"My, you two really are the perfect couple," Amelia said. "Now, my only question is when I'm going to be blessed with grand-cubs."
"Mom!" Harper exclaimed. Just then, Tarkus arrived.
"How come I always miss the party?" he boomed in his deep, growly voice.
"Dad!" Harper flung herself into his arms.
"How's my favorite daughter?"
"Good," she said, honestly.
The four of them spent the rest of the day together, cooking up a big barbecue and enjoying rowdy conversations, complete with lots of joking and teasing.
As the day slid into evening and Rocco and Harper headed back to the car, Tarkus drew her aside.
"Are you really happy, my dear?" he asked.
"Yes, I am. We're just getting to know each other again," she said.
"That's very good to hear. And you do look happy – very bright-eyed and alive. I just want you to know that there's no rush for you to have cubs. I know Amelia can't wait. But please make sure that the two of you are as close as you can be and have time to enjoy being with each other first. There's plenty of time."
"Thanks, dad," she said, and gave him a last hug goodbye.
"Whew. That was very eye-opening," Rocco said, as they drove back home along quiet roads.
"Poor mom. I can't believe she kept that from me for all that time. She must've been so scared."
"I know. But she was protecting you. As was I. Even though it seemed like the opposite at the time."
"I do know that." Harper turned her head to look at him. A shard of early-evening light fell across his face, showing up the golden flecks in his eyes, and seeming to caress his full lips. For a second she imagined herself leaning across and kissing them. She hadn't realized that she'd slipped off into a daydream – recalling one of the days of their youth, when they'd had a picnic in a forest together, and had lain on a blanket in a clearing as the sun set and the fading light caressed their faces – until she discovered that Rocco was saying her name.
"Sorry," she said with a laugh. "It's been a tiring day. What did you say?"
"I was just asking how you feel now?"
"Better. And overwhelmed. Like I need to take some time to reprocess my memories of those days."
"Of course you do. I know it's a lot to take in."
She nodded, touched by his sensitivity. No-one who'd seen him during his bad-boy days would realize it of him, she mused, but he'd always been a very thoughtful boyfriend, who'd always wanted to know what she was thinking, and how he could make her happy.
During the rest of the drive, they talked about the Black Paws, about how much each clan hated them, and about the damage they'd done to so many shifters' lives. They also talked about Tarkus and how amazing he was, and how great it was that Harper's mom had ended up with him. When they arrived home, they cooked and ate dinner together, just like any other couple, then sat on the sofa and watched a TV show.
"Right, off to bed. I'm beat," Harper said, yawning and stretching. "Goodnight, Rocco." She got up and headed for the stairs.
"Harper," Rocco called, his voice husky. She turned on the stair.
"What is it?"
"Do you think that one day we could get past all this and truly be mates?" her mouth opened and closed again.
"Maybe. I just need a little time." He nodded.
"Of course you do. Goodnight."
Harper's sleepiness was gone by the time she lay down in bed, and she stared at the ceiling for a long time. The last few days had been overwhelming. Everything she'd believed for so long had been completely flipped on its head. But there had been so much water under the bridge. Regardless of his motives, Rocco told her to her face that he didn't love her, and it had almost broken her. And then he'd got together with someone else right afterwards. Seeing them together had hurt so much that she'd been physically sick, more than once. She hadn't been able to eat for months and she'd lost 30 pounds. Could she get past all that and allow her heart to be open to him again?
14
Harper got up for school the next day more confused than ever. Learning about Rocco's true reason for breaking up with her was an incredible relief. And now he was officially her mate. Things hadn't happened in the normal way. But shouldn't I be happy? she thought to herself. The problem was that there was still that one thing niggling away at her, and she couldn't forget it: if he'd loved her as much as he said he did, how could he have told her that he didn't, and then start dating that airhead cat shifter?
When she went downstairs to make breakfast, she saw that he'd left already, but there was a note on the kitchen table, saying he hoped she'd slept well and that she had a good day. And did she want to meet for lunch? She sighed. She didn't know if she could face seeing him during the day today.
It was a busy morning at the kindergarten with two new cubs starting, and she had to field a million questions from their mothers. By the time she got around to replying to Rocco, it was almost lunch time. She sent him a brief message saying she couldn't make it.
"No worries. Another time," he replied.
All afternoon, she pushed him out of her mind, while she was busy supervising an obstacle-course class, which involved making sure none of the cubs landed on their heads while scrambling up walls and flinging themselves over barriers. As she began to walk home, she heard the all-too-familiar grunt of a powerful engine. A second later, Rocco pulled up in front of her. He was wearing faded blue jeans and a white t-shirt, a little smeared with grease.
"Hey," he said, flashing her that smile. "I figured that you had a busy day and could use a ride home."
"Hey Rocco," she said, hearing the tiredness in her own voice. "Thank you. But there's a reason why I leave my car at home – I actually enjoy the walk." He shut off the engine and climbed off the bike.
"Then I'll walk with you." She stopped walking.
"Rocco, I need to be alone for a while. I've had a tiring day and I just need some space." A shadow passed across his eyes and his jaw tightened. Then he lifted his arms in a shrug.
"Sure. It was just an idea."
Rocco climbed back onto his bike then he sat and watched Harper go, until the green and gold tinged forest swallowed her up. With every bone in his body he wanted to rush after her, to pull her into his arms and tell her that they were going to be together, forever. But he knew Harper. She'd likely cuff him and give him an ear-bashing he'd never forget. And then she'd hate him. She still hadn't forgiven him; that much was obvious. Of course it was going to take time, but he was just impatient for the day when they could be together again for real, sharing their bed and their lives. There was something else too though. He sensed it. It was more than shock. Even though she now understood his motives, she was still turned against him. Harper had a big heart. He'd always visualized it as a pretty wooden box that was wide open to giving and receiving love. And right now, that box was closed. He had to convince her that she could trust him again. That he'd never hurt her. But how?
"You have to let Harper come to you," he muttered to himself. She was never the kind of girl who could be persuaded. You had to let her find her own way. "Stubborn" was the word, he thought with a smirk. But that didn't mean he wasn't going to give her a helping hand. A plan came to him in a flash and quickly he started up his bike and tore up the road all the way to downtown Broken Hill.
When he let himself into the cabin half an hour later, Harper was in the shower. Good. He carried all the shopping through to the kitchen and got to work. His mom had given him a recipe for a French beef casserole, with lots of herbs and wine and the kitchen was soon filled with an incredible smell. As he cut up the meat and vegetables, he heard Harper moving to her bedroom and lying down on her bed.
When she finally came down, he was lighting a candle in the middle of the kitchen table and serving himself a huge portion of the aromatic casserole. He'd cooked it well. His mom had explained that it was way easier than it looked, and she was right.