Chapter Twelve

Harper stepped from the rowboat after Rafferty jumped out onto the island sand and secured it. She turned back toward the mainland but couldn’t see anything but the faint outline of it in the dark. The humid night breeze gently caressed her skin, and the sound of water lapping near her feet made her feel more relaxed than she had in weeks. Crickets serenaded around her, and in the distance, a loon’s haunting call sounded from somewhere in the lake.

“This way.” Rafferty picked up the bag and headed toward a path between the trees that was lit with landscaping lights.

“Hang on.” Harper braced herself against one of the trees and slipped her shoes off then followed him. “Who owns this place?”

“It used to belong to a great aunt, but she left it to Mom years ago. You know how Mom is. She’s not a fan of the water, so she gave it to my siblings and me. When we first came out here, it was a mess. I was the only one who stuck to cleaning it up, so on my birthday last year, my siblings signed the place over to me.”

“How big is the land?”

“Close to an acre.” He stopped at the end of the trail in front of a tiny house with a one-handed ta-da motion before leading the way across a series of flat river rock pavers.

“Did you build this?” Harper stepped up onto the small porch, spinning to admire the structure. Adirondack chairs occupied one end of the porch, set on either side of a large ceramic planter filled with flowers.

“Yeah, a couple of buddies and I did. It’s just under four hundred square feet, so it didn’t take that long.” He unlocked the door.

Harper left her shoes on the porch and stepped into a small living space then slowly turned, taking in the kitchen area, the loft bed, and the neatly organized storage area. “It’s gorgeous. Do you keep this as your getaway place?”

“Not really. I let families who’ve experienced a life trauma use it as a place where they can come and have a little peace. Kind of regroup themselves.” He indicated the bag as he set it on a counter. “That’s why I needed to come tonight. I wanted to drop off a few necessities for a family arriving tomorrow.”

Humbled by his generosity, she said, “This is an amazing thing that you do.”

Rafferty stuck his hands in his pockets, as if uncomfortable. “Anyway—”

Harper put her hand on his arm, fighting back the urge to do more than that. She wasn’t going to let him downplay his actions. “You’re a beautiful person, Rafferty. Inside and out.”

He held her gaze for a second but was the first one to turn away. At the back door, he pushed it open, sweeping his hand in front of him. “This way.”

Harper walked out ahead of him and laughed in delight. “What a view. I’ll bet it’s pretty as the sun sets over the water.”

“It is, and when it rises, too.” He sat on the back porch swing, moved a pillow, and patted the space beside him.

Harper sat, pressing her hands on the seat on either side of her legs. If she didn’t do something with them, she was going to grab him by the shirt, haul him closer, and kiss the living daylights out of him.

All because the more she got to know him, the more she discovered what a good man he was. She watched a fish jump in the lake and let out a sigh. “If only the rest of my life were this sweet and peaceful.”

“Something going on?”

“Not really. I was thinking about the castle. I’m hoping this week’s show can start pulling the castle back into profits. Sure would take a lot of stress off.” She leaned her head back on the swing. “It’s so muggy out. Too bad we didn’t bring bathing suits.”

“There are cottonmouths around,” he warned. “They’re usually at the edge of the lake, but I’ve seen a few underwater.”

Harper straightened with a shudder, searching the land around the porch with suspicion. “Scratch the thought of swimming.”

“They don’t usually strike unless they feel threatened.”

“You had me at ‘usually,’” Harper said, still paying close attention to the land.

He laughed. “I won’t let you get hurt.”

“You can’t stop a heart attack if I see a snake, because that’s what’s going to happen. You’re not afraid of them?”

“Nah. I spent enough time in the woods at my grandparents’ house to know what to watch out for with their behavior.” He stretched his arm along the back of the swing.

Harper focused on the lights of the town visible in the distance. “I can’t get over how relaxing this is. I need to rethink the location of my dream house and find something closer to the lake.”

“Houses are expensive along the shoreline.”

“I know,” Harper said wistfully. “I could always see if I could buy property instead. Unless, of course, my future Mr. Right is fabulously rich.”

“Is wealth one of your man qualifications?”

“Not even close. Money can’t buy what matters.” She turned her head and realized they’d shifted, moving toward each other, and were now close enough together that if she dipped an inch, her lips would brush his.

“I agree,” he said.

“Um…” She put her hand against his chest, intending to do what she hadn’t really thought through. Her fingers curled against him the second she made contact. “Thank you for sharing this with me.”

“You’re welcome.” He nodded his head slightly.

