Page 31 of Love Songs (Harmony Lake #3)

“I DON’T KNOW,” Haider said as he pointed to a corner for Phillip to drop a box. “I still think the house is haunted, but it looks really good in here, so maybe the ghost is a nice one.”

“It’s not haunted,” Conor, Sam, and Ryan all called out in unison.

Haider waved them off and leaned closer to me. “Tell me the truth. Haunted, right?”

I laughed and handed him a stack of napkins. He furrowed his brows.

“What do you want me to do with these?”

“Put them on the patio table, for the pizzas I ordered.”

“Oh, well,” Haider jumped off the counter he’d been sitting on. “I can do that.”

He sashayed outside, and I chuckled as I returned to my task of unboxing the kitchen.

Today was the day we officially moved into our new forever home.

The three of us—me, Conor, and Jaylin. I marveled at all the changes that had happened in my life these past six months.

It still amazed me that I’d bought the house that Conor had dreamed of owning, and thought, more than once, that there must have been greater forces at work to pull off a coincidence like that.

Maybe, in a way, the house was haunted.

I’d made sure Conor and Jaylin had a hand in all the design ideas and that they each knew this was their home and they needed to put their mark on it, too.

Conor’s friend Ryan, who I’d become close friends with during the extensive renovations, had done all the fine and finishing woodwork, and Sam, Ben, Adam, and Phillip had helