For the first time in years, she had somehow forged an unlikely group of friends.Drea was her rock.Trent’s friends had embraced her as theirs.They knew something horrible had happened but didn’t let that stand in their way of being there for her.Cujo treated her like a sister, reminding her of Reid in the way he teased her.Lia and Pixie sought her advice, took her to their favorite stores, and helped throw that birthday party for her.
And then there was Trent, who had somehow managed to sneak in past every defense and had taken her heart from her.No one else could make her vibrate with need from a single touch.He had the ability to soothe even her roughest edges.He’d encouraged her to trust him over and over.And although he hadn’t told her, if she read the signs right, he loved her as much as she loved him.
So what else was there?Sure, she didn’t want him hurt by Nathan, but Trent was a big boy who could take care of himself.Didn’t it say something about him and his character that he wanted to take care of her?
She didn’t want him to pass up the tremendous opportunity he’d been given for the show.She hadn’t absorbed the details when he had told her.Had she even told him that she was proud of him before leaving him shell-shocked in the restaurant?
She glanced up at the extra dead bolt she’d had Eddie install yesterday after Detective Lopes had left her apartment.He was focusing on community CCTV camera footage for someone texting from a phone the police had already confirmed as registered in Idaho.He’d also handed her back her laptop, scrubbed clean of the spyware that had been monitoring her computer activity.
A call to Lydia had confirmed Nathan’s passport was still being held and that he had made his early evening appointment with his probation officer the day before the text.Lydia’s computer was still with an IT specialist, being checked.
Her hand reached up and gripped the beautiful necklace Trent had designed for her, the beautiful, smooth glass drop with swirls of red and orange to represent the flames on her back… the hottest fire she had withstood.She rubbed it between her fingers like a lucky charm.A talisman to keep her safe.
Through all the thoughts flickering through her mind at rapid speed, one was resonating the loudest.She needed Trent.More than that, she loved Trent and wanted to be with him.
She glanced at the clock.If Cujo was right, Trent would likely be landing very soon, cutting short the trip he had planned for the two of them.What if he wasn’t prepared to give her a second chance?Okay, so maybe it was a third or even fourth chance.What if there was an end to his seemingly unlimited patience with her?
Her phone pinged.Cujo.
He’s on his way to the studio.
This was likely the last chance she was going to get to put this right.
***
He wasn’t going to go to her.A decision he made at the bottom of a bottle.He’d apologized, by text, by voice mail, and had received nothing back from her.The last couple of days had provided some much needed space, but that space hadn’t yet provided clarity.
Harper knew how he felt about her.He’d put the world on a plate for her before he left, and she’d thrown it back in his face.The irony kept hitting him hard.Yasmin had left because he couldn’t give her anything she wanted.Harper had left because he was trying to give her everything.
More than anything, the time away had solidified one thing.Trent still loved Harper.That part was simple.Everything else was so fucking complicated that it made his head want to do a Linda Blair.
Holed up in the office, he stretched out on the sofa and closed his eyes as he waited for Cujo to start his shift.He’d grabbed a six a.m.flight in LA, and it was now close to three.His travel bag was thrown in the corner, and the contents of his messenger bag were spilled out on the table.
The taxi had been on the way to his condo before he realized that he couldn’t face being there without Harper, so he’d redirected the driver here.It was so hard to face the guys, though.They couldn’t wait to hear details of the show.
Had it been only a week ago he’d been sitting here thinking he had the world in his hands?It was amazing how quickly the world changed.
He looked at the blue plastic folder with all the filming locations and details.
It had been Dred who’d taken him out and gotten him liquored up.As he had stared at the condensation running down the outside of a vodka bottle, Trent had ended up spilling his guts about Harper.
Stroking his hand along his jaw, he considered whether his stance on not going to see her made sense.Maybe she needed him to show her how much he’d be there for her, no matter what happened.
The timid knock at the door irritated him.
“I told you I needed some shut-eye.Please fuck off!”
He pulled his arm up over his eyes.Another bang at the door, this time more forcefully.
“What the fuck?Seriously, do you want to get fired?”
“It’s H… Harper.”
Trent sat up quickly and rubbed his hands across his face.
“Can I come in?”Her voice wavered.
Walking to the door, he flipped the lock and wrenched it open.
