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“Together,” I repeat, and I like this word for us. I like it so much that I’m selfish. I can’t tell him right this minute. I’ll tell him tomorrow. I’ll tell him everything in the morning.
Chapter thirty-eight
Eric
With the word “together” between us, I reach up and untie the sash of Harper’s pink silk robe and then turn her to face the door, dragging it down her shoulders, letting the silk pool at our feet. “Let’s get comfortable and get to work,” I say, my lips by her ear, my fingers catching on her shirt, and pulling it over her head.
“And that requires I be naked?” she asks.
I remove my shirt and slip it over her head, the material falling past her knees as I turn her to face me and she slips her arms into the sleeves. “My way of reminding you that we’re together as we dig into the investigation. Together, Harper.”
“Together doesn’t mean jumping to conclusions like you did over Gigi without talking to me first.”
“I’ll concede that to be true,” I say. “And I’msorry.”
She blanches. “You’re sorry?”
“Yes. I’m sorry, and in case you didn’t know, savants are good at apologizing, in my case, if it mathematically makes sense.”
It’s a joke, but she doesn’t laugh.
“You’re not going to say anything more about the Gigi incident?”
“I believe you had good intentions,” I say, and I do. “I believe you’ll talk to me next time first.”
“I will. I promise.”
“Then let’s put it behind us. That’s mathematically logical as well.”
She smiles. “I like this mathematically logical stuff you do.”
“Good, because it’s who I am, sweetheart.” I glance at my black and silver TAG Heuer watch, one of the first expensive things I bought myself, and then back to her. “It’s ten. I want to analyze the data Blake sent me and have you show me the data you collected before we catch a few hours of sleep.”
“Of course,” she says. “I have a paper file I put together. I was paranoid about the electronic data getting wiped out or it being discovered by the wrong people.” She moves to the side of the bed where she’s taken up residence for the night, and I claim my spot as she pulls a folder from her briefcase.
“This is what I’ve pulled together, but honestly, I’m not sure it helps much. It tells us there’s funny stuff going on but we know that already and it’s nothing.” Her cellphone rings again and she glances at the caller ID. “My mother,” she confirms. “I’m taking it on speaker. My reminder to you that I’m with you.” She doesn’t give me time to approve or object. She sits back down in her chair and answers the line.
“Hi, mom.”
“He’s still there with you, isn’t he?”
I sigh and sit down, removing my cube from my pocket. This is not going to be a short conversation nor a gentle one.
“Yes,” Harper confirms, glancing at me as she adds, “He is. We’re together. We’re seeing each other.”
“He’s your stepbrother. That’s embarrassing.”
Harper reacts about the same way I did to Isaac issuing that same jab. Irritation flits across her face and she snaps back. “We’re adults that never even lived together and I can’t even believe you went there. You’re married to a man who out ages you by a huge number. I know how sensitive you are to that, but when it’s me you’re going to attack?”
“Your father—”
“Okay, mom. This is more of the same conversation we had when you were here tonight. He’s not my father, and frankly, I’m tired of you dishonoring my real father, the man that was supposed to be your soul mate, by calling Jeff my father. I’m not going to say more. Right now, you’re not in a state of mind to listen.”
She’s silent for several beats. “There are things about Eric you don’t know. I need you to hear those things before you continue down this destructive path.”
“I’m going to let Eric tell me about Eric. Just like I want him to let me be the one to tell him about me.”
“When your fath—Jeff, gets here tomorrow, you’re going to have to talk to him about Eric.”
