Page 59 of Wilde Secrets

They’d each take it in turns to remember something about their mom. They still did it, fifteen years later. And Isla still insisted on buying Harper a chocolate shake with sprinkles on top.

And when they’d finished their shakes, Isla would smile at Harper and say “I love you more than a chocolate shake with sprinkles.”

She hadn’t realized just how worried she had been, pushing it down and trying not to think about everything going on with her sister. But hearing those familiar words? Knowing what they meant?

She burst into tears.

Logan murmured soothing sounds as he rubbed her back. “It’s going to be alright, princess.”

She clung to him like a shipwreck survivor clings to driftwood; letting go of the storm of her emotions.

Long minutes later, when her breathing had finally evened, she pulled away swiping at her eyes.

“Oh god, I must look a mess. “ She laughed self-consciously as she looked up at him through watery eyes.

“Never.” He dropped a kiss to her lips and then pulled back.

Her fingers trailed over his hip before dropping to her side. She didn’t want to stop touching him.

“Coffee?”

“Please.” She was seriously undercaffeinated.

She watched as Logan poured her a mug and handed it to her. Harper picked up her phone again and took it and her coffee to the couch. Picking up a throw cushion, she sat down and tucked her legs underneath her. She hugged the cushion and flipped through the messages again.

She played Isla’s voicemail once more, this time with a frown. What had her sister meant bywhatever he says, don’t believe it?

That was confusing.

Did Isla mean King? Or someone else? Their dad?

She quickly scanned the list of voicemails, but there weren’t any more from Isla. Just from their dad and a few from Isla’s agent.

It was hard to know where to start. There must be easily a hundred messages on here.

One day at a time.

That was easier said than done sometimes. But she could do one message at a time.

She started at the beginning, with the oldest ones.

Why aren’t you answering your phone?

Where are you?

These were from her father.

It made sense he wouldn’t know where she was. She was meant to be at Mason’s house, not with Logan.

The next few were more of the same, so she skipped to the ones from Isla’s agent. But they were just polite ones asking her to call them back. And there was even one from a guy she’d had one date with last year telling her he was there for her if she needed him. The same guy who’d made it clear the only reason he’d asked Harper out was on the chance he’d get to meet her sister. The jerk. She scoffed.

She flicked over to her text messages and found just one from her father. Never one to write in anything other than full sentences with punctuation, even in a text message. She rolled her eyes.

Harper. Call me as soon as you get this.

No ‘please’. No checking to see how she was. She pressed her lips into a thin line. That was it.

She went back to the voicemails.

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