*Harper*
A few days later, Rafe calls mid-morning, his voice soft and a little guilty, like he’s been sitting with something too heavy for too long.
“Hey,” he says when I answer. “You got a minute?”
I sink into the couch, tucking my legs under me and feeling oddly nervous.
“Of course.”
There’s a short pause, but long enough for me to know this isn’t just a casual check-in.
“I’ve been thinking about the party,” he says. “About McNaught.”
I close my eyes briefly. “Rafe—”
“No, just let me say this.” His voice is firm, but there’s worry underneath. “I should’ve shut that down before it even started. I knew he was weird about me taking the starting spot, and I saw how he was looking at you when I introduced you. I just didn’t think–”
“That he’d corner me?” I finish for him.
“Yeah.” Hi
