It Takes Two Book 6 Read Online Free PDF Page A

laughed, having no doubt that I would indeed hear a mouthful from Avery if I ever treated Harper with less than what she deserved. “You don’t have to worry on that account.”
    “I certainly hope not. Though, I would like to see my roomie once in a while. Maybe you can have her for a couple days a week and I get her the rest of the time?”
    “That’s her choice.”
    She giggled, the sound light and friendly. “Well, we both know who she’ll pick.” She gave me a small wink. “I’ll expect a call from Natalie in the morning about my interview and mixer.”  I watched as Avery made her way out of the office and I heard the large front door shut.
    I sat down at my desk, tracing the swirls of wood with my fingers as I grinned to myself, thinking how Natalie was going to respond to us taking on Avery as a client. First Harper invaded Natalie’s space, not Avery.  I knew Harper would be delighted that Avery and I were at least on friendlier terms, now, but I didn’t think that would go over quite as well with Natalie. It was time we cleared the air. I hesitated as I dialed Natalie’s office extension. “Have a minute? I’d like to talk.”
    Natalie slid into the office, moments later, shutting the great mahogany door behind her. “What’s up Asher?” There was still a slight distance between us. Something we hadn’t felt in our relationship ever before.
    “We need to talk,” I said, my mood dampening a little.
    It had been a few weeks since the attack, and Harper had stayed over at the mansion multiple times now, but I hadn’t seen Natalie speak with her at all. I respected Natalie—she was like a sister to me, and I didn’t want us to be enemies because of my relationship.
    “I don’t see why. It seems you’ve already made your decision, and I have no say in the matter.” Her voice was icy, and the glare that she gave me chilled me to the bone. Usually, she respected me enough as her boss to keep silent about my personal affairs, but today was different. Today we spoke as equals, as friends.
    “Nat, come on, talk to me. I don’t want this to be a battle forever between you and Harper.”
    She crossed her arms across her chest, purple hair trembling just a little as she stared me straight in the eyes, trying to control her temper. Natalie had a bad temper, when she wanted to have one. I usually tried to stay away from her wrath when she got in moods like this.
    “Asher, her ex-boyfriend clubbed you over the head. You could have been killed.”
    “Trust me, I know.” I rubbed my head where the stitches once were, remembering the night. “But Jake is in jail, and Harper is the one for me.”
    She rolled her eyes. “You’ve said that before, about other women.”
    I stood up so I could be at eye-level with her. “She’s different, Nat. I love her.”
    “I don’t trust her.” Natalie quickly snapped back at me.
    “I wouldn’t expect you to. You’re always looking out for my best interests, and I love you for it. But you don’t know Harper. I need you to trust me on this one. She’s the one for me.”
    Her eyes studied me. I didn’t look away from her gaze, or flinch from her critical stare. Finally, she sighed, throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation. “Fine. If you think this is what’s best, I’ll go along with it. But I swear, Asher, if she or someone she knows hurts you like that again...”
    I didn’t hear the rest of her sentence as I walked around to her side of the desk, sweeping her up in a hug. “She won’t. They won’t. Thanks, Nat. And by the way, we just took Avery on as a client.” I smiled to myself as I felt Natalie’s body tighten, but she didn’t say a word. That only made me hug her tighter.

Harper
    There was a package waiting for me at the apartment door when I had returned home after class. I picked it up, testing its weight as I walked in to the messy and unorganized apartment. The air smelled stale, of old alcohol and trash. I rolled my eyes.