by Score, Lucy
***
His 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?
***
That 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.
Thought 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.
Harper 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.
***
Harper 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?”
“The difference is I wasn’t busting up a grocery store and some guy’s face at the time and now you’re the one being the idiot. Now stand there, shut up, and we’ll get this worked out.” He said it so amicably that Harper just blinked.
Luke stayed where he was but didn’t take his eyes off of her. He shoved his hands in his pockets and ignored the crowd that had grown to over a dozen people. Tangles of abandoned carts blocked aisles while customers and store staff mingled around sale displays of boxed stuffing and canned pumpkin. Linc leaned against a cooler door and chatted up a pretty stock girl.
Harper did her best to look everywhere but Luke’s face. It felt like an eternity before Ty came back.
“Okay, here’s the deal. Miz Valencio won’t press charges if you agree to the following terms. One, you split the cost of the nine six-packs that died unnecessary deaths and clean up the mess.”
Linc shrugged at Luke. Luke rolled his eyes and nodded.
“And two, you finish Harper’s shopping and pay for her stuff.”
“Give me your list,” Luke said, holding out his hand to her.
“Oh, no. Ty, they don’t have to do that.” She had tampons on the list.
“It’s Miz Valencio’s call. She doesn’t want you to leave empty-handed because these two ‘yahoos got their testosterone in a bunch.’”
“Give me your list.”
She was being lured to her doom but couldn’t see a way out of it. Harper approached slowly. She pulled the list out of her back pocket and held it out between two fingers, eyes on her hand. Luke’s hand closed over hers and pulled her closer.
“Harper.”
He waited until she looked up at him.
“I’m sorry for what I said. Are you okay?”
She nodded slowly, not trusting her voice. His touch sent a heat spreading through her.
With his free hand, he reached up and gently brushed her hair back from her face. “I’m sorry I scared you.”
“Christ Garrison, keep your hands to yourself,” Ty said stepping between them. He took the list from Harper and handed it over. “Peggy Ann is bringing a broom and a mop. Harper, why don’t you go next door and get yourself a coffee. We’ll be done here in an hour.”
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
“I was lite
rally just trying to keep her warm in here, you know,” Linc said conversationally as he held the industrial-sized dustpan.
Luke glared at him as he swept and stayed silent.
“I’m just telling you that it wasn’t like we were making out or having sex. We were just talking and she was cold.”
“Yeah. Right. Just having a conversation in a walk-in refrigerator in December.”
“Don’t get me wrong,” Linc continued. “I’d be happy to get to know her better. I mean, look at her.”
Luke tightened his grip on the broom and pretended it was Linc’s neck. “You don’t owe me an explanation,” he growled.
Linc emptied the broken glass into the trashcan. “We were only in here because of you anyway. Harper doesn’t even want to see you. Don’t know how she’s still working with you.”
“She’s working nights so she doesn’t have to see me.”
“You let her do that?”
“Harper’s not the kind of woman you ‘let’ do anything.”
“She’s tough,” Linc chuckled. “And I was just reminding her of that when you stuck your head in the cooler and threw a hissy fit.”
“I didn’t throw a hissy fit.”
“I clearly remember you stomping your foot.”
“If I did it was because I was trying to break yours.” Luke went back to sweeping.
“It just seems to me that’s an overreaction from the man who let her go. What’s with you and always trying to set your women free? What do you expect them to do? Be alone forever?”
“For the love of God, can we please just finish this in silence. Ty’ll be pissed if I smash your face in with this broom.”
***
Harper took the hour and, following Ty’s advice, grabbed a latte at the café next door.
She clutched the mug in her hands and tried to think of the bright side. She hadn’t burst into tears, which was a plus. She hadn’t begged him to touch her one more time, huge plus. Unfortunately she had gone to the store sans makeup with her hair in a crappy knot. If she had her choice, Luke wouldn’t have spotted her looking so sad-sack-y. She would have been dressed to kill and he would have spotted her from a safe distance, not up close and personal in a beer cooler. She couldn’t even begin to understand Luke’s reaction to seeing her with Linc.