Page 206 of Crossed Wires: The Complete Series

Amy laughed, but once again, Keith noticed the joy never reached her eyes. He knew Amy. Hell, he’d grown up with her. He knew when she was happy and right now, she wasn’t. Not at all.

Harper didn’t seem convinced either. “But Andrew never…”

“He never falls in love,” Amy finished, her sheepish expression making Keith want to hug her. And beat the crap out of Harper’s brother for hurting her. Damn it, when had he become such a violent Neanderthal? “Yeah. I know. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking on my part, but I’m okay with that. It’s nice to believe my feelings were returned and it’s not like it’s going to hurt anyone for me to hold on to that idea. After all,” her voice cracked slightly, “I’m most likely never going to see him again.”

Harper flicked a quick look at Keith and Marc, her teeth pulling at her bottom lip before she offered Amy a smile. For Keith, it was a smile of broken hopes. He saw it in Harper’s eyes. He felt it in his heart. Amy was back and Harper’s time as Farpoint Creek’s resident teacher was up. The fantasy was over and reality had come crashing down upon them.

“I hope you’re right, Amy,” Harper said, the pain in her voice shearing into Keith’s chest. “I’ve always worried about my brother’s inability to let any woman into his heart. I should have known if anyone could do it, it would be you.”

She reached forward and gave Amy another hug, her stare finding Keith’s over Amy’s shoulder.

Keith swallowed, torn. He was happy Amy was home, he’d missed her, but she’d come home distraught and he didn’t like that. Just as much as he didn’t like the fact Harper was going soon.

Christ, what a fucking mess.

“Come on into the house,” Annie suddenly said, reaching for Amy’s hand. “You’re going to have to tell Hazel and me all about this man. Keith, I suspect you and Marc can keep Harper entertained for a little while?”

Keith stiffened, Annie’s question, and her pointed look, hitting home. Entertain Harper for a little while.

Little while.

That’s all they had left. And here he was, wasting the precious minutes being a grumpy pain in the arse.

With a slight tug on her wrist, and another look that spoke volumes, Annie led Amy into the house. Hunter followed, fixing Keith with a narrow-eyed stare before sliding a glance to Harper and Marc.

“Jesus, do you think the boss could be any more obvious?” Marc muttered.

And then it was just the three of them, Harper, Marc and Keith.

“Can I just say,” Harper began, her voice a husky rasp, her eyes shining with unshed tears, “that I hate how big and round this goddamn planet is?”

Her bottom lip began to wobble and she caught it with her teeth.

“C’mere.” Marc reached for her, tugging her to his chest and wrapping his arm around her waist. “We’ll figure something out. Or at least Blue will.”

“Will we?” Harper whispered.

His chest so tight he could barely draw breath, Keith snared her wrist and pulled her closer, kissing away the solitary tear that trickled down her right cheek. “Bloody oath we will,” he answered, all too aware how choked his voice sounded. “Even if we have to move to Chicago.”

* * *

They made love to her by the billabong for the rest of the day. The very place she’d discovered they weren’t the men she’d thought they were had proven to be the most romantic in Australia.

They didn’t speak of Amy’s arrival. They didn’t speak again of Harper’s return to the U.S.

Harper knew they needed to. The two topics were irrevocably entwined. Amy was back in Australia—her heart broken by Andrew, from the sound of it. Goddamn it, Harper was going to beat the crap out of her brother when she got home—the life swap adventure had come to an end.

Sooner than Harper had planned.

Sooner than she could bear.

Grief gnawed at her soul but she refused to surrender to it. Instead she let Marc and Keith take her to sexual heaven, reveling in their mastery of her pleasure as she tried to capture every moment in her heart.

Dinner that night with Amy was wonderful and yet, at the same time, horrible. Every time she looked at her friend, the woman she’d come to think of as her sister after more than a year of emails and Skyping, she thought of Andrew and guilt slammed into her. Guilt and doubt.

She cursed herself for not telling him where she’d gone. She hated that she’d put her friend in such a position. Hated that Amy now seemed utterly depressed. Whatever had happened in Chicago between Amy and Andrew, Harper was sure none of it would have occurred if she’d just been brave enough to tell her brother where she was.

She wanted to hug her friend and tell her she was sorry, so sorry.