CHAPTER 17
Special K
Harper always has impeccable timing, arranging every situation so that it allows her to make the biggest impact, and capture the most attention. I didn’t recognize that when we were together, but in hindsight, and know Harper was never my best friend.
Harper’s best friend was, and will always be, Harper herself.
She’s always liked shiny assignments, things that will be high profile and put her in the line of sight of three-stars and joint staff. As if she wasn’t shiny enough, no matter the mission.
Even dressed in civvies today—jeans, a white button-down shirt, and deck shoes—she’s all kinds of shiny. I look away. I don’t need to remind myself how beautiful I once thought she was. Her pale blond hair, her deep brown eyes, her body. All perfect in every way.
On the outside, anyway.
On the inside, she’s empty. She’s missing the most important trait a person can have. She’s fresh out of integrity.
Taking a quick glance at Cal, I notice his eyes boring into mine. He doesn’t need words to ask the same question I’m asking myself. “What’s Harper up to?”
Why here? Why now? What does she want from me? Hasn’t she caused enough damage to my life? Cal knows the truth about Harper, but the rest of my brothers are in the dark. They still see her as the one who got away.
They have no idea what she really is.
My father mumbles something under his breath. I can tell he’s not thrilled with her unplanned visit. He knows Harper hurt me in some way, though he doesn’t know the details. He never tries to pry information out of his sons that they’re not ready to divulge, so he’s never asked me outright.
All Dad knows is that she dumped me, and that I received an honorable discharge from the Navy and returned home, empty and broken.
It took a while for me to bounce back, but Cal and I assured Dad that leaving the Navy was my choice and that I came home to join my brothers in developing StellaR Tech.
I wasn’t sure my father was convinced by the story, and now looking at his reaction to Harper’s surprise visit, I know he wasn’t.
I could be wrong, but I don’t think Harper has come here to shame me in front of my family. She doesn’t care about me enough to put me in the crosshairs. Plus, it’s ancient history. If she wanted to shame me, she’s had plenty of time to do it, since she unceremoniously dumped my ass years ago.
I watch her walk up the deck steps and head for our table.
“Hello, Harper.” Dad’s greeting is pretty lackluster.
“This is a surprise,” Evander adds.
“Forgive me for interrupting,” Harper says. Her voice is sweet and conciliatory. “I was nearby and thought I should at least stop in to say hello.”
If she’s telling the truth, “nearby” means she’s been doing her super-secret shit at either Groom Lake, Nellis, or the Tonopah Test Range. In any case, she wouldn’t exactly be in the neighborhood. There’s no stopping by Yosemite Ranch—she had to go far out of her way to say hello.
I already know whatever her motives are, they aren’t good.
“I saw Evander in London a few months back and realized that it’s been too long,” she says, smiling at everyone. “Friends should stay in touch. So, when I said goodbye to Evander, I made a point to include Yosemite Ranch in my future plans.”
Overexplaining is one of Harper’s tells. It means she’s not being completely truthful. Shocker.
“Welcome,” Dad says with even less enthusiasm. “Please join us for lunch.”
Aunt Phyllis goes inside to get another plate while all eyes are on Harper and then me and back to Harper again, like my ex and I are duking it out in a Wimbledon singles match.
After an initial awkwardness, Evander introduces Harper to all the new members of the family. There’s a wave of hellos around the table as I return my attention to the fascinating contents of my plate.
That is, until I hear her say, “It’s really good to see you, K. You look well.”
The sound of her voice is a stab to my gut. Anger rises up from the pit of my belly, spreads across my chest, and lodges in my throat. My eyeballs burn with it.
I want to flip the table, end over end, and send everything flying.
But instead, I take a step back in my mind and raise my eyes to her. Cool as a cucumber on the surface and seething with disgust underneath.
Aunt Phyllis brings out a plate, silverware, and a drinking glass for the unwelcome guest. Jasmine scoots her chair over so that Dad can pull up an extra seat.
It’s time to put an end to the charade.
I stand. “Don’t bother getting yourself too comfortable, Harper. Let’s take a walk.”
I circle around the table and start down the deck stairs.
Once I hit the lane, I wait for her to follow, and when I’m sure she’s right behind me, I speed toward my place.
I want to be out of earshot of the family when I say what needs to be said, so when we’re at a safe distance, I stop and turn to her.
Harper’s cheeks redden, and her eyes flash. It’s so strange to look into the eyes that once held so much love, only to find them empty. Maybe they were always empty, and I was just imagining they held love.
But my vision’s clear these days, and right now I see her for who she really is.
“Why are you here?” I demand.
“I… I thought maybe we could talk.”
Talk. After years of silence?
I don’t know what game she’s playing, but it’s irritating me to no end. How dare she invade my life like this? Hasn’t she done enough damage?
But bubbling up below my irritation is wariness. A lot of it. I get the distinct feeling that I need to be prepared to defend myself from whatever grenade she’s about to throw into my nice, peaceful existence.
“What do you want, Harper? Just spit it out so that you can go back the way you came.”
She blinks, as if she’s surprised that I’m not thrilled to see her. “I saw Evander in London and it brought back so many memories.”
“You already used that line.”
Her mouth falls open in shock.
I’ve never hit a woman and never will, but Harper’s testing the limits of my patience. Maybe that’s intentional, her reason for coming here. Perhaps she’s testing me, to see if I’ve turned over a new leaf or some damn thing.
Once I get her out of here, I’m going to need to hit the gym pretty hard. Maybe all this anger will allow me to hit a new personal record for bench press. Hey, at least something positive will come out of her visit.
“Memories of happier times,” she clarifies.
When Harper moves to touch me, I recoil, taking a big step backward. She gasps in response.
I look down at her face and try to read her.
She’s a naval officer sworn to uphold a code of ethical conduct.
She’s perfectly compliant where those rules and regulations are concerned, but following procedures will never fix someone as cold-blooded as Harper.
The Navy is a powerful institution, but it can’t fix the fundamental nature of a person.
It can’t fix heartless.
“Please, let me explain—”
“Not interested.” I cut her off.