by M. A. Foster
I cover my face. “Harper.” I feel a hand on my shoulder, and I shake my head. “Hey,” Patrick says.
I pull my hands from my face. “How do you know my name?”
“Max,” he tells me, taking my hand as he stands, pulling me up with him.
I only know this man from the single picture I’ve been carrying around for two and a half years, but he’s my father. And after everything that’s just happened…
A flood of emotions and the adrenaline hit me all at once, urging me to lunge forward, wrap my arms around his waist, and sob into his chest.
“It’s gonna be okay, Harper. I’m here.” He runs a hand over my back. “It took me eighteen years, sweetheart, but I’m here.”
Evan jogs over, carrying Willow’s and Zoe’s stuffed dolls from Build-A-Bear.
“Evan?” Lexi asks at the same time Mimi asks, “What’s going on?”
Evan looks at Max. “They need your help with Emerson.”
Max nods and passes Willow back to Mimi.
“No, Poss, I go with you,” Willow cries.
“Stay with Mimi. Pops has to go get Emmi.”
“Come on, Lexi,” Evan says. “We need to head over to the hospital.” He turns to Mimi. “We’re taking Jay’s car since both car seats are in there.” Evan reaches for Willow. “Come on, sweetheart. We’re going for a ride.”
Willow reaches for me. “Ahpee.”
I take her from Mimi and kiss her face. “Evan is going to take you in JJ’s car to go see Cole, okay?”
“Okay,” she whines, but surprisingly she goes to willingly to Evan, clutching her dirty doll to her chest.
Lexi gives me a confused look and a sad smile. “I’ll see you at the hospital?”
I nod.
AS MIKE STEERS the boat onto the lift, Zach and I pick up the trash.
My mind has been stuck on Harper all day. I’ve been horrible to her. I’ve gone out of my way to hurt her. Even leading her to believe I’m talking to Claire again.
When she came with Jay to pick up Willow, both were almost in tears.
I’ve had some time to think today.
I miss her.
Willow misses her.
I want her back.
I just hope it’s not too late.
“Zach!” I look past Logan to see Brad running toward us. Zach hops out of the boat and I follow.
“Jesus, we’ve been calling you,” Brad exclaims. Zach pulls out his phone and I do the same.
“What’s wrong?” Logan asks.
“It’s Jay and Kali. They were hurt at the mall today.”
The next thing I know I’m in my truck and tearing out of Zach’s driveway. My heart is racing; all I can think about is how bad it was the last time Jay was in the hospital.
It doesn’t hit me until I’m a few blocks away that Willow was at the mall with Jay. I jerk my truck to the side of the road and call my dad.
“Willow is okay,” he says when he answers.
I blow out a breath of relief. “And Jay?”
I’m met with silence, followed by a frustrated sigh, and my whole body goes numb. “I don’t know, Cole. She was hurt pretty bad. Kali, too.” My chest tightens. “They just brought them in. We’re at the medical center, top floor.”
“Why are you there and not at the hospital?”
“Because there are fucking reporters all over the place, and the medical center is private.”
“I’m on my way.”
“Drive careful. I love you, son.”
A lump forms at the base of my throat. “I will. I love you, too, Dad.”
Just as I start to pull back onto the road, Bass’s Denali blows past me.
MY DAD WAS right, there are reporters from all over lined up along the sidewalk outside the medical center. Bass honks his horn before he pulls into the parking lot. I follow, pulling into the spot beside Bass just as he, Cam, and Logan are rushing through the entrance.
I jog through the doors and Levi waves me through. “Top floor.” He points to the elevators.
Nodding, I continue jogging toward the elevators and manage to get inside just before the doors close.
“Does anyone know what happened?” I ask.
“Some dumb motherfucker with a death wish put his hands on my princess,” Bass growls through clenched teeth, his hands balled into fists at his sides. The boom in his voice shakes the whole elevator.
