Page 28 of Three Steps Behind

“It was. It’s difficult to even talk about.”

“I can imagine it is,” Harper said. “I just came home, and Taylor’s gone. I thought, if it’s not too painful for you, if I could just hear what happened, it might help me start to process her death as real.”

“I’d rather not go there. It is too painful,” Nick said, sitting back against one of the oversized throw pillows Taylor had picked out on what was now her and Harper’s last shopping trip together.

“I understand,” Harper said, trying to maneuver around his no, approaching from a different vantage point. “I just can’t believe someone as healthy as Taylor had a heart attack.”

“They say it happens, but again, it was an absolute shocker.” Nick sniffed.

“So the ME said it was a heart attack?” she asked, knowing an exam hadn’t happened but wanting to hear why not from him.

“No.” Nick shook his head. “I didn’t want poor Taylor cut up like that.”

“Oh.” She sat back. “I just assumed. If not the ME, then who?”

“I explained her symptoms to the paramedics when they arrived, and they said they were the classic signs of a heart attack.”

“I see.” Harper nodded, acting compliant so he’d keep sharing. But she had to pace herself. She couldn’t come out of the gate with the possibility of their divorce or him supposedly having an affair.

“You’re having a remembrance ceremony?” Deck asked, taking yet another tack to wedge Nick into a corner without making it apparent.

“Yes.” Nick reached for a tissue, clutching it near his face. “I wanted everyone to remember the good times of Taylor’s life, not concentrate on her death.”

“That’s a really nice idea,” Deck said as Harper surveyed the room, stopping short at the urn on the mantelpiece.

“Is that—” Her voice choked. “Is that her?” She pointed at the elaborate gold urn.

He nodded. “It was a difficult decision.”

“Why?” Harper worked to school her features.

“It’s what Taylor wanted, and this way I get to keep her with me. But her brother fought hard to have her buried in their family plot.”

“That’s not what Taylor wanted? Oh . . . I went with her to put roses on her parents’ gravestones on the anniversary of their death, and Taylor said she’d be buried there.”

Nick cracked his knuckles. “Taylor changed her mind about a month ago.”

“How’s Steve taking it?” Harper asked.

“He’s devastated and confused.”

She cocked her head. “Confused?”

“He didn’t know about the decisions Taylor and I made together, apparently. As close as Tay and Steve were, I assumed she’d shared with him, but given his confusion about things, it’s clear she had not.”

“What kind of things?” she asked.

“That’s where the personal details come in,” he said, standing. “So if you’ve finished with your questions . . .”

Quite the irritated emphasis on the last word.

Deck rubbed his jaw, no doubt thinking the same as her. Interesting.

“Sitting around the house is crushing without Taylor, so a friend talked me into getting some exercise. I have an indoor tee time with him, so if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to try and get through it.” He took a steadying breath. “Hopefully I won’t break down on the green.”

“Of course.” He hardly looked about to break down, despite the sniffles.

Deck got to his feet and held out a hand to help Harper to hers.