Pretend You're Mine: A Small Town Love Story (41 page)

He stopped just within the tree line. She didn’t want to see him. And he was half afraid if he talked to her he’d end up asking her to come home.

So he stayed where he was. Even from this distance he could tell she was crying. Her shoulders shook and she kept swiping her sleeves over her face.

He knew he was an asshole for putting her through this. He couldn’t help it, but he could feel good and guilty about it.

The sun broke through the trees, warming the lake’s icy waters with its pink glow. Luke watched her straighten her shoulders and take a deep breath and then another before she returned to the path and resumed her run. Her blonde ponytail swinging rhythmically behind her.

He watched until she was out of view before turning around and running home.

***

H
is mood did not improve when he arrived at the office and found newly drafted ad copy for an office manager job listing on his desk and instructions on how to use Craigslist.

Luke slammed down his coffee mug and barely resisted the urge to crumble the paper and throw it in the trash.

She was just doing her job. A job that she clearly excelled at, judging by the updated bookkeeping entries and the completed payroll awaiting his approval.

He shuffled the help wanted ad to the bottom of the pile and picked up a folder labeled Bonuses/Raises. Inside, he found a neat spreadsheet detailing the projected profit for the year and two breakdowns of potential bonus amounts and hourly rate raises.

She had remembered when he said in passing he wanted to look at the year-end books and see what he could give the crew. He stared out the bank of windows behind him, watching as the first flakes of snow began to fall.

God damn it. What was he going to do without her?

***

T
hat night when Harper arrived at work, a familiar woof greeted her. Lola jogged to her with Max skittering behind her. She dropped to her knees and let the dogs wiggle and lick their greetings. Lola had a note on her collar.

––––––––

T
hought you might be missing them as much as they miss you. You can drop them off at the house or text me when you leave and I’ll come pick them up.

Luke

P.S. Are you up for shared custody? Let’s talk.

––––––––

H
arper spotted two new dog beds under her desk. There was a basket of toys that had already been tipped over and dug through.

She handed the note to Lola who promptly carried it to her bed and shredded it. Shared custody? She hadn’t thought that far ahead. She had just assumed that when she left, the dogs would come with her.

Would they be like those long distance co-parents who met in a fast food parking lot to switch the kids from one car to another, barely a civil word spoken? Ugh. No. She couldn’t do that. There had to be a better way.

She shot off a quick text to Luke.
Thanks for leaving the dogs. I’ll be done here at midnight.

He responded immediately.
They miss you. I’ll pick them up after you leave.

Thank you.
She shoved her phone in the desk drawer and went back to work.

It was their new normal.

***

H
arper pushed her cart into the vestibule of the grocery store, enjoying the puff of heat from above. The snow had brought with it an early winter and she couldn’t seem to get warm enough. But that was most likely due to the giant block of ice that had once been her heart and the fact that her winter coat was still at Luke’s.

She was clawing her way through the pain, but what lay beyond that didn’t seem worth the fight yet. Maybe someday she wouldn’t feel like her smile was painted on. Maybe someday she would remember what it was like to laugh. Maybe someday the hole wouldn’t be so big.

For now, she had shopping to do. She had volunteered to pick up Joni’s groceries and even made a show of adding a few things to the list for herself. Fake it ’til you make it was her motto. Well, fake it until you can pass out exhausted in bed. She’d worry about making it later.

Harper navigated through the produce section, half-heartedly perusing the bananas and turnips. She was approaching the scale when Georgia Rae intercepted her.

“Well, hello there, sweetie! It’s good to see you out and about since ... well, you know.”

She did know. Thank you very much, Georgia Rae. “Thanks, Georgia Rae. How are you doing? Ready for Christmas?”

Harper felt like a robot mechanically spitting out pleasantries. She walked alongside Georgia Rae as the woman chattered on, nodding and making um hmm noises. They rounded the aisle to find Linc in conversation with Sheila from Remo’s and Luke’s neighbor, Mr. Scott, by the beverage cooler.

They all called out a greeting. This was why grocery shopping took forever in Benevolence. You knew literally every single person in the store and were obligated to talk to each of them.

