Jared smiled at her. “I live with Harper. Zander lives across the street with his boyfriend. I don’t think you know the true meaning of the word ‘crazy.’”
Jennifer laughed, delighted. “Harper did a good job picking you.”
“No, I got lucky when I found her.”
“I think maybe you’re both lucky.”
“I happen to agree,” Harper announced, appearing in the doorway. She didn’t seem surprised to see Jennifer. “I figured I would see you before we left.”
“I’ll be around for a while,” Jennifer replied, stepping past Jared and focusing on the blonde. “I plan on staying at least a month. That’s already been decided. My father is ... profoundly grateful for what you’ve done for us. He wanted me to tell you that. He was going to come down himself, but I insisted that it should be me.”
“You don’t have to thank me,” Harper insisted. “I’m just sorry it took me so long to realize what was going on. Maybe ... maybe if I understood what was happening before you wouldn’t have had to leave.”
“I’m not sorry I left.” Jennifer was earnest. “I have a husband I love, a life I adore. I have plans for a future that are massively bigger now than they were twenty-four hours ago. As for owing you, I do. You helped my grandmother find the strength to bring this to a close. She was the one we were waiting on.”
Harper had already figured that out herself. “I’m still sorry. Your family has experienced so much loss. To have your grandfather be a part of it, too ... well, I think that’s too much for anyone to absorb.”
“I absorbed it a long time ago. I never liked him, even when I was a small child. I sensed he was evil. My father couldn’t see it. He believed that you’re supposed to respect your father no matter what. I think he’s over that now, though.”
“I should say so.” Harper rolled her neck. “As for Madeline—”
Jennifer held up her hand to still Harper. “Honestly, the less said about her the better. I think she was used in some respects. I think she was fine with being used, though. That being said, she wasn’t involved in any of the murders. She won’t be facing nearly the punishment my grandfather will.”
“Also, they’ll probably offer her a deal,” Jared supplied. “She’ll get off with a minimum sentence, community service, and fines. Your grandfather is the big catch.”
“I’m fine with that.” Jennifer looked sincere. “I think her life has been a prison of her own making for the past ten years. I honestly think she had no idea what she was getting herself into.”
Harper nodded and smiled. “I know you just got back and you probably have a million things you want to do in a limited amount of time, but I would like to have lunch once you’re settled. I think we have a lot to talk about.”
Jennifer’s lips curved. “Like ghosts?”
“Like ghosts ... and high school ... and how I kind of took over your homecoming because I was feeling good about myself for figuring everything out. Sorry about that, by the way. Zander is usually the dramatic one and I totally stole his thunder tonight.”
“You definitely did,” Zander bellowed from the second bedroom, causing Jennifer to laugh.
“I would love to have lunch with you,” she enthused. “That’s honestly why I came down here. I want to talk to you, too. My father doesn’t want to be away from me right now, though. He’s a little ... clingy.”
“Do you blame him?”
“No. I want to spend time with him. I feel bad for all of it, but I honestly wasn’t sure if he would believe me and I was terrified about ending up in a hospital. You have no idea the fear I was operating under.”
Since Harper operated under the same fear for many years, she was the only person who could truly understand. “You might be surprised.”
“Yes, well ... .” Jennifer shifted from one foot to the other, antsy energy coming out to play. “Thank you for everything. I really should get back to my family, though. We have years to make up for.”
“You don’t have to do it all in one night,” Harper pointed out. “You should take your time.”
“That’s the plan.”
The two women embraced, warmth and knowledge passing between them, and when they separated, Harper was a little misty.
“I didn’t know I would be so emotionally affected,” she admitted, swiping at her tears.
“Me either.” Jennifer dabbed at her eyes. “I’m glad we reconnected, though.”
“Me, too.”
“I’m looking forward to our lunch.”
“Me, too.”
Jared slipped his arm around Harper’s waist and offered Jennifer a staid handshake. “I’m glad to have met you,” he supplied. “I’m very glad you’re alive. I have a feeling we’ll be talking a bit in the next few days, too. Until then, though, you should take it easy.”
“Oh, I plan to. Nothing but family and food for a week. After that, I’ll be able to include friends.”
“Now that’s something to look forward to.” Jared kept Harper in his arms until Jennifer departed, holding her tighter as soon as it was just the two of them. “What you pulled off this evening was ... amazing.”
“Things just sort of fit together in my head. It wasn’t that amazing.”
“Don’t sell yourself short,” he chided. “I don’t like that. You were a regular little genius this evening. It was beyond impressive.”
“It just fit together like a puzzle in my head. I wasn’t even sure I was right.”
