The Military Wife (A Heart of a Hero, #1)(69)

“How’s Bennett?” Although her mom’s voice was casual, Harper sensed the worry behind the question.

Harper hadn’t told her about their argument. Even thinking about it upset her. She missed him in ways she never thought possible. “I don’t know.”

“What happened?” Patience was in the question.

Maybe she’d sleep better if she excised the poison. “Bennett was there when Noah was killed.”

“Stands to reason since they were on the same SEAL team.”

Harper closed her eyes and followed the dancing light. “I mean he was with Noah when he died. When we were at Allison’s, I overheard him and Darren talking. He’s not telling me something. Something important. Not to mention, he accidently let drop a promise he made to Noah. One that involved me and maybe Ben too. I pushed the issue on the way home from Fort Bragg.”

“Wouldn’t budge?”

Harper shook her head. “He got mad. Basically told me not to worry my pretty little head over it. I don’t see how we can move on together with Noah between us. Got any sage advice?”

Her mom was silent for so long, Harper propped herself up. The expression on her mother’s face was part pity and part exasperation.

“Yeah. Cut him a break. How about you back off forcing him to talk to you and wait until he’s ready. I can only imagine Noah’s death was extremely traumatic and dating his widow must leave him confused and conflicted.”

Harper flopped to her back. Her mom had never been one to sugarcoat her opinions or throw her only daughter 100 percent support when it was undeserving. When she was a teenager, defensive anger would flare at her mom’s tough talk. Time and experience had proved that more often than not, she was right. Even if Harper didn’t want to admit it.

Tears clogged her throat and scratched at her eyes. She hadn’t cried this much since seeing the navy chaplain at her front door.

“Have you talked to him?” Her mom’s tone had softened.

“Not since we fought.”

“That’s where I would start.”

Her thinking needed to be readjusted. She had assumed the moral high ground—all she wanted was the truth after all—and put Bennett squarely in the wrong. Did she have it backward? Maybe they straddled right and wrong. Or perhaps right and wrong didn’t exist, only the complications of living.

She stood up so fast she saw sunbursts. Urgency thrummed now the fog had cleared. “I hate to ask, but could you pick Ben up from preschool so I can work things out with Bennett? If he doesn’t slam the door in my face, that is.”

“Ben and I will be fine. You go on.”

Harper dropped a quick kiss on her mom’s cheek and took off at a run to change into jeans and a T-shirt. Determined to set things right, she was on the road in ten minutes. Unfortunately, she had an hour and a half to second-guess herself, and by the time she pulled up to the survival school she was a tangled mass of insecurity and indecision.

It was his day off, but two SUVs were parked next to his truck. Was he with customers or friends or had he moved on with another woman? She couldn’t barge in and splatter her heart all over the place. After sitting in her car like a stalker for twenty minutes with no sign anyone was leaving anytime soon, a new issue presented itself.

She needed to pee. Dammit. It was either leave and find a gas station, use the woods, or pull up her big-girl panties and face Bennett.

Her boots crunched gravel on her walk to the door. The sound loud in her ears. The nerves ricocheting around her body only made her need to pee worse. Like last time, the Closed sign was displayed, but the door was unlocked.

She opened the door slowly. The chime echoed. She braced herself, but only Jack London was there to greet her. She rubbed him behind the ears with both hands and he sat, narrowing his eyes in enjoyment. If only his master were as easily won over.

A voice carried from the back, masculine but indistinct. She weaved her way around racks and displays on the shop floor to the slightly ajar storeroom door. The closer she got, the louder the voices grew. All male and deep and interspersed with laughter. Relief he wasn’t with a woman left her knees trembling.

Jack pushed the door farther open with his head and trotted inside. She peeked in. Three men stood with their backs to the door. Jack worked his way next to Bennett, who was in the middle, two inches taller than either man at his side. She would put money on the fact that all three were current or former military.

The man on Bennett’s left glanced over his shoulder. His gaze crossed hers and held, his confusion turning to surprise. Alex Ramirez. Another member of Bennett and Noah’s SEAL team. He had been to their house for cookouts and to watch football with Noah. Without taking his eyes off her, he turned and elbowed Bennett.

There was nowhere to hide. She forced herself forward, hoping her mouth was in something resembling a smile.

“Harper Wilcox?” There was enough of a question in Alex’s voice to indicate he wasn’t sure he believed his eyes.

“Alex. It’s been years. How are you?” She shook his hand, keeping her eyes averted from Bennett for now. Alex was good-looking, with crinkly laugh lines around his eyes, but experience and years had added a wariness she’d never noticed.

“I’m good. How are you? I meant to stop by and offer my condolences after Noah, but by the time I got home, you had moved.” He ran a hand over his jaw and broke eye contact. “Anyway, I’m real sorry. Peaches was a good SEAL and an even better man.”