"A few, but listen, Harper…"
She held up her hand."It's all okay.I'll get the girls after school, and bring them and some groceries back here.I won't leave till you're back.How does that sound?"
He glanced at the front door when two sharp knocks sounded.The next moment, Blane appeared in the doorway.
"Morning, Harper.You ready to go, Emmett?"
Emmett caught her gaze and held it for a moment before turning away."Yeah, let's go.I’ll talk to you later, Harper."
~ ~ ~
Emmett hauled himself into his friend's truck while Blane watched, one eyebrow cocked.
"You in?"
"Yeah."
He hated that Blane had to close the door for him, but there was no other option.
"Trouble on the home front?"Blane asked once he was behind the wheel.
"Not exactly."
"What then?Want to talk about it, or tell me where we're going first?"
"Just drive.My first appointment isn't until ten.I was going to ask you to take me to the clinic, but I need a minute."
"Sure.Want me to keep my mouth shut and let you stew?"
Emmett heaved a sigh that reminded him how far from healed his ribs still were."I don't know what to say."
Blane smirked."Words never were your strong suit."
"Exactly!"
"Come on, Mitty, tell me all about it.It's Harper, right?"
"Yes.Well, not exactly.It's not her fault.None of it's her fault, but that doesn't make it any easier."
"Want to start at the beginning and clue me in?"
"She just said that she's going to move back to Jim's cottage."
"Why?"
"Because she says I don't need her as much now."
"And she has a point.So why not tell her that you want her?Or is that the issue—is that what you can't find the words for?"
"Kind of.Partly.But it's more than that.After we came home from the MacFarland place the other night, Tanya… Tanya called her Mama Bear.And… and I guess it hit us all hard.Alana especially."
"I can see how it would."
"But now Harper thinks she overstepped, and she thinks I don't want her.And under all of it, there's the real problem that Alana doesn't want or need a new mom—neither of them do.But they…" He squeezed his eyes shut."Harper's good for them."
"And how does she feel about it?"
"Like I said, she thinks she's overstepped, and now she's pulling back, removing herself to make it easy on me."
