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“In that case—”
I pushed him away as he tried to pull me close. I walked over and picked up my cellphone and purse before heading to the door. In my haste, I had forgotten all about my jacket which he held out to me. I grabbed it.
“Thank you.”
“We should go so we don’t keep Cliff waiting. I think the forecast is calling for more snow, so it’d be nice to get back here before it really starts to come down.”
I put my coat on as he did his, then we left. The townhome where Cliff lived was in Georgetown, just west of the downtown area. The weather reminded me a lot of the blizzard like conditions in Chicago last weekend, so there was less traffic on the roads than there usually would be.
That was a blessing and a curse in that it meant we could get where we needed to go faster, but the conditions were also favorable for accidents, and there’d been too many of them lately for my liking. This wouldn’t even be considered coincidental. I shivered, and Gabriel looked over at me.
“Are you going to be okay, Harper? If not, we really can do—”
“No,” I assured him. “I’m good. Let’s go.”
Gabriel continued to follow the directions from the GPS and we eventually arrived in front of a stonewashed brick townhouse. Just as I often did when looking at various Chicago properties like the ones that Gabriel and I grew up in, I couldn’t help but be awed by the historical details just on the outside alone.
Homes like this one were a designer’s dream, and all my worries seemed to fall away as my passion overtook my thoughts. The distraction didn’t last long.
“Are you ready to go inside?”
I nodded, then got out of the car. Cliff had already seen up pull into the driveway, so he was at the door. I was pushed through the entry and after wiping my feet on the inside rug and leaving my boots on the nearby shoe rack, I stepped further inside the space.
The sleek and modern interior was a direct contradiction to the exterior. The home still possessed certain details common with the time period it was built, but you could tell it had been renovated recently. I took in the intricate millwork, stone features on the one accent wall, and the restored hardwood floor laid in an impressive herringbone pattern. The rooms had tall ceilings, at least nine foot in height, and it was truly stunning. It all brought back memories from the times I would work alongside Ashley Blake in her own home.
“So this is Charles Grimes’ little girl?” Cliff asked, and hearing them mention me, I turned and extended my hand.
“Yes. I’m Harper. Did you know my father well?”
I knew this man worked with Gabriel’s father, but I hadn’t realized he also knew my own father.
“Absolutely. We used to hit the golf course often when he was in town.I was truly sorry to have heard about his death. Chuck and Rosie were a shining example of true love, and they’ve been missed greatly.”
I didn’t want to get emotional when thinking about my parents, but I failed miserably. Turning slightly, I squeezed my eyes closed hoping to hold back the tears threatening to fall. Gabriel placed his hand on my arm to comfort me, and I swallowed back my sob, and turned fully once more. I flashed a quick smile.
“Thank you.”
Cliff then began to talk about Franklin and some of their hijinks together, but I tuned them out. This man had been more than a co-worker to Gabriel’s dad. He’d been close friends with him, as well as my own father once upon a time. I eventually moved to the couch and took a seat. Gabriel joined me a few minutes later, and placed his hand on my knee.
“Cliff’s going to get my father’s things now. He told me that he’d packed up everything in the office, and I honestly don’t know how much or how little it is.”
“It doesn’t really matter,” I told him. “I’m sure we’ll find what we need in however little there may be.”
Gabriel’s expression made me think that he questioned that, but he didn’t say anything. He just gave my knee another squeeze as Cliff arrived with two boxes. He got up immediately and grabbed the top one which bobbled perilously on the other.
“This is all of it,” he proclaimed. I followed the two men as the boxes were put into the car. Even though it was irrational, my paranoia was in overdrive as I practically scanned every corner of the horizon. “I’m very glad to have finally met you,” Cliff told me as I went to get into the car.
“Likewise,” I told him, then added, “I just wish it was under better circumstances.”
I got into the car and began to mentally count down the seconds until Gabriel joined me. One hundred and three to be exact was all it took. He put the key in the ignition, then looked over at me.
“I hate seeing you so scared. I promise everything will be fine.”
I smiled and nodded at the same time, and had to hold back my sigh of relief when he started the car and backed out of the driveway. It didn’t take long to get back to the hotel, and by the time we arrived, the snow had begun to fall more heavily.
I was thankful for the parking garage, and after insisting on carrying a box, Gabriel relented and allowed me to grab the lightest, then we went inside. When back in our room, the frigidness of the winter air outside was replaced by the warmth of the gas fireplace.
I set the box down beside the couch, then moved to the flames. I shrugged off my jacket and proceeded to vigorously rub my hands together until the feeling in them returned. Gabriel had also removed his own coat and when he came up behind me, his arms wrapped around me.
