The Long Day Is Over

"Oh, my god. I'm so sorry I'm so late." Roman turned to look at Harper as she came jogging down the hall of her apartment building. He got up from where he was sitting on the floor next to the door with her apartment number on it, picked up his bag and laughed as she came to a stop in front of him, slightly out of breath. He wondered if she ran all the way here.

"It's okay. I've only been here for like..."

He went to check his watch but Harper informed him, "Twenty-three minutes."

He laughed again as she dug through her bag for her key before she pulled out the largest keychain he had ever seen, and he watched as she unlocked the door and pushed it open. As they both stepped inside Roman took a good look at her and he chuckled as he reached out and tugged her crop top between two fingers, telling her, "That is hands down the hottest outfit I've ever seen."

Harper rolled her eyes but laughed, and she explained to him, "I was at the gym, and then someone just had to get into an accident and hold up traffic and my bus driver is a chicken shit."

Roman's brow raised, "You went to the gym?"

"Yeah... what else was I supposed to do? I was bored waiting for you." Harper told him with a grin and he laughed. His flight had been delayed two whole hours, and Roman was, admittedly, a little disappointed that he would have even less time with Harper than he already did now. But he was dealing with it. It was better than nothing, really.

Roman had to admit, he was looking forward to seeing what Harper's apartment looked like. He knew from Tessa that the way someone lived said a lot about them, and from a quick look around Roman could confirm what he already knew; Harper was a minimalist.

There was very little decor; pictures here and there mostly. There was a couch and two plush chairs with a coffee table and a wall of bookshelves filled with books and a TV in the middle and that was all that was in the living room. The kitchen was spotless, something Roman could say never happened in his own apartment, and aside from a Victoria's Secret catalog on the counter, the place looked to be about what he expected from her.

Harper glanced around and her cheeks flushed as she told him, "I'd give you the tour but this is basically it. Aside from my room, and Brad's down the hall."

Roman nodded slowly and he told her, "It's a nice place, really."

And it was; it was all clean, modern and had a killer view of the ocean. If he had to live in a place like San Fransisco Roman could get used to a view like that. Harper was sure to tell him, "Brad's in Washington for work, so we have the whole place to ourselves the whole time you're here."

Roman didn't even turn away from the large windows overlooking the ocean as he said to her, "I don't want to leave, even to go for dinner."

Harper chuckled and told him, "Yeah, I love it here too."

Roman finally did turn to look at her, and he asked her softly, "Would you ever?"

She shrugged and admitted, "Gonna have to. Residency matches come out in March."

Roman nodded his head even though he had no idea what she was talking about. Harper chuckled and he told her, "I'm leaving it up to you for dinner tonight. Pick a nice place, so I don't have to rely on Google."

"I know the perfect place." Harper told him with a smile. She then glanced at his bag and asked, "Do you want to put that away or something?"

He shrugged his shoulders but grabbed the backpack and followed Harper down the hall to what he assumed was her bedroom. It had a lot more decor than the rest of the apartment; a big bed with a tall leather headboard and much shorter footboard, a dresser, two nightstands and a little chair by the window. Everything was in shades of blues and greys. Harper took his backpack and placed it on the chair by the window before she turned to him and smiled gently.

"The bathroom is the first door, the closet is the next one, so if you need to hang anything or something feel free." She told him. As they headed to the door she paused and her cheeks flushed and she asked him, "Are you gonna be okay for like fifteen minutes? I should probably shower."

"I think I'll survive." Roman joked, and Harper let out a small laugh.

She told him where he could find the remote for the TV before she closed the bathroom door behind her. As she leaned against the door she pulled her phone out of where it had been tucked into the little pocket in the waistband of her yoga leggings and sent a text to Bristol.

He's here and I am completely freaking out.

No more than half a minute later she got a response.

Take a deep breath, and just have fun while he's there. Remember; he wanted to come see you, so obviously he likes you. Stop freaking out, relax, and enjoy your two days.

Harper smiled, and she tried not to laugh out loud when a second message came through.

PS, this is John. Bristol says to remember to use protection. She's a vulgar human being.

That sounded more like Bristol.

While Harper showered Roman sat on the couch in her living room flicking through channels on the TV, trying to figure out the channels. His phone beeped in his pocket so he pulled it out to find a text from James waiting for him.

Hope your flight was good, and remember, you hurt her we'll all kill you and since I see you more I get the first shot.

Roman let out a chuckle and text him back.

Don't worry, not planning on giving you the chance.

Good, she deserves a good guy finally, and I guess if it couldn't be me you're alright too.

He laughed again when another message came through right after that one.

PS, that was a joke. Harpoon isn't my type at all.

Roman couldn't help but make fun of his teammate a little bit.

What? She's not tall, blonde or big boobed enough for you?

Ha Ha Ha. You must think you're real funny. No actually, my type leans more toward brunette and smart but not quite as smart as Harper. Harpoon knows things that I don't understand, it threatens my male ego.

Roman nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard Harper ask as she walked down the hall toward him, "Wanna go for lunch? There's a really great place a few blocks from here."

