Harm began writing again.“I had two bad homes.They either ignored me or thought I was a live-in maid.It was really bad.But then Joe and Larry took me in.They were loving, and tough when they needed to be.But even when I was bad, they stood by me.”Harm paused and then wrote some more.“We went on family vacations together and did things that real families did.”
“Did they adopt you?”Derek asked.
Harm shook his head.“Larry has some health issues.He had to retire early.They told me they were afraid that if they tried to adopt, it was possible that Larry’s health might keep that from happening and they might take me away.So they didn’t rock the boat.I called them Pops and Papa.I still do.They live in Arizona now, and in a few months, we’ll get together for a cruise.”
“That sounds awesome.”Speaking about parents made Derek miss his own.“It’s just Suzanne and me now.My parents are both gone.Mom from cancer, and I swear Dad died of a broken heart.He passed six months after her from a chronic heart condition.”Derek was relieved when their server brought their food, and he thought for a minute about how he was going to change the subject.
Harm put a hand on Derek’s, and their gazes met over the table.In an instant, without a single word, Harm told him that he understood that loss.Of course he did.He was a kid when he lost his parents.At least Derek had been an adult, and while the loss hurt deeply, he had his own life to return to.“I’m okay.I just miss them sometimes.”
Harm shifted in his seat and pulled out his wallet.He opened it and showed Derek a picture.It was in color, small, with a man, a woman, and what had to be Harm, already tall.
“Is that your mom and dad with you?”He nodded, and Harm put away his wallet.“Do you have many pictures of them?”Harm raised his fingers.“A few?”He got another nod.“Let’s talk about something else.What do you do for fun besides read?”
Harm wrote a list.“I used to hunt with my dad, and we went fishing.Now I don’t know.I don’t know what happened to any of my family’s things.I suppose they were sold or….”He shrugged.“I’d like some of my dad’s fishing gear.”
“The LeTort is great for fishing.I like to sit there and just watch the water.I have some gear if you’d like to go.”And just like that, there was that smile again.“Fishing is allowed all year long, but I catch and release.I never keep anything I catch there.I want the fish to be able to reproduce and make more fish for the future.”
Harm nodded and pointed to himself as if to say, me too.“When can we go?”Harm wrote, and Derek mentally checked his calendar.
“Maybe next Saturday or Sunday.Just stop in and let me know your new work schedule.It’s a little chilly this time of the year, but the LeTort is always about the same temperature so the fish are active almost all year long.I know some of the very best spots where the fish hide.”And he didn’t reveal his secrets to just anyone.
“That would be nice,” Harm wrote and added a smiley face.
“Cool.I haven’t had anyone to fish with in quite a while.”He had all the gear, but he hadn’t been out fishing since his dad died.It was something they did together, and it hadn’t felt right after he passed.But maybe he’d had the wrong attitude about it all along.Maybe what he’d needed to do was continue the things they did together rather than shying away from them.“I have the gear.”
“Was it you and your dad?”Harm asked.
“Yes.Dad and I had plenty of gear and multiple tackle boxes.Before he died, Dad had a fishing boat, and we used to take it out on weekends.Suzanne would come with us, Mom would sometimes too, and they’d bring books.It was always a quiet time when it was just Dad and me unless the others came along.”He missed those hours of quiet.You knew you were comfortable with someone when you could spend hours together and not talk.That was something he truly missed, that sort of comfortability with someone else.The only person he had ever had it with was his dad.
The food arrived, and it was every bit as delicious-looking as he remembered.Darryl, Billy’s husband and the chef-owner of the restaurant, was very fussy when it came to the dishes they served.Darryl believed that good food didn’t need to cost a fortune.Derek understood that he had been offered a number of jobs at various high-end restaurants, but he turned them down.In addition to Café Belgie, Darryl and Billy owned and operated two other restaurants in town.One was Greek.They had tried German and it had limited success, so they switched that location to French bistro–style food, and it did an amazing business.Between Billy and Darryl, they had the knack of knowing what people wanted.
Harm made happy humming noises as he ate, and Derek was pleased that he was enjoying his dinner.Derek was probably halfway through his meal when the door opened and Derek’s belly did a flip.He paused and turned away.“That’s the guy I was telling you about.My sometime stalker.He just stepped inside.”Derek didn’t want to make eye contact and hoped William would either sit or just leave.
No such luck—he came right up to the table.
“Derek, it’s nice to see you,” he said as though they were old friends or something.“I checked at the library, but it was closed.”
“So you wandered through Carlisle hoping to find me?”Derek muttered, half under his breath.“What is it you want?”Derek asked.“I’m having dinner with a friend.”
William seemed to be settling in, even looking at the empty chair at their table as though he expected to be asked to join them.“I was just trying to see how you were doing.”He sounded reasonable, but Derek knew he was anything but.
“Can I help you?”Billy asked as he came up behind his stalker.
He turned.“I was just talking to my friend,” he said snippily.
“William was just leaving,” Derek said.But William didn’t move and seemed even more defiant.Without a word, Harm stood and crossed his arms over his ample chest, glaring at William, who paled and turned toward the door.Harm stared daggers at him until the door closed behind William.Then he sat back down, the expression on his face changing quickly.
“Are you all right?”Harm scribbled.“He was not going to hurt you.”
Derek thought that a strange thing to say.William wouldn’t hurt him.The guy was a little crazy and gave Derek the creeps, but he was harmless enough.He just needed to know when to stop.Then he read what Harm wrote again and understood.He was saying that Harm wasn’t going to let William hurt him.“Thank you for that.”
Billy made sure they had everything they needed before leaving them to their dinner once more.“When did you see him last?”Harm asked.
Derek read the note he passed over.“I don’t know.Maybe two weeks ago at the library.Connie took care of him and told him that I was away at a conference for a few days.Then she asked if he wanted to leave a note.William had huffed at the time, but he left the library.”He hated that Connie had lied for him, but he knew she was trying to help him.
Harm shook his head.“He’s a stalker, and he isn’t going to stop.You may have seen him two weeks ago, but I saw him two days ago looking at the cars where all of you park.He’s keeping track of you by watching your car.”Harm passed him the note, and Derek felt himself pale.
“What do I do?I want him to leave me alone and stop following me.”He had foolishly thought William would simply get tired of him and leave.Derek had been professionally polite, but he hadn’t encouraged him.Little gifts were returned, and flowers that were just left had been passed on to others.He hadn’t kept anything from William, as far as he recalled.He wasn’t concerned that William was going to hurt him, but the last thing he needed was any sort of trouble while he was up for library director.
