The Long Day Is Over

“Ow, ow.” Roman immediately lifted himself off of Harper the second she expressed pain, but her response was a laugh, more so at herself, before she told him, “So… maybe it hurts a little bit more than I let on.”

“Oh, I knew it did, I just wanted to make you say it.” He told her with a grin that made her look up at him and narrow her eyes.

As Roman got settled laying on his side next to her on his bed Harper turned her head to face him and she asked with a quirked eyebrow, “Did you do this on purpose?”

“Maybe, I just knew you wouldn’t admit it outright.” He informed her, reaching over to tuck her copper hair behind her ears and out of her face. His fingers brushed gently against the stitches at her hairline, which made her wince so Roman leaned forward and kissed her forehead gently.

With a grin Harper told him, “You’re very sneaky, I don’t know if I like this… I’m supposed to be the sneaky one.”

“You think you’re the sneaky one?” Roman asked her with surprise clear on his face, and when she nodded her head that surprise turned into amusement and he reminded her, “You once tried to tell me that you had salad for dinner… with pizza sauce on your chin.”

“Not my finest moment.” Harper admitted with a small giggle. For that Roman leaned over and kissed her lips gently, one palm pressed against the side of her neck, fingers resting over her jaw. When he pulled back she informed him with a serious face, “You know, I’m thinking of starting a research study about how carbs are actually good for you and having fries moved into the vegetable category.”

Roman smiled and shook his head, “No you’re not.”

Harper laughed, “No… I’m not. I am a smart, semi responsible doctor.”

“Semi responsible?” Roman asked her for clarification, an eyebrow quirked for good measure.

Nodding her head Harper reached up and traced her index finger over his t-shirt clad chest and she told him, “I have been known to have very bad luck with the elderly in the not so distant past.”

“Well it’s a good thing I’m not elderly.” Roman told her with a sly smile.

Harper burst into laughter and exclaimed, “Did you really just try that line?”

Roman, unable to stop from matching her laughter at himself, leaned his forehead against her collarbone and he told her, “I regretted it the second I said it.”

“I am so never gonna let you live that one down.” Harper told him and Roman groaned but he supposed that if the tables were turned he wouldn’t either. As she ran her fingers lightly up and down his back Harper asked him curiously, “What did we have planned for the day?”

He thought about it for a second and then he told her, “Just lunch with a few of the guys… and then I thought maybe you would let me buy you just one small thing.”

“You can’t see me but I’m glaring at you.” Harper told him, he laughed.

Roman explained to her, “I just happened to notice that you really didn’t bring anything fancy, even though I distinctly remember telling you that you might want to.”

Her cheeks flushed and she told him, “Alright, I have to admit something… I don’t own anything fancy. Like not one single item.”

“What about that dress you wore on our first technical date?” Roman asked her curiously.

“In LA?” When he nodded her cheeks flushed even pinker and she had to tell him, “That’s Bristol’s dress and she mailed it to the hotel.”

“Well she is a really good best friend.” Roman told her in amusement.

Harper nodded her head, “The best.”

“So, anyway… this thing I’m gonna buy you.” Roman told her, and Harper noted the fact that he didn’t say want, but rather he simply said he was going to buy her it. There really was no point in arguing now, Harper had learned over the course of their relationship that when he wanted to be Roman could be just as stubborn as she could. And that was saying something.

She sighed loudly and dramatically, “What is it?”

“Well this afternoon when I have to be at the rink for an hour or two I have arranged for Tessa to take you shopping. I gave her very strict instructions that at the very least you have to pick out an outfit for our date tonight.”

“We have a date tonight?” She asked him curiously.

Nodding Roman informed her, “We have a reservation at seven at a very nice, very fancy restaurant and I promise that if you do this one thing for me I won’t even silently judge you for ordering fries with your steak.”

“Uhm, okay first of all fries belong with steak, everyone knows that.” Harper told him and when he laughed she added, “And second of all… why you gotta do this to me?”

