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Harper’s not ready to listen, but I can do it for her. My eyes move around the room as I take a sip of my coffee so as not to pressure her.
“Then there was Tyler. Oh, she loved that boy. They started dating in high school and went to college together. They were inseparable.”
“She told me about Tyler.”
Her eyebrows come together. “She did?”
“Yes. She mentioned he’s why she moved to Texas.”
“It was just too much for her, after losing her father and then Tyler. The poor girl had been through so much. It’s no wonder she’s built a wall around herself. But”—she takes a deep breath and finishes it with a smile— “it appears you might be a good climber, Cole.” She reaches across the table and places her hand over mine. “That or she’s letting some of her walls down for you.” She pulls her hand away and grips her coffee mug. “She’s still here, and I don’t think it has anything to do with me. She’s mad at me. I think she would’ve run back to Texas by now, but you’re keeping her here. Whatever is going on between the two of you, it matters to her.”
“I don’t know,” I say with a half-hearted shrug. “That’s why I came here. She said she was thinking of going back to Texas. I was worried she left.”
“I checked. Her things are still here. If she’s planning on leaving, she hasn’t committed to it yet. There’s still time.”
“Yeah.” I grip the mug with both palms. “Do you know if she’s seen Tyler since being back?”
“Cole—”
“I thought,” I cut her off. “Maybe because she’s so upset, she might reach out to him.” I gaze down at my mug. “I know he hurt her. I don’t know. I’m just worried—”
“Cole.” She touches my hand again. I look up, finding another pained expression on her face. “Tyler is— Cole, Tyler’s dead.”
The hairs on the back of my neck shoot straight up. “What?”
She slumps back into the chair, shaking her head. “She didn’t tell you?”
“No. She said he left her.” I stare off. This makes so much more sense now. This is why she’s been so afraid. “How did he die?”
“I’m sorry.” Her lips press together. “I thought you knew.”
I sit up in the chair. “What happened?”
She stares at me for a long time, shaking her head.
“Please, Willa. She’s not going to tell me. I need to know the truth.”
“I know. Oh, that girl.” She sighs. “It happened after they graduated from college. They went with a bunch of classmates to Miami for a long weekend to celebrate. They had been out drinking and were heading back to the hotel. Harper was hungry, but it was late. So they stopped at a corner store to pick something up.” Her face slackens as if she doesn’t want to continue.
Perched on the chair, I’ll wait all day if I must. I’m not leaving until I know the truth. The one Harper has been hiding from me.
“They…” She cups the mug with her hands and glares down at it. “They walked in on a robbery. The kid holding up the place was high on meth. Harper tried to talk him down, but he was too far gone. When he swung the gun at her, Tyler— h-he jumped in front of Harper. He took the bullet. He shielded my baby.” A tear drops from her eye, landing in her coffee, causing a ripple effect.
As I watch it, my heart crushes into a tight ball inside my chest.
“He kept her safe.” Her voice cracks, and she coughs to clear her throat. “Harper never forgave herself for his death. Just like when her father died, she became angry and closed off. I couldn’t reach her. Being here was too hard for her because everything reminded her of Tyler. Reminded her of what he did for her. Reminded her of her guilt. That’s why she left and never came back.”
“I-I didn’t know.”
“She wanted it that way. She wanted to forget it. I was surprised when I asked her to come home to help me with the escort service. I thought she’d come up with another excuse. But she didn’t.” A small smile breaks against her tight lips. “I’m so happy she’s here. As much as it hurt her, I’m glad she knows the truth about me. And I’m grateful she has you. She’s afraid of what she feels for you. Afraid she’ll lose you like everyone else she cared about in her life.”
“She’s not going to lose me.”
“You don’t have to convince me of that. Unfortunately, you must convince her. I don’t know what more I can do. She’s hurt. She won’t hear me. We’ve been through this before. I just pray this isn’t the end for us. I love my daughter very much, and I don’t want to lose her. I never wanted to.”
This time, I place my hand over hers. “She’s strong, like her mom. She’ll find her way. She’ll come back to you.”
“I hope so.”
