Harper sighed, resigned. She couldn’t argue with Zander for one more second. She didn’t want to. “Do you think he’s a good kisser?”
Zander’s handsome face split with a wide grin. “I can’t wait until you find out.”
“I’VE decided that college boys bug me,” Zander announced, casting a derisive sidelong look toward a group of male students talking near the university center entrance. “Seriously, just … ugh.”
“When we were here the other day you thought they offered a lot of potential,” Harper reminded him. “What happened to change that?”
“I watched a real man come to our house with the intention of wooing you,” Zander replied. “These kids don’t have that potential.”
“Wooing me?” Harper raised a confrontational eyebrow. “Did we slip through a time warp and into 1832?”
“You know what I mean,” Zander said. “Jared was forthcoming and honest. He told you what he was thinking, he shared information, and he admitted he was still struggling with a few things. The only thing he forgot with his little visit was some flowers. I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen again.”
“I don’t even like flowers.”
“Bite your tongue,” Zander said. “All women should like flowers.”
“That’s like saying all men should like basketball.”
“I like basketball.”
“You do not.”
“I do, too,” Zander argued. “I love all the tattoos – you know I’m a sucker for tattoos – and I like all the butt patting they do.”
“You’re unbelievable.”
“And don’t you forget it,” Zander said, scanning the students milling about. “What do you want to do? Are we looking for someone who slept with the professor to question them about whether or not they think he’s a murderer or are we looking for possible suspects who might have hurt Annie?”
“Both.”
“Well, as long as you’ve got your head wrapped around what we should be focused on,” Zander snarked.
“I don’t know what I’m looking for,” Harper admitted. “I know that we need to find Annie’s killer and this is the only place I know to look.”
“I think you’re missing the obvious answer.”
“Which is?”
“Annie,” Zander replied. “She knows who killed her. It’s locked somewhere in her memory. Shouldn’t we be focusing on her?”
“Annie may never remember,” Harper said. “She doesn’t want to remember. Whatever happened was traumatic enough for her to block it out. What she is seeing is coming in flashes. She doesn’t want to remember being raped. It’s too hard.”
“I can’t imagine how hard that is,” Zander said, his face softening. “This is like looking for a needle in a haystack.”
“That’s a bad analogy,” Harper countered. “It would be more like looking for a needle in a pile of other needles.”
“Thank you, buzzkill.”
“I don’t know what else to do,” Harper said. “It’s not like we’re missing anything at the office.”
“We’re missing Eric mooning over you and frothing at the mouth when he finds out you’re going to start dating Jared,” Zander said. “That’s going to be a heck of a meltdown, by the way.”
“I know,” Harper said, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I don’t know what to do about him. Molly was having a fit because apparently he was having a fit after Jared and I left the other day.”
“Yeah, it was pretty funny,” Zander chortled.
“I don’t think Eric finds it funny,” I said. “It was no different than Molly watching him freak out about someone else when she has a crush on him.”
“I wish he would get his head out of his butt and realize she’s a catch,” Zander said. “I think they might be good together.”
“I do, too,” Harper said. “That’s why I told her to date someone else.”
Zander furrowed his brow. “You did? Doesn’t that only exacerbate the problem?”
“I’m hoping that when Eric sees Molly with another man it makes him realize he does have feelings for her.”
“He doesn’t have feelings for her, hidden or otherwise, right now,” Zander said. “He’s too focused on you. He needs you to crush him so he can pout for a few weeks and then open himself up to moving on. He’s not going to even look at Molly until that happens.”
“I think you’re wrong.”
“Well, I know I’m right.”
“I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree then,” Harper said.
“I think we should place a wager on it instead.”
Harper clapped her hands together, taking Zander by surprise. “You’re right. That sounds like more fun. Okay, how do we want to do this?”
Zander smirked. “You’re feeling better about his Jared situation, aren’t you?”
“What?”
“You’re perking up,” Zander said. “I like to see you smile. If betting makes you happy we shall bet. I say we wager fifty bucks on the fact that Eric is not going to look at Molly until you and Jared are dating.”
Harper made a face. “That’s a really vague bet,” she said. “I’m fine with the fifty bucks. I think we need more of a time frame.”
“Go on.”
“I say that Eric and Molly hook up within the next six weeks,” Harper said.
Zander tilted his head to the side, considering. “Sold.”
They shook hands.
“Now, let’s find someone to talk to so I can justify buying a really fattening coffee because I need the caffeine,” Zander said.
“I … .”
“Well, hello again.”
Harper made a face when she heard Jay’s voice. It was just her luck the guy never seemed to go to class and instead spent all of his time acting like a proper jerkwad in front of the university center.
“Hello, Jay,” Harper said, pasting a tight smile on her face as she swiveled to face him. “It’s so nice to see you.”
He apparently didn’t understand sarcasm. “I knew you would be back,” Jay said. “I have a certain magnetism. Women can’t stay away from me.”
“That’s exactly why I’m here,” Harper said. “I came to see you.”
Jay’s eyes brightened. “Really?”
