“No problem. I don’t mind.” She laughed quietly. “Can’t wait to tell Reid, of course.”

Dani went into the larger of the two rooms and placed her bags on the floor against the wall. “What would his reaction be if he found out I was gay?”

“Shock, disbelief. Disappointment. Probably the same as every other guy.” She paused. “Why? You want to tell him?”

“God, no. It was hard enough telling you.”

Harper shrugged. “You are who you are, Dani. It shouldn’t be hard to tell the truth. It seems like it would be easier than living a lie.”

“Says the woman who’s never been in the closet.”

“Yeah, well look at me. I don’t think trying to be in the closet would help me.”

“Oh, please. You’re not that gay.”

Harper laughed. “Trust me. I’m that gay.”

“You were young when you knew, right?”

“Yes.”

Dani nodded. “I think that makes a difference. I just assumed I was straight, you know. And when I wasn’t, well, I wasn’t prepared for it. Hiding seemed to be my only option. Hiding and…and pretending that I wasn’t gay. Even to myself, I could hardly dare admit it.”

“Until college?”

Dani nodded. “You must think I’m crazy. I mean, in this day and age, still trying to hide it. What’s the big deal, right?”

Harper shrugged. “It’s your life. I’m not judging.”

Dani took a deep breath. “It’s scary. For me. To think about being out…open with people. Terrifying, really.”

Harper didn’t have any advice for her. She didn’t know the first thing about hiding or being in the closet. Not with family. Not with friends. And not with co-workers.

Chapter Eighteen

“I’m bored.”

Dani smiled as that was the third time Harper had made that statement. “I’m starving,” she countered.

Harper tossed her the remote. “Yeah. Let’s get something. I bet we could get a pizza delivered to the patrol car at end of the block.” She paused. “Of course, we just had pizza the other night.”

“I don’t care. I’ll eat anything.”

The kitchen had proven to be void of any food items. The fridge did contain four water bottles, so that was a plus. There were two frozen burritos in the freezer, but both were six months expired. Even so, they’d debated whether to eat them or not. She flipped through the channels, absently listening to Harper on the phone—first to one of the cops keeping an eye on their street, then to a pizza place. She turned, chancing a quick glance at Harper. Cute. Attractive. Gay. And even though Dani had confessed to her that she was also gay, Harper had not made even one inappropriate comment or innuendo. In fact, she’d been pretty much all business, all the time.