Keeping Her Close

by Carol Ross

  Kyle suspected the opposite was true. Instead of blowing over, it had blown up. No doubt, Drew wished he would have asked more questions. The only reasons he could think of that he hadn’t followed up was that he didn’t want to let on to Harper that he already knew about Owen’s venture. Or he could have even suspected that Harper was involved. Either way, he wouldn’t have wanted to put the investigation in jeopardy. Dahlia had extensive resources. Kyle wondered what they’d uncovered. Obviously not enough or they wouldn’t have asked him to help. Or possibly their leads hadn’t panned out. He studied Harper carefully. He could see how difficult this was for her. But he had to keep pushing if he wanted answers.

  “Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”

  “At first, I didn’t tell you because I didn’t know what you’d think about it, like if you’d agree that what he was doing was wrong. I was hopeful when I heard your sister was a vet. Then I met your animal-loving family and saw you all at Lucky Cats. That was further evidence, but I wasn’t positive. You and Owen were so close.

  “There was also the issue of who was I to tell you this about your friend? If Owen had wanted you to know, he would have told you. And if you did believe it was wrong, was it my place to tarnish your memory of your friend? From our first conversation, I could see how much you loved him and how highly you thought of him. I didn’t—I don’t—want to take that away.

  “Later, after I found myself falling for you, I also had the thought that you might not believe me. I don’t have any real proof. It’s been awful keeping this to myself.”

  “There’s no doubt about that,” Kyle said.

  “Honestly, the part about you thinking that I was so in love with him was the worst.” Harper buried her face in her hands. “But I didn’t know how to tell you that part without telling you the rest.”

  Kyle gathered her in his arms. “I love you even more for trying to save my feelings.” She melted into him, and he held her for a long moment.

  Harper sat up. “I make my living photographing nature and wildlife. I donate a lot of what I earn to various wildlife conservation causes. To have my name associated with something like that would be devastating. But that doesn’t even touch what it could do to my dad. Can you imagine if the daughter of environmental scientist David Bellaire was found to be involved, even peripherally, in the sketchy world of the wildlife trade? If his aircraft was even suspected of having transported souvenir animal parts from threatened species?”

  After the news coverage that the salmon egg episode garnered, Kyle could only imagine.

  But the bottom line here was that despite what Harper suspected, for Kyle, it didn’t answer exactly what Owen had been doing. Not by a long shot. His gut told him his friend had had another motive. The fact that Dahlia was still investigating backed that up. Harper had said herself that Owen’s actions were “technically legal.” This could suggest that Owen had been acting in the name of a larger operation. The logical explanation was that he’d been on the trail of illegal wildlife traffickers himself. No way was his best friend a criminal. That had to be it. It wouldn’t surprise him if Owen had been single-handedly trying to bring down a crime ring. Surely, this is what Dahlia was working to prove. Regardless, Harper didn’t know anything concrete and she didn’t possess any hard evidence. Relief swept through him like a cool breeze loosening the anxiety that had been tying his insides into knots.

  He would report this news to Josh and be done with this deception where Harper was concerned. He and Harper could move on without her ever knowing the part he’d played for Dahlia. For the first time, Kyle could see a clear path to a future together.

  * * *

  “FAVORITE KIND OF CHEESE?” Kyle asked.

  “That’s a tough one,” Harper answered. “I like all the cheeses, but I’ll go with Gruyère.”

  “Would you rather be too hot or too cold?”

  “Hot. I hate being cold. I especially hate cold water. Please don’t ever ask me to do one of those polar plunges. I was cold just watching you fall overboard.”

  “Duly noted.”

  “Since we’re on the topic of water, I’m also terrified of sharks.”

  “Harper, they’re more afraid of you than you are of them.”

  Harper frowned. “I don’t believe that.”

  “Good, because it is not true. Shark fear is healthy and confirms your high level of intelligence.”

  She laughed and gave him an approving nod. “That was a good one.”

  “Thank you. Favorite color?”

  “Orange, like the sun.”

  That made him grin. They were seated in matching chairs outside on the deck. They’d spent the morning on the beach and returned to enjoy a cup of coffee before Harper went to work in her office until lunchtime.

  Leaning over, he took a break to kiss her, before continuing, “Who was your favorite teacher in school?”

  “Sister Mary-Margaret.”

  “Why?”

  Harper looked thoughtful for a few seconds. “She was brilliant and funny, treated us all the same and taught us girls not to be afraid of math.”

  “Then I like her, too. Favorite steak?” He loved that she was a carnivore.

  “Filet mignon.”

  “Mine, too.” Kyle nodded. “That’s an excellent pick.”

  “I’m glad you approve.”

  “I can’t wait to make it for you. We’ll have Levi over. He loves it, too. Favorite fabric?”

  She snuffled out a laugh. “Um, cotton? Organic, obviously.”

  “Do you prefer cats or dogs?”

  “Hmm. Do I have to pick?”

  “You absolutely do have to pick. That’s the way this game is played.”

  “I didn’t know it was a game. It feels like an inquisition.”

