Page 100 of On the Double

Not that he would have a problem with Oliver taking a few extra days. But with Harper unable to work, I was pretty sure that put Oliver in the position to take care of her bills. Had anyone even informed the IGA that Harper had been in an accident? Surely, it was all over town by now.

I shoved the key in the lock and let myself in, nearly dropping the groceries as I hustled through the door. Oliver was freshly showered and passed out on the couch, so I did my best to keep quiet as I moved through the living room to the kitchen at the back of the house.

I was just setting everything down when my phone rang. Answering quickly, I hurried out the back door to keep from waking Oliver. “Yeah?”

“You ready to get to work?” Cash asked, his voice tense.

I looked back at the house, not sure what to tell him. “What do you have?”

“A possible lead.”

This was about Rafe. “When are you moving?”

“Two days.”

Two days. That was a tight timeframe. If I went along, I would need to be there for the briefings. But that meant leaving Harper. It shouldn’t matter. I should be able to just put the groceries away and tell Oliver I’d check in when I got back. But I couldn’t say the words.

“I can’t go on this one.”

“I thought you wanted in? Now you’re backing out?”

“Harper was in an accident,” I explained. “I just found out. It’s been like three days and?—”

He was silent for a moment. “Fine.”

“Cash—” I said before he could hang up on me. “I’m still with you on this. Just give me a few days to get things settled.”

“I don’t have a few days,” he snapped. I heard him take a deep breath. “It might not pan out. I’ll keep you in the loop.”

It was better than nothing. “Yeah.”

The call dropped before I had a chance to say anything else. There was nothing I could do about it. I made my choice and I wasn’t aboutto change my mind. I needed to do this for Harper and myself. I didn’t completely understand it, but I knew if I walked away without even seeing her first, I would regret it.

When I walked back into the house, Oliver was up and moving around the kitchen. He glanced at the phone in my hand and jerked his head. “Everything okay?”

“Just work.”

“You gotta take off?”

“Nah. I told him I was out for a few days.”

Oliver’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “A few days?”

“I figured you could use the help. Unless that’s overstepping.”

“No, it’s fine. I have to go back to work anyway. My boss hasn’t stopped calling since it happened.”

“Duke will give you time off if you need it.”

He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “I still have another week at the garage before Duke gets me. I’m sure by then it’ll be fine.”

I really fucking hoped so. But that brace around Harper’s neck gave me hives. “Any idea when Harper can return to work?”

“Doc said it would be at least a few weeks. But that all depends on what she’ll be able to do with her arm.”

“I can’t imagine working with one arm would be easy,” I said, almost to myself. “And what about her car? It’s totaled. And will she even want to drive?”

“She doesn’t remember much from the accident with our parents. I guess it depends on what she remembers this time.”

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