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I know you told me not to do it, but I couldn’t help myself. I came over and cleaned house this Friday, changed your sheets (not the special pillow), washed them, and put them back in your closet. I brought Venom with me, and he seemed to enjoy settling down on the couch or on your bed. I think he figured out that you would be home soon. Hope you forgive me.
Harper looked at Venom, who had already positioned himself on the bed, right in the middle between the two pillows. “So you helped Sally, did you? Did you learn how to vacuum?”
Venom angled his head again and perked his ears, then licked his nose, and waited for another question.
Harper continued on with the letter.
I have found you another prospect, and if I’ve seen you first before you get this message, you know all about her. But she’s a beautiful young gal in her early twenties, really well put together, and has a yoga practice along the coast our of Bodega Bay. She does evening yoga classes on the beach at sunset. I have attached a schedule of her classes and her fees, but her beach yoga is free and open to all: beginner, intermediate and advanced.
I think you should check her out.
I know you don’t want me to fix things up for you, so I haven’t told her about you. That’s different than before right? So no blind date! This is just a suggestion. I hope you take me up on it. I know a little bit of fun and relaxation in your life would do you good.
All the best, Sally
Harper knew Sally didn’t date, although they’d never discussed her lack of having someone in her personal life. The issue just never came up. He figured she would tell him someday, and there was probably some kind of a sad story she didn’t want to reveal yet. It was just a hunch.
Sally had lived in Sonoma County her whole life and had never traveled. She was dedicated to her work, settling custody and divorce issues. He knew all of her clients were extremely lucky to have her caring abilities to help them wade through a difficult time. He figured she was probably like him, a “one and done” type of gal.
He imagined he would never really get over Lydia, and he suspected perhaps Sally was also silently suffering the same fate. But he wasn’t going to pry.
Examining the card Sally left, he noted she was right about one thing: the lady in the picture was extremely hot. But he wasn’t ready for any of it.
He finished undressing, hopped into the shower, and took a long, steamy meditation there. Once done, he found Venom waiting for him beside his double sink and countertop. To the left was his sink where his toothbrush, favorite soaps, aftershave, and hand soap were stored underneath the mirror cabinet. On the right was Lydia’s area. There was a pretty hand-painted flower drinking glass still with water in it halfway. It had been there two years, and somehow, still the water remained. Her toothbrush was still there next to the sink. Her hand towel hung in the ring underneath the medicine cabinet. He didn’t even want to open it, knowing it was filled with some of her special things that made her so beautiful—her favorite perfumes, her vitamins, and her pills. He wasn’t up for cleaning any of it out yet. After all, two years really wasn’t that long. It had gone by so fast!
He hung up the towel, sprayed himself with Lydia’s favorite lemongrass eucalyptus after-shower oil, and then walked naked into the bedroom. Venom followed closely behind again.
In the walk-in closet hung his pajamas, and he grabbed a set. Pulling it over his head, he smelled the air in the closet and caught her scent. Her clothes were still perfectly hung, categorized by color. Her shoes lined up in two rows underneath the clothes. She had scarves and belts and other things in opaque boxes with lids. She had leftover towels and sheets she arranged for both of them to use.
But even though one wall of the three-sided closet was Harper’s, he still felt like it was Lydia’s sanctuary. He turned out the light and walked over to the bed and crawled in on Lydia’s side. He was careful not to step on or move her slippers, which sat by the bed side-by-side, ready for her tender feet and red-painted toenails.
Everything in this house waited for Lydia to come back.
And even though it smelled like she was here still, as he buried his head in the pillowcase he had never washed and never would, he fell asleep dreaming about what it would feel like to have her legs wrapped around his, to have his arms tightly holding her body. His hands, scarred and bruised from all the missions he’d done, still faintly smelling like cordite, would be healed by rubbing up-and-down her spine from the top of her gorgeous derrière all the way to the back of her neck.
She was there with him, resting against him, on top of him, curled up inside his soul.
As if lending appreciation for his memories, Venom scooted closer to Harper, his body extending the full length of his. At the last minute, the dog placed his head very gently on Harper’s chest.
This was his favorite thing about being home. Remembering Lydia. Loving her still. And letting Venom take care of him.
Chapter 4
“How the helldo you get out of Coronado so fast, Harper? I turned around and you were gone, disappeared. Hope everything’s okay,” Kyle told him over the phone.
The morning dew had just broken. Harper was researching on his computer out on the back deck, drinking his third cup of coffee. So much for serenity and being calm. And of course, calls from Kyle always jumbled him up a bit too.
“My dad’s not doing so well up here. But you know how it is, people panic a little bit. I get here, and it’s not quite so bad,” he lied.
“Well, good, because I’ve got some terrible news for you.”
“Not sure I want to hear it, Kyle. Can you call me back in about three hours?”
Before Kyle could utter something nasty, Harper interrupted the silence.
“Just kidding. Go ahead. Shoot, Kyle.”
“I was going to say—but thank God you’re all together.
