Page 9 of Your Heart & Mine

Wyck gave a sliver of a smile. "C'mon, I'm parked right over here. We can go over to Janelle's and get some coffee."

Harper looked from him to the black Range Rover he was indicating. Another beat passed before she seemed to come to a decision and started walking toward the vehicle. "I've only got a few minutes. Mama and Cam need my help."

Wyck's mouth tightened briefly but he didn't ask if Cam was the blonde man who he'd seen with her and what their relationship was. "No problem," he said instead.

A minute later, he had the heater blowing full blast and the Range Rover headed toward the other end of town toward the diner.

Chapter eight

It's Just Food

Harper'sshoulderswerealmosttouching her ears and her spine was ramrod straight when Wyck glanced in her direction. If she gets any closer to that door, she'll fall out into the street, he thought.

"I'd forgotten how cold it gets here." Wyck wanted to bang his head on the steering wheel hearing his own lame attempt at conversation. He'd been reduced to weather.

"Mmmmhmm," Harper replied, not turning her head to face him.

The diner was only a couple of blocks away and Wyck was happy to see it still in business. He'd noticed so many of the business fronts were dark or boarded up. It gave him an unexpected pang in his chest to see the town so forlorn. While never a prosperous place, the town had always had a sense of pride and community about it when he was growing up. Now it looked like something out of a post-apocalyptic movie set. He was surprised at the feelings the decline was stirring in him.

Refocusing on Harper, Wyck began to question the wisdom of having a public conversation with her after all this time; especially the way she was acting so far. They pulled into the small parking lot, avoiding the worst of the potholes, and Wyck rushed around the front of the SUV. He opened Harper's door before she could do it herself. Her brow furrowed as she glanced at him in the open doorway.

"You didn't need to do that," she murmured as she alighted to the cracked asphalt.

"I know, but I wanted to." Wyck held out a hand to steady her, but she swiveled away from his touch.

Their eyes locked as they stood there for one heartbeat, then another. Finally, Harper cleared her throat and moved past him toward the restaurant. Wyck shut the door and hit the fob for the lock. Locking the car was probably unnecessary here, but he'd hit the button out of long habit. He definitely wouldn't leave his vehicle unlocked in Richmond.

The bell tinkled over the door as they entered. An older woman with a long black braid sprinkled with silver pulled over one shoulder, and an apron doing its best to cover overly generous hips called out to them to sit anywhere. Her name tag read 'Becky'. Wyck gave a little wave as they roamed down the booths to the end. He was relieved to see that there was only one other patron at this time of day – an old farmer in the ubiquitous denim overalls sitting at the counter, reading the local paper. It wasn't completely private, but it would have to do.

As soon as they had settled in the booth across from each other, Becky arrived at their table, coffee pot in hand. Harper covered her cup with her hand and shook her head, but Wyck gladly turned his cup over in the saucer for a fill up. "Cream and sugar's on the table." Becky motioned to the small bowl of little coffee creamers and a large glass sugar dispenser.

"Thanks," Wyck said, pulling a laminated menu from the little rack where they sat on the Formica table. "Any specials today?"

Becky looked at him like he was mental. "Uh, sorry, no. Just whatcha see there." She pointed to the menu in his hand. "I'll be back for your order in a minute."

Wyck tried giving the taciturn woman a friendly smile, but she simply turned away and walked over to the farmer to fill up his coffee. Wyck rubbed the back of his neck. "Somehow I remember people being a little friendlier around here." He tried to catch Harper's eye, but she had her menu in front of her face and was studying it like it held the secrets of the universe.

"Any suggestions? Seems I remember the cheeseburgers were really good here." When she didn't respond, Wyck reached out a finger to pull the laminated menu away from her face.

Harper kept her eyes on the table, her full lashes practically lying on her cheeks as she attempted to avoid his gaze. She knew it had been a mistake to give in to his invitation. If she didn't have to look in those soulful grey eyes, maybe she would be able to survive this lunch unbroken.

"Do you hate me so much you can't even look at me?" Wyck asked quietly.

The pain in his voice made her eyes pop up to his.Damn it!His voice was much deeper and huskier than the boy she remembered but the emotion in it was as familiar to her as her own. It was exactly the same as the boy she had loved. She studied his storm cloud eyes and recognized the anguish in them from the last time she had seen him – in the hospital all those years ago.

The air whooshed out of her lungs as she let herself take him in; so different but so much the same. Her head shook side to side almost imperceptibly. "I don't hate you, Wyck. I, I just don't know how to do this."

He reached for one of her hands that had a white-knuckle grip on the menu. She allowed him to pry her fingers loose and take it in his warm palm. "Hey, it's just coffee and some food. Let's start there. No expectations."

His thumb stroked back and forth on her knuckles, and she felt her insides start to unclench. His hands were always so warm. She took a breath and let her lips turn up in a tremulous smile. "Fine. Food."It's just food. I can do food.She forced herself to pull her hand away from his and tucked it in her lap. "The burgers are still good. They still make the homemade pickles."

"Good to know." He was disappointed she had pulled her hand away, but she was looking at him now and speaking. It was a start.

When Becky came back around, they ordered their food and Harper asked for a sweet tea as well.

"What are Brenna and Elizabeth up to these days?" Wyck sipped his coffee, hoping this was a safe topic to start with. He and her younger sisters had always gotten along, though he figured they thought of him as a monster now after the way he had left.

Luckily, the question brought a true smile to Harper's face. "They're really good. Elizabeth got her architecture degree and is designing mostly multi-family dwellings. Her love is really in restoration, though. I see her moving into that once she gets some more experience under her belt."

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