The doors slide open and I step to the side, letting Bass out first before he tramples me. Cam and Logan step out next, each going in different directions. I’m the last to step out of the elevator, and suddenly I’m overcome with a sense of déjà vu. Two and half years ago, in the hallway of the NICU of Heritage University Hospital. A blonde nurse comforting the pretty girl with red hair, splotchy cheeks, and red-rimmed eyes. I’d only gotten a glimpse of the redhead as we passed each other in the hall.
I thought I’d imagined her.
Until now.
Now I remember why she seemed familiar.
She’d seen me that day, too.
She knew who I was from day one, and for over two years she never said word.
“Cole.” I turn to see Dylan leaning halfway out of one of the rooms, waving me over before he ducks back inside. Dylan and I haven’t spoken since we got into that fight a week ago.
Stepping into the room, I find Dylan perched on the edge of bed, stroking Willow’s hair. Logan is on the other bed on the far side of the room, trying to comfort Zoe, who is crying for Jay. Willow doesn’t notice me yet, her head turned away from the door, her attention on Logan and Zoe.
I wonder what’s going through her head right now.
I take a moment to assess her injuries, both knees wrapped with gauze, and a dull ache spreads across my chest. Taking a deep breath, I pull myself together and tell myself to be strong for Willow.
But the second my eyes lock with my daughter’s, I lose it.
And so does she.
Holding out her arms, reaching for me, she cries out, “Co, hold me!”
Dylan moves aside as I make my way to the bed and pick Willow up, hugging her tight to my chest, rocking her from side to side and rubbing her back.
“Willow, I’m your daddy, not Cole.” The admission just rolls out of my mouth, and I don’t care that Logan is staring at me with his eyebrows jacked up to his hairline.
“I know you my daddy, but yous name is Co,” she says matter-of-factly in her toddler version of “duh.”.
And I lose it again.
Dylan pats me on the back before he throws his arms around Willow and me. “I’m sorry,” he whispers and I nod before he moves to sit in one of the empty chairs.
“I love you, baby girl. You okay?” I ask, laying Willow down on the bed and curling up beside her.
She nods as tears roll down her chubby cheeks. “Ahpee hurted my arm and I fawed and hurted my knee and I dwopped my baby and it got all dirty.” She manages to get all of that out in one shuddered breath.
It makes me sick to my stomach just imagining what she went through today.
“Want me to kiss it and make it better?”
“Mmm-hmm.” She nods.
I start with her forehead, then move down to her cheeks, her arms, her hands, her bandage-covered knees and shins, and then her feet. A few minutes later, both girls are asleep.
I make a quick call to Build-A-Bear and after explaining the situation to the manager, she offers to have two new dolls delivered.
“HEY,” PATRICK GREETS as he walks in carrying a Starbucks cup and holds it out to me. “Your friend Lexi said this is your favorite.”
I take the offered cup of deliciousness and quietly thank him.
He leans against the wall across from the bed and drags his hands down his tired face. “I gotta say, Harper, I never in a million years thought I’d meet you for the first time under these circumstances. I have a lot of questions, as I’m sure you do, too, but we’ll have to wait until my team and I get this wrapped up. Can we do
that?”
I nod.
Patrick moves to the door and nods, and a very tall, muscular man steps in. Tattoos decorate both arms. His brown hair is shaved close to his scalp on the sides, a short Mohawk running along the middle. A thick, bushy beard covers his jaw and chin. His look screams biker, and I’d be a little scared if it weren’t for his kind blue eyes. He’s dressed similar to Jay’s bodyguards.
“Harper, this is Eddie. He’s going to ask you some questions. I know this is difficult, but I’ll be right here with you. I need you to tell him what you saw those men doing to your friends. Can you do that?”
“Yes.”
“SHE HAS A fractured skull, cheekbone, two bruised ribs on her left side, and one on her right. Her forearm has a small hairline fracture, and she has three broken fingers. She has some minor swelling in the brain, but I feel confident that there won’t be any permanent damage. Of course, we won’t know for sure until the swelling goes down and she wakes up. However, I am concerned by the deep bruising on her neck that there could be some long-term damage to her throat, mainly her vocal cords. Again, we won’t know for sure until the swelling goes down.”