  Kyle frowned. “Does it? I’m sorry. I just want to ask you all the questions that I’ve been dying to ask since I met you but was too afraid of letting on how attracted I was to you.”

  A blush spread across her cheeks as her expression softened. Reaching over, she entangled her fingers with his. “No. Not at all. I was teasing. I’m enjoying it, even though I have a hard time believing that you’ve spent the last month being curious about my favorite cheese.”

  “Hey, cheese consumption says a lot about a person,” he joked. “Your preference for Gruyère tells me you’re classy yet earthy at the same time.”

  “Okay. Sure.” Then Harper laughed and shook her head. “I’ll go with cats. I’ve really come to love them.”

  “Me, too.”

  “Really?” Eyebrows drifting up, her expression matched the surprise in her tone.

  “Why does that surprise you?”

  “I don’t know. I guess because dogs are so dependable. You know, kinda like you, they’re all about loyalty, devotion, obedience.”

  “You think I’m obedient?”

  She shrugged a shoulder. “Don’t you kind of have to be to succeed in the elite realm of Special Forces?”

  “Maybe. To a degree. But I think that’s why I like cats. Because they’re not. They don’t have to be anything—they don’t try to be anything. They just are who they are, and they don’t apologize for it.”

  “That’s so true,” Harper said.

  “You’re a cat.” He kissed her again.

  Harper pulled back a little to smile at him. “You are seriously the best with compliments, do you know that? I mean my heart just did this flippy thing inside my chest because you called me a cat.”

  Kyle grinned. He wasn’t trying to be good at compliments; he’d never been a flatterer. That was for guys like Owen and Terry who were all about the game. “I’m just being honest.”

  A slow smile spread across her face. “I told you if you were honest with me then we’d be fine. Do you remember that?”

  “Of course,” Ky
le said, hating the uncomfortably familiar twinge of guilt-ridden apprehension that flowed through him. He kept telling himself it would fade with time.

  The app on Harper’s phone chimed, indicating someone was on the property. Kyle tensed. His job here might be winding down, but his focus on Harper’s safety was not. That concern, he realized, would be a part of his life forever. It was one that he welcomed because he was completely confident that he was the best man for the job.

  Harper picked up her phone and studied the screen. “Delivery,” she said, and then touched the screen, enlarging the focus. “This app is so cool. I didn’t even know it did this until you showed me. I can see the brand of shoes this guy is wearing and that he’s got a tattoo on his left forearm. It’s a whale. That’s cute. Whales will forever remind me of you now, you know that?” Kyle loved that she was taking in every detail, using the skills he’d taught her. “I can even zoom in on the shipping label... And, I see that it’s for... Kyle Frasier. From...” Slowly, she lifted her head and furrowed her brow in question. “Who is Sheila Broderick?”

  Kyle had almost forgotten about the package that Sheila was sending. Followed closely was the startling realization that Harper didn’t know the name of Owen’s mom. He wondered if she knew about Mattie.

  * * *

  “OWEN HAD A CHILD? A little girl? How old is she?”

  Kyle had peeled an envelope from the top of the package. Tearing it open, he removed the contents and riffled through the small stack of papers. Setting the box aside, he handed Harper a recent photo of Mattie that Shelia had included.

  “Yes, her name is Mattie. She’s eight years old. You’re so good with Delilah, I wondered if you’d spent time with Mattie. I almost asked you...” He gave his head a little shake. “She lives with Owen’s mom, Sheila. And Owen when he was home. Sheila called me a while back and told me she was sending me a package. I gave her this address and then sort of forgot about it.”

  This didn’t make sense. “Why is the return address from New Jersey?”

  “That’s where they live.”

  “But Owen was from California.”

  “California? No... Owen bought Sheila a house in Camden after he got custody of Mattie.”

  “Camden, New Jersey?” Harper repeated.

  “Yes. That’s where Owen grew up.”

  “He told me he grew up in Newport Beach, California. We flew home from Africa for a week and spent two days there... He showed me the neighborhood. He said his house had been torn down, but he planned to buy a place there one day.”

  “No. He wanted to live in Newport Beach, California, someday. That was his dream. ‘To earn a spot in Newport Beach.’”

  “What? I don’t understand why he would lie about this...? It’s like everything about him was a lie.”

  Kyle looked uncomfortable by that assertion. She didn’t care. She was angry all over again.

  He said, “I think... Did he tell you this stuff when you first met?”

  Harper thought back. “Yes, he did. We met in the lobby of my dad’s office building. I dropped a box of doughnuts, and Owen helped me clean up the mess. We chatted. He asked me out. He said he was leaving for Africa in a few days, so it had to be soon. He was sweet and very persistent. We had dinner that night. He...he talked about himself a lot, and before he knew anything about me, like who my dad was, he’d already told me all of this.”

  “Yeah.” Nodding, Kyle explained, “He, uh, he used to do that. He had this story he would use...”

  “To impress women?”

  “Yes. My guess is that he rattled all that off before he realized that you weren’t one of his...”

  “Conquests,” she finished for him.

  Kyle gave her a little grimace. “And then he didn’t know how to get out of it.”

