After

The next day, Tessa works on the greenhouse with Karen and convinces Hardin to hang out with his father in the meantime. Karen and Ken are surprised and excited when they hear Hardin will stay for the day.

Tessa can’t believe how drastically her and Hardin’s dynamic has changed in just a day. She enjoys time with Karen in the greenhouse, and Hardin sweetly tells her he missed her when they come inside. Before Tessa can stop him, he follows her as she heads to the bathroom for a shower.

Tessa is still reluctant to shower with Hardin, feeling that it’s too intimate, but he convinces her to join him. He asks her if she loves him in the same way she loved Noah, and she tries to explain that her love for Noah was more of a friendship that developed over time; he was like family to her. However, her love for Hardin is “raw and exciting” (389). Hardin is sweet and playful in the shower, and Tessa gives him a hand job, loving the way she can make him feel as good as he makes her feel.