Why hadn’t she gone shopping out of town?

Linc winked at her. “Hey there, Sunshine. How’s it going?”

“It’s going,” Harper said, trying for positive and landing somewhere around morose.

She was saved from further interaction by Peggy Ann. The curvy cashier hustled down the aisle, frantically waving her hands. “I’m sorry to interrupt,” she said in the loudest whisper possible, “But Harper, you’re going to want to avoid who just came in.”

Harper felt her stomach flip-flop.

Georgia Rae peeked around the corner into produce and gasped. “He’s here!”

Panic careened through her system. Not here. Not him. She couldn’t see him.

While Harper froze to the spot, Georgia Rae took control of the situation. “Mr. Scotts, you and I will run interference. Linc, you take Harper here and stash her somewhere until it’s safe. Sheila, you run distraction if he gets too close. Everybody move!” She clapped her hands and they dispersed.

Harper watched as Peggy Ann hurried back toward her register and Mr. Scotts steered his cart of frozen shrimp and canned dog food toward produce with Georgia Rae.

She remained rooted through the blur of activity until Linc took her by the arm and dragged her into the beverage cooler.

“Wait! My cart,” she hissed.

“Leave it,” he said, shutting the door behind him.

Harper put her hands over her face and bent at the waist trying to catch her breath.

“Are you okay?” Linc asked, laying a broad hand on her back.

“If you offer me mouth to mouth right now, I’ll kill you.”

His laugh had her straightening.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I don’t mean to laugh, but I believe you. You look like you’ve been put through the ringer and are ready to come out swinging.”

“That’s actually kind of nice,” Harper said with suspicion.

“I’m a nice guy,” Linc insisted.

She shivered. Between the snow, the cooler, and the danger of coming face to face with the man who broke her heart, Harper didn’t think she could get any colder.

“Come here before you turn into a ice pop.” Linc wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in to him.

She resisted for a second, but the heat coming off of him was too comforting. Harper tried to hold herself stiffly against him, but when he shoved her head against his chest, she gave up the struggle and let herself be held.

“You’re not going to start crying, are you?” Linc asked.

Harper sighed. “No, I think I can control myself.”

“Good. It’s going to be okay, you know?”

“Really? Do you have some magic fireman crystal ball?”

“It’s more like one of those magic eight balls.”

This time she laughed a little. It sounded foreign to her ears.

“What does your magic eight ball say?”

“That you’re going to be just fine. You’re strong and smart and look really, really good in a bikini. You’re not meant for a life of misery and hiding in beer coolers.”

“That’s an oddly specific magic eight ball you have.”

Linc gripped her shoulders and made her look at him. “You’re going to be good. You’re a fighter. That counts, especially when life sucks.”

“Thanks, Linc.” The small smile felt good.

“And if that asshole out there doesn’t figure out what an amazing catch you are, you just come by the fire station and —”

Harper clapped her hand over his mouth. “Don’t ruin this touching moment by being gross.”

“I was just going to tell you I’ll let you slide down my pole,” he said through her fingers.

This time the laugh was real. “And the moment is over.”

Linc grinned.

They froze when the door swung open. “That’s great, Georgia Rae, I’m just going to grab —”

Luke stopped mid-sentence in the door of the cooler. His eyes going from confused to fury in the span of a heartbeat. Harper struggled to free herself from Linc’s grip, but he only pushed her behind him.

“Garrison.” Linc said, his tone cooler than the chilled air.

“Well you don’t waste any time, do you?” Harper saw Luke’s jaw twitch when she peeked around Linc’s back.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Linc said evenly.

“I wasn’t talking to you.”

Harper felt the sick change to fury in her gut. She made a move to sidestep Linc, but he was already halfway across the cooler. Luke met him in the middle and Harper shrieked when the first blow landed.

Georgia Rae, Mr. Scotts, Sheila, and Peggy Ann stood in the doorway, mouths agape.

“Call Ty,” Harper yelled, grabbing at a thrashing arm and a jacket. “Stop it! Both of you.”

She wedged herself between them, Luke at her front and Linc at her back.

