“How do you feel about deploying again?”
“I’ve deployed since. It’s never easy. But it’s necessary and that gets you through the hard times.”
“Did you feel responsible?”
He answered without hesitation. “Yes. And I still do.”
“Even though you know it’s not your fault?”
“Fault and responsibility don’t have to be related.”
“What about the person you lost here?”
“Losing her changed things for me. I won’t do it again.”
Harper nodded. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“It doesn’t make me not probably love you.”
“Harper —”
She slapped a hand over his mouth. “I don’t need you to drive the point home. You can’t love me back. You don’t want to be in a relationship. I get it.”
“I’m sorry, Harper.”
“Don’t be. My feelings for you aren’t dependent on yours for me. I like you. I probably love you. I think you’re an amazing guy. End of story.”
“So where does that leave us?”
“Enjoying the rest of the week.”
“Why would you want to if there’s nothing long term to be won here?”
“Have you met me? What in my life has ever been long term? Life is too short not to grab on to the good times while they last.”
“You’re a pretty amazing woman, Harper Wilde.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Harper was running late. Max had slipped his collar after spotting the beagle from three houses down running loose. She spent half an hour chasing them down, returning the beagle to a very grateful Mr. and Mrs. Scotts, and then carrying Max in a vice-like grip back to the house.
Luke had called a morning staff meeting and Harper wanted to get the latest numbers in front of him beforehand. Her hair was still damp from a very hasty shower and she was pretty sure she had missed a button on her blouse.
It wasn’t until she was dashing out the front door digging for her keys that she realized they — and her car — weren’t there.
Luke pulled the door closed, wrangling a travel mug and a stack of papers. “You’re riding with me today.”
“Where’s my car?”
Luke started down the front porch steps. “It’s at the garage.”
“Why the hell is my car at the garage?” She followed on his heels.
He sighed and turned to face her so they were eye to eye. “I asked Shorty to give it a tune up.”
“It runs fine,” Harper said, with a measured glare.
