Chapter 43
Harper parked the Chevy Cruze and walked into Brash & Brazen, both apprehensive and hopeful over her meeting with Irving.
Without asking, Noah had confiscated Harvey five days ago and brought back the Cruze for her to drive. The only contact was a key in an envelope and a Post-it with one short sentence explaining the change.
It had been nine lonely days since Deke’s arrest and her last day of seeing Noah. Although he’d been living next door, she’d seen no sign of him. Wherever he was he’d effectively avoided her, and shut her out.
Gretchen wasn’t at her desk. She knew the way back so she headed for the hallway. Alvin almost ran her over when she rounded the corner.
“Sorry,” she said and stepped back.
With her face at chest level, she spotted what looked like an orange striped cat head on a light blue knitted background peeking out from the open V of his black sport coat.
She pointed and scrunched her nose. “Is that a cat?”
“Say. Nothing.” The command was low and threatening. His eyes bore a hole through her head. “This is all your fault.”
“My fault?”
“If you’d have kept your big mouth out of my business, Gretchen wouldn’t have decided that since the news was out about us, we should have at least one matching sweater set.”
Harper bit her lips together to keep from laughing beneath his thunderous glare. Alvin in a cat sweater was freaking hilarious!
“I’m so sorry.” So not sorry.
He saw her struggle, snorted, and rolled his eyes. “Women.” He stalked past her and out of the office.
Once out of the danger zone, she laughed for a good minute. Gretchen was just what Alvin needed. He was too surly.
Irving exited his office when she walked up. An attractive older woman held his arm.
“There you are,” he said and grinned. The man had perfect white teeth. “I thought I’d miss you. Doris and I have lunch plans.” He introduced them, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a key badge.
“This is for you if you decide you’d like to come and work for me. My current crop of PI’s are too bossy and fussy. I need someone on my side when they get to telling me what to do.”
Good natured grousing rose behind her. She peered back and saw Taryn, Jess, and Summer standing in an open doorway. They frowned at Irving and stared hopefully at her.
How could she refuse? “I accept.”
Irving didn’t have time to respond as his PI’s squealed and Harper was quickly buried in hugs and cheek kisses. Irving chuckled and he and Doris quietly slipped away.
“I can’t believe you’re a Brash girl,” Taryn said and twirled her in a dance move. “Welcome to the family.”
“I can’t believe Irving called us bossy,” Jess interjected and made a funny face. “He’d be nothing without us. We keep that man young.”
Summer tugged at a curl that escaped Harper’s ponytail. She pulled them into a group hug. “And now we are four.”
The next half hour was spent with Harper catching them up on her closed case over M&M’s and Goobers out of the break room vending machine. She also told them about Kimmie’s blackmail success and how the youngster was now CEO of something at Muskrat headquarters.
“That little sneak,” Taryn said with admiration in her voice. “Willard must have flipped over making her CEO. I wonder what she found?”
“I don’t know,” Harper said. “But now that I’m a PI, I’ll pry the information out of her sooner or later.”
They cooed over pictures of Willow, and made plans for a proper Tuesday night celebration of Harper’s new job, complete with half-off drinks and nachos at a local tavern.
“Bring Kimmie,” Jess said with a brow waggle.
Harper’s phone buzzed a text. Her heart raced. “Noah.”
“How is that going?” Summer asked gently.
“It isn’t.” Could she sound less upbeat, Harper thought and shoved her phone in her pocket. She wanted to mend things between them but didn’t know how. And the longer they went without contact, the more she worried that he was done with her.
Why then, had he texted? He probably wanted to tell her to get her stuff out of his duplex.
“Is this your trust issue flaring up?” Taryn said. “I don’t know him well, but I think the guy deserves a chance. He cares about you, and everyone makes mistakes.”
“Tell me how you really feel.” Deep down she knew her friend was right. Her phone rang. Noah again.
“You should get that,” Jess urged. “Taryn is right.”
Harper waited until it stopped ringing. She encompassed them all with a frown. “No wonder Irving needs reinforcements. Do you plan to snoop in my love life for the entirety of my employment here at Brash?”
“Yes,” the three said in unison.
Expelling an air puff, she pulled her phone out as a second text arrived. She read frustration in his words.
Noah: Come to the garage.
Harper: Why?
Noah: Plz don’t argue.
She tucked the phone away. “My presence has been requested. Wish me luck.” She walked to the door. “I’ll need it.”
“Good luck,” Summer said.
“Wait,” Jess called out. “I almost forgot. I figured out how Deke got into that damaged hotel room.
“How?”
“That room was one of six rooms the Muskrats rented the last time the guys were in town for a function. The hotel gave out a half dozen keys. When the room caught fire from a smoldering cigar, the hotel didn’t bother to collect the keys. Why would anyone break into a fire-damaged room?”
“So Deke had a key.” Another mystery explained.
“It looks that way,” Jess said. “Now you know.”
Harper winked. “Thanks.”