“Because it’s fun.” Roman informed her. She sighed again and then she slipped out of bed and headed toward the closet where her suitcase was sitting opened on the floor next to the half wall of shoe shelves. Roman asked her curiously, “Where ya going?”

“I need to shower and get dressed and what not. You’re making me leave the house and so I feel like I need to look like less of a troll.” She heard his laughter as she dug through her suitcase for a pair of jeans and a light sweater as well as a fresh pair of underwear and a new bra.

Bringing them with her into the bathroom Harper set her clothing for the day on the counter next to the sink and then she turned the shower on, testing the water until it was just the right warmth; hot but not burn your skin off hot.

She had barely stepped into the shower when the glass door opened and Roman stepped inside. She raised her eyebrow at him, “What are you doing?”

He grinned at her as he told her, “Conserving water, duh. Somewhere in the world there’s a drought and I’m just doing my part to help.”

- - -

“Ooh, okay that’s cute.” Harper turned to find Tessa standing next to her looking at the dress she was holding out in front of her.

They had only been on their ‘quest to find the perfect date night dress for the least fancy person on the planet’ as they had chosen to call it for ten minutes. This was the only store they had gone to, and per Tessa’s game plan they each went to opposite sides of the store to cover more ground in less time. For someone who had a closet that was so filled you couldn’t even close the door to it Tessa sure was a fast, smart shopper.

Harper put the dress back on the hanging rod and told Tessa quietly, “That dress is three hundred and eighty five dollars Tessa.”

Her eyes nearly bugged right out of her head upon hearing that and Tessa looped her arm through Harpers and as she directed her out of the store she stated, “And that my friend would be why I have never been in that store before.”

Harper let out a laugh and asked her, “So where do I go to find a dress worthy of the occasion that isn’t going to cost a third of my rent? I know Roman’s paying and that’s sweet and all but it kind of makes me a little uncomfortable, if you couldn’t already tell.”

“I could, and I don’t blame you at all. I spent years having to run any decisions about money and purchases by someone, I couldn’t even go to the store for toothpaste without asking so believe me I get it when you say having someone else buy something for you is uncomfortable. I get weird when Shea pays for dinner or a movie, he bought toothpaste to replace the tube he both finished and I wanted to throw it at him.” Tessa told Harper with a small smile, before she added, “Listen, the point of this was that… it’s taken me a really long time to learn how to be independent and I enjoy it, don’t get me wrong but with Shea I’ve also had to learn how to be okay with him doing nice things for me. Roman wants to do a nice thing for you, and he’s not buying you a car, just a dress and shoes… maybe just give in and give him this one thing.”

“Wait… I have to get shoes too?!” Harper exclaimed and Tessa couldn’t help but laugh.

“Alright, just a dress. Baby steps, I guess.” Tessa told her as Harper followed her into another store, which Tessa told her, “Trust me, this is like the most perfect store for you. It’s got really great, cute items but all for a very wallet friendly price.”

“See now you’re speaking my language.” Harper told her with a smile as they were approached by a sales associate.

“Can I help you ladies with anything?”

Tessa glanced around and then she told the blonde, “My friend here is going on a very fancy date tonight and she needs a nice dress. Now she’s a jeans and t-shirt kind of gal, so we’re looking for something to knock the socks off the boyfriend but also is still in the realm of comfortable for her.”

“I think I might have a few ideas. Wait her.”

As the sales associate turned and headed in another direction Harper turned to Tessa and told her, “Alright, you’re good. Roman said that but I didn’t quite believe him.”

She smiled, “I aim to please. Trust me, if there is one thing I know aside from how to plaster walls and install shower plumbing its fashion.”

Harper couldn’t help but let out a laugh at that.

Half an hour later the two were leaving the mall with Harper carrying a bag with her outfit for the evening in tow. Tessa drove her back to Roman’s, teaching her a trick for how to wash and dry a brand new item in only a few hours because as it would turn out they were very alike in their need to wash clothing before wearing it for the first time.

Tessa then asked her, “Now, I’m very much pro-being yourself and being comfortable, but… were you planning on wearing any makeup tonight? Just curious.”

