Charlie continued to glare at Harry and me as we climbed out of the pool. We grabbed our towels and dried off, and I found myself wishing I could wipe away my humiliation as easily as the water.

Charlie finally found his voice again and yelled at Harry, "Are you crazy?" And then he turned to me and yelled, "And you! You should be ashamed of yourself!"

I blinked in shock as his words hit me.

Harry shouted back at his brother, "You're one to talk! Bringing your girlfriend back to our house and engaging in all-night sex-fests so that I can't even sleep in my own bed!"

"Well at least she's my age!" Charlie retorted. "Lise is like twenty years older than you!"

"Ten, Charlie! She's ten years older than me! And what does that have to do with anything?" Harry seethed.

"Has it occurred to you that maybe she's lonely and she just wanted to get some? Or maybe she's after the money!" Charlie sneered.

I stifled a sob when he said that, already upset beyond words.

Harry grabbed me and pulled me into his chest, saying to Charlie, "Don't you dare talk about her that way! I'm in love with her!"

At that, Charlie just choked on his words and stomped away.

I broke down and cried in Harry's arms.

He held me, stroking my hair and soothing me with his warmth. "I'm so sorry about that. I can't believe he said those things, but I am so, so sorry."

"It's all right, Harry," I said, sniffling.

"No, it's not."

"You're right," I agreed. "It wasn't right for him to say any of that, but this is why I never wanted you to know how I felt. This can't happen, Harry. Everyone we know will react just like Charlie did, and he's right – I am too old for you."

"Please, Lise, please don't say that. You're not too old for me. I would do anything to be with you."

I couldn't believe my ears. I thought Harry had a crush on me. I had no idea he had thought about us so seriously.

"Harry," I said, my voice trembling. "How? You're still in high school, and I'm a divorcee with three little girls. We have nothing in common."

"Don't say that!" he said harshly. "If we have nothing in common, then why can't we stay away from each other? Why do we laugh every time we're together? Why do I want to be with you all the time? Why do I feel like your girls are my own family? Why do I feel like you were made for me? So what if you're ten years older than me? I love you, Lise!" Then he dropped his voice to a whisper. "I love you."

"Eleven," I whispered.

"What?"

"I'm eleven years older than you," I corrected him.

"So what? Eleven years is nothing. When we're old and gray, it will hardly matter."

"Old and gray?" I squeaked.

"Yes, old and gray," he said, grabbing my hands and pulling them up to his heart. "I am so in love with you. I want to be with you forever, Lise."

"I respect you Harry, and I believe what you're saying, but how can you possibly know what you want for the rest of your life?" I said, becoming agitated.

"I just know," he soothed.

I was so overwhelmed by the turmoil in my heart. I loved Harry so much, but I couldn't tell him. I had to try to keep my feelings at bay so that I could try to make some sense of the whole situation.

"I don't know what to do," I said, and the tears started streaming down my face again.

"Hey, let's not think about it anymore tonight, okay?" He said, brushing my hair out of my face. "Can I spend the night here? I would rather not see Charlie anymore tonight. Or my father."

"Of course, but only for sleeping, okay? We can't do anything else or I could go to prison!" I smirked.

"I know," he chuckled, kissing my forehead. "But I'd like to sleep next to you. I still can't believe any of this happened. I just want to be close to you."

I nodded, smiling shyly.

Harry changed into some shorts that he had left by the pool while I went into the bathroom to put on my pajamas. When I came out, he was already in my bed. I couldn't believe he was there – in my bed! I smiled wide as I climbed in next to him.

He kissed me deeply and then he pulled me tight against him and we fell asleep.

The next morning, I woke up with Harry's arm draped across my chest. I watched him for a few minutes as his chest gently rose and fell. I couldn't believe how handsome he was. He really looked much older than 18, and I desperately wished that he was. I got a sick feeling in my stomach when all of the distress from the previous night came rushing in.

What the hell was I going to do? I wanted nothing more than to be with Harry. Period. I couldn't lie to myself anymore. But how could I even think about dating a kid who was still in high school? I felt like some kind of pervert. Wasn't it wrong for me to feel this way?

I closed my eyes tightly and tried to stop the onslaught of worrisome thoughts. Then I remembered Harry's kisses. I had never been kissed with that much passion before. I couldn't believe how he made me feel.

Before long, I knew Harry had to move. "Harry," I said quietly, nudging him to wake up.

"Hmm," he mumbled.

