Into You Series: The Complete Collection

17. Harry

CHAPTER 17

HARRY

S aria wasn’t kidding when she said she has a knack for weaving herself into people’s lives. The past two months have felt like a different world than before this angel stumbled into ours.

Cara is head over little girl sneakers for Saria. I’ve caught her video-calling Saria after school to talk while she wraps up her workday. One time she was talking to Saria while she filed paperwork for ten minutes. If I hadn’t started hiding the phone, I think Saria would have continued answering her calls.

There’s the obvious perk to our deal as well: Her babysitting has allowed me to start attending automotive industry classes regularly again. I can’t imagine what information I missed in all the weeks I didn’t attend class prior, but I finally have a plan to make massive upgrades to the shop in the next few months. I might actually have it up to par with our competitors.

Then, there’s the perk I didn’t expect: living life. Saria has been determined to get me out of the garage at least two times a week. Sometimes we go on hikes at nearby trails I’ve never been to. Sometimes we visit the farmer’s market or food trucks that pop up at our local park. Saria throws in animal shelter volunteering as well, even though this normally devolves into me sternly telling Cara we are not getting a puppy or kitten. But those conversations are worth it to see Saria so happy.

She lights up around animals. It’s hard to deny that caring for them is her true calling. She may not think she can pursue veterinary school, but I do. I don’t care what it takes to convince her—even if it means we have to volunteer five times a week after work. I’ll convince her even if I do eventually have to adopt a dog.

And then there’s the sex. Saria is an absolute fox. I’ve never been one for conventional missionary shit, and Saria matches my wavelength perfectly. Hell, there are things I haven’t even considered before that she bounds into headfirst. The confidence she shows with kinky shit only drives my own urges and needs forward more and more. Day-to-day gym shorts—hell, even sweatpants—are definitely out of the question when she’s around, and Saria is around nearly every day.

She’s working on her social media too. While she tries not to get on her phone around us, I can see that smile peeking through whenever she does. She got something called a brand deal the other day. I don’t know what it is, but she was excited, so I was too.

Call me selfish, but I don’t want it to end. She comes to the shop four days a week. Two of those are to help work on her van. The other two times, I go to class while she babysits Cara. When I get back, we generally pick out some super sad movie and watch it together. I don’t know how we started the tradition of seeing who could cry first, but she always loses. I’ve noticed she cries harder with love stories, especially when the couple gets back together. I think The Notebook just about destroyed the poor girl.

I can’t help but feel a tinge of jealousy whenever these movies pop up, like maybe she’s still holding out for her ex. But I can’t focus on that for too long because it makes my own chest feel a little sore. Even then, it seems like such a waste of time to worry because it’s not like she’ll even be in town in a couple months.

The closer we get to finishing her van, the more anxiety I feel knowing she won’t be sticking around afterward. I try telling myself this was the plan all along and there’s no changing it so why get concerned? Maybe I’m terrified of what this will do to Cara. Maybe it’s my heartsick soul telling me I might have a shot at a real thing.

I may or may not be taking longer than needed on installing electrical in her van. I probably could have finished it two weeks ago, but that’s just two additional weeks she might be out of our lives. Unfortunately, I’m running out of excuses on flipping that switch.