Eli's cell phone rang and he answered by saying, "Hey, Dad, what's up?"
"Your mother gave me your manuscript and I read it."
Eli sucked a breath, "And?" His father didn't answer immediately so he thought, The story sucks. Angel was just being nice.
Finally, his dad said, "It's excellent, son! Did I make you nervous by waiting so long to answer?"
"Dad, I'm in no mood for jokes. Did you really like it?"
"Like it—no. Love it—yes. Of course, it needs editing, every manuscript does, but I took the liberty of sending it to my publisher and his reaction was the same as mine. So the only question is: Are you ready to become a published author?"
"What! You're not kidding?"
"Would I kid about something so serious? Jake said he wants to shop the story, but he has no doubt he'll find a publisher willing to pay a nice advance for a first novel. All he needs is your signature on some paperwork if you want him to represent you."
Eli was speechless for a moment but then exclaimed, "Your agent wanting to represent me is awesome!"
His dad chuckled. "Oh, and Jake wants to know if you're working on a sequel to American Spy. If so he's anxious to see what you've got."
"As a matter of fact, I am. I've got a couple of chapters written."
"Good. I was going to suggest that you turn the book into a series." He cleared his throat. "Now on to other matters: How is Harris feeling since being released from the hospital?"
"He's as ornery as ever and I'm getting sick of fetching things for him."
There was another pause before his dad asked, "Is Larry still there?"
"Yes." Eli wasn't sure if he should elaborate or not, but his dad surprised him when he said, "Good. I've had time to think about Larry and decided that your mother and brother are right. It's time to forgive the past. I don't like Larry and I hope to never see him again, but that has nothing to do with letting the past go. Is your brother nearby?"
"He's in the bedroom."
"Take the phone to him so I can ease his mind about Larry."
"Sure, Dad." Eli released a heartfelt sigh. Finally, his dad and Harris were back on the same page. He knocked on Harris' door and said loudly, "Dad's on my phone and wants to talk to you."
"Come in, bro," Harris called.
Eli entered the small RV bedroom and frowned at Harris' disheveled appearance. "You really need to shave and clean up. If you want, I can help you later." He handed the phone over.
Harris grinned. "No way. I'm looking like this on purpose. I'm hoping to convince a cute little reporter to help out this poor, pitiful cowboy laid up in bed."
Eli shook his head and thought about Angel. There was no way she hadn't noticed Harris' attraction to Lucinda. So why hadn't she made a move to counteract it?
As he left the room he heard Harris say, "Hi, Dad. I had a feeling you'd be calling soon."
Lucinda knocked on Harris' door and placed a hand over her pounding heart. Since the day they'd kissed he'd flirted with her, but hadn't made any other moves; probably because he'd lost interest. Earlier he'd phoned and insisted she come over.
He called, "The door's unlocked."
She released a breath and opened the door.
Harris was sitting up in bed with a book in his lap. He lifted it so she could read the title, Sweet Torment, and a slow smile spread across his face.
As she stepped to the edge of his bed she said, "That's your mother's first poetry book."
"Yep. I thought you could read it to me."
"It looks to me like you're perfectly capable of reading it by yourself."
"That's true, but I'd sound funny trying to imitate your voice." He patted the bed. "I'm lonely being stuck in this room. The doc says I need to stay down for a few days."
"You could have gone to your parents' home to recover."
"Would you have come with me?"
"No."
"That's why I'm still here."
He's flirting with me again. Before she could respond, Harris said, "There's another reason I asked you here."
"And what is that?"
"Eli says I look like hell and offered to help me shave, but since I'd rather ogle you than him, I asked you here to do the deed. Have you ever shaved a man?"
Lucinda nervously adjusted her glasses. "No. Never."
"Then you're about to get your first lesson."
Before she could protest, he started listing items she needed to gather. Lucinda lifted a hand to stop him. "Maybe I don't want to do this. Maybe I'm going to refuse. Maybe I think you're too bossy."
"Hmm. Since we're talking about so many 'maybes'—maybe you'll kiss me again?"
"Absolutely not. It's not a good idea. You and I live on separate planets."
Harris shrugged, which caused him to wince and moan.
The sound alarmed Lucinda. "Are you okay?" She leaned toward him.
He grinned. "Nothing that a little kiss wouldn't make better."
