He sighed heavily and Harper rolled her eyes. “Just drink your coffee.”
“I have to go to the base this weekend for some meetings and training. Will you be okay here by yourself?”
“You’re not coming back tonight?”
He shook his head and sipped his coffee. “No. I’ll be home tomorrow night. Late.”
“Okay.” Harper eyed him, waiting.
“Okay.” He looked at her, still sexy as hell with sleep creases across his face, and then nodded. “I’m gonna go pack a bag.”
Harper watched him leave and sighed.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
He was being a huge coward. Luke accelerated onto the highway, his mouth set in a frown. When his CO called yesterday afternoon about the basic combat refresher training, Luke suggested their pre-mobilization team meet on Saturday to prep for Sunday’s training. He couldn’t face a weekend alone with Harper. He might die from the blood supply being cut off to his brain.
He thought about kissing her good-bye but had regained his wits and casually wished her a good weekend from the safety of the other side of the kitchen island.
He was doing it for her own good, he told himself. She wasn’t the kind of girl who would just have a fling and then move on. Harper deserved better than that. So he would just keep his distance from her for the rest of the month and they would part as friends.
Friends who could have had some serious benefits.
He slapped his hands on the wheel of the truck. “Get it together, man.”
Focus on the job, and everything else will be fine.
***
Harper decided to at least pretend to be productive and tackled the laundry first. So she gathered up all the dirty clothes, towels, and sheets she could find and headed downstairs to the basement.
It wasn’t as creepy as she had expected. Small windows at ceiling level ringed the perimeter and allowed morning light to filter through. As promised, a washer and dryer sat in the corner next to a dingy laundry sink and a serviceable countertop.
Harper dropped the heaping laundry basket on the floor and started the first load. The modest setup lacked the usual clutter of a well-used laundry area. There were no mate-less socks or shrunken and forgotten t-shirts. Just detergent, bleach, and dryer sheets.
While the washer kicked to life, Harper surveyed the rest of the basement. As the rest of the house, it was empty except for a few boxes and plastic totes.
There was a small room with a door, probably some kind of storage closet, on the other side of the stairs. She wondered if it was full of Luke’s high school yearbooks and childhood memorabilia. Harper tried the doorknob and found it locked.
The knob was new and keyed. Maybe that’s where he kept firearms. She hadn’t noticed any guns around the house. It was more than likely that he stored them safely under lock and key.
Harper spent the rest of her morning bustling around the house. She opened windows to let in the fresh spring breeze while she swept the hardwood floors and dusted the woodwork. She folded and put away two loads of laundry and remade the bed.
She was sweeping last year’s leaves off of Luke’s front porch, fantasizing about the cold roast beef sandwich she was going to make for lunch, when someone called her name.
A tiny brunette stood on the walkway halfway between the sidewalk and the porch. Her hands were clasped tightly in front of her. A colorful floral scarf was tied around her neck.
“I’m sorry to bother you, but Ty told me where I could find you.”
Harper leaned the broom against the railing. “Gloria, right?”
The woman nodded. “I wasn’t sure you’d recognize me. We weren’t ...”
“Formally introduced?” Harper supplied.
Gloria gave her a small smile. “Exactly. I hope you don’t mind me stopping by.”
“Not at all! You’re giving me the perfect excuse to quit cleaning.” Harper stepped off the porch. “Do you have time to come inside?”
