Thanks everyone for all the feedback! Hope you all enjoy! Usual disclaimer - I don't own any them (except Harper) and not making any money. If you like it, hit review.
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Harper took a taxi back to her apartment from the hotel. As she paid the driver, her doorman opened the door for her. 'Good morning Miss Conrad" Charlie nodded to her as she slid from the car.
'Morning Charlie,' she nodded to him. Previously he had been on the eleven to seven shift and she would see him almost every night. 'How are you today?'
'Very well, thank you,' he closed the taxi door and opened the door to the foyer for her. She headed across the marble foyer to the concierge desk.
'Morning Jake,' Harper nodded to the man behind the counter. He could be a life saver sometimes, organising whatever she needed.
'Good morning Harper,' he nodded to her. 'What can I do for you today?'
'I need a rental car,' she told him. 'Within the hour. Until at least Sunday, maybe longer.'
'Not a problem, I will arrange that for you,' he assured her. 'Usual?' He often arranged rentals for her.
'Please,' she nodded before she headed upstairs to the eighteenth floor.
Letting herself into her apartment, she headed for the kitchen to get a bottle of Evian. The fridge was stocked, the mail on the counter, thanks to Leilah, her housekeeper. Harper didn't have a domestic bone in her body and Leilah was a gem.
She checked her answering machine. Three messages. One hang up, a message from Hal, saying he'd try her cell. She sighed. Six months ago her machine would have been filled with messages. She missed her college days sometimes.
'Harper, it's me,' the third message started. Leo, she had been expecting the phone call after the way she had stormed off the previous afternoon at lunch. 'Call me! I mean it, I need to speak with you!' he demanded. 'Come and see me, I'll be at the apartment all day,' He didn't sound any friendlier then he had the previous day.
She shook her head and hit delete before she moved into the bathroom, packing her toiletries bag. She took her birth control pill before she packed it. She was cursing her own stupidity last night, she had gotten carried away. They had both had and hadn't used protection. Not that she could change it now.
She moved into her bedroom. There were fresh flowers on the bedside table beside a photo of her and Hal together. It had been taken the previous year when they had gone on a holiday to Mexico. She picked it up and smiled. They spoke constantly and saw each other at least once a month but she missed him.
Putting the photo down, she continued to pack her bag. She was just doing up the zipper on her suitcase when her phone rang. 'Hello,'
'Harper, your rental car is waiting for you downstairs,' Jake told her.
'Terrific, I'll be down in 10,' she said before she hung up.
She carried her bag into the living room, scribbling a note to Leilah. She told her to take whatever food was in the fridge and that she wouldn't need her for the week. She'd call her when she was coming back in the city.
Taking a fresh Evian bottle from the fridge, she picked up her suitcase and left the apartment.
******************
Harper was cruising down the Jersey Turnpike, with The Fray blaring from the stereo. Her stomach grumbled, reminding she hadn't eaten anything since breakfast. She should be in Trenton within half an hour and was hopeful she might be able to drag Hal out for lunch.
She heard a siren over the music and she looked in the rear vision mirror, seeing a plain car with blue flashing lights. 'Don't be coming for me,' she muttered but sure enough the man behind the wheel was indicating for her to pull over. She sighed, slowing down and pulling over. She was sure she wouldn't get a ticket anyway; she never did even on the rare occasion she actually was pulled over.
She pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head and waited as she heard the car door behind her open and close. She hit the button to open her window and looked out, surprised by who was standing there. 'Joe Morelli,' Harper looked up at him.
'Harper,' Joe was likewise surprised to see who he had pulled over. 'Long time,' he scanned her features. Still just as beautiful, he thought. What was she doing here?
He hadn't wanted to talk at the college seminar but his boss hadn't given him much of a choice. However, once he had walked in and laid his eyes on Harper, things had certainly looked up. Especially when she had hung back to ask him some further questions. He had instantly taken the opportunity and half an hour later, they'd been at her apartment.
It has,' Harper nodded. Almost two years. He looked just as good. It had been a good night. Well good hour, she hadn't let him stay any longer, although he hadn't been ready to leave.
'What are you doing here?' he asked her.
'Just visiting,' she said simply. That much was true, at least for now. 'What are you doing here?' she asked him with a smile.
'I was working on a case when I saw someone driving double the speed limit,' he smiled. 'You always drive like that?'
'I assume I should answer 'no' here?' she raised an eyebrow.
Joe grinned. 'I take that as a yes.'
'Only in New Jersey, I tend to not want to be here,' Harper answered honestly.
'I know, you're a city girl,' Joe nodded. He hadn't gotten to know her that well but he had picked up on that quickly. 'How you still have a license is beyond me then,' he said.
''Oh I don't have a licence. Wait. I need one of those?" Harper laughed at the look on his face before pulling her purse onto her lap.
'Cute,' Joe said as she fished out her wallet and took out her licence. 'There you go,' she handed it up to him.
He took it from her. 'Harmony huh?' he looked down at her. 'Doesn't fit as well as Harper,'
'I know,' she rolled her eyes. She'd heard it countless times and she never used Harmony for anything she didn't have to. She was thankful Hal had given her the nickname when she was only 6.
'I should give you a ticket,' he said, keeping a hold of her license.
'You should?' she asked cocking her head with a coy smile. She was fairly certain that he wouldn't.
'We both know that I should,' he said. He peered into the back of the car, seeing she had an overnight bag. 'You staying in Jersey?' he asked, surprised.
