He handed her the tissues and she mopped morosely at her eyes, then took the water I offered her.
“Thank you,” she whispered hoarsely.
“Okay, who took what, Leah? What’s happened?”
She swallowed hard, brushing away new tears as they spilled out.
“My scooter. I… it was just gone, and… and it’s my pride and joy!”
Harley groaned, guiding her to sip the water, while Rocket approached again.
“Where from? Maybe Grease can check CCTV and shit?”
Harley nodded absently, pushing Leah’s hair away from her eyes.
“Where? Tell us where, and we’ll find it.” She haltingly explained, and Harley turned to Rocket.
“Call Grease, and give him what we have. He knows about Leah, so you don’t need to be cagey about her.”
Rocket nodded, digging his phone out of his jeans pocket as he headed back to his workstation, and I felt helpless, because what could I do?
I grabbed my chair and dragged it over for Leah, and she dropped into it gratefully.
“Thank you. Sorry, I don’t… I don’t think we’ve met.”
I wrung my hands together in front of me, because I didn’t know how to introduce myself. Was I her dad’s friend? His lover? What?
Harley reached out and eased one of my hands away, holding it in both of his.
“This is Caroline, my girlfriend,” he said gently, tugging me closer to him. Leah’s eyes probably widened or something, but my own eyes were on Harley. He just called me his girlfriend. I’m his girlfriend!
“I…”
“I know, but you are, so just relax, babe. It’s all good. This here’s my daughter, Leah, but I know you figured that out. Thank you for looking after her.”
I shrugged, feeling awkward with the focus on me, reluctantly looking to Leah as Harley tucked me against his side.
“This isn’t the ideal way to meet, I’m sorry,” I said quietly, as we heard Rocket’s voice grow suddenly louder behind us.
“Because your VP fucking asked me to, that’s why, dipshit!”
Harley sighed heavily, his head dropping low. “It was a mistake to ask him to call, but he wants to help.”
“He and Grease really don’t get on, do they?”
“What kind of a name is Grease?” Leah asked, and I giggled, because they did all have weird names. I was starting to realise there was probably a perfectly logical reason behind each one. Grease’s had to be because of all the gel he put in his hair. Right?
“For his daughter,” Rocket snapped, and then his shoulders relaxed a little, “yeah, look we need CCTV, man. Can you help?”
I turned my focus back to Leah as Rocket’s voice lowered again.
“They need marriage counselling or something,” I said quietly to Harley, gratified, and relieved, to hear him chuckle.
“I literally said that to the Pres the other night. It’s like we share a brain.”
“You seem really sweet together. Dad, I didn’t know you were seeing anyone.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
