“Harper. Honey, I hope you’re not thinking that this is your second chance with Darius. I don’t think that he’s gonna be in a good place for awhile and I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I’m not thinking anything like that.”
I’d like to believe her but I can’t. There’s something hopeful in her eyes and I sigh, running my fingers through my hair.
“I guess he can come do the work. And we’ll see if we can find him some other things to do as well. But I want you to remember that you need to let him grieve. Let him get over this. The man is not gonna be in a place to start over for a long time. I guarantee it.”
She lifts her head and glares at me. “Stop treating me like I’m a child, Fee! I’m only three years younger than you.”
Taking a deep breath, I reach out to hug her. “I’m sorry, Harper. I really just want to make sure that you don’t get hurt. You’re too nice for your own good sometimes.”
She snorts into my shoulder and hugs me tight. “That’s not true at all.”
It is but I don’t bug her about it anymore. She’s an adult and she’s gonna do what she’s gonna do.
My heart aches for Darius though. To lose not just his wife but his daughter and son? That’s fucking brutal.
I don’t think I could survive that. As a matter of fact, I know damn well that I couldn’t survive losing Monroe.
Harper moves away and grabs her phone, texting someone. I can only assume it’s Darius.
I hope she knows what she’s doing.
And I have to hope that Darius still cares enough for her to not break her heart yet again.
Epilogue: Monroe
She’s so bloody beautiful that I can’t stand it. But I can barely keep myself from blurting out the words I’ve been dying to say to her all damn day.
There’s something in her eyes that has me worried. She’s worried. Upset.
I fucking hope that it’s not me. Or that my dad isn’t back to cause trouble. He’s been out of touch since I picked Fee over him and I can understand that. I really can.
But if he’s hurt Fee, I might end him. Nobody fucks with my girl. Not even my father, such as he is.
“Fee? What’s going on?”
She ducks her head, hiding her face behind a fall of honey-blond locks. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I glide over to her and touch her stubborn little chin, lifting it, my heart sinking at the pain and worry in her opal eyes. “Fee? What’s wrong? Did somebody hurt you?” I stiffen and my eyes narrow. “Is it my Dad? Have you seen him around town?”
“No, no,” she breathes and her hands rest on my wrists, like she’s worried I’m going to leave her.
“What is it?”
“It’s Harper.”
“That’s…unexpected. What’s going on with Harper? Is she mad at you about something?”
She sighs and leans forward to rest her forehead in the middle of my chest and wraps her arms around me tightly. “Kinda. Maybe. I don’t know.”
Chuckling in spite of myself, I sigh and kiss the top of her head. “Am I ever going to understand women?”
She chokes and swats me gently. “Stop. I’m being serious here.” She pauses and then mutters, “a friend of hers is going to be here soon to do the work on the building.”
Cocking my head, I lift my head, eyeing her like a bomb that’s about to go off. “I’m not sure why that would make Harper mad at you.”
“She’s mad because I didn’t want him to come here.”
