The morning sun filtered through the blinds in Harper's hotel room as she sat at the small desk, her laptop glowing with an unfinished email. The Ashcroft deal demanded her full attention, but her thoughts kept drifting to the cliffs, to Elliot's music, and to the quiet way he'd asked, *What are you waiting for?*
It wasn't like her to let emotions interfere with her work. Her career was built on precision, focus, and logic. But the neat lines she had drawn for her life felt blurry now, as if Ridgeport itself were conspiring to shake her foundations.
A knock on the door startled her from her thoughts. She glanced at the clock—9:30 a.m. Too early for Lily's theatrics, she thought.
Opening the door, she was surprised to find Philip, her boss, standing there in his usual crisp suit, a phone to his ear.
"Harper," he said curtly, hanging up the call. "Quick update. The Ashcroft team wants to move up the timeline. We're finalizing terms today."
"Today?" she repeated, the weight of the news sinking in. "That's earlier than expected."
"Exactly why we need to be sharp," Philip said, his eyes narrowing. "You're leading this, Harper. Don't let them push us into a corner."
"I won't," she said, her voice steady.
Philip nodded, already distracted by another buzzing notification. "Good. See you in the conference room at eleven."
As he walked away, Harper closed the door and leaned against it, exhaling slowly. The stakes of this deal had just skyrocketed, and she couldn't afford any distractions.
But when her phone buzzed on the desk, her resolve wavered. She picked it up and saw Elliot's name on the screen.
*Coffee at The Red Door?*
Her first instinct was to say no. She had a packed schedule, and the Ashcroft deal needed her full attention. But her fingers hovered over the screen, the memory of his voice and the calm he brought tugging at her.
*Can't today. Big meeting,* she typed back.
A moment later, his reply came: *Good luck. You've got this.*
A small smile crept onto her lips. He didn't push, didn't guilt her—just a quiet affirmation that lingered long after she set the phone aside.
---
By the time the Ashcroft meeting began, Harper was back in her element. The conference room was a battlefield of polished executives, their arguments sharp and relentless. But Harper held her ground, her voice calm and commanding as she navigated the complex terms of the merger.
Hours later, when the deal was finally signed, the tension in the room broke with polite applause. Philip clapped her on the shoulder as they left.
"Brilliant work, Williams," he said. "This is a career-maker."
"Thank you," she replied, though the usual satisfaction of victory felt muted.
Back in her hotel room, Harper stared at the folder containing the finalized deal. It was everything she had worked for—proof of her competence, her dedication.
And yet, as the afternoon light shifted across the room, she felt an ache she couldn't name.
---
Harper decided to clear her head with a walk, leaving the confines of the hotel and wandering down Ridgeport's cobblestone streets. She passed shops and cafes, her mind churning with thoughts she didn't have the energy to untangle.
Before she knew it, she was at the market square where she had first heard Elliot play. It was quieter now, the stalls closing for the day, but the memory of his music lingered.
"Harper."
She turned to find him standing a few feet away, his guitar slung over his shoulder and an easy smile on his face.
"Elliot," she said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing," he said, stepping closer. "I thought you'd be buried in work."
"I was," she admitted. "The deal's done."
"And?"
"And it went well. Better than well, actually."
"But you don't look happy."
Harper hesitated, the truth she didn't want to face bubbling to the surface. "It's complicated."
Elliot studied her, his green eyes thoughtful. "You know, it's okay to admit when something doesn't feel right. Even if it's what you thought you wanted."
His words hit her like a jolt, stripping away the defenses she had built. She looked at him, the honesty in his gaze unraveling her carefully constructed composure.
"I don't know if I can," she said softly.
Elliot stepped closer, his voice gentle. "You don't have to figure it all out right now. But you owe it to yourself to ask the question."
The question. The one she had been avoiding for years: *What do I really want?*
Harper swallowed hard, the weight of it pressing against her chest.
"Come on," Elliot said, his tone lighter now. "I know just the thing to clear your head."
Before she could protest, he grabbed her hand and led her through the market square.
"Where are we going?" she asked, half-laughing despite herself.
"You'll see," he said with a grin.
As the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting Ridgeport in golden light, Harper felt the lines of her carefully planned life blur even more. And for the first time, she wasn't afraid to follow where they led.
---