“Don’t I always, Ma?”
He shook Charlie’s hand and gave James a resounding slap on his back. “Don’t forget to mow my lawn, lackey,” he reminded his brother.
“Don’t forget to come home to annoy the shit out of me.”
“Boys!” Claire censured them.
Luke moved on to Sophie and Josh, wrapping them both in a bear hug. “Take care, Soph,” he told his sister.
“You, too, Uncle Luke. We’ll be missing you.” She sniffled and Josh patted her face.
And then Luke was standing in front of Harper.
He cupped her face in his hands and looked into her eyes.
“Thank you, Harper. For everything.”
A single tear slid down her cheek. She shook her head. “I should be thanking you. This was the best month of my life.”
“Tell me one more time.”
“I love you Lucas Garrison and you’d better come home safely to your family or I’ll come back and kick your ass.”
He grinned. “That’s my girl.”
He lowered his lips to hers and held, softly, tenderly. She could taste the salt of her tears on his lips.
Luke pulled back slowly and wiped away her tears with his thumbs. When Harper’s lip trembled he pulled her in tight.
“I’ll be thinking about you,” he murmured in her ear. “Be good. Be safe.”
“Back at you, Captain.”
He ran his thumb across her lower lip and smiled.
When he turned, Harper almost grabbed him. She wasn’t ready for this. She needed just a little more time.
She watched him stride across the parking lot where the rest of the unit was forming a line at the bus. She was proud and scared and sad all at the same time.
Sophie’s arm settled around her shoulder, anchoring Harper to the spot.
“It’s going to be okay, Harp.” But her voice wavered, too.
Claire stepped to Harper’s other side and put her arm around her waist. “We’re all going to be okay. Together.”
Harper nodded, eyes never leaving Luke’s retreating form. She knew there was no “together” in her future. She was an outsider, not family.
Luke paused on the lowest step of the bus and turned. He raised an arm in a wave.
Harper blew him a kiss. She saw his fingers close and smiled.
***
Harper climbed into the driver’s seat where Luke had sat barely an hour ago and pulled the door shut. She hid the tears that were starting behind sunglasses and waved to Luke’s family as she guided the truck out of the parking lot and back onto the road.
He was gone. The man who had her heart was forever out of her life and she was expected to carry on as if everything was normal. How did the people in real relationships with children and responsibilities do it? Wave stoically as their partners, their rocks, their hearts left them to live another life. One that could never be fully shared or understood.
A sob escaped her and she pulled over to the side of the road, her vision clouded with tears that scalded her eyes. The ache in her chest spread to her throat.
Her heart broke for the men and women separated by war and duty. The fear that clutched at the hearts of those at home, never quite dissipating. At least in their case, the ones left behind could work to build their lives and the lives of their family so the man or woman they loved could come home to it.
Harper’s life, as she had so quickly grown accustomed to it, was gone. Never to return. Even after Luke came back. He wasn’t coming home to her. Benevolence would no longer be her home.
She let silent sobs rack her shoulders until her head sank to the steering wheel. She loved him.
She loved him now and she knew for certain she would love Luke Garrison for the rest of her life.
From the truck’s console, Harper’s phone signaled a text.
She wanted to ignore it. She would rather wallow and wail on the side of the road for as long as it took to feel better. There was no room for the outside world right now. But shutting down wasn’t an option. It was never an option. She pulled her phone from the console and swiped the screen. It was a text from Luke.
Stay.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Harper shifted the tray to her left hand so she could plug in the order for table seven and close out table twelve.
She sidestepped a pack of giggling 30-somethings on their way to the ladies room and nodded at the couple at the pool table who signaled another round. Hustling to the far end of the bar, she started reloading her tray.
It was a busy Friday night. The warm May weather made it too tempting to spend the night at home. It seemed like a large portion of the town’s population had decided dinner and drinks were the way to kick off the weekend. Harper didn’t mind. The busier the better. If she kept moving her mind stayed quiet.