“Yep.” She turned back towards the house.
“Is that how you broke your arm and your ribs?”
“Nope. I’m just going to grab some paperwork. I’ll be right out.”
“Uh, yeah. I’m coming with you. Knowing you, there might be a gas leak or an escaped circus bear in there.”
“Aren’t you cute when you’re all protective?” Harper teased.
Luke shook his head and held the door open for her. “I can’t believe you’re still alive,” he muttered.
Three already-packed banker boxes of documents and knick-knacks later, Harper was ready to go.
“Are you sure this is it?” Luke asked, tucking the boxes in the backseat of his truck.
“That’s everything,” Harper said, working the key off of her ring. “I’m just going to leave this inside. I’ll be right back.”
Luke got back in the truck and started the engine.
One minute turned into five before Harper came back out, stumbling under the weight of a giant stuffed and mounted fish.
Luke jumped out of the truck and yanked it out of her grasp. “Damn it! Stop carrying shit!”
“You can just throw it back there,” she gestured at the bed of the truck.
He tossed it in the back before climbing into the driver’s seat. “What’s with the fish?” Luke asked casually.
Harper shrugged, securing her seatbelt. “He bought it at a yard sale and tells people he caught it himself. ‘It took me four hours to reel in that swordfish,’” she mimicked in a deep voice.
“I’m pretty sure that’s a marlin.”
Harper stared at him for a beat. “A marlin?”
Luke nodded.
She burst out laughing, dropping her head against the headrest. “What an ass.”
***
Harper insisted on buying Luke lunch halfway back to Benevolence. They stopped at a small family-run place that had excellent chicken potpie and even better fresh-cut fries.
She paused chewing long enough to text Hannah.
Ted’s dick not in pants. Moved out. Couch open?
Hannah responded within minutes.
Always hated his stupid douchey goatee. Be back Monday night. Couch is yours.
“Excellent,” Harper sighed with relief and jumped back into her potpie.
“All set?” Luke asked, snagging a French fry.
“Yep. Hannah and Flynn will be back Monday night and I can stay with them then.”
“What are you going to do between now and then?”
“I’ll probably just get a motel room for the weekend. Oh! Maybe a hotel with an indoor pool! It’ll be like a vacation.”
