Page 117 of Seeing Harper

“Yeah, I hope you feel like shit over that for the rest of your life,” Libby said.

“Sounds fair. But I don’t have to organize a hunting party…” Riley said.

“No, but thank you. It’s been handled,” Travis said.

“Maybe you could go organize a shower,” Maia said.

“It’s just mud,” Riley said.

“No, it’s not. It smells like several fish crawled into your boots and died while your feet rotted off and it’s all in there stewing inside those waders,” Maia said.

“So, where is our daughter?” Travis asked.

“Why? So you can go lecture her about how she should want to be you for the rest of her life?” Libby snapped.

Travis shook his head as he realized his mate was not going to make this easy at all. “No, because I want to make sure she’s okay. What did Clay do to upset her so badly?”

“Hold on, what’s Clay got to do with any of this?” Riley asked.

“They’re mates, and she was going to tell him that she thinks they’re already mated and that she loves him, and he was with another woman.”

Riley’s eyes widened in shock. “That’s impossible! Richie was just telling me how he bought the Bigsby’s land and horses and everything for her so they can set up their own equine business there and build a life together.”

“He what?!” both Libby and Travis asked at the same time.

“Yeah. It was supposed to be a secret until he got a chance to see her personally once she got home, but if she saw him with someone else and thought he was ‘with’ them, I’m telling you right now, she misunderstood. He loves her. There’s no way he’d jeopardize a relationship with Harper for anybody or anything.”

“Are you sure?!” Maia asked, sitting forward in her chair.

“More than.”

“Since when did he tell her what she was to him?” Travis asked.

“He hasn’t,” Maia said.

“Has anybody bothered to ask him who the woman was that he was with?” Riley asked.

“I think he’s busy searching for Harper,” Libby said.

“And Harper’s gone in my truck,” Maia said.

“And Summer’s out there just keeping the boy searching?” Travis asked.

“She thinks he hurt Harper by seeing someone else. She’s exacting a certain amount of revenge, I’d think,” Maia explained.

Riley rolled his eyes as he started toward his front door. “All I wanted was a few hours of fishing in the pond. Everything goes to shit…” he grumbled as he opened the door and stepped out onto the porch. “Summer!” he yelled.

Summer was sitting on the back of her car playing games on her phone. “Yes, sir?” she answered immediately, her head coming up to look in Riley’s direction when she heard his voice.

“Find Clay, bring Richie, and y’all come in here.”

“I’ll do my best,” she said, sliding off her car. She texted Clay, then Richie, then gathered her purse, Harper’s purse and phone, and the rest of the food and started walking toward Riley’s.

Riley went back inside and closed the door behind himself. He winked at Maia and blew her a kiss.

She just shook her head as she looked at him.

“What? I’m being romantic,” he said.