With a nod, Harper went inside. But she was afraid her sister had more confidence in her than she deserved.

24

Did you get home safely?

After leaving Karoline on the stoop, Harper had avoided Terrance—who’d been in the kitchen, judging from the noises she heard as she crossed to the hall—and gone straight to her room, where she’d climbed into bed. Fortunately, none of the girls had been disturbed by Axel’s appearance, or the argument out front. Other than for Terrance, the house was quiet.

Harper was tired, but she was a long way from nodding off. She’d forgotten to let Tobias know she was okay—probably because she didn’t feel okay. She would’ve missed his text if she hadn’t picked up her phone to call Axel. It was a habit, something she’d always done if he blew up and stalked off. She’d always tracked him down, apologized, tried to get him to rally and overcome the problem.

But she couldn’t bring herself to go through that process this morning, which was why she’d deferred to Karoline. For one, she didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t tell him she was sorry for being with Tobias. She wasn’t. She was sorry Axel had been shocked and hurt by the discovery, but that was different.

Her phone buzzed in her hand. Harper? Tobias was prompting her since she hadn’t yet responded.

After rubbing her temples to ease the headache that had sprung up in the wake of so much emotion, she wrote him back so he wouldn’t come over to see for himself.

Axel was waiting for me when I got home.

Are you kidding me? I thought he was in Europe.

He was. But he thought it would be nice to come to Silver Springs for three days and surprise us for Christmas.

I see.

She waited, hoping Tobias could reveal how he was taking this news, but he offered nothing more.

The girls will be excited to see him, she wrote.

I’m happy for them.

And?

What else can I say? Should I be happy for you, too? Are you excited to see him?

Definitely not. He caught me walking up to the house after getting out of your truck, so…

Shit.

Exactly. I was busted—no escaping. Karoline and Terrance were up, too, since he’d just gotten in from LAX.

They all know you were with me?

Yes.

Would it be easier to call me? I’m here if you’d rather talk.

I can’t talk. Not now. I don’t want anyone to hear that I’m awake, let alone on the phone.

Okay. So…how’d it go?

Not good. There was a bit of yelling, of course, and then he took off.

Took off where?

I don’t know. I didn’t go after him.

I’m sorry.

It’s not your fault.