She put one hand on his face. The start of his five o’clock shadow was rough under her palm, and she wanted…oh, how she wanted… She leaned toward him, closing her eyes, needing to feel his lips touch hers.

She felt him move and waited for the contact. His kiss landed against the side of her face instead. Her eyes flew open, and she told herself she wasn’t disappointed.

They stayed and swung silently until a low rumble of thunder sounded in the distance.

“It’s supposed to storm later. I should probably put the stuff I brought away and get you back home before it breaks loose,” he said quietly.

“Probably.” Harper couldn’t tell if he felt as reluctant as she did to call it a night. She glanced at her phone, surprised to find how much time had passed.

Rafferty stood first then took her by the hands and pulled her up from the swing. She didn’t want him to let go. What if…?

Her heart pounded with a shot of adrenaline. What if she took a step closer into his personal space and asked for the kiss she’d wanted earlier? Would he wrap his arms around her and kiss her then? Would one thing lead to another and—

Rafferty turned away from her, effectively dissipating her imagined scene. She let out a sigh. He was smart not starting something she’d have a hard time letting go of. “Please don’t let me fall for Rafferty,” she let out a whispered groan.

At the back door, he turned with a frown. “You say something?”

“I said I hope I don’t fall,” she lied, following him into the house. She waited while he unpacked the bag and put away the items he’d brought.

On the front porch, she hugged her arms around herself, and when she sensed his presence behind her, she said, “Thank you again for sharing this with me.” She picked up her shoes and made her way down the front porch steps. “Is there anything I can do to help the family tomorrow?”

Rafferty shook his head. “No. The couple—Mark and Zoe—miscarried, and they just need a quiet place away to grieve with their four-year-old daughter. I found out because Zoe is Mac’s sister. When he told me they were struggling, I offered to let them come here.”

Tears for Rafferty’s colleague as well as for the unknown family’s pain filled Harper’s eyes, and she blinked, discreetly ducking her head and wiping at her cheeks.

“Okay, I’m ready to— Hey…” Rafferty tipped her face up and wiped her tears with the pads of his thumbs.

Harper couldn’t speak. She wound her arms around his waist and leaned her head against his chest. He didn’t hesitate to wrap his own arms around her. “My Cinderella’s tender heart.”

His heart beat steadily beneath her ear, and she listened to it, standing perfectly still until she brought her emotions under control. “I’m sorry. I just—”

“Don’t apologize. I’m here when you need me.”

Her heartbeat sped up. Tell him you’re afraid you’re beginning to feel something for him. Tell him—

“That’s what friends are for, right?”

Friends.

Glad she hadn’t said what she’d been thinking, Harper forced a lighthearted smile. “Right, and same to you. I’m here when you need me.” She turned away so the painful squeezing of her heart wouldn’t show on her face.

“Wait.” He caught her hand. “I want to say I’m sorry for what happened years ago. For how I treated you. My biggest regret is pushing you away. It’s my fault our friendship ended, and I am so sorry for hurting you.”

Harper felt lightweight, as if a huge burden had been lifted from her. “I accept your apology. And I’m sorry for anything I said or did that might have hurt you, too.”

They stood there for a second, both grinning, then laughed and shared a quick hug.

The trip back to the mainland was quiet as Rafferty concentrated on rowing and she concentrated on figuring out what she could do to keep from falling for him.

Once they were at the shore, she let him help her up onto the dock and then helped him secure the boat.

“Do you have to work tomorrow?” she asked once they were in the car on the way to her house.

“I do, but I’m meeting Mark first to give him the key to the island home. Why? Do you need something?”

“No. I was wondering if you were ready for your debut as the prince or if you wanted more practice. Because I could rework my schedule.”

“No, I think I’m good.”

“Do you think we’ll be less awkward together now that we’re back to us?” She let the question hang between them.

“I think so.” He steered the car off the main road onto a different back road.

When the car hit a dip, it jostled her, and she laughed. “Remember the ice cream?”

“You steered the tractor to hit that bump on purpose just to see me drop that double scoop into my lap.”

“You were annoying me on purpose, and I told you to get off the tractor.” She laughed again. “It was payback for you putting that fish in my locker.”

“Hey. There’s a time limit on paybacks. I was six and giving my best friend my prize catch.”

“Such a thoughtful guy.”

Rafferty laughed. Harper toyed with a lock of her hair. “I worry there will still be some awkwardness. It’s more along the lines of where do I put my hands? Do I lean in for a kiss? Will he?”

He glanced at her, his eyes unreadable in the dark. “Are we still talking about the show?”

