You let me know.
But Harper didn’t. He went silent, figuring it was for the best. He shouldn’t want what he couldn’t have, so it was better to end it now, before that ache in his chest grew any stronger and he did something stupid, like fall for Colson.
Several days passed without Colson texting. Harper figured he must’ve grown tired of the excuses and moved on. That put him in a lousy mood, and he buried himself in his work to try and forget the sexy Colson Delacourt.
“Let’s get to it,” Harper said. “Bad guys are having a party at our expense. New gang, old story. I thought our leads would pan out. I’m pissed.”
“Same. They never learn, do they?” Nolan read the reports. “Punching people for their phones and purses, pushing themover while they get their keys out to open their front doors…man. Sometimes I wonder.” Nolan stared out into the distance, and Harper set his cup on the desk.
“Wonder what?” Unease settled in his chest.
Nolan glanced around, then wheeled his chair over to Harper’s desk. “Have you ever thought of hanging it up when you hit your twenty years?”
A chill ran through him. Nolan was forty-five, ten years older than him. “Are you? You’ve only been a detective for four years.”
Nolan’s mouth drooped. “Ay, there’s the rub.”
He chuckled. “You’re quoting Shakespeare in the squad room. I bet that’s a first. His smile faded. “You really want to leave?”
“Every once in a while I think about it, but I love the job. Just sometimes all the shit gets me down. I think, why bother? Then it’s like, oh, because these assholes think they’re smarter than us. And it makes me want to collar every last one of them.”
Relieved, Harper laughed. “Yeah. I get it. But nothing gives me more pleasure than slapping the cuffs on them. Except seeing them go away for eight to twenty-five.”
It was Nolan’s turn to laugh. “Now that’s a problem if collaring bad guys is your only pleasure.” He eyed Harper, who braced himself, knowing what was coming. “Are you sure you’re not interested in one of Gina’s friends? She knows a guy—”
Alarmed, Harper cut him off. “No, it’s fine. I’m not interested.”
“Why?”
“I’m just…not.” Avoiding Nolan’s penetrating gaze, he clicked to bring up the case files. “We have three witnesses to interview and surveillance video to watch. You want to handle it together or split it up?”
“Together.” Nolan knocked his foot. “You’re not going to dump hours of staring at videos on me. Nice try.”
Smirking, Harper drank his coffee.
***
At six, he powered down the computer, just as his cell phone rang. Seeing it was Luis, his heart pounded.
“Harper?”
“Yeah, what’s wrong? Is David okay?”
“Chill out. He’s fine. In a great mood, in fact. One of the therapists brought pizza, so he’s already eaten dinner.”
His panic attack averted, Harper blew out a breath and ran a hand through his sweaty hair. “Oh, great. Thanks for telling me. It’s been a long day.”
“Just letting you know, in case you wanted to make plans, you don’t have to rush home.”
“Thanks.” His desk phone rang. “I’ve got a call. I’ve got to go.”
“Take as long as you want. I’m not going anywhere.”
God help him if Luis ever did.
He set his phone on the desk and answered the call. “Detective Rose.”
“Hello, Detective. This is Millie Johnson. Do you remember me?”