"You need to go to the guest room. Please. I don't want the girls to find you sleeping in my bed."

He rolled over and laughed. "Why not?" He asked playfully.

"You know very well why not!" I laughed with him. "Hurry! They'll be getting up any minute!"

He got up and left the room and I dressed quickly. Then I grabbed my phone and dialed my sister's number.

"Hi, Maggie, it's Lise," I said.

"Why are you calling me so early?" She grumbled, but I could tell she wasn't really mad when she chuckled.

"Can I bring the girls over to you today?" I asked. "I need to clean up from the party."

"Do you want me to come and help you?" She asked.

"Actually, it would be more helpful if the girls were just out of the way," I told her.

I felt bad because I was fibbing a little bit. Yes, I still had to clean up, but I really wanted – no, needed - to have some uninterrupted time to talk to Harry about everything.

The girls were thrilled that Harry was there for breakfast and that he rode with us to Aunt Maggie's house.

When we returned to my house, Harry shut the door and took me in his arms, his lips making their way to mine.

"Harry," I giggled. "We really have to talk."

"I know, but I'd rather do this," he grinned, sneaking another kiss to my lips.

I pulled him to sit down on the couch with me. I turned myself so I was facing him and he turned towards me. "So, what are we going to do?" I asked.

"This," he smiled, leaning in to kiss me again. He pushed himself forcefully against me and I couldn't resist. He slid his tongue gently against my lips, making sparks shoot through my body and making my heart race.  

Finally, I pushed him away and said, "This is serious! I don't think this is going to work."

He stopped smiling and said, "But you want it to work,right?"

"I wish it could work," I said. "But I just don't know how."

"What's to figure out, Lise? I'm an adult. I want to be with you, you want to be with me...Don't you?"

"Yes, I do," I smiled. "But, it's more complicated than that, and you know it!" I argued. "Your brother already freaked out and he's only a year older than you. How is your dad going to react? How are my parents going to react? And I'm not even kidding when I say that Ryan might kill you!"

"Who cares?" He asked.

"I do, Harry! I care!" I was getting frustrated and our conversation was getting us nowhere. I wanted to just say Fine, let's fall in love and get married and have more babies, but I knew it wasn't that simple.

"Let's go talk to your brother," I finally said. "Maybe he's cooled off by now." I always liked Charlie, and though we hadn't spent much time together, I thought maybe we could convince him to become our first ally.

Harry agreed. We went to his house and found it quiet – everyone must have slept in after the previous night's festivities. Harry made some coffee and then went to take a quick shower.

I went to pour myself a cup of coffee. I knew exactly where everything was since I had helped Harold unpack when he moved in. I dug through the fridge to find some creamer, and as soon as I shut the door, I found myself face to face with Charlie.

"Hi," I said awkwardly.

"Hi," he said. "I'm sorry about the things I said last night. I was out of line."

"I forgive you," I said, feeling a little weight lifting off my chest.

"But that doesn't mean I approve," he clarified.

"I don't blame you," I said, sighing.

"It's just that Harry's my little brother and you really are too old for him," he said.

"Yeah, I get it!" I said sharply. Then I brought my voice back down to a civil tone and said, "But Harry is an adult. And he's' the most mature 18-year-old I've ever met."

Harry walked in just then, eyeing both of us cautiously.

"We were just talking about last night," I told him.

"Yeah, I heard." He said quietly.

"Harry, I don't think this is a good idea," Charlie began.

"Who cares what you think?" Harry snarled.

"I'm sorry for what I said to Lise last night, and I apologized to her. But, please just listen to me. This kind of thing is so...I don't know, it just seems wrong. It's so volatile. People are bound to get upset."

"Yes, I can see how it would be upsetting for me to fall in love," Harry said sarcastically.

"You know what I mean, Harry. It's scandalous for you to be sleeping with a woman ten years older than you," Charlie insisted.

"We're not sleeping together, and it's more than just that. I told you that I'm in love with her!" Harry said, his volume increasing.

Just then Harold appeared in the doorway and I felt like I wanted to crawl under the kitchen table.

"You're in love with whom, Harry?" He asked.

Without thinking twice, Harry told him. "Lise."

Harold laughed and grabbed a mug and filled it with coffee. When he turned back to Harry and saw that his son wasn't laughing, his face fell. "You've got to be joking. You're much too young for her, son. Why, Lise couldn't possibly feel the same about you." Then he turned to me and said, "Lise, I'm surprised that you were aware of this and you didn't say anything to him. You should have put a stop to this when you realized he had a crush on you."