He stuffed his phone into his pocket and got up from the couch, turning to face her. He wanted to tell her that yes he would love to go for lunch, but nothing came out of his mouth the minute he laid eyes on her. Her brow raised at his stare and when it appeared that finally, he got his wording back Roman asked her, "How do you do that?"

"Do what?" She asked him with a raised eyebrow as she stuffed a few things into her little backpack.

Roman told her, "Dress so simple but look so good?"

"Please, have you looked at yourself?" Harper fired back, and then her cheeks flushed.

Roman reached out and ran his fingers over the metal bangle around her wrist. He had seen it a few times, and he just now realized that it was the only piece of jewellry other than earrings he had ever seen Harper wear. He asked her, "You don't wear a lot of this stuff do you?"

She shook her head as she lead him out of the apartment, they stopped only long enough for her to lock the door before they started to the elevator. She told him, "Not really. Most of my time is spent at a hospital, and I don't wear any kind of jewelry there. This is the only thing I own really. It was a Christmas gift from John and Bristol last year."

Roman was curious when he asked her, "Do you spend Christmas with your family?"

Harper shook her head, "Not usually. Usually, it's just me and Brad. Last year though John and Bristol came out for the day."

Roman followed beside Harper as they walked side by side down the street, and it wasn't until they arrived at a little cafe style restaurant and were seated and looking over the menu that Roman asked Harper, "Does... is there... does Nealer have a girl we don't know about?"

Harper's brow raised, and she told him, "Just Savi."

"What?" Roman asked with a raised eyebrow.

Harper's cheeks flushed and she asked him, "You don't know about her... he didn't tell you guys?"

Roman shook his head and in more disbelief than anything he asked Harper, "How long have they... I mean... why wouldn't he tell us?"

"Well, they're not exactly together." Harper explained to him, "They're like... summer friends if you know what I mean. They both like each other, but no matter how many times James asks she won't leave Toronto."

"How come?" He asked brow raised. He wasn't purposely trying to be nosey, he just was so surprised that James had never mentioned this girl to any of the guys before.

Harper shrugged her shoulders, "It's home for her, she has a career and family there. I mean, I get it."

"Get what? Not going?" Roman asked Harper curiously.

She nodded her head, "The idea of possibly leaving if I don't get matched here scares me. Starting over, not knowing anyone. I get it, and it's even worse for her because it's a completely different country. She would be banking a lot of a relationship that's never even been tested outside of June through August."

Changing the subject off of James and whatever the situation was there Roman asked Harper, "So if you don't get matched here... where would you go?"

"Hopefully one of the other places I put down. Philly or New York, mostly." She didn't tell him that there was one other hospital on that list; Vanderbilt. It was her second choice, behind the one in New York and she had sent her form in well before she had even met Roman, but she still didn't want to say anything. Part of her really was afraid that she was reading too much into things between them.

"Close to John and Bristol, and your family?" He asked her curiously.

She nodded her head, "They have good programs too. I don't know... we'll see. I might not even get matched."

"And then what happens?" Roman asked her, watching as she closed her menu and set it on the side of the table and so he did the same with his.

Harper waited until their waitress took their order and left them alone again to explain to him, "Then I scramble for any program with an unfilled spot, or I wait a year and apply again in September."

Roman nodded his head slowly, and after a second or two, he asked her, "And... if you do get matched? What does that mean?"

"That means that around June I'll be packing up my stuff and moving to wherever I got matched and starting my residency in July."

"So... no summer vacation huh?" Roman asked her with a smile.

"No vacations for me for a while, unfortunately. That's the price we pay for going to medical school." Harper stated with a small smile.

Roman joked, "I mean...someones gotta do it."

She chuckled and nodded, and then she asked him, "So... what did you want to do for the rest of the afternoon?"

"What's a must have for when you visit here?" Roman asked her curiously. He had never been. Truthfully he had never really been anywhere in North America that wasn't on his hockey schedule.

"Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, ride cable cars for fun, Alcatraz." Harper rattled off.

"Alcatraz?" Roman asked her with a raised eyebrow.

She nodded her head, took a drink of her water, and told him, "They do tours. I've never been myself, but I hear it's pretty cool."

"You've never gone?" He asked her curiously.

Again she nodded and she told him, "I have this little thing with boats... and islands."

"What, like you're scared of the ocean?" He asked her in amusement and he was surprised when she shrugged and then nodded.

"Open water really. Scares the shit out of me." She admitted.

"But you live in California." He stated, and when she nodded he added, "And you have an ocean front apartment."

Again she nodded, and she explained, "I like looking at the ocean. I've never been in it, and you'll never get me in it."

Roman shook his head in amusement and he asked her, "How long have you been afraid of open water?"

"Since I almost drowned when I was twelve." She told him openly, and Roman's brow lifted so once their waitress dropped their meals off and left she explained to him, "It was at this summer camp thing my parents used to ship and me and my brothers off to every year. I don't really know what happened, one second I was swimming in the lake the next I was spitting up water on the sand. I mean... I got to go home and spend two whole weeks alone without my brothers so... really... two weeks alone, permanently scared of water... not a hard choice at the age of twelve."