“Probably just my staples; bronzer, mascara and lip balm.” Harper told her honestly, she had already given up a lot by agreeing to the outfit situation, asking her to wear makeup was maybe just a little too much.

Nodding Tessa told her, “Just… maybe avoid bronzer on the forehead, with that bruise, you know?”

“Good point. It’s hard enough to find bronzer that works for my skin tone… wouldn’t want to make it worse.” Harper said with a nod of her head.

“And, might I suggest a nice pair of shoes?” Tessa asked her, and when she dumped a handful of pairs of shoes onto the bed Harper finally understood what the big canvas tote bag Tessa had brought with her was for. She added, “We may not be the same size for clothing so I couldn’t help you out on that front but seeing how much anxiety letting Roman buy you an outfit caused I figured if the shoes were on loan maybe you’d feel better.”

“Much.” Harper admitted with a smile.

“Alright, so we got pumps, platforms, flats, and ankle boots with tall heels, chunky low heels and even no heels. Pick your poison.” Tessa told her, reaching out to straighten up her arsenal of shoes so that Harper could make a proper choice.

Harper told her, “I’m probably liable to break an ankle or both in anything more than like two inches.”

So Tessa reached out and shoved any shoe that had a high heel over two inches to the side, telling Harper, “Given the outfit we chose I would skip on the ankle boots.”

“What about those flats?” Harper asked, picking them up in her hands.

“Perfect. Now go get ready, I will be here waiting to change any last minute things that aren’t working together before Roman arrives to pick you up.” Tessa told her, and when Harper raised her eyebrow she explained, “We arranged this whole thing. He took his suit to the arena, he’s gonna change before he leaves and then pick you up.”

“The two of you sure do know how to kill a girl.” Harper told her as she disappeared into the bathroom to get ready.

When she was dressed and ready to go with her hair in a large, volumous French braid and her makeup staples applied Harper stepped out of the bathroom and did a little spin for Tessa, the two of them laughing.

Harper looked two seconds away from an anxiety attack when the apartment door opened and she heard Roman call out, “Harp, you ready?”

Tessa stifled a laugh at her, stood up and grabbed her by the arms, telling her firmly and yet gently at the same time, “You look absolutely amazing, no go have fun.”

“Thanks Tessa.”

When Harper made her way down the hall and to the door to face Roman she watched him carefully for some kind of reaction, and when his eyebrows raised she said, “I’m just not a dress person, take it or leave it bub.”

Roman let out a laugh and he linked his arm with hers and as they headed to the elevator he assured her, “I’m okay with that and I think you look absolutely beautiful.”

She let out a sigh of relief and when he raised his eyebrow at her she had to admit, “I’ve just been a little nervous all day over this. I’m just… kind of constantly worried that I just don’t fit into… your world, I guess.”

“What does that mean?” Roman asked her as they stepped into the elevator.

Harper waited until he reached over and pushed the button to take them to the lobby and once the doors closed she explained, “It’s just everyone around you is… I can’t help but notice how different I am from a lot of your teammate’s wives. I’m not trying to start this pity party thing because believe me I like me the way that I am but I guess sometimes when I see the way that the other girls prepare for a date and what they wear compared to me… it makes me a little uncomfortable and insecure.’

“Well… for your information I love you for you. Honestly, I like that dressing up and going to events isn’t your thing. Honestly Harper a lot of my teammate’s girlfriends drive me insane. Don’t get me wrong, they’re great girls and they’re nice and I’m happy for the guys but that whole side of this is pretty foreign to me. I would much rather take you to dinner with you looking great but being comfortable as opposed to you being miserable because you felt like you had to live up to some ridiculous standard.”

“You know… that was really sweet and I absolutely adore you for it… but… I can’t help it, I have to say it.” Harper told him, unable to keep herself from smiling and almost laughing before joking, “If James were here to hear you say that he would totally tell you that I’ve been a terrible influence on you.”

“And I would tell him that I love the influence you’ve had on me… I like to think I’m a better person because I met you and got to know you Harper.”