Page 16 of A Home for Harmony

“We all should have some of that. Looks like tonight is the night for takeout.”

“Seems it. They told me twenty minutes.” He looked at his watch. “They are eight minutes over and there are still a few ahead of me.”

“I bet we called at the same time,” she said. “Or that is their go-to time regardless even if it takes forty minutes.”

“Most likely,” he said drily.

“I guess I’ll move up and give my name,” she said. “Maybe you’ve got a complicated dish and it’s taking longer.”

“There isn’t much complicated about sweet and sour chicken.”

“Oh,” she said, doing a little shoulder wiggle. “That was almost my dinner, but it ended up being sesame chicken and an egg roll.”

“Ended up?” he asked. That was an odd way to say she chose that.

She held her finger up. “I’ll explain in a minute.” She sidestepped the people waiting around the counter, gave her name and was told it wasn’t ready.

He’d been here enough to know you did that rather than wait in line. There were bags prepared on the counter waiting for people and it didn’t appear they belonged to anyone standing here.

“Not ready, I see,” he said when she returned.

“Nope. You asked how I ended up with my meal. It’s because I couldn’t decide and picked it at random. That’s how I ended up here too.”

He lifted one eyebrow at her. “Do you do that often?”

She shrugged. “I’m not a fussy person with most things. I’m alone tonight and had to push my sister out the door to spend it with her boyfriend and his family and assure her I’d be fine. When I went to get some dinner, I decided takeout was the way to go. Are you alone tonight too?”

“Yeah.”

He had seen nothing online about her dating anyone. Not that he could go back and look at pictures since he had no accounts himself and wasn’t about to sign up just to look at her.

That crossed the line of stalking in his book.

“Bummer,” she said. “I’ve got a full day tomorrow with lots of family.” She leaned in again. “This is my first Christmas Eve alone. My sister was worried and wanted to come back home, but I told her not to be silly. Sorry, I shouldn’t be this close in your personal space, but I didn’t want to announce to the whole place I’m home alone tonight. And like an idiot, I just told you.”

She rolled her eyes when she said it, the smile still on her face.

“I’m trustworthy.” At least she was smart enough to all but whisper it to him.

He was probably judging her wrong, but he had his opinions on people who made a living on social media. Most of the time it was for show in his eyes or to get attention.

Oftentimes, it was irresponsible to the younger generation who were so easily influenced.

Though he had to admit, the videos of Harmony on YouTube weren’t horrible or outrageous.

They were actually nice, simple, and added a little peace to this crazy world. Appreciation for the things or people who might be struggling.

If he hadn’t met her in person, he might think it was a front, but she appeared that laid back, carefree, and genuine.

“You are,” she said. “Since you sat with me and didn’t need to.” She reached out and put her hand on his and the heat behind her touch lit something cold in his body. “I appreciated it.” She dropped her hand away quickly, as if she realized she shouldn’t have touched his. “I didn’t answer you on how I ended up with my dinner tonight.”

“No,” he said. “You didn’t.”

“Not a man of many words, are you?”

“You seem to say enough of them for both of us.”

She laughed. “You’re funny.”