“She’s being sarcastic,” Collin said, stepping up beside his brother and shooting Harper an apologetic look. “I’m sorry to run into you like this again.”
“That makes two of us.”
“Three of us,” Zander corrected, narrowing his eyes as he regarded Jay as if he was something akin to a squashed bug on a windshield. “Don’t you ever go to class?”
“Don’t you ever dress like a normal man?” Jay asked, looking at Zander’s white linen pants and pink polo shirt as if he was wearing a clown costume.
“This is a mature style,” Zander said. “I know that’s something you wouldn’t know anything about, but it’s on the pages of all the top fashion magazines.”
“And in old episodes of Miami Vice,” Harper quipped.
Zander scorched her with a look. “I thought you were on my side.”
“I am on your side,” Harper said, smiling at him ruefully. “You do remind me of Sonny Crockett, though.”
“He was hot. You’re always drooling over him when we watch reruns.”
“So are you.”
“Wow, you guys are really old,” Jay said, rolling his eyes. “Miami Vice? Isn’t that the movie with Collin Farrell and that guy who played the blind dude in that music movie?”
“We are definitely old,” Zander muttered.
“Hey, Miami Vice was old when we watched it,” Harper pointed out. “It’s still a classic show.”
“Vintage,” Zander corrected.
“Vintage,” Harper agreed.
“What are you guys doing back here?” Jay asked, rapidly losing interest in the pop culture conversation. “If you’re not here to see me – your loss, by the way – then that means you’re here to ask more ques
tions about Annie Dresden.”
“Actually, I’m looking for more information on Professor Dalton,” Harper replied, an idea forming. “I know you said he made the rounds with a lot of students, but did anyone ever … I don’t know … threaten to get him fired because of the way he dumped them?”
“There were a lot of girls who threatened him,” Jay replied. “He didn’t seem to care. He thinks he’s untouchable.”
“You don’t seem to like him very much,” Zander said.
“He thinks he’s God’s gift to women,” Jay said. “The dude is old. The only reason women sleep with him is because they want to get good grades.”
“Jay thinks he’s God’s gift to women so he doesn’t like Professor Dalton because he sees him as competition,” Collin explained.
“I figured that out myself,” Harper said, winking at Collin.
“I am God’s gift to women,” Jay said. “Everyone wants to date me.”
“Then how come you have to resort to hitting on random women on a college campus?” Jared asked, appearing out of nowhere and fixing Jay with a harsh look.
“Oh, good, the cop is back,” Jay muttered. “Speaking of … I never told the hot chick about Professor Dalton. I only told you about him. When did cops start sharing information with civilians?”
Jared shifted his eyes to Harper. “Not that I want to take this guy’s side, but he has a point. How did you know exactly what he said to me that day?”
“How do you know what I know?” Harper countered.
Jared extended a finger in warning and wagged it in Harper’s face. “Don’t try to confuse me. How did you know?”
“Um … .”
“Oh, just tell him so we can get our coffee,” Zander said. “We were hiding in those bushes over there while you were questioning him.”
Harper pursed her lips, anger with Zander warring for supremacy in her head with fear over Jared’s reaction.
“I see,” Jared said, smiling despite himself. “I don’t know why I’m surprised. I guess that makes sense. You knew more than you were supposed to and I never questioned why. I assumed Mel told you. He tells everyone everything else.”
“Wait … you’re not mad?” Harper was surprised.
“No,” Jared said. “I need you to stand there and let me do my job for a second, though. Then I’m going to take you for coffee while Zander goes home.”
“I want coffee,” Zander whined.
“You can get coffee,” Jared replied. “You just can’t get it with us.”
“We drove together,” Harper said.
“I’ll make sure you get home.”
Harper nodded wordlessly, her cheeks burning under Jared’s pointed gaze. Zander mimed making out with an invisible person behind Jared’s back while Harper tried to ignore him.
“I know what you’re doing, Zander, and if you don’t stop it I’m going to thump you,” Jared warned, never moving his eyes in Zander’s direction.
“How did you know?”
“I can see your reflection in the window,” Jared said, pointing.
“Oh, I guess that’s why you’re a cop,” Zander said. “If you’re taking over Harper duty does that mean I can go?”
“Don’t you want to find out what Jared is going to ask him?” Harper protested.
“I’ll wait for the highlights on CNN tonight,” Zander deadpanned. “Jared, am I free to go?”
“I’m encouraging it,” Jared replied.
“By, Harp.” Zander kissed her cheek quickly. “I’ll make enough dinner tonight for three – just in case.” Zander was gleeful as he scampered away.
“He’s a trip,” Jared muttered.
“He’s a fairy,” Jay griped.
“Don’t ever say that again,” Jared warned, turning his hostile attention back to Jay. “I don’t care if you think you’re being cool or you really believe it. Show people respect for a change. You might be surprised how it benefits you.”
Jared’s stock was rising in Harper’s estimation with every word.
“I don’t want to waste a lot of time with you,” Jared said. “I do want to know if you can give me the names of any of the other students Dalton slept with.”