“There’s one thing I don’t get,” he said. “The psychics. Why were they so important to what went down?”
“Byron picked two of the psychics and Madeline the other two. She knew Harris and Delphine were frauds. You heard Byron. He knew in his heart Jennifer was alive. That’s why he wanted real psychics ... and having someone who knew Jennifer was important.”
“Yeah, but ... everything had to come together perfectly. How did that happen?”
“Sometimes things simply happen exactly as they’re supposed to happen. This was one of those times.”
“I guess I’ll have to take your word for it.” He pulled back so he could stare at her face and then gave her a soft kiss. “Do you know what else happened exactly how it was supposed to happen?”
She nodded without hesitation. She knew exactly what he was going to say. “Us.”
“That’s right.” He gave her another kiss. “What do you say we pack up and head home? If we time it right, we can spend all day tomorrow in bed. It will be just you and me for thirty-six hours. How does that sound?”
“It sounds perfect.”
“Don’t forget about me,” Zander called from the bedroom. “Sunday is my morning with Harper.”
“You’ve already had three mornings this week,” Jared groused.
“Yes, but I’m a creature of habit. I need my Harper time.” Zander poked his head through the door and winked. “I promise to only take an hour of her time, though. That seems fair given the fact that I’m in love with both of you right now.”
Jared eyed him for a long beat and then nodded. “One hour. It’s a compromise I can live with.”
“That makes two of us ... I’ll bring doughnuts, too.”
Jared brightened considerably. “Now you’re talking.”
“I knew you would see the benefit of having me in your life eventually.”
“I see the light,” Jared teased.
Harper wrapped her arms around Jared’s neck and sighed. “Thank you.” She was sincere. “You have no idea how much it means to me that you’re making things work with him.”
Jared ran his hands over her back. It was worth it, he realized. There were all different kinds of families. The one he was in — for the rest of his life — was the sort that lived on emotion, not material possessions. It was what he always wanted, and he wouldn’t give it up for anything.
“We’re a family,” he said simply. “That’s what families do.”
“Still ... thank you.”
He tipped up her chin. “No, thank you.” He kissed her, long and deep. She was breathless when they separated. “Now, let’s get out of here. I have plans and they don’t revolve around this island. I want to go home.”
That was one thing they could always agree on.
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Acknowledgments
I’m a romantic at heart. A true romantic. I love the idea of a happy ending, so much so I have trouble writing a sad one. The world is sad enough. I like escaping in fiction. That’s just me. I like sarcasm and snark – but I’m not sure a sad ending is in me. If you’re looking for an edge like that, you’re probably looking in the wrong place. Just FYI.
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.
Books by Lily Harper Hart
A Maddie Graves Mystery
Grave Homecoming
Grave Insight
Grave Delight
Grave Misgivings
Grave Concerns
Grave Discovery
Grave Decisions
Grave Seasons
Grave Holiday
Grave Haunting
Grave Paths
Grave Danger
Grave Missteps
Grave Demands
Grave Wedding
An Ivy Morgan Mystery
Wicked Days
Wicked Dreams
Wicked Times
Wicked Places
Wicked Warning
Wicked Fog
Wicked Season
Wicked Winter
Wicked Hearts
Wicked Wishes
Wicked Whimsy
Wicked Haunts
Wicked Delight
Wicked Respite
A Harper Harlow Mystery
Ghostly Interests
Ghostly Issues
Ghostly Deceits
Ghostly Worries
Ghostly Images
Ghostly Wrecks
Ghostly Asylum
Ghostly Tricks
Ghostly Distress
Ghostly Despair
Ghostly Holiday
Ghostly Ordeal
A Rowan Gray Mystery
Welcoming Seas
Murky Seas
Stormy Seas
Sunken Seas
Choppy Seas
Churning Seas
Dangerous Seas
Perilous Seas
Raging Seas
A Hannah Hickock Witchy Cozy Mystery
The Dirty Coven
Crossovers
Wicked Ghosts
Wicked Seas
Ghostly Seas
Hardy Brothers Security
Deadly Intentions
Deadly Intuition
Deadly Illusions
Deadly Proposal
Deadly Prospects
Deadly Ever After
Deadly Honeymoon
Deadly Questions
Deadly Addition
Deadly Vacation
Deadly Secrets
Deadly Storm
Deadly Dealings
Deadly Christmas
Deadly Desperados
Deadly Arrival
Deadly Rivalry
Deadly Memories
Deadly Adventure
Deadly Reunion
Deadly Conflicts
Deadly Payback
Deadly Waves
Deadly Forever
Ghostly Fears Page 20