“Really?” Daniel did nothing to mask his disappointment. “Because I was starting to think you were looking for excuses to see me.”

“Hardly.” She lowered her eyes and laughed.

Daniel smiled, but he looked ready to protest her dismissal of his claims when Pearl came over to take Harper’s order. She was a heavyset woman who used home hair-dye kits in an attempt to cover her gray, but it only left her with blue hair.

“How was the chowder?” Pearl asked, picking up Daniel’s bowl.

“Great as always, Pearl.”

“You should come in to eat it more, then,” Pearl said, then pointed to his slender frame. “You’re wasting away. What are you eating out there on the boat?”

“Nothing nearly as good as your food,” Daniel admitted.

“Well, I tell you what. My daughter’s air conditioner is on the fritz again. Her good-for-nothing husband can’t fix it, and she’s got those two little babies in that tiny apartment,” Pearl said. “They can’t handle the heat the way you or I can. If you swing by and check out her A/C tonight, I’ll send you home with a big bucket of my chowder.”

“You got yourself a deal.” He smiled. “Tell your daughter I’ll stop by around six.”

“Thank you. You’re a real sweetheart, Daniel.” Pearl winked at him, then turned to Harper. “What can I get for you?”

“Just a Cherry Coke,” Harper said.

“One Cherry Coke, coming up.”

“You can order more than a Coke if you want,” Daniel told Harper once Pearl had left to fill the order. “I was just kidding about you having to pay for something of equal value.”

“I know. I’m just not that hungry.” In truth, her stomach was still twisted from thinking about Luke. It had calmed down some since she’d gotten here, but her appetite hadn’t returned.

“Are you sure?” Daniel asked again. “You’re not one of those girls that won’t eat in front of a guy she’s trying to impress?”

Harper laughed at his presumption. “First of all, I’m not trying to impress you. And second, I’m definitely not one of those girls. I’m just not hungry.”

“Here you go,” Pearl said, setting the glass on the table. “Is there anything else I can get you?”

“No, we’re fine, thanks.” Harper smiled up at her.

“All right. Let me know if you need anything.” Pearl touched Daniel’s arm gently before she left and gave him another grateful smile.

“What’s that about, by the way?” Harper asked in a low voice and leaned across the table so Pearl wouldn’t overhear her. “You get paid in chowder?”

“Sometimes.” Daniel shrugged. “I’m kind of a handyman, I guess. I do odd jobs. Pearl’s daughter doesn’t have very much money, and I help out when I can.”

Harper appraised him for a minute, trying to get a read on him, before saying, “That’s very nice of you.”

“Why do you sound so surprised?” Daniel laughed. “I’m a nice guy.”

“No, I know that. I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I know,” Daniel said, watching her sip her drink. “So, you don’t usually leave for lunch, and you came to a diner even though you’re not hungry. What brings you here today?”

“I just needed a break.” She didn’t look at him directly, instead focusing on the thick black branches of his tattoo, which crept past the sleeve of his T-shirt and down his arm. “A friend of mine is missing.”

“What’s the deal with you?” Daniel teased. “First your sister goes missing, now your friend.” Harper gave him a hard look, and his smile vanished. “Sorry. What happened?”

“I don’t know.” She shook her head. “He’s more of a friend of a friend, but we dated a few times. And he just went missing on Monday.”

“Oh, is he that kid from the paper?” Daniel asked.

“Yeah.” Harper nodded. “I just read about it before I came here, and I just needed to … not think about it anymore.”

“I’m sorry for bringing it up, then.”

“No, it’s okay. You didn’t know.”

“How is your sister, by the way?” Daniel asked, changing the subject.

“Good, I think,” Harper said, then gave him a rueful smile. “I haven’t even properly thanked you for helping me find her yesterday.”

“You thanked me plenty.” He waved off her apology. “I’m just glad she’s all right. Gemma seems like a good kid.”

“She used to be,” Harper agreed. “But I don’t know what’s going on with her anymore.”

“I’m sure she’ll turn out all right. You raised her right.”

“You make it sound like I’m her mother.” Harper laughed somewhat uncomfortably. Daniel just looked at her and shrugged. “You think I act like her mother?”

“I don’t think you act like you’re eighteen,” he clarified.

She bristled as if he’d accused her of something terrible. “I have a lot to worry about.”

He nodded. “I can tell.”

Harper rubbed the back of her neck and turned away from him. Through the diner window she could see the library across the street, and she wondered how well Marcy was holding up.