We came in Frankie’s car and started toward the parking lot, exiting the building from the back exit, which was less crowded.
I wrapped my coat tighter as the cool wind blew against us.
“Harper?” I heard someone call behind me and turned.
“Oh Harper, I thought that was you.” Grace Hartman tapped her husband on the shoulder, as he seemed to be waiting for someone to emerge from the crowd.
Oh jeez.
“Robert, look it's Harper, you remember Anne and Harry’s daughter.” She whispered something to him as they got closer and I knew she was reminding him that I’d dated Troy for a hot minute. Hopefully, that was all she was reminding him of.
Frankie cleared his throat when they reached us.
“Of course I remember, how are you, Harper?” He was just under August’s height. His face was nearly the same but older and his salt and pepper hair was still very much full. A good sign for the Hartman twins.
“I’m well, thank you. Um, this is my boss, Frankie, he’s my ride and I don’t want to keep—”
“Finally,” Robert yelled. “Boys, over here,” he barked.
Damnit.
I followed their gaze to see Troy and August in the distance—walking over to us. they didn’t look too thrilled about coming over here either.
I frowned as they neared. Had theyswitched places?Again?
Feeling flushed, I put a hand on Frankie’s arm to nudge him. “Mr. and Mrs. Hartman, so wonderful to see you both again, I—”
“Boys, look who we ran into,” Grace beamed.
“Hey Harper,” Troy kept his voice low and his eyes wandering. It was then I noticed the keen and sharp expression on their father’s face as he studied them.
August, who’d said nothing, walked with his head held high, not falling to his father’s scrutiny. Instead, he stood in the clean suit Troy wore earlier, hands in pockets.
I wondered if anyone else could see clearly that it was August who just had the wind knocked out of him for the past hour.
I was instantly nervous for them both.
“We’re um… going to grab a bite. It was great seeing you all, great game Troy.” I offered my praise to the wrong brother.
He glanced up. “Thanks Harp.”
It’sHarper.
“You say this is your boss?” Robert’s interrogation moved in my direction as he studied Frankie. Who was as innocent as old men got.
Frankie laughed. “Oh don’t worry, sir. I’ll have her home by midnight.”
I punched my boss and laughed. “Stop it. We’re actually here for a work project. We work at Brooklyn Lines.”
“Oh, are you here for a story?”
“I’m not a reporter, I work at the coffee counter…” I trailed off as I felt myself at the start of a rambling session.
Robert frowned but Frankie cut in. “Don’t listen to her, she won’t be for long. You should see what—”
“It’s really getting cold, we should go, Frankie.”
“Right okay, I can take a hint. Great meeting you both, you should be proud, Troy’s been phenomenal on the ice the last few days.”