“Of course,” she said, wondering what he’d say if she told him those thoughts weren’t solely attributed to the show.

He parked in her driveway and shut off the car. The automatic interior light came on, and she blinked at the intrusion.

“I think everything will work out okay, Harper. Stop worrying.”

Did he just look at my lips? He did. And I just looked at his. She directed her gaze up and away from what tempted her. His beautiful dark eyes were full of warmth. She wanted to lean in and kiss him like there was no tomorrow in sight, but a woman didn’t latch onto the lips of her friend and cling like a little suction cup figure on a window.

Besides that, he’d kissed her on the cheek, not exactly a move that screamed I want you.

“Let me walk you to the door.” He was out of the car before Harper even got her seat belt off. Standing in the moonlight holding the door open looking like an answer to her why isn’t there a man for me wish, Harper recognized big trouble brewing on the horizon.

He walked her to the bottom of the steps and stopped there. She moved to the front door alone and dug out her key. A smart woman would thank him for tonight, go inside, and get ready for bed. No risk. No chance of future heartache. But what did a woman who liked what she saw in a man do?

“I have a freshly baked chocolate cake.” She pushed the front door open. “Do you want to come in for a slice?”

…

Rafferty wanted to take Harper up on the offer more than he wanted just about anything, but looking at her, he felt like he’d been hit by a speeding truck. Meaning he had to tread carefully or he’d do or say something stupid. He looked up at the porch ceiling, concentrating on the ceiling fan, trying to find the words that would explain why it was best he didn’t come inside.

Her invitation hung between them as he fought one hell of a battle with himself between what he wanted to do and what was best for her.

“Thanks, but I’d better go.” If he didn’t care that she got hurt, he’d accept, and who knew where it would go from there? But he did care. Despite his best efforts, he cared.

And that shook him to his core.

“Okay.” Thunder growled more insistently in the distance, and Harper glanced at the dark sky for a minute then at him. “Tonight was nice.”

“It was.” Rafferty crossed his arms, locking down the urge to remove the distance between them and haul her closer. She held his gaze as she walked to the porch railing. Trailing her fingers across it, her voice barely above a whisper, she said haltingly, “You could still come in. We…don’t have to have any cake, and I’d be okay with that. In case you were wondering.”

Feeling like a ten-pound weight rolled around in his stomach, Rafferty dipped his head down and ran a hand over the back of his neck, hoping for the strength to listen to his heart and nothing else. He looked at her. “Harper, I want nothing more than to come inside and stay until tomorrow morning, but no.”

She swallowed. “No?”

“You want forever, and I have nothing to offer beyond tonight.”

“Maybe I don’t want anything past tonight, and I’ll worry about tomorrow when it’s here.”

“No, because a friend doesn’t do that to a friend. Not when he knows she’ll regret it.”

“I don’t think I would.”

Her words tempted him. Made him want to ignore the tenderness and the protectiveness that sprang up in him when he was with her. Rafferty raked his fingers through his hair and took a step backward. “You don’t know that, and I will not be one more man who leaves you vulnerable and hurt. Good…good night,” he said, making himself walk away.

When he reached his car, he made the mistake of looking back at her.

Standing under the faint porch light, she was a siren of temptation. Leaving was best. He would not break her heart, and as sure as red apples grew best in Georgia, that’s what would happen if he stayed.

He slipped into the car and started the engine, waiting until she’d gone inside and closed the door before he turned the car around.

He drove away, and when he reached his place and started up the walk, he noticed all the homes around him that had lights on. The faint sound of laughter from an open window reached him. Families sharing lives. Good times, bad times. Having someone else to care about and who cared about them.

Yeah, but on the heels of that, you never knew when heartache would strike and tear lovers apart. Leave a man with cracks in his heart that time paved over but didn’t really heal.

Rafferty let himself in and dropped his keys onto the stand by the door. His phone buzzed with a text message from Lincoln telling him to come to the station a little earlier tomorrow. He replied that he would and went to bed, praying he’d drop right off to sleep instead of thinking about Harper and all the reasons he couldn’t be the guy for her.

…

Carrying a cup of take-out coffee, Rafferty locked his car and headed into the station half an hour before the seven a.m. lineup. He pushed his sunglasses to the top of his head as he neared Lt. Tyrone Goldman, the EMS coordinator, a fifteen-year veteran with the station. Tyrone carried his two-year-old son, Daniel, in his arms.

“My wife’s sister is coming to town next weekend,” Ty said, shaking Rafferty’s hand by way of greeting. “She’s single. You want to meet her?”

