She liked Lou. They had talked a few times on the phone, and met for coffee a couple of times. Lou was down to earth, and wasn’t afraid to call her man an ass. To Harper, it was still strange for her to think of Abel as her man. They had been married for three months and a week, and even now she didn’t know much about him. She liked being with him, loving him, and he was a good man. Just secretive, which didn’t make for a great experience, but she could handle it, she hoped.
“I thought we could go get some dinner before you have to go and to work.”
“That’s really nice.” She looked at the guy she didn’t recognize.
“Oh, this is Liam. Jacob put him on wife duty to make sure I’m fine.” Lou touched her stomach. “I’m expecting another little Denton.”
“Oh, wow, congratulations.” She threw her arms around Lou, hugging her tightly. “It’s nice to meet you,” she said, offering a hand.
It took Liam a second of staring at her hand before he finally shook it. His hands were really cold. Fall was slowly gaining on them, as was the cold weather. Removing her hand, she smiled at the two. “Where are we going for coffee?”
“How about that café over the street from your work? Is it any good?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never been there. I think it’s okay.”
“Great, climb in.”
Rounding the car, she climbed into the passenger seat, giving Riley a kiss on the cheek, and giggling as he made little noises.
“When are you due?” Harper asked.
“I’ve got a good few months. Jacob worries all the time. I don’t think it would matter how far along I was, he’d worry.” Lou didn’t sit up front with Liam. “How is married life?”
“Fine.” I think.
“That’s it, fine?”
With the Dentons, Harper had come to see over the last few months that it was like they knew a secret and couldn’t tell her. She found it odd at times, at others a little uncomfortable.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.”
“What does Abel do?”
“Harper, why haven’t you searched his name, or the Dentons?”
In some twisted way, she felt it wasn’t loyal to search for something she’d been asked not to do. When she asked her father about it, he’d told her to follow her heart, and to trust in the man she had married.
The more she thought about what she did, the harder it was for her not to regret it. Her feelings changed completely when Abel was there, and she could talk to him, love him.
“It’s something he’s asked me not to do.”
“Then that is something you’re going to have to take up with him. You won’t find that information out for yourself, you’re not ready to know.”
“Did you know Jacob before you married him?”
“I knew of Jacob before I met him. His reputation preceded him. You and I, we are different people. I came from a family who knew the Dentons on a business level.”
“What about now?”
“Jacob is my husband. I love him very much.”
Running fingers through her hair, Harper glanced out of the window. Riley had fallen asleep even with them talking.
“Abel is intense. I find it hard to function without him. When I’m away, I think to myself, I’m going to put my foot down, and that’s it. He’ll tell me everything and we will see how it goes.”
“Then?”