Page 108 of The Doctor's Irreplaceable Love

Harper laughed.“Oh, secrets.I like those.What is it?”

She turned to Banner.“Do you know?”

“It wouldn’t be my place to tell if I did,” he said with a smile, opening the back door of his truck.“But I’ll help carry the boxes inside.”

Trip grabbed the smaller box and handed it to Harper, before he and Banner each took one of the heavier boxes.Just as they reached the cottage door, Shelley came hurrying back.

“Listen, I need to go over and see Jim.”

“Is everything all right?”asked Trip.

“Is he okay?”said Harper.

“I can come with you and—” Banner began.

Shelley let out a short laugh.“I reacted exactly the same way when he asked if I could come over, but he assured me there’s nothing to worry about.He sounds fine.He just said there are a couple of details he wants to go over with me, and he’d rather not wait.”

She met Trip’s gaze.“Is that okay?”

Part of him loved that she was checking in with him.Part of him felt bad, because he didn’t want her to feel like she needed to.

“Of course it’s okay,” he assured her, before turning to smile at Harper.“I think I can probably be of some use around here, but if not, I can get out from under—”

“Oh shush!”Harper turned to Shelley.“Don’t worry.I won’t let him disappear before you’re done.There’s plenty of work for him to do around here.Just do us a favor and text to let us know that Jim really is okay when you get over there.”

“I will.”Shelley came and pressed a quick kiss to Trip’s lips.“I’m really sorry.”

He cupped her cheek in his hand.“There’s no need.You go do your thing, and I’ll get on with mine.”

He winked at Harper as he added, “As soon as Harper tells me what I’m doing.”

After Shelley had driven away, headed toward the ranch house, and Banner had bid them farewell, Trip and Harper went back into the kitchen.

She tapped on one of the boxes they’d brought in.“I’m dying to know what’s inside here, but I have an even more pressing question—if you don’t mind me asking it.”

“Fire away.You can ask, but I can’t guarantee I’ll answer.”

She laughed.“Fair enough, I can respect that.But I couldn’t respect myself if I didn’t at least ask—why don’t you just move all Shelley’s boxes into your place?Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited to share this place with her.We haven’t been roommates for anything more than vacations since college, but…”

She let her words trail off and folded her arms across her chest, raising her eyebrows.

Trip had to laugh.“I’d swear you’re channeling my mother with that look.”

Harper laughed with him.“And you adored your mother, right?”

“I did,” he agreed.

“So…” She lifted her eyebrows again.“If I’m channeling your mom, then you know I’m coming from the right place.I’m not trying to interrogate you.I’ve come to care about you—not just Shelley—and I can’t for the life of me figure out why you haven’t moved her in with you yet.And since you haven’t… why you don’t take the golden opportunity you’re being presented with here.I deliberately asked her to help me with my stuff all day so that hers is still in boxes, mostly.”

Trip chuckled.“I appreciate the thought, but…” His smile faded.“I would never do that to her.

“Yes, I’d love for Shelley to move in with me instead of in here with you, but I put that offer out there a while back.I told her it’s what I want.But I understand.She needs to take her time.She needs to make her own decisions when she’s ready to.”

Harper grinned at him.

“What?”he asked, feeling a little self-conscious,

She shook her head.“Just that you two are perfect for each other—and what you said just proved it.I’ve known her for almost forty years.You’d think I know her better than anyone, and yet I still would have ridden roughshod over her feelings just to get her what she wants.”

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