'Yes,' Harper nodded, making her distain obvious.
'Hardly that bad,' Joe said seriously.
'I forgot you live here,' she looked up at him. 'You're right, it's not that bad. It's great,'
Joe smiled slightly. 'Where are you staying?' he asked her.
'Trenton,' Harper told him, knowing that was where he lived too.
'Really?' he asked her.
'No, I just said that,' Harper looked up at him. 'Yes, really,'
He held her gaze for a few moments. 'I really should book you,' he said.
'We both know you're not going to do that,' Harper smiled up at him.
'You're right,' he nodded. 'I won't book you. If... you have dinner with me,' he smiled.
'That's blackmail Detective,' she grinned. 'I could report you for harassment,'
'We both know that you're not going to do that,' he leaned against the car.
'We do, do we?' she raised an eyebrow.
'Yes,' Joe nodded, knowing that she wouldn't.
'Just dinner?' Harper said.
'If that's all you want it to be,' Joe smiled.
'Yes, that's all,' she looked up at him pointedly. 'Just dinner and not tonight,' she wanted to catch up with Hal.
Joe groaned. 'Playing hard to get?'
'No, being honest. I have plans,' she told him. 'Give me your number and I'll call you,'
Joe fished out a business card and handed it to her. 'What's your cell number? Just in case you forget about the date,' he smiled, handing her his card.
Harper paused for a moment. 'It's 0432 987 567,'
Joe wrote it down in his book before he looked up at her. 'Is that really your number?' he asked her, giving her his "cop" stare.
Harper smiled slightly, knowing he would have suspected anyway. 'Alright smart ass, it's 0432 989 569. Happy?'
'Happier,' Joe nodded. 'How long are you in town for?'
'Few days,' she said. She could be here for awhile but could also be headed back to the city the following day. 'I'll call you when I'm free,'
Joe nodded. 'I hope so,' He leaned down, giving her a kiss on the cheek. 'Good to see you again Harper,' he said.
'Good to see you too,' she nodded slightly. 'See you around,'
'Count on it,' he smiled at her, handing her back the licence and she slid it back into her wallet.
She started up the car again as he headed back for his car. She looked in her read vision mirror, checking out his ass before she pulled away from the kerb far too quickly.
Joe closed his eyes, watching her speed off. Christ help any drivers in Jersey.
She was still as sexy we before and he was hopeful it would turn out to be more than just dinner. He hadn't been ready to leave that night when she had almost kicked him out of her apartment and he wanted to catch up on that lost "time".
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Using her GPS, she found the Rangeman building in no time. She parked across the road, as she didn't have an entry key to the underground parking.
Scooping up her satchel bag, she headed across the road. It was a non-descript building, with only a small plaque to say that this was indeed Rangeman.
She buzzed for entry and waited. 'Rangeman. May I help you?' a male voice came over the speaker and she smiled, recognising the voice.
'Cal, it's Harper,' she pressed the button.
'Hey! Come on in,' he said and buzzed her into the building.
Harper smiled as she pushed open the door and headed up the few steps which then became a foyer and waiting area.
'Harper,' Cal stood, moving around to the side of the desk. 'Hal said you were coming. Never thought we'd see you in Jersey,' he laughed, giving her a hug. He had spent the long weekend with Hal and Harper a few months earlier and had stayed at her apartment.
She laughed. 'I never thought I'd see me in Jersey either,' she scrunched up her nose, hugging him back.
'Hal is out on a job but he shouldn't be too much longer,' he told her, releasing her.
'That's alright, I'm here a bit earlier then he was expecting anyway,' she said, although it was already almost 2pm.
Cal nodded. 'Take a seat. I have to run the phones but you can keep me company,' he said, moving back around to the desk
'Sure,' she nodded, sitting down in the chair across from him. 'So, how are things with you,'
Half an hour later, she heard a voice come from behind the desk. 'I never thought I'd see the day. Har in Jersey,' Hal appeared from a small walkway with a grin.
'Hal,' Harper jumped up and they hugged tightly.
''You'd think you two hadn't seen each other for months,' Cal chuckled. He had seen firsthand how close the pair were.
'It feels like that,' Harper laughed, Hal still holding her to him.
'I'm just pleased to see you made the drive here,' Hal teased her, giving her curls a ruffle
'Hey!' she ducked away with a grin. 'I'm not that bad. Have I ever gotten a speeding ticket?'
''No, although you rarely drive and even if you do get pulled over you somehow get the officer apologising for disturbing you,' Hal said, keeping his arm around her shoulder. He towered over her and made her appear even smaller then she was.
'You're kidding?' Cal said. 'How does that happen?' he leaned back in his chair.
'You tell me and we'll both know. She refuses to teach me that skill,' Hal chuckled. 'Have you eaten yet?' he said. 'I've given Tank your resume but he's tied up for now. Said he wouldn't be able to see you for another few hours at least,'
'No but I'm starved,' Harper said. 'The car is out there, we can grab a bite to eat while I wait if you can get away for awhile,'
Hal nodded. 'I'm done for the day, scored the morning shift for a change,' he said
'Great, let's go,' she said.
Hal nodded. 'I checked with Tank, he said you could stay with me tonight. There is more than enough room,'
'Great, thanks,' she nodded. It would be good to stay with him, hang out for a few days, even if the job didn't work out.
'We'll be back a bit later on Buddy,' Hal told Cal. 'You need anything?'
'Nah, I'm only here for another hour,' he assured him before the pair left.
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