Harry interjected, "It's more than a crush. And Lise feels the same way!"

David walked in just then. His timing couldn't have been worse. He observed the commotion, trying to catch himself up on what was happening.

Harold looked at me with daggers in his eyes. "Lise," he said simply, raising his brow and waiting for an explanation.

"I, I don't know what to say," I said in a squeaky whisper, and I really didn't know what to say. I felt like a little child being reprimanded by the principal, but I knew I should say something to defend Harry, to help him out of this hole we'd dug ourselves into.

"Well, you'd better think of something quickly or I'll be calling the police," he fumed.

"He's an adult, Harold, and we haven't done anything. We didn't sleep together." It sounded so disgraceful, even though I just said that we didn't have sex, but to even be talking about it felt shameful. My assurance didn't seem to appease him at all, but then I said, "I'm in love with Harry, too," hoping that would soften Harold's heart a bit, but instead he became furious.

David glared at me and then sneered, "Well, that explains a lot."

"What is wrong with you, Lise? You can't be in love with a child!" Harold reprimanded me.

"I'm not a child!" Harry interjected. "In case you hadn't noticed, I'm 18, but you haven't been around enough to realize that I've grown up," Harry seethed.

"Don't you take that tone with me, young man!" Harold scolded. "As long as you live under my roof, you will respect me and live with some morals!"

"Oh yeah, some morals like the ones you've taught me, Dad? Like cheating on your wife, you sick bastard!" Harry spat.

"Harry!" I shouted.

"How dare you accuse me-" Harold began.

"I caught you, Dad. I saw you with her and you didn't even know. Mom never knew either because I couldn't bear to tell her that you ruined your fucking marriage!"

Charlie's eyes went wide and his face went pale, and he looked at his father, his voice quivering. "Dad?"

Harold just looked at Charlie with a sorrowful expression on his face, and Charlie sat down hard in a chair, grasping the reality of what he'd just learned.

This was getting way out of hand.

"Boys, I, I...your mother and I had some problems and...I just..." Harold stuttered.

"That doesn't make any difference! You don't do that to someone you love!" Harry screamed.

"Harry," I said softly. "I think you should just drop it."

"No!" He said. "I'm not just going to drop it!"

"So, is that what this is about?" Harold laughed. "Are you pretending to have something for this older woman to create your own scandal in our family? To get back at me? To humiliate our family? To give me a taste of my own medicine?"

Harry looked like he might cry. "Never," he said sternly. "I would never play with someone's heart the way you did with Mom's or with all your other women!"

Harold stepped up to Harry and slapped him hard across the face. "That is enough! I will not have you talk to me this way!" He turned to me and whispered through gritted teeth, "And you – get out of my house!"

I bit my lip and walked quickly to the front door, closing it gently behind me. I refused to make a scene on top of the mortifying display that I had just witnessed.

But as soon as the door closed behind me, I took off running towards my house and raced inside, slamming my own door behind me.

I dropped onto my bed, wailing and sobbing desperately, wishing I could just re-do the past 24 hours. It was heavenly to kiss Harry, but I knew we couldn't do this. There was no way we could ever be together.

When Harry first arrived, I remember thinking that he would be a heartbreaker. I just had no idea that it was my heart that would end up broken.

A short while later, Harry crept into my room and laid down on the bed next to me. When I saw the vicious red welt on his face, I gasped. "Harry, you need some ice on that," I said and rushed to grab the first aid kit in the bathroom. I grabbed an ice pack, squeezed it and then shook it until it became cold. 

I gingerly pressed the cold pack to Harry's cheek and he tried to pull away, but I put my other hand on the other hand on the other side of his head to keep him from doing so. "Keep it on," I urged. 

"It hurts," he said pouting.

"It will stop hurting if you leave this on," I told him. Then I stroked his uninjured cheek and asked, "Has he ever hit you before?"

He shook his head.

"So, this was the most upset he's ever been with you. And it's because of me. This is why we can't have a relationship, Harry. I do love you, but I don't think I could handle it if everyone else in our life alienated us just because we chose to be together. I don't know about you, but I need my family to be there for me."

"You don't know that they will be opposed to us," he said.

"I don't know what they'll think," I admitted. "But I have an idea. You will probably hate it, but I think it's the only way that we can make this work."

"For you, Lise, I'm willing to do anything," he grinned, and then he placed a soft kiss on my lips.