After an afternoon of sightseeing, and cable car riding for pure fun, Roman and Harper found themselves arriving back at the apartment. Roman had disappeared to take a quick shower before dinner so Harper took that time to call and order in from her favorite local restaurant. She wasn't entirely sure what Roman liked, so she went out on a limb and got a few options, and she was just hanging up the phone when he walked out of her bedroom down the hall.

He was dressed casually; jeans and a long sleeve, and Harper smiled at the sight. He raised his eyebrow and asked her, "What are you smiling about?"

She shrugged, "I don't know what you're talking about."

She dropped onto the couch and he took the spot beside her, immediately reaching over and digging his fingers into her sides. She jumped and squirmed and laughed until finally he stopped and he told her, "What were you smiling about?"

She shrugged her shoulders and told him, "Nothing. You're just nice to look at."

"Same goes for you." He told her.

She rolled her eyes, "Shut up."

He nodded his head and with a smile he said, "I'm serious. The guys are getting tired of having to listen to me go on and on about you."

"You do not."

He nodded again, "I do. I have the most gorgeous girlfriend in the world, of course, I'm gonna talk about her like a lovesick puppy."

Harper paused, and Roman's brow raised as he wondered what her reaction was about. She looked over at him, and so softly he barely heard her she asked him, "Did you... just say, girlfriend?"

This time Roman's cheeks flushed, and he cleared his throat and asked, "Is that... okay with you?"

She was slow to respond and for a moment Roman was worried he had overstepped far too much. That was until Harper looked down at her hands in her lap and she admitted to him, "I mean... I guess... I've never... you know... done the whole boyfriend girlfriend thing."

"Wait what?" He asked her in surprise. When she didn't clarify he went on, "You mean... you've never had a boyfriend? Not in your whole life?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "No... and I know how pathetic that is."

"It's not pathetic."

She paid no mind to his words as she nodded her head and said, "It is. I'm twenty-six and I've never had a boyfriend. That's like the definition of pathetic."

Roman was quiet for a minute, he had a question but he didn't know how to word it to ask without making himself sound like an asshole. Finally, when he realized he couldn't not ask her he asked slowly, "So... does that mean that you're... a... you've never..."

When he trailed off for the third time in a single section Harper finished what she assumed he was trying to ask, "Had sex?"

He laughed, at himself, cheeks flushed and nodded, "Yeah."

"No, I'm not a virgin." She assured him.

"Not that there would be anything wrong with that, at all, that would be totally fine I was just curious." Roman rambled, closing his eyes and letting out a sigh. He could literally die right now. When she let out a small chuckle Roman was relieved that she wasn't dwelling on the awkwardness of their conversation. He turned to her and he told her, "This actually makes a lot of sense."

"It does?" She asked with a raised eyebrow and he nodded his head.

"Yeah, I thought it was just me... with how different you were in a group and then when we were alone. How shy and almost uncomfortable that you got."

When he said that she turned to him and told him quickly, "Please don't think you made me uncomfortable or anything. You didn't, I swear. I just... I'm not used to this stuff and..."

She stopped talking so he asked, "And what?"

"Nevermind. Forget about it." She told him.

So he did, he went on to ask her, "Do you mind if I ask... why you've never had a boyfriend?"

"Honestly... No guy I've ever dated or met really..."

Again she paused, so Roman asked her with a small smile, "Made the cut?"

Harper didn't smile, she simply spoke softly and told him, "Wanted me like that."

"What?" He asked her, shock evident in his voice.

She shrugged her shoulders and explained, "Actually... I think the exact words the last guy I went on a date with said was that I was one date material, not even worth telling his friends about."

"Well, he's an idiot," Roman told her, and she sighed. He reached over and tapped underneath her chin to turn her attention to him and despite her resistance he held her in place so that she couldn't look away and he told her, "I get why you're so... why you are the way you are, the way you react to compliments, the way James keeps warning me about being good to you... I get it and Harper I don't ever want to make you feel like you're not worth it. Because you are, you're so worth it to me. I've really, honestly, never met anyone like you, I've never met anyone that makes me smile the way you do, someone so sweet, and caring and special. You are so much more than you think you are and I hope some day you let me prove it to you."

She looked down at her hands again and admitted to him, "All this time I've honestly just been waiting for someone to come out and tell me that this whole thing has just been a big joke."

She expected a surprise, in fact, she expected a response so much that when Roman leaned over and crashed his lips against hers, she was so surprised it took what felt like forever for her to reciprocate. But eventually she did, and then when he pulled away he rested his forehead against hers and his hands cupped the sides of her face and he told her softly, "This is me, and you, and if takes the rest of my life to get you to realize how amazing you are I'm good for it."

"Why?" She asked him curiosly.

He surprised her, and maybe a little bit of himself as well, when he said, "Because I think I love everything about you."