It’s been hours since Mac gave us the update on Jay’s injuries and we finally got the whole story.
To make a long story short, Jay and Kali went to get the car and were jumped by Kali’s ex-boyfriend, a guy named Austin, and his friend, Tripp. In the middle of the attack, Harper walked up with Willow and Zoe in tow. Jay told Harper to run and she did. Jay fought back and managed to break free, but she only got a few feet before Austin tackled her to the ground and beat her up.
Evan and Grayson were walking out to the parking garage with Lexi, Em, and Mimi. Just as they stepped out the door, Harper came running toward them, screaming for help, dragging Willow and Zoe by the arms. Evan, Grayson, and Emerson took off in the direction of where the cars were parked.
Austin had Jay pinned to the ground by her throat and was punching her. Grayson said Jay wasn’t even fighting back, which means she was unconscious. That thought alone makes me sick to my stomach. Grayson beat the hell out of Austin, and Evan went after Tripp. The only positive in this whole situation is that those two fuckers are in custody.
I STARE DOWN at Willow, who’s sleeping in my arms like she has nearly every day since she was born. On a normal day, my little diva is armed with sass and ready to take on the world. But today her little heart was broken. Even as she sleeps, her expression is pained. It reminds me of the way Jay looked in her sleep after Uncle Marcus died.
The door opens and Harper peeks her head into the room.
“Hey,” she says, offering a small wave as she comes into the room.
“Hey.” I carefully shift Willow to the bed and stand.
Her eyes shift to Aiden, who’s stretched out on the other bed. “Hey, Aiden.”
“Hey, nerd.” Aiden smirks and Harper smiles.
“Aiden, go out to the waiting room for a minute and let me talk to Harper.”
Aiden groans as he rolls off the bed and heads for the door. He stops in front of Harper and wraps his arms around her. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
She hugs him back. “Thank you.”
When the door closes behind him, Harper turns to me. “I know we’re not in a good place right now, but I needed to see for myself that she’s okay.”
I rake my hands through my hair and clasp them behind my head. “She’s okay thanks to you. If something would’ve happened to her….” I shake my head. “Thank you, Harper.”
“It wasn’t me, Cole. It was Jay. The second that guy laid eyes on us, Jay lost it. She told me to run,” she cries, and I want to go to her, but I give her space and let her finish. “She was so scared, Cole. But she fought back. She got away. She was right behind me. And then….” She shakes her head and looks away.
“She’s going to be okay, Harper.”
“Will she?” She frowns, tilting her head.
“Yes. Mac said most of her injuries are superficial. We won’t know anything until she wakes up, but he said he expects her to make a full recovery.”
Harper shakes her head and returns her gaze to me. “Not all of her injuries are superficial.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about what they did to her.”
My stomach twists and bile rises in my throat. “Like what?” I ask through gritted teeth.
“One of them was holding her and the other one was touching her.”
“Fuck!” I shout. Willow jerks in her sleep but luckily doesn’t wake.
Harper winces and turns for the door. “I’m gonna go. Will you tell Willow I came to see her?”
“Harper, don’t leave.” I take a step toward her. “Please.”
“Don’t.” She holds up her hand and I don’t know why she bothers. I do what I want.
I cup her face in my hands. “Please, Harper, hear me out.” She closes her eyes, tears streaming down her face. “I’ve been a dick this past week and I’m sorry. Nothing happened with Claire. I had an opportunity to hurt you and I took it. It was dick move, and then Claire gave me hell for it. I realized if some guy treated Willow the way I’ve treated you, I would’ve strung him up by his nuts by now.”
Harper snorts a laugh.
“I love you, Harper. You know that, right?”
She nods. “I love you, too.”
I drop my hands. “Why do I feel like there’s a ‘but’ coming?”