“You ever touch her again and I’ll —”

Harper slapped her hands against Luke’s chest. “Shut up! Just shut up!” She shoved him back with all her strength. “You have no say anymore in who does and doesn’t touch me. I don’t belong to you anymore.” Her voice broke and she hated herself for it.

Luke gripped her wrists and brought his gaze to her face. Tears threatened to spill onto her cheeks and time stopped.

His lip was cut, his eyes wild. He hadn’t shaved in days. She could see the hurt, the anger. But he wasn’t hers to love or heal. He was the man who discarded her.

She wrenched her hands free.

“Harp.” It was hurt now in his tone.

“No,” she whispered, staring at his chest.

He made a move toward her and she stepped back, holding up her hands.

“She said no,” Linc said, pulling her back.

“Stay the fuck out of this, Reed.” Luke shoved Linc and they tangled again, crashing into a rack of six-packs.

Two tumbled to the floor and shattered as Harper jumped out of the way. Linc shoved Luke up against the rack. “Why do you have to be such an asshole?”

Luke’s fist caught him on the jaw and Harper yelped. “Someone help!”

A crowd had gathered in front of the cooler. Every door was wide open so the spectators could get a better look.

“Damn, that was the lager they just broke,” someone sighed as another six-pack fell to its frothy death.

Harper flinched as Linc’s fist plowed into Luke’s middle. They were going to pound each other into oblivion. Harper grabbed Linc’s arm as he pulled it back to hit Luke again. Her body felt weightless as she was carried through the air by the momentum of Linc’s blow.

Luke threw another punch and Harper felt the breeze of it brush her face. He was too angry. She wasn’t going to be able to stop him.

An arm nipped her around the waist, dragging her out of the fray.

Ty, in uniform, deposited her in the doorway of the cooler.

“Ty! Make them stop!”

“On it. Stay here.”

Ty threw himself into the brawl with the practiced form of law enforcement. In seconds, he was able to disengage Linc. It took a little longer with Luke, who took an angry swing at his brother-in-law. Ty shrugged it off and punched Luke square in the jaw, knocking him back a step.

“Don’t make me taze the shit out of you. I’ll do it and probably enjoy it,” he warned.

Luke held up a hand in surrender. “Just keep that asshole away from her.” He shot a look at Harper. A bruise bloomed on his chin and blood tricked from his mouth. “Are you okay?” Those hazel eyes held so much.

She could only shake her head and turn away.

“Harper,” he called after her.

Insulting her one second, and then looking at her like he just wanted to pull her into his arms the next. Making love to her like he couldn’t survive without her and then discarding her like yesterday’s trash. She couldn’t survive the wait for him to figure out what he really wanted. He might never know.

“Can I trust you to not kill each other for a few seconds?” Ty asked before stepping out of the cooler. “Georgia Rae, you mind keeping an eye on those two for me?”

Ty drew Harper over to the cereal aisle.

“Are you sure they won’t fight?” Harper worried.

“They wouldn’t dare fight with Georgia Rae in the middle of them. She’ll have their hides. So what the hell happened?”

Harper filled him in. “I was just trying to get Joni’s groceries. You know, do something nice for her since she’s been so great to me. And I can’t even do that...” she stopped herself before she screamed in frustration. “This is the first time I’ve seen him since he asked me to leave and this is what happens.”

“The guy is stupid in love you with you, Harper.”

“I don’t think so, Ty,” she shook her head.

“Honey, I know stupid in love when I see it. He’s just stupider than most.”

“How much trouble are they going to be in?” she asked, changing the subject.

“Gotta talk to the owner and see if she wants to press charges. Do me a favor and stay put while I figure this out.”

When Ty brought them out of the cooler, Linc, sporting the beginnings of an excellent black eye, winked at her. Luke started toward her, but Ty slapped a hand on his chest. “Not gonna let you do that, Luke.”

“You can’t stop me from talking to her.” Anger crackled off of him like electricity.

“That’s exactly what I’m doing until she says different. Now stand over there and try not to hit anyone else.”

“Do I need to remind you that when my sister broke up with you I was the one who told her she was being an idiot?”