Page 135 of A Home for Harmony

She grabbed his hand and pulled him to the couch. “Danielle reached out to me last night. I didn’t read it until this morning.”

She pulled her phone out of her pocket and handed it over.

He read it. “She seems sincere, but I don’t know her.”

“She called when Erica and I were talking. I decided to answer it and let her speak to me in person.” She told him the results of that conversation. “I don’t have a lot of close friends in my life. Not someone I trust or can say in my heart I know where they stand. I can’t say when or why I let my life be that way, but I did. Then it became a habit to not let people in.”

“Do you feel that way with me?”

“No,” she said. “I’ve never let someone in as much as I have you. It hurt what you said, but life hurts as much as it heals. I know where I stand with you. Or I thought I did. One hiccup will not make me doubt it though.”

“I’m happy to hear you say that,” he said.

“I can be logical about things. I believe in second chances. There was no physical threat from Danielle, but I let it consume me and it shouldn’t have.”

“No threat to her or from her, but to you mentally. That matters, Harmony.”

She was overjoyed he’d said that. “It does matter. I matter.”

“You do. I love you more than I ever thought I could love another person. It’s scary to let someone else in and worry I’ll fail them.”

“It is scary. But we won’t have that worry because we won’t fail the other. Agreed?”

She put her hand out for him to shake it. “Agreed.”

He yanked her close to his chest and plastered his lips to hers. She crawled on his lap and said, “Since we’ve got the house to ourselves....”

“I thought you’d never ask!”

EPILOGUE

Three Months Later

“This isthe best vacation I’ve ever had,” Harmony said when she walked on the balcony in Jamaica in mid-July. Months before her sister’s wedding and something the two of them desperately needed.

They’d gotten up early to watch the sunrise. She’d taken a few pictures and was posting them while she was on vacation and just tagging where she was. Never who she was with, but only talking about the surrounding beauty.

“I can’t tell you the last time I was on vacation,” he said.

“The same. I’m glad we could do this. I feel bad leaving when Daisy is home with the baby.”

Daisy had given birth two weeks ago. Her brother had taken two weeks off to help and her mother had offered to check in also. She’d pop around when she was back too, but Daisy had it covered.

Little Ethan had her wrapped around his finger and all she wanted to do was hold him tight against her chest.

Baby fever had been blooming more than ever, but she was pushing it aside.

“They will be there when you get home,” he said.

“I know. Only one more day left and back to the grind.”

“I’m proud of you for not working much while we were here,” he said, coming up and hugging her from behind. “I know it’s hard for you to shut it off.”

“Easy when I’ve got the man I love in a place like this. I appreciate you indulging me to take a few videos and pictures, but I told myself I would not overdo it either. This is private and between us.”

The videos were more about her in nature or pictures of the culture and scenery around them.

“It is,” he said. “And because today is our last day and one more night and the view is stunning. Not as stunning as you though.”