of lives over there. When I came home it was nice not to be responsible for all that. Not to be responsible for anything.”
Cat could understand that. Maybe someday she’d be able to relinquish a little control.
“Look there.”
Cat followed the line of Harper’s broad finger pointing down at the climbing slope across from them. She didn’t see anything at first, then something moved. It took her eyes several seconds to focus on the rabbit hopping through the underbrush. The thing was a long ways away and she was amazed Harper had seen it. “I can’t believe you spotted that. It has to be the better part of a half-mile away.”
Looking down at her, he grinned, and she knew he had just realized how far away it was as well. “Come on. I’m getting hungry.”
They hiked back to the house. Cat was tired, energized, but felt a little grungy. “I may go take a shower.”
Harper nodded, crossing to dig in the refrigerator. He dug out a couple of packages, then grabbed the bread from the counter. “PT gave you paperwork, right? Anything in there about strengthening this eye?”
Cat frowned. “I’m not sure. The packet is still in my purse. You can get it.”
It wasn’t until she was soaped up and completely lathered before she remembered what else was in her purse.
Oh, fuck!
Cat hurried through her shower, rinsing off in record time. She bundled the towel around her, fear making her movements uncoordinated. If he had found the other she needed to be there to explain.
She jerked a pair of sweats on and a T-shirt, her skin still beaded with moisture. She was running her fingers through her short hair when she entered the den. Harper sat in one of the padded chairs, looking out the window, the divorce papers unfolded on the table beside him.
Shit.
Harper had the pocketknife out and he was running his thumb back and forth over the blade.
Cat padded to the chair opposite him and folded herself into it but didn’t say anything. The sound of her heartbeat seemed to pound through the silence and she wondered if he could hear it as clearly as she did.
“When you said this was the last try,” he said finally, “I guess it didn’t really sink in. I mean, you’ve always been there for me. I can’t imagine a life without you in it.”
“I haven’t been in it for a year and a half. Time may have stopped for you, but it didn’t for us.”
Harper grimaced and leaned forward to brace his elbows on his knees, rubbing his face. Cat knew this was a shock, but it was one he needed. She hadn’t planned on showing him the papers unless things fell through, but now that he had she would see where the conversation took them.
“Are you set on this?” he asked finally.
Wincing, Cat shook her head. “Definitely not. But if I had shown up at that hospital room and you had tried to shut me down I would have made you sign them. Yes, I would have been one of those women I despised, serving her man divorce papers in the hospital. Women like that disgust me, but I can kind of understand why they do it. It seems like I only ever see you in the hospital after you’ve been injured.
“But things haven’t gone that way,” she continued, “and I’ve actually begun to hope a little that at the end of this two weeks we might be able to go home together. Am I wrong in thinking that?”
She held her breath as she let him digest that last. But he didn’t look up or say a word. The ridges of his thumb grated over the blade and every second that went by her hopes plummeted. After a solid minute she got up and walked out of the room before her bitter tears overflowed.
Harper looked up as Cat left and almost called her back, but he needed some space. He had known she was waiting for him to respond about going home with her, but he just couldn’t.
Maybe the divorce would be the best thing for all of them.
The thought of losing his family gutted him. They were his everything. He’d left because they meant the world to
Cat could understand that. Maybe someday she’d be able to relinquish a little control.
“Look there.”
Cat followed the line of Harper’s broad finger pointing down at the climbing slope across from them. She didn’t see anything at first, then something moved. It took her eyes several seconds to focus on the rabbit hopping through the underbrush. The thing was a long ways away and she was amazed Harper had seen it. “I can’t believe you spotted that. It has to be the better part of a half-mile away.”
Looking down at her, he grinned, and she knew he had just realized how far away it was as well. “Come on. I’m getting hungry.”
They hiked back to the house. Cat was tired, energized, but felt a little grungy. “I may go take a shower.”
Harper nodded, crossing to dig in the refrigerator. He dug out a couple of packages, then grabbed the bread from the counter. “PT gave you paperwork, right? Anything in there about strengthening this eye?”
Cat frowned. “I’m not sure. The packet is still in my purse. You can get it.”
It wasn’t until she was soaped up and completely lathered before she remembered what else was in her purse.
Oh, fuck!
Cat hurried through her shower, rinsing off in record time. She bundled the towel around her, fear making her movements uncoordinated. If he had found the other she needed to be there to explain.
She jerked a pair of sweats on and a T-shirt, her skin still beaded with moisture. She was running her fingers through her short hair when she entered the den. Harper sat in one of the padded chairs, looking out the window, the divorce papers unfolded on the table beside him.
Shit.
Harper had the pocketknife out and he was running his thumb back and forth over the blade.
Cat padded to the chair opposite him and folded herself into it but didn’t say anything. The sound of her heartbeat seemed to pound through the silence and she wondered if he could hear it as clearly as she did.
“When you said this was the last try,” he said finally, “I guess it didn’t really sink in. I mean, you’ve always been there for me. I can’t imagine a life without you in it.”
“I haven’t been in it for a year and a half. Time may have stopped for you, but it didn’t for us.”
Harper grimaced and leaned forward to brace his elbows on his knees, rubbing his face. Cat knew this was a shock, but it was one he needed. She hadn’t planned on showing him the papers unless things fell through, but now that he had she would see where the conversation took them.
“Are you set on this?” he asked finally.
Wincing, Cat shook her head. “Definitely not. But if I had shown up at that hospital room and you had tried to shut me down I would have made you sign them. Yes, I would have been one of those women I despised, serving her man divorce papers in the hospital. Women like that disgust me, but I can kind of understand why they do it. It seems like I only ever see you in the hospital after you’ve been injured.
“But things haven’t gone that way,” she continued, “and I’ve actually begun to hope a little that at the end of this two weeks we might be able to go home together. Am I wrong in thinking that?”
She held her breath as she let him digest that last. But he didn’t look up or say a word. The ridges of his thumb grated over the blade and every second that went by her hopes plummeted. After a solid minute she got up and walked out of the room before her bitter tears overflowed.
Harper looked up as Cat left and almost called her back, but he needed some space. He had known she was waiting for him to respond about going home with her, but he just couldn’t.
Maybe the divorce would be the best thing for all of them.
The thought of losing his family gutted him. They were his everything. He’d left because they meant the world to
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