  She didn’t bother to mask the bitterness she felt. “And then he found out who I was, or more importantly, who my dad is, and decided I was worth a little more of his time.”

  “Harper, I don’t doubt that he loved you,” Kyle countered gently. “The way he talked about you, I’d never heard him talk about another woman like that. But he was a proud guy. And more insecure than I realized. He hid it well.”

  Harper scoffed. “Yeah, he was a very good liar. He told me his parents were dead. He said his dad had been a wealthy investment manager and his mom an attorney. He said he inherited a ‘nice chunk of change.’”

  “He was embarrassed about his childhood as it was, and then to realize who you were... That you had money. That would make him even more determined to be worthy of you. I’m not trying to make excuses for him, but Owen grew up very, very poor. His dad left when he was ten. Sheila worked as a clerk in a convenience store. Owen was the oldest of three, and after his dad left, he helped his mom raise his two little sisters.”

  All these details that Harper hadn’t known, and that Owen had lied about, flooded her thoughts. Why would he lie about having a child? “Was he married to Mattie’s mom?”

  “No. Mattie was the result of a brief relationship. Mattie’s mom was young and not interested in being a mother long-term. She gave custody to Owen when Mattie was only a few weeks old. Sheila has cared for her granddaughter ever since, with Owen’s financial support. Owen adored Mattie. He talked about her all the time. I’m surprised he was able to keep her existence a secret.”

  “That poor girl.” Harper felt a mix of sympathy for Mattie and anger toward Owen. His lies were just further proof that he’d been using her. And despite how she felt about him now, it hurt that he hadn’t cared enough about her to be honest. Even more than that, in Camden, New Jersey, there was a little girl who’d lost her dad. Harper couldn’t help but empathize.

  “She’s a sweetheart, too. Owen made a huge mistake by not introducing you to her. She would have been better off knowing you.”

  “Why do people feel like they need to lie to me about who they really are?”

  “I wish I could make this all go away for you,” Kyle said as he wrapped her in a tight hug.

  “You are,” Harper whispered. Gratitude flooded in to replace her anger. It felt so good to be secure in the knowledge that those days were behind her. So good that she didn’t even notice that Kyle never answered her question.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  THAT EVENING, MIA, Nora, Josie and Laney were coming over to view the family photos. Kyle could tell Harper was nervous, which only made him love her more if that were possible. Before their arrival, Kyle vacuumed the floor and arranged chairs before three huge monitor screens in Harper’s office. Harper made snacks, including peanut butter cookies. Kyle “taste-tested” four of them while he inspected the rest of the edible assortment she’d arranged on the table.

  He pointed at a dish containing light brown goop. “What is this? Baby food?”

  “Don’t tell me you’ve never seen hummus.”

  “I’m sure I’ve seen it, but I obviously repressed the memory.”

  Harper laughed. “I know your mom doesn’t like sugar and eats only healthy food.”

  “This is true. She’s very disciplined these days.”

  “These days? You mean, you didn’t grow up eating this way?”

  “Uh, no.” Kyle chuckled and grabbed another cookie. “We grew up eating burgers, bacon, biscuits and fried chicken. Mom’s health fixation came along after my dad died. It was a heart attack. My mom felt guilty about it, like if she would have cooked differently, then he wouldn’t have died.”

  “Are you kidding me? That is so incredibly sad.”

  “It was. She was distraught. Grief can make people question themselves in all sorts of ways.”

  Harper got that look like she wanted to say more but wasn’t sure if she should. She finally went with, “I imagined Nora as this hip and cool mom doing yoga and making healthy treats for all of you and Mia’s friends.”

&
nbsp; “Nope. Well, yes, she was pretty cool. She was this creative, free-spirited art teacher and all my friends loved her. But the snacks weren’t healthy. The yoga came along later, too. In conjunction with the healthy eating. She was devoted to my dad, and when he died, she was a little overweight, too, and not very healthy. Like she mentioned, I got into yoga in high school. Sometimes we’d do it together. Not long after Dad died, I came home on leave. She was just...despondent. I talked her into going to yoga class with me. She met an instructor who inspired her. They became friends and the blend of healthy eating and yoga snowballed into the Nora you know today. If Nora does something, it’s with her whole heart. Like you.”

  Harper smiled. “But you said you never came home when you were in the service.”

  “I didn’t mean literally never. I meant rarely. I didn’t come home often enough.”

  “But weren’t you stationed overseas?”

  “Yes, but that’s not a valid excuse. I went home with Owen to visit Sheila and Mattie more than I did my own family.”

  Harper stepped into his arms and kissed him. “Well, you’re here now. And you’re doing everything right.”

  “That’s what Mia says, too.” Kyle felt a catch in his chest. Soon, he promised himself, he really would be doing everything right.

  The doorbell rang. Harper immediately headed toward the sound.

  “Where are you going?” Kyle asked, knowing his tone would be enough for her to rethink her steps.

  Muttering under her breath, she marched back into the kitchen. “Oh, you know, taking the long way around to get this.” Picking up her phone, she swiped the screen, and then exclaimed sarcastically, “Oh, my gosh, it’s your family, can you believe it? I would never have guessed.”