Leaving Brash, Harper headed north. There was no coughing, wheezing, or smoke coming out of the pipes of the perfect and beautiful car. And no parts fell off, and the air worked perfectly.
Damn, she missed Harvey.
Later, she pulled into the garage and found a sign taped on the door pointing her around back. Her tummy churned with apprehension at seeing Noah again.
She tugged her lacy white top down over her waistband and smoothed her jeans. Her hair fell around her shoulders the way he liked and she wore wild berry lip gloss. She hoped he’d see her, realize that he still loved her, and not ask for his keys back.
Finally ready for the next phase, she hoped she’d find the words to make things right.
Behind the garage was a larger setup with classic cars, in various degrees of repair, lined up on one side of the lot. Three garage bays, two with the doors down, gave Adam plenty of room for his business. How far he’d come from a mischievous kid.
“Summer would love this,” she said, impressed. Unsure of where to go, she stopped and looked around. Noah walked out of the open bay, handsome and dreamy in faded jeans, a work shirt, and brown boots.
“You came,” he said. His eyes scanned over her face. His expression stayed blank. Not a good sign.
“You asked me to.” All parts of her tingled at the sight of him, and happiness bloomed in her heart, confirming that she was fully and completely head over spiked heels for him.
Was it too late to make things right?
“I have something to say,” she said while struggling with the correct words to tell him how she felt.
He cut her off. “Me first.” He took her fingers in his callused hands. “I know I’ve been a butt face in the past, but damn Harper, you have to believe I’ve changed. I love you. I’ve always loved you. I’m going to love you until we’re dumped into his and hers cemetery plots and dirt’s kicked over us. I want you to marry me, make babies, and get wrinkled together.”
Shocked, she took a second to find her tongue. “That’s the most romantic proposal I’ve ever heard.”
“Is that a yes?”
She nodded.
He whooped, picked her up, and spun her around. “Say it.”
“Yes! Yes!” She had a feeling he’d gotten grease on her top. She didn’t care. “I love you, too,” she said and kissed him with all the love she had.
The gloom following her around lifted. She was meant to be with this man, ever since the day he insulted her shoes.
Fate had come full circle. She pulled her head back. “Besides, I’m about to go through Irving’s training classes. If you get out of line, I’ll kick your butt.”
He chuckled and kissed her head. “I guess I should tell you that my boss called me and I’ve been cleared. If returned to work, I can transfer to the Detroit office.”
She was happy for him. “What will you do?”
He kissed her again. “We’ll talk about that later.” He pulled out his phone and sent a quick text. “I have two surprises for you.”
The sound of a muscle car rumbled from inside the shop as one of the bay doors opened. Slowly, a candy apple red Mustang pulled out. Sunlight sparkled off the new paint. Adam grinned from the driver’s seat and rolled to a stop a few feet from Harper.
Her legs went weak. “Is that my car?”
“Adam fixed it up for you. It was Lori’s idea. I stole your key and gave it to them a couple of days after I found out about the vandalism. Lori figured she owed you an apology.”
Harper cried out and ran for the open and unbroken driver’s side window. She leaned in, choke-hugged Adam, and kissed his cheek. He flinched and laughed.
“Thank you so much!” she said and kissed him again. “It’s never looked so beautiful!” They’d fixed everything. Gone was the faded paint, broken glass, and dents. The inside had been cleaned and polished, too.
“Be careful with it, future sister of mine,” Adam said, obviously pleased with her reaction. “This car is now worth more than your average starter house.”
She nodded. “I will.” She kissed him again. “And thank Lori for me.” She’d already forgiven the other woman.
Noah took her hand and dragged her away from his brother. “We have one more surprise. From me.” He took up a position in front of the second bay. Another rumble sounded. The door slowly rolled up. A gold rust bucket drove into the sunlight, the faded paint not sparkling in the least.
Lori sat behind the wheel.
Harper’s mouth popped open. “Harvey?”
“I bought him for you,” Noah said. “Lord help me.”
“Whatever you paid was too much,” she said, stunned.
The rusted spots had been sanded down, leaving bare gray patches in the skin. New sporty looking tires replaced the old ones and some silver pipes had been added under the car and came out from under the back bumper. That explained the racecar sound. The duct tape remained in place, complete with dog teeth marks to remind them of their near-death experience.
Best of all, two white racing stripes went up the hood, over the roof, and down the hatch. Be the time she finished the quick examination, she was laughing so hard that tears streamed down her face.
“He has a new engine and brakes,” Noah said, scowling. “I figured you needed something for winter driving when the Mustang is in storage. And since you were so attached to that piece of junk, and I’d have to ride in it occasionally, I made it road worthy and more badass.”
“It looks ridiculous.” She jumped into his arms. “I love it. I love you.” She hugged him tight. “We’re going to have so much fun with the Mustang, and with Harvey. I might even let you get me naked in the back seat again.”
Noah instantly looked regretful for not dropping the car off at the dump. “Oh goody,” he said with a pained expression and scooped her back up. “My nuts are looking forward to another go around in the goat mobile.”
He smothered her laughter with kisses.