He fell.
“One…” Harper started.
“Two…” Matthew continued the count.
“Three…” I joined as well.
“Four… five…”
A smile pulled at Harper’s lips. “I was right. About six seconds.”
I pulled Harper into me, and Matthew joined us as I wrapped my arms around them both. We did it. We’d won.
fifty-one
Benny
REST.
“I don’t think I can come.”
I ran my hand gently up and down Harper’s arm. We stood in the doorway to the garage, staring at my car. The one Harper had stolen and I’d had to bring back home without him.
“It’s just family dinner, love.” I kissed his temple softly.
“But Ma… I just… left her.”
I kissed him again. In the days Harper had been back, I hadn’t let him out of my sight, and Matthew had been over every day to check in with him, but Harper hadn’t seen the rest of the family, including Ma, since he’d left. “She’s not mad at you.”
“She should be. It’s my fault she got hurt… and then I just left.”
“It wasn’t your fault. It was Leon’s. And he can’t hurt anyone anymore. No one wanted you to leave, my love, but we understand why you thought you had to.”
He turned into me, burying his face in my chest. My arms wrapped around him. Despite what had happened between us in Hollow Creek, I knew the person who was hardest on Harper about running away was Harper.
No one had wanted him to leave, and it was harder on all of us with him gone, even if it was safer. But it was the hardest on him. And he’d done what he believed he had to in order to protect us. We couldn’t fault him for that.
“You gonna avoid her for the rest of our lives?” I asked him.
“No,” he grumbled after a moment.
“Then you’ll have to see her eventually, and the longer you wait, the harder it’ll be.”
He groaned, holding on to me tighter, and I did the same.
“Fine,” he sighed as he pulled back.
“Trust me, baby, you’ll feel better after you see her.”
He nodded and, with a deep inhale, continued to the car.
Ma’s house was as loud and chaotic as it always was as I opened the front door and Harper trailed in after me.
“Uncle Harper!” Harvey yelled, skidding to a stop, diverting from chasing Lachlan to head toward us instead.
Harper grunted as Harvey collided with him, and a moment later, Lachlan did as well. Both of them hugged him tight.
“Mom bought us new water guns. Will you play with us after dinner?” Lachy asked.
