Page 133 of Relentless

“She what?” Oakleigh’s eyes went wide.

Crew nodded, his brow furrowing.

“That’s okay, right?”

Oakleigh looked down at her sparkling white diamond, using the moment to take it all in.

“Yeah,” she whispered. “It’s great.”

Chapter 36

Unshackled

Harper pulled her luggage from her room that early Sunday morning, shutting her door behind her for the very last time. Making her way to the stairs, the sound of the luggage wheels on the hardwood floor resonated down the long, silent hallway. The only downfall of leaving quietly was that there were no strong men nearby to help carry her things.

Late into the night, she could hear the excited voices of the girls catching up in the living room below. There had been a part of her that yearned to join them. It had been so long since they had all been together.

Harper resisted, honoring the terms of their deal. She resolved herself to stay scarce until her flight home.

Wheeling her bag into the entryway, she caught a glimpse of herself in the large mirror. Since being at the ranch, she had noticeably put on some weight.

Nothing a little pilates and a juice cleanse couldn’t fix.

There would certainly be a much-needed visit with her cosmetic surgeon as early as his next open appointment.If Shep planned to continue his campaign to publically humiliate her, then she would endure it all lookingfabulous.

She exhaled, taking one last long look around the warm, cozy living room.

They’ll be glad to see me go.

Glancing down at her screen, she tapped on the rideshare app. The driver was making his way down the long dirt road.

Dozer announced himself with a loud bark, dashing through the living room with his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth. The excited pup jumped on her, causing her to stumble backwards to maintain her balance.

“All right, boy,” Harper smiled, giving the dog a stiff pat on the head. “We’re friends now.”

“Can’t sneak away that easy,” Maeve’s voice chimed from the kitchen.

“Not a chance in this house,” Harper replied dryly.

Maeve made her way through the living room with a travel mug in hand.

Just a few short weeks earlier, the sight of her sister would have brought out the worst from her — but there had been some healing between them, and she found herself feeling grateful for it.

“I think you’re the first person to get an Uber to come all the way out here,” Maeve observed with an amused smile. “I wouldn’t have minded dropping you off.”

Harper waved her away. “You’re the pastor’s wife now,” she shrugged. “You can’t miss Sunday service.”

Maeve took a deep breath, appearing to collect her thoughts. “I’m sorry to see you go.”

“I bet you never expected to say that,” Harper replied, with a wistful smile.

“I’m planning to talk to Paisley —” Maeve began.

“Don’t you dare,” Harper cut her off, her eyebrows gathering. “I can’t blame them,” she admitted, a tinge of regret in her tone. “Can you?”

Maeve chewed on her lip. “Just — let me know if you need me, Harp.”

Harper looked away, feeling the vulnerability of it all beginning to edge under her strong armor. “I need to start untangling the mess I’ve made,” she choked out. “That’s my job, not theirs.”

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