“I don’t know their names,” Jay said.
Jared glanced at Collin. “What about you?”
“I’m sorry,” Collin said, turning his palms up as he shrugged. “I honestly don’t know either. I’m not up on the gossip like Jay is. I can try to find out if you want.”
“That would be great,” Jared said, slipping a business card in Collin’s direction. “Do me a favor and keep it quiet why you want to know.”
“Will do,” Collin said, nodding.
Jared held his hand out in Harper’s direction, taking her by surprise for the second time in the same five-minute window. “Shall we?”
Harper eyed his hand, confused. “Shall we what?”
“It’s coffee time,” Jared said.
“Oh, okay.”
Jared kept his hand extended. “Take my hand.”
Harper did as instructed, internally sighing at the way her hand fit perfectly inside of his.
“See, that wasn’t so bad,” Jared said.
“You’re going to make me work for every second of this, aren’t you?”
“We’re going to work together,” Jared said. “Now, come on. We can’t count this as a date, but we can enjoy our time together.”
“Work, work, work.”
“Sometimes the best things in life are worth the work,” Jared said. “Come on.”
Twenty-Two
“What kind of coffee do you want?” Jared asked, his fingers still linked with Harper’s as he studied the menu at the university center’s coffee shop.
Harper stared down at their joined hands, and when she didn’t immediately answer Jared shifted his gaze over to her. “Does this bother you?”
Harper jerked her head up, surprised by the question. “No. It’s just … a few days ago you thought I was a crackpot and now … now you’re openly holding my hand.”
Jared studied her for a moment. “You think I’m moving too fast. That’s fair.” He released Harper’s hand. “Just for the record, I didn’t think you were a crackpot.”
Harper tilted her head to the side, shooting him a doubtful look.
“I didn’t think you were a crackpot,” Jared repeated. “I thought you were a scam artist.”
Harper wanted to be offended, but his delectable grin was too cute to ignore. She gave in and returned the gesture. “You’re funny.”
“I considered being a clown before becoming a cop, but I thought it would be more fun to catch criminals than climb in a small car with ten other clowns. I’m borderline claustrophic.”
Instinctively Harper reached out and grabbed his hand again, surprising herself with the gesture. “I … um … .”
“I can’t stop touching you either,” Jared said, opting for blunt honesty. “It’s not like we’re dropping our clothes and going for it right here. I’m perfectly fine with you holding my hand.”
“I don’t know why I keep doing it,” Harper admitted, running her other hand through her flaxen hair.
“It’s because I’m hot,” Jared said. “That’s what I keep telling myself when I fixate on you, too, by the way. Oh, and if you ever feel the uncontrollable urge to rip my clothes off, I’m going to be okay with that, too.”
“You’re good at this flirting thing,” Harper said.
Jared arched an eyebrow. “Does that bother you?”
“I might be a little rusty.”
Jared’s face softened. “I think you’re doing fine,” he said. “While you and Zander don’t technically flirt, that witty repartee you have going has helped keep your skills fresh.”
“You’re very … understanding,” Harper said, her face serious. “I thought you were the exact opposite when I first met you.”
“I wasn’t at my best that first day,” Jared conceded. “I wasn’t expecting
a murder in Whisper Cove. I was trying to get to know Mel – and he’s odd – and then you came along with Zander. Do you want to know what the first thing I thought when I saw you with Zander was?”
Harper nodded, intrigued.
“I hoped he was your boyfriend.”
“That was so not what I was expecting,” Harper said, wrinkling her nose. “I thought you were going to say your heart rate sped up and it felt as if you’d been hit by a bolt of lightning.”
“That’s exactly what I felt,” Jared said. “I still wanted Zander to be your boyfriend. That would’ve meant you were off limits. I don’t move in on other people’s territory. I wasn’t exactly looking to start dating someone.”
“And now?”
“Now I’m pretty sure I can’t keep away from you so I’m just going to go with it,” Jared said. “Things may work out and they may not, but I think I’m going to drive myself crazy if I try to pretend there’s nothing here.
“I don’t know what’s here,” he continued. “I do know that … your hand seems to fit mine. I do know that when you smile it lights up your whole face. I do know that I like listening to you talk. I also know that I’m constantly distracted by your lips.”
As if on cue Harper ran her tongue over lips, drawing Jared’s attention to them.
“That right there makes me want to push you against that wall and kiss you senseless,” Jared said.
“You are amazingly blunt,” Harper said, her breath catching.
“Don’t worry. I’m not kissing you here,” Jared said. “I already told you I’m not going to do that until this case is solved. I don’t want death hanging over us when I make my move.”
Harper snorted. “Make your move?”
“What would you call it?”
“I don’t know,” Harper said. She leaned forward and brazenly gave him a kiss on the cheek, taking them both by surprise.
“What was that for?” Jared asked, marveling at the warmth of her skin as it touched his. “I thought I told you we were waiting.”
“You’re not the boss of me,” Harper said. “That’s not the main event anyway. That was just a … appetizer.”
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