She took a quick shower and let her hair hang in wet waves around her face and shoulders. Then she tidied up the place, which didn’t take long given its size, and started a fresh pot of coffee. She looked in her small fridge. Plenty of eggs and bacon, good. Also a few apples and a few cartons of yogurt. That was about it. Time to do some shopping. She’d get to that later today.
She started the bacon, and by the time a knock sounded on her door, the tiny place was alive with the aroma of smoky pork.
“Come in,” she called.
“Hi there.” Harper entered carrying a bouquet of wild flowers. He handed them to her.
“Thank you. That’s so sweet.” She grabbed a jar out of a cupboard and put the flowers in water.
“I’ve never been up here before,” he said.
“It’s small but comfy. It’s actually really convenient to have everything in one room.”
He sat down on the edge of the bed. “A double, huh? Not a lot of room.”
“Don’t need a lot of room just for me.” She gave him what she hoped was a teasing smile and served up a plate of bacon and eggs. “Here you go.”
“Smells great.”
“Just sit down at my little table there.” She pointed. “Dig in.”
“You’ve fixed this little place up real nice.”
“It worked well since this is about all I had to bring with me. I roomed with my friend Laura and another girl in San Antonio. Most of the furniture belonged to the other girl. I was thrilled when Judy showed me this place. I knew I wouldn’t have to go out and buy a lot of stuff I couldn’t afford.”
“Makes sense.” He took a bite of eggs. “Mmm. Good. So, I’ve been thinking.”
“About what?”
“About your situation.”
She gulped down a sip of coffee, her nerves on edge. Was he going to bring up Rachel’s again? “What situation might that be?”
“About your dad, Thunder Morgan.”
Oh, that was all. She breathed easier. “Funny you should mention him. I was just doing some research this morning.”
“And?”
“And he was already a pretty big name by the time he hooked up with my mother. So I’m confused why she didn’t tell him about me.”
“Maybe she didn’t know how to get in touch with him. The world wide web wasn’t as worldwide twenty-two years ago.”
“That’s true, but he was a pretty big name, especially in rodeo country.”
Harper swallowed his mouthful. “Well, there’s one way to find all this out.”
“And that is?”
“You could ask her.”
Amber nodded. She’d thought of that, but… “Yeah, I suppose. But I literally haven’t seen her or spoken to her since she kicked me out.”
“So?”
Clearly Harper wasn’t getting it. Of course not. He’d had a model childhood. “It’s a little awkward.”