She jerked backward. "Tell me again the items you want."
Harris gave her his lopsided grin and repeated his list.
Five minutes later Lucinda was sitting on the side of his bed. Only this time she had a bowl of water, a washcloth, a small towel, a razor, and shaving cream. She moistened his cheeks and jaw and then slathered shaving cream over them. Good naturedly she said, "You may have won this round, but you haven't won the war."
"Are we fighting, Lucy?"
She frowned, but continued lathering his jaw with shaving cream. "You know I hate being called Lucy."
"I know. That's why I did it."
"Harris, you're incorrigible." She wiped her hands on the towel and reached for the razor. "I think I'll call you Harry."
"Don't even think about it or you'll regret it."
"Oh, yeah, what's a guy with two broken ribs and a broken arm going to do in retaliation?"
"It's not what I'm going to do now; it's what I'm going to do later."
She paused with the razor poised for its first swipe and raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.
He raised his own eyebrow and said low, "I guarantee you'll love it. In fact, I'll love it, too."
Lucinda huffed and started shaving Harris' stubble, which stopped their bantering. The entire time, however, he never shifted his gaze from staring at her face. Finally, she wet the washcloth and gently wiped away the remaining lather. When she started gathering the razor and other items to return to the bathroom, he reached and gently forestalled her. With all seriousness he said, "I hope I didn't offend you. I apologize if I did. Sometimes my mouth gets me in trouble."
Because his apology was so endearingly honest, she lifted a hand to his cheek. "You didn't offend me."
"Prove it by kissing me."
"Harris, you and I would never work. It's better if–"
He leaned forward until his mouth touched hers.
Although moving away would have been easy, she remained motionless, and then gave in to the kiss. In her entire life, Lucinda had never been pursued by a man as handsome, fit, and famous as Harris. He was the stuff of daydreams and she knew his feelings for her were real—at least for now. Maybe the next leggy cowgirl flirting with him would be all he needed to move on. She ended the kiss and sat back. Softly, she said, "I have to go," and quickly grabbed the shaving supplies and left the room.
Lucinda felt terrible as she returned to her RV. She had betrayed Harris and he was completely unaware of it. Just the morning before she had emailed her completed article to her editor and he'd called her that evening, saying, "Kiddo, I never imagined such a routine story could become so sensational. Ya done good, so good in fact, that I'm giving you a raise and meatier assignments. You're a fine reporter, Lucy."
Although her boss's praise should have put her on cloud nine, she'd barely registered it. She'd sold Harris and his family out. But she needed this job and she was first and foremost a reporter. Harris would realize that, wouldn't he?
She stepped back into her RV where Angel was stirring a pot on the stove. Angel said, "Okay, I'm dying to know. Why was Harris so insistent that you come over?"
Lucinda faked laughter. "He wanted a shave."
Angel paused in stirring and grinned. "Yeah, right. What he wanted was time alone with you. He's completely smitten by you. I've seen him date a lot of women, but never become focused on just one, like he has with you. He's a wonderful man."
Lucinda chanced a personal question. "What about you? You and Harris seem like a perfect match."
Angel's gaze never wavered when she answered. "At one time, I thought the same thing, but–" her gaze strayed away, "I don't think that now." She returned to stirring.
Lucinda decided not to pry. She had a feeling Eli was the man Angel loved, but she wasn't about to open that can of worms since there was still tension between them.
Angel said, "Homemade chicken noodle soup in five minutes. Do you want some?"
"Sure. I just need to check my emails. I'll be right back." She escaped to her room, closed the door, leaned against it, and shut her eyes against tear pricks. She also made a decision to leave the next morning while Eli, Angel, and Harris met with one of his sponsors in the other motorhome. She would leave without saying goodbye and write a note making up an excuse for her hasty departure. Of course, they wouldn't believe her, but at least she could get away without facing Harris. Besides, it was doubtful she'd ever see any of them again. It was time to move on to another assignment.
As planned, she called an Uber driver the next morning as soon as Angel left for her meeting. She instructed the driver to wait at the entrance to the park and then placed her note on the table. With a final sad glance at the RV that had been her home for weeks, she slipped out the driver's door and stealthily made her way to the front entrance. Her ride arrived within minutes and she said, "Airport, please."