She crosses her arms over her chest, drops her head, and shrugs. “Sometimes love isn’t enough.” She’s using my own words against me.
“Our love is.” Two can play this game.
“I just need time. Too much has happened. I need to figure some things out. My best friend almost died today. Then my dad shows up after eighteen years….” She shakes her head. “I want to spend time with him, get to know him. I want to be there for my best friend when she needs me.”
“I understand.” I breathe out a soft laugh. “I still can’t believe your dad is Patrick Avery and the Averys are your grandparents. But the answer is no.”
She looks up at me, her brows pinched together in confusion. “No?”
“I’ll back off so you can spend time with your dad, but I’m not letting you go. I need you in my life, and so does Willow.”
She drops her head again, bringing her hands to cover her face and begins sobbing.
I wrap my arms around her again, pulling her to my chest. “I love you, Harper.”
“Fuck off, Mackenzie.”
There she is.
IT’S WELL AFTER midnight by the time Patrick pulls out of the parking lot of the medical center. There are hundreds of reporters camped out on the sidewalk standing under bright lights.
Turns out sweet little Kali Brooks is actually Kalista Rosewood, the daughter of a gazillionaire who owns a winery in Northern California.
Patrick looks over at me. “I need to go by and see my parents, and I’d like for you to come with me.”
I nod, knowing there’s no way I could be alone right now. “Do you think we could stop at Jay’s house first? I’d like to change clothes, and I have something I want to show you.”
Patrick nods and heads in the direction of Jay’s house without asking for directions. Reporters linger outside the gates at the front of her neighborhood. It’s crazy how quickly they find out information.
Patrick waits for me in the foyer while I go upstairs and take a quick shower. I peel my jeans off and let out a hiss as I slide them past my knees. I hadn’t felt the pain when I fell earlier, but I definitely feel it now.
After my shower, I pull on a pair of thick black leggings and an oversized, long-sleeved gray tee with a white tank underneath. I twist my damp hair into a braid and slip my feet into a pair of black Tori Burch flats. Jay bought them for me for Christmas, raving about how comfortable they were and that everyone should own a pair.
I grab the journal from the top drawer of my nightstand and head
downstairs.
PATRICK TOLD ME that Max had sent him an email informing him that he had a daughter. He even sent pictures. I’m not sure how Max got pictures of me but my guess is he got them from Emerson. Patrick was working on a case, ironically it involved the two men who beat up Jay and Kali.
One of the men was Kali’s ex-boyfriend. He was abusive to her so she moved to Heritage to get away from him.
“Why are you fidgeting?” Patrick chuckles from the driver seat. “You know my parents.”
“I’m afraid they’re going to be upset with me for not telling them who I was.”
He blows out a breath. “They’ll be upset. But they won’t be upset with you.”
He pulls into the circular, brick driveway in front of a beautiful one-story traditional home with a well-manicured lawn.
Patrick turns the ignition off and shifts to face me.
“I think they might,” I admit. “Some stuff happened this school year, and Emerson warned me that they would be upset that things were happening to their own granddaughter.”
“What kind of stuff?”
“I was having trouble with a couple of girls. One of them was jealous because I was dating Cole.”
Patrick shakes his head and chuckles. “I can’t believe my daughter is dating Max’s son.” He full-on laughs. “I guess I’m a little too late to forbid you from dating.”
I breathe out a soft laugh. “Yeah.”
Patrick pauses with a smile on his face. “Okay. I guess we can save the ‘boys’ talk for another day.”
“Or never,” I add.
He laughs again as we make our way to the front door. “If you say so.”
The front door swings open. “Patrick.” Ms. Patty throws her arms around my dad and sobs.
“Hey, Mom. It’s okay.” Patrick returns her hug, then pulls away and looks at me over his shoulder. “Say hi to Harper, Mom.”
Ms. Patty moves her head to the side. “Oh, Harper, I didn’t see you there.” She wraps her arms around me. “How are you doing?”
“I’m okay, I guess. Considering the circumstances.”