When I get to my guest room there are toothbrushes and skin care supplies on the counter of the bathroom between my room and the one next to it. I wash up and climb into bed and give Harper a call.
It's almost two in the morning so I'm not surprised when she doesn't answer but I still hate the fact I didn't get to say goodnight.
***
I come downstairs early the next morning planning to get a ride share back to my place. Harper never responded but maybe she isn’t up yet. But as soon as I walk into the kitchen Bryson yells, "He's here!"
"Me?" I ask as I take a bowl and pour some cereal into it. I look around the open living area and see that the guys are all here except for Duncan. Felix has almond milk on the counter so I add a splash and grab a banana.
"Great! We'll start the last one." Duncan says as he pops his head up from the sofa.
"Another movie?" I ask. Sure we don't have a game today but we do have practice this afternoon and a flight to get on tonight.
"Yeah, it's a quick one." Bryson explains as he navigates toThe Sandlot.
"Really?" I ask when I see the movie I’ve seen a thousand times.
"Yes, really! New kidjoins the team, they bond, they support the hottie with a body who is going places, kiss the lifeguard. This movie has freaking everything!" Duncan says as he makes room on the sofa.
"Did you just call 14 year old Mike Vitar a hottie with a body?" Bryson clarifies.
"I did. That young man really had an impact on me."
"That makes so much sense," Crosby says and then adds, "I still remember the first time I saw Hannah Montana. Magic.” He turns to me. “Who was your childhood celebrity crush?"
"I didn't have one. I was too focused on hockey." I tell them, refusing to admit mine was Vanessa Carlton.
"Bullshit, but since this Big Guns event is in your honor I'll let it slide, for now.” Crosby says before pointing straight at me. “But we'll figure it out. I promise you."
***
I wave goodbye to Felix as he drops me off two hours later. Today is going to be a busy day. Practice in an hour, then a special teams meeting and a flight out west tonight. I texted Harper with my ETA and she hasn’t read that one either so I’m feeling a little worried. What if something happened?
"Hey Harper, I'm home!" I call out when I walk in. There's a chance she's already at the office but I was hoping she'd be here. When I don't hear a response I go to the fridge and open it.
No smoothie.
Huh. That's not like her. It’s not the end of the world, I can make my own or go without it but I thought Harper liked starting her morning with one too. I never told her she needed to make them for me. We just fell into the routine of it.
When I get to my bedroom I stop in my tracks.
Her clothes that were hanging in the closet aren't there. The corner where she piled up her shoes is empty. I step into the bathroom and her cosmetics and toiletries are gone too. I pull out my phone to call her and curse when it goes to voicemail.
"Harper! Where are you? Call me back. I just got to our place and you're not here and your stuff is gone. What's going on?"
I hang up and call her back again with the same result.
Where the hell is she?
I pace as I try to come up with where she might be.
I’m about to call Wes when my phone buzzes in my hand.
It’s Felix, not Harper, so I don’t answer.
A second later a text comes in.
FELIX: