The Sweetest Thing Read Online Free PDF

my father’s apartment.”
    Troy’s eyes darted from side to side as he pondered her request. “I don’t see why not,” he said finally. “I mean, it is yours now.”
    “I just want to start going through his things,” she said. “Maybe get to know more about him.”
    Troy nodded. “I’m sorry you never had the chance to know Pop the way we knew him. He really was a special guy.”
    Harper sighed. “Everyone keeps telling me that.”
    “How old were you the last time you saw him?”
    “Five, maybe six. He and my mother hated each other. I got caught in the middle.”
    Troy’s head continued to bob up and down against his thick neck. “If you want we can swing by the hotel, check you out, and bring your things back here.”
    “Thank you,” Harper intoned. “You’ve been very nice. I don’t think your brother likes me though.”
    Troy smiled. “That’s not true. This has just really been hard on him. Pop was the only parent he has ever known. He was four when our mother left and we never knew our father. Pop literally saved our lives.”
    Harper had already been feeling bad, but she suddenly felt even worse. Her head waved from side to side. “I am so sorry! I owe you both an apology. I really didn’t stop to think about how this was affecting the two of you. I’m usually not so self-absorbed.”
    “You have nothing to apologize for. We’ll get through it. We just have to lean on each other,” Troy concluded. They both looked up as Quentin reentered the building, locking the front door behind him. The man met her stare as he walked into the room but he snatched it back just as quickly. Harper dropped her own eyes down to the table, nervous anxiety filling the pit of her stomach. Quentin moved back to the table and took a seat beside his brother. Miss Alice rejoined them.
    “So what can I do to help?” the older woman queried.
    Quentin shook his head. “Not a thing, Miss Alice. We’re all cleaned up in the kitchen. I’m going to finish up out here and then start getting ready for business tomorrow.”
    “Are you sure you don’t want to keep the bakery closed for the rest of the week?” Troy asked. “It’s only two more days.”
    “No. I need to keep busy and Pop would have a fit if we didn’t open back up for the weekend,” Quentin answered.
    “Well, it’s your decision.” Troy pushed himself up from the table. “I’m going to run Harper over to the hotel to get her things. She wants to stay upstairs while she’s here,” Troy noted.
    “In Pop’s place?” Quentin questioned, his tone voicing surprise and disapproval.
    “Is that a problem?” Harper asked.
    “No, only . . . it’s . . . I . . .” he stammered, then leaned back in his seat and said nothing.
    Troy interjected. “I’m sorry, Harper, I don’t know what I was thinking. There really isn’t any problem with your staying upstairs but since Quentin is usually here in the bakery all hours of the day and night he sometimes crashes in Pop’s guest room. I’m sure he just doesn’t want to intrude on your privacy.”
    “Not sometimes. Most of the time,” Miss Alice interjected. “Quentin don’t stay no time at all at his apartment. I still don’t know what you bought that place for. Seems like a waste of perfectly good money ’cause you sure ain’t moved out of your daddy’s house yet.”
    The two brothers shot each other a look and Troy gave Quentin a quick shrug of his shoulders.
    “It’s not a problem,” Quentin said, his jawline tightened for the umpteenth time. “I’ll figure it out.”
    Harper shook her head. “I’m not trying to cause you any inconvenience and it doesn’t make sense for you to have to figure it out. Just do what you usually do and I promise to stay out of your way.”
    “Are you sure it’s not going to be a problem?” Quentin asked as he met her gaze.
    She shook her head and smiled, her stare locked with his. “I’m sure.”

4
    After wishing her grandmother a good night,