Page 19 of A Home for Harmony

“Yes,” he said. “Who did you live with after college?”

“My sister, Erica. I got a job in New York City and she lived in New Rochelle. She had a two-bedroom apartment and it was cheaper for both of us.”

No reason to say she didn’t split the costs. She could never afford half.

She could barely afford what she did contribute, but was thankful for Erica helping her out.

She was making a lot more now on her own than she did at her last job, thanks to those sponsorship fees.

“And now you live with her here?”

“I do,” she said. “We moved here a year ago. I think I told you that. Erica had some health issues that were partially stress related to her job. I think I was ready for a move too. My father has a house on the water and it was sitting empty since my brother moved out of it a while ago when he bought a house closer to New Haven with his wife. He splits his time between New Haven and here for work.”

“The surgeon?” he asked.

“Yes, Theo,” she said. “He’s an orthopedic surgeon. I feel I can trust you. Can I?”

“You’re in my house and saw a picture of my daughter and know her name,” he said. “I don’t share that with many.”

She tapped her finger to her chin and accepted the plate he just handed her for their dinner.

She pulled her meal out of the bag and did the same for his and held back the giggle he got an egg roll with it too.

“Good point. My father is a neurosurgeon at Yale, New Haven. I never speak of my family online and won’t.”

“They could find out if they search you,” he said. “What do you want to drink?”

“Water is good,” she said. “Did you search me?”

He got two bottles out of the fridge and handed one to her, and then sat.

“I could lie and say no, but I won’t,” he said, serving food on his plate.

“What did you find out?” she asked, taking a bite of her chicken.

It’d be nice to know those things since it’d been on her mind so much lately.

“That you have a large social media presence, but since I’m not online, I can’t see much more than YouTube videos.”

Harmony grinned. “I didn’t find you online and assumed you had no social media presence.”

He lifted an eyebrow at her. “You were looking for me?”

“I said you were on my mind. Problem with that?”

“Not at the moment,” he said. “Though you might have one with it.”

She frowned. “Why is that?”

“We seem to come from different worlds. Maybe it’s an age thing.”

“Okay,” she said. “How old are you exactly? I’ve been referring to you as aged bacon.”

He spit his food out of his mouth as he coughed. “What?!”

She laughed. “It’s a joke.”

“It doesn’t sound like one.” He almost sounded offended so she’d have to clarify this. “And who have you said it to?”