He thought for a second. “The same.” Any explanation would take too long for a phone call and required a face-to-face conversation.
“Oh. I thought she was ill? That’s what Millie said.”
The train sped along the tracks, the landscape outside the windows a blur of buildings and roadways. “It’s…complicated. But nothing’s really changed.” A thought struck him. “Wait. You spoke to Millie? Why? Did something happen? Is she okay?”
“She’s fine.” Harper cleared his throat. “I…uh…she saw me at your door and told me you were away.”
His lips twitched. “From all the way across the street?”
“Wiseass,” Harper growled. “I was concerned because you said you didn’t have the best relationship.”
He wasn’t about to discuss it in public. “I can’t talk about it now. I’m on the train home. I should be there by early afternoon.”
“I’m off at six.” He waited, but Colson wasn’t going to ask. If Harper wanted to see him, he’d have to make the first move. “Can I come by later?”
Relief along with a bit of giddy excitement tumbled through him, but in no way would he make it easy for Harper or show how eager he was to see him. “Yeah, sure.”
“Won’t be until probably around ten.”
“I’ll be awake. See you when you get there.”
“Bye.”
Colson stared at the dark screen. What was Harper doing for the hours between six and ten, and who was he doing it with?
Chapter Eighteen
“What was that about?” Nolan asked.
“Nothing.” Harper swiveled around to face his partner. “Now, about those burglaries—”
“You are such a bad liar.” A gleam brightened Nolan’s eyes. “I heard you make plans for later tonight. You got a date?”
“No, I don’t have a date.”
“Theworstliar.” Nolan snickered. “You’re a tough guy when it comes to the perps, but you’re just a big ole softie everywhere else.”
“Can we please get to work?”
“Nah, this is more fun.” Nolan leaned back in his chair.
“Glad my personal life is amusing to you,” he grumbled, cringing at the realization that he’d played right into Nolan’s suspicions.
“Aha!” he crowed. “I knew it. Listen, I’m glad you finally have a personal life.”
“I’m not sure what it is. I still have concerns.”
“About David, you mean?” Nolan’s brows knitted. “Has the guy met him yet?”
“Not really.” He chewed his lip and explained Colson’s chance meeting in the park with Luis. “But he doesn’t know I’m David’s brother, and he has no idea what taking care of David means. The last time, I made the mistake of bringing Ronnie in too soon. I thought I knew who he was, but I was wrong. I don’t want David to become attached only to have the person disappear again.”
“That’s a tough one,” Nolan sympathized. “But what’s the alternative—being alone because of one mistake? That’s not fair to you.”
But Harper was used to life not being fair. He’d seen it at work, with so many unsolved cases, leaving the bad guys to roam the city without consequences. And he’d had more than his share of personal pain at home. David’s accident, robbing him of a full and active life. His parents’ deaths and assuming sole responsibility of David. Every day he woke up and thanked God for Luis, who lightened the load, but in the end, David was his brother. And while he wouldn’t ever regret the decisions he’d made, the time he spent with Colson gave him a taste of a life he’d almost forgotten existed.
A life he yearned for. And felt guilty for imagining.
“I’ll deal with it. I just have to figure some things out.”
