained on the drive over. “Ever since Mom died, it’s been just us. He’s not used to me dating seriously.”
“Have you? Dated seriously?”
“Once. In my early twenties. Didn’t work out. She wanted someone with career prospects and financial stability. I was a bartender with a photography hobby and a teenage brother to raise.”
“She sounds terrible.”
“She was practical. I don’t blame her.” Mason parked. “But Caleb does. He’s been suspicious of anyone I date since then.”
“Great. So I’m meeting your protective younger brother who already thinks I’m going to break your heart.”
“Basically.”
“Mason.”
“You’ll be fine. He’ll love you.”
Caleb did not love her.
He was polite, which was somehow worse. Shaking her hand with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, making small talk about school and Harper’s marketing career, asking careful questions that felt like tests.
“So you work with my brother’s photos,” Caleb said. “At your mother’s gallery.”
“I don’t work there. I just visit sometimes. My mother runs it.”
“Right. The mother you hired Mason to flirt with.”
Harper nearly choked on her coffee. “He told you about that?”
“He tells me everything.” Caleb’s eyes were sharp, assessing. “Seems like a weird way to start a relationship.”
“It was. It is. But we’re—we’re working through it.”
“Are you? Or are you just using him until the novelty wears off?”
“Caleb,” Mason warned.
“What? I’m just asking. She hired you like a—a escort. Paid you to do a job. Now she’s dating you. Seems convenient.”
“That’s enough,” Mason said firmly.
But Harper held up a hand. “No. He’s allowed to be protective. You’re his brother. He loves you.” She met Caleb’s challenging stare. “You’re right. How we started was terrible. I paid your brother to do something questionable because I was desperate and scared and made the worst decision possible. But I’m not using him. I love him. Actually, genuinely love him in a way that terrifies me because I’ve never felt this before.”
“How do I know you’re not lying?”
“You don’t. You have to trust me. Or trust Mason’s judgment in choosing to be with me.” Harper leaned forward. “I know my track record isn’t great. I know starting by hiring someone doesn’t exactly scream ‘relationship material.’ But I’m trying to be better. For myself. For Mason. For—for whatever this is we’re building.”
Caleb studied her for a long moment. Then: “Mason says you’re helping pay for my tuition. Is that true?”
Harper shot Mason a look. “I offered. He hasn’t accepted yet.”
“Because I don’t need charity,” Mason said.
“It’s not charity. It’s—it’s me trying to make amends for hiring you in the first place. You needed that $500 for Caleb’s school. I took advantage of that. Let me help make it right.”
“By paying for his entire tuition?”
“By contributing. Partnering. Whatever you want to call it.”
“I call it guilt money.”
“Maybe it is. But it’s also me recognizing that you’re working three jobs to put your brother through medical school, and I have money I don’t need, and I want to help.” Harper met his eyes. “Not because I feel guilty. Because I care about you. About your family. About making sure Caleb becomes the doctor he’s supposed to be.”
Mason was quiet.
Caleb broke the silence. “I like her.”
“What?” Both Mason and Harper said simultaneously.
“She’s direct. Honest about her flaws. Willing to put her money where her mouth is.” Caleb extended his hand to Harper. “Okay. You can date my brother. But if you hurt him, I know how to hide a body.”
“Caleb!” Mason said.
“Pre-med, remember? I know anatomy.”
Harper shook his hand, laughing despite the threat. “Noted. I’ll try not to give you reason to practice your hiding skills.”
“See that you don’t.”
They had coffee. Talked about school, photography, Harper’s disastrous family. Caleb warmed up gradually, his protective suspicion giving way to genuine interest.
By the end, he was showing Harper photos of his apartment and complaining about his roommate’s terrible cooking.
“He tried to make risotto last week. Burned the pot. We had to throw it away and order pizza.”
“Sounds like my college roommate. She once set ramen on fire.”
“How do you set ramen on fire?”
“Forgot to add water.”
Caleb laughed. “Okay, that’s actually impressive.”
When they left, Caleb pulled Harper aside.
“Take care of him,” he said quietly. “He acts tough, but he’s not. Not about people he loves.”
“I will. I promise.”
“And let him help you too. He’s a fixer. Needs to feel useful. Don’t push him away when things get hard.”
“I’m working on that.”
“Good.” Caleb hugged his brother. “She’s great. Don’t mess this up.”
“I’ll try not to,” Mason said.
They watched Caleb head back to campus, Harper’s hand in Mason’s.
“That went better than expected,” Harper said.
“He threatened to hide your body.”
“But nicely.”
Mason laughed. “Yeah. Nicely.”
“Did you really tell him I offered to help with tuition?”
“He asked where I was getting extra money. I don’t lie to him.”
“And what did you tell him when he asked?”
“That my girlfriend is stubborn and generous and I’m an idiot if I don’t accept.”
Harper’s heart skipped. “Am I? Your girlfriend?”
“You just told my brother you love me. Seems girlfriend-adjacent at minimum.”
“I want to be more than adjacent.”
Mason pulled her close. “Then be more. Be my girlfriend. Be my person. Be—be whatever you want as long as you keep being mine.”
“Yours,” Harper repeated. “I like that.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
They kissed on the street corner outside Columbia, coffee shops and students and life happening around them.
And for the first time since the gala, Harper felt like maybe they could do this.
Build something real from terrible beginnings.
Love each other despite the complications.
Be happy even though they’d started with lies.
Because loving Mason wasn’t a mistake.
It was the one good thing that came from all her terrible decisions.
And she was going to hold onto it with everything she had.
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