“Nah, Ty, but thanks.” She’s not Harper. Rafferty kicked that thought to the curb.

Ty whistled, and his son paused from nibbling a cookie to look at his father and grin. “You’ve never turned down a chance to meet a woman,” Ty said. “You sick?”

“Between work here and the show at the castle, I don’t have a lot of free time.” He set his coffee on the pavement and took Daniel in his arms after the toddler kept reaching for him.

“A natural.” Ty grinned. “You should have one of your own. Speaking of…”

Rafferty braced himself for the teasing.

“I hear through the grapevine that you working at the castle’s not all about the show, Prince Charming.”

Turning his head to avoid having some of Daniel’s cookie crammed into his mouth, Rafferty said, “It’s just a part I’m playing, that’s all.” And feeling guilty as hell that the part was about him getting the promotion and he hadn’t told Harper so.

“Proving a commitment, so the story goes. Lot of guys are in on the bet that you won’t stick with that.”

“I will.” It was what would get him what he wanted in the end. He bounced Daniel when the boy began to squirm.

“Good luck with that. I hope it works out.” Ty took his son back. “Lincoln’s looking for you.” He nodded toward the open bays where Lincoln stood near the fire engine talking to Chris and Mac.

“Thanks. I’ll catch you later.”

“Hey,” Ty called out and pointed to Daniel. “My wife and I have plenty of baby clothes to pass along for when you need them.”

“Tell that to Kent.” Rafferty picked up his coffee. “I’m not getting married or having kids.”

Ty scoffed. “Look at you acting like you have a chance to hold onto your bachelor status with your grandma on the case.”

Rafferty laughed and joined his brother and colleagues.

“You tell him the bad news last night?” Chris asked, shooting a look at Lincoln.

“No,” Lincoln said quietly. “Give us a minute.”

When they were alone, Lincoln motioned to a spot away from the bays. “You and Doug are still neck and neck for that promotion.”

Rafferty nodded. “I know. Chief left a message this morning while I was in the shower saying he wanted to talk to me about that.”

“He’s leaving soon for his son’s wedding in Maine. Doug convinced him to set a meeting with the three of you the night of show.”

Rafferty’s stomach bottomed out. “The night of the show? No way.” He couldn’t let that happen. “Where’s Chief now?”

“He’s in the office, but he’s only going to be there for a few minutes.”

“I’ll catch him. Thanks.”

“Before you go, Mom said Grandma got a job at the castle. She’s worried that Grandma is having money problems but isn’t telling anyone.”

“All right, I’ll ask Harper about it,” Rafferty promised and took off toward the chief’s office. He’d known the man for years, and he’d always done what was best for the station, with the exception of considering bringing Doug on board.

Rafferty knocked on the door and entered the office when the chief gave permission. The older man, his salt and pepper hair in a buzz cut, ended a phone call and rose, stacking paperwork as he did. “I don’t remember my own wedding being so expensive.” He tapped the papers. “My son could put a down payment on a house for what this shindig is costing them. Marry a woman who doesn’t mind eloping.”

Rafferty laughed. “I’ll take that under advisement.”

“Trust me, it’ll save your bank account and your sanity. Now what can I do for you?”

“I need to change the meeting time Doug set up for the three of us.”

“Sorry, son, but no can do. It’s the only time I have before I leave, and I want to make a decision by then.”

“I have a prior commitment,” Rafferty said.

“I see.” The chief gave him an unreadable look. “Well, then you have a choice to make.”

“My prior commitment is something I can’t reschedule.”

“You’re talking about your side job with Harper Bailey. C’mon, Bradford.” Chief laughed. “I’ve known you for years, and she might be on your radar today, but she’ll be off it before it’s time for the meeting.” He picked up his phone and walked around the desk. “Now if there’s nothing else? I’ve got to get to my wife’s doctor’s appointment.”

Rafferty clenched his jaw. His instincts were screaming at him to keep Doug as far away from the station as possible, to protect the lives of his brother and his colleagues, whatever the cost. Doug often acted without concern for his fellow firefighters or the town’s citizens. The only reason the guy was employed was because his father was the fire marshal.

But on the other hand, there was Harper and what it would do to her if he chose the meeting over the show. Either way he looked at it, he had no choice at all.

“If I don’t show up at your meeting and Doug gets the promotion, it’s only a matter of time before someone gets hurt. But if I don’t go to the show, Harper will be hurt.”

“Is that so?” the chief said.

“Yeah, it is, and there’s no way it’s going to be Harper.” Rafferty backed away then turned and rushed out of the station.