Harper balked at telling her sister what the stranger had said. She was embarrassed to admit she’d been so transparent, and she didn’t want to cheapen the gesture by having Karoline claim he must’ve had some ulterior motive, as she’d first assumed. “No.”

“Roses aren’t exactly in bloom this time of year. Where’d he get it?”

“You can buy a rose anytime.”

“So he bought it.”

“Yes. From the grocery store across the street.”

“How do you know?”

“I saw the price tag, okay? It was still wrapped around the stem.”

“He spent money to buy you a rose and he doesn’t even know you?”

“It was only seven dollars, Karol. Relax. He was just being nice.”

When her sister didn’t respond right away, Harper used the opportunity to change the subject. “What time will the girls be ready to come home?”

“Terrance left to pick them up right before you arrived.”

“Oh. I could’ve done it. You should’ve called me.”

“I tried.”

Harper winced at her tone. “I couldn’t really talk in the restaurant,” she said. She could’ve texted Karoline but, fortunately, her sister didn’t point that out.

“No worries.”

Harper set the rose in the middle of the granite-topped island. Her sister had done a lot of decorating, but none of it could top the natural beauty of that one perfect flower. It reminded her that she needed to return to the basics and keep life simple, which, for her, meant continuing to put one foot in front of the other no matter how painful the situation.

It’ll get easier…

“Why would you ever wear that?” Karoline asked, grimacing at Harper’s coat as Harper took it off.

“It’s warm.”

Her sister rolled her eyes. “I don’t care how warm it is. Get rid of it. Get rid of everything of his.”

“Don’t say that.”

“He’s not coming back, Harper. The divorce will be final this week. If he regrets what he did, he would’ve said so by now, would’ve tried to save his family.”

“He’s been pretty distracted.”

“Yeah—by sleeping with other women.”

Harper bristled. “We don’t know he’s been sleeping with other women.”

“He’s a thirty-two-year-old rock star who hasn’t had time for his wife in ages. I think it’s safe to assume.”

“If he has, it’s because so many women, beautiful women, throw themselves at him. How would you or I deal with the same kind of attention? The same kind of worship? It’s possible we wouldn’t do any better.”

Her sister shook her head. “You’re too understanding, Harper. One of a kind.”

“If that’s true, what happened to my marriage?”

“Axel happened. But he’s stupid to throw you away. He’s going to wind up with nothing in the end.”