Page 120 of Seeing Harper

Travis nodded and stepped back out of the way.

Clay rushed from the room, slamming the door behind himself as he went.

They all watched as he ran through the side gate to his car, then sped off on his way to catch up with Harper.

A pretty young woman stepped outside the restaurant, her hands holding multiple bags of to-go containers of food.

“Oh, crap! That’s the attorney. I gotta go check on her before she leaves!” Richie said, hurrying out of the house as he called her name and waved to her.

“And that leaves just us,” Maia said.

“Yep. What are we going to do now?” Riley asked.

“I’m going to take my time getting to the Bigsby’s, then I’m hoping I’ll get to share some of their happiness,” Libby said, standing up and brushing off her swimsuit.

“Do you think they’d let me be there, too?” Travis asked.

“I don’t know. You going to tell them how to run their horse business, too?” Libby snapped.

“What do I have to do to make it up to you?”

“You have to make it up to Harper,” Libby said. She turned her attention to Maia and held up the drink she’d almost finished. “Can I bring your cup back when I see you next?”

“You can,” Maia said. “On the condition that you start coming around more. You’re my bestie. I miss you.”

“I’ll be here so much you’ll be begging me to go away.”

“Deal.”

Libby walked out, giving Riley a wide berth. “Bye, Riley.”

“Later, Libs.”

Travis stood up and smiled at Maia, then at Riley. “Thank you both.” He walked over to the door then looked back again. He shrugged. “I’m sorry.”

“The not taking her word for it, Travis, that’s the part that is so hard to understand,” Maia said.

“I just thought she was exaggerating to make me see how much she hated having to be a part of our business.”

“When a woman says something has occurred and it’s got her behavior in an uproar, and she’s upset. It’s occurred,” Maia said calmly.

Travis nodded. He looked at Summer, still standing beside Maia and glaring at him. “Maybe come have breakfast with us again sometime?”

“I’m sure I will at some point. But it’ll have to be after Harper forgives you.”

“I’ll work hard on that.”

He opened the door and turned back to them one last time. “I was an ass. I was so caught up in the future that I decided would be most secure for her, that I discounted every other thing that was possible. There’s no excuse.”

“Doesn’t mean you’re a bad male. Just means that sometimes letting your children find their way is the best way to love them, instead of planning their future for their safety,” Maia said.

Travis nodded, then left, closing the door quietly behind himself.

“Got another frappe?” Summer asked.

“You know I do. Won’t take a minute to make it for you. Come on,” Maia said, leading the way into the kitchen.

“What about me?” Riley asked.