Free Ghostly Issues (A Harper Harlow Mystery Book 2) by Lily Harper Hart Page B

Zander – although I’d much rather have a private dinner than a threesome once she thinks I’m cute again.”
    Jared glanced at Mel and found his partner glowering in his direction. “What?”
    “I wasn’t asking for the down-and-dirty details of your pseudo date with Harper just now,” Mel said. “I was asking what you found when you went to the park in regards to Derek and his death.”
    “Oh,” Jared said, realization dawning and causing his cheeks to burn. “Well, in that case, forget I told you all that mushy stuff about my night with Harper.”
    “I wish I could forget it.”
    “Derek showed up and was … surly,” Jared said.
    “What does that mean?” Mel asked, confused. “Derek was always pleasant when I talked to him.”
    “That’s because he was a teenage suck-up and you were a cop who was friends with his parents,” Jared said. “He knew you would tattle on him the first chance you got if it became necessary, so he snowed you whenever he was in the same room.”
    “You don’t know that,” Mel charged. “He could’ve looked up to me. A lot of people do.”
    “I’m sure they do,” Jared replied dryly. “He called Harper a ‘dippy blonde’ and mentioned something about her hanging around with your gay nephew. She tried to ask him what happened, but he said he couldn’t remember.”
    “And you’re convinced she was talking to Derek and not air, right?” Mel asked, giving Jared a glimpse of his own surliness.
    “You believed she could see ghosts yesterday,” Jared reminded him. “Is there a reason you’re turning on her today?”
    “Derek was a good kid,” Mel replied, lowering his voice. “I don’t like her calling him ‘surly.’”
    “She didn’t refer to him that way,” Jared volunteered. “I did.”
    “You couldn’t see or hear him.”
    “I could hear Harper talking to him, and she told me what he said during the drive home,” Jared explained. “I got the gist of what she was saying without her having to tell me, though.”
    “Maybe Harper is crazy. Have you ever thought about that?”
    “Don’t call my girlfriend crazy,” Jared warned.
    Mel made a face that would’ve been comical under different circumstances. “She’s barely talking to you and now you’re referring to her as your girlfriend? How does that work?”
    “She’s going to forgive me.”
    “You hope.”
    “I know,” Jared corrected. “Don’t talk badly about her. I don’t like it.”
    Mel’s somber expression slipped into a smile. “Fine. You’re right. I shouldn’t talk badly about her. She’s a good girl … even if she is crazy.”
    “If you say it again I’m going to tell Zander you were talking badly about his best friend,” Jared threatened. “Not only will that earn me points with him, but it will also get you in big trouble with your sister when Zander tells her what you’ve been doing.”
    Jared was new to the Whisper Cove game and yet he already knew exactly where to hit Mel and make it hurt.
    “That’s low,” Mel said. “You’re my partner. You’re supposed to be on my side.”
    “Then don’t say anything bad about my girl.”
    “You’re unbelievable,” Mel said, shaking his head and moving toward the school. “You haven’t even been out on an official date with Harper yet. Don’t you think you’re moving too fast?”
    “It feels as if I’m stuck in quicksand,” Jared admitted, falling into step with Mel. “I need her to forgive me today. I think I’m going to have to cook her dinner. Zander is demanding steak and wine that doesn’t come from a box.”
    Mel heartily guffawed. “Yeah. One of our cousins brought wine in a box to a reunion two years ago. He’s still bellyaching about it. He has high standards.”
    “Of course he does. He’s best friends with Harper.”
    “Son, you’re starting to sound sappy and whipped,” Mel said, gesturing toward the front door of the school and holding it open so Jared could slip inside ahead of him.