Beth hides her laughter behind her hand. “That’s what you say every time, and then you end up racing some poor kid in the pool or lifting weights at the hotel gym.”
“I do not.”
The table erupts with laughter
“It must be hard to leave it all behind,” Harper says.
“Yeah.” I nod. “But it’s important that we rest. We barely have time off during the season.” I set my eyes on her. “What about you? Are you doing anything?”
“Nope. I don’t really have an off period at work. I do have paid vacation days, but I never use them.”
“Maybe we can enjoy that time together,” I whisper so no one else can hear.
She smiles, squeezing my hand under the table. “I wouldn’t be opposed to that.”
Yeah, if I wasn’t sure before, I am now. I came out of this trip a winner after all.
19
Harper
I’ve been back in New York for a few days, and everything feels off. Like I’m not where I belong. Like I’m missing something.
Orsomeone.
But I’m not willing to admit that yet.
I went back to work, and my boss was delighted—albeit surprised—that I managed to stay out of trouble. I took advantage of her upbeat mood to tell her about Victor and my hunch that he’s, once again, up to no good. Recognizing that me not going after him was an incredible performance, she rewarded me with the all-clear to investigate him again, trusting that I now understand where myboundaries lie.
So, that’s what I’ve been doing since I arrived home. Calling my old informants and consulting people who were in his orbit before he went to prison, but so far, I’ve come up empty-handed. That’s okay, though. These investigations take time. Iwillfigure out what he’s doing—and I’ll turn over every rock until I do.
Today, I have an extra bounce in my step because I’m going to Golden Age, the retirement home, to see my grandma. I haven’t been able to carve out time to swing by since coming back, and I miss her like crazy.
And some of that excitement is also because Baptiste is coming with me, and I haven’t seen him since we came back from DC either. After being with him almost every day for three weeks, three days apart feels like an eternity.
His slate gray car parks at the curb in front of my four-story building, and he steps out, his off-white T-shirt hugging his shoulders and dark jeans fitting perfectly against his thighs. Suddenly, it’s even hotter outside.
“Hey,” he says, beaming as I walk toward him.
Throwing hesitation out the window, I wrap an arm around his neck and kiss him. His hands fall to my waist, pulling me closer. The kiss is warm and familiar, like we’re picking up right where we left off.
When we break apart, still slightly dizzy from the kiss, we hop in the car and drive to Golden Age while filling each other in on what we’ve been up to these past few days.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Baptiste asks—predictably—when I tell him I’m investigating Victor again.
“He’s fallen back into his old ways. I’m sure of it,” I reply. “I refuse to let that happen. But I’ll be safe, I promise. I won’t do anything crazy.”
He glances at me from the corner of his eye before tightening his grip on the steering wheel.
As the conversation shifts to lighter topics, his grip relaxes, until we finally arrive at the retirement home.
We give our names at the front desk and sign the registry before they direct us to the common room. The space is expansive, with tall windows letting in the afternoon sun. Tables that seat four or five are scattered around the room, some residents playing cards or chess while others read or watch TV. A few couches and armchairs form cozy clusters near the walls.
But the focal point is undoubtedly the poker table. Six residents are deep into a heated game, voices raised, while a small crowd of spectators has gathered around them. Beth and James stand among them, clearly acting as referees as an argument breaks out. They give us a small wave before intervening when one player threatens to throw their dentures at an opponent.
“Wow,” Baptiste murmurs. “That’s intense.”
“I’ve never heard them this loud,” I say with a small chuckle as I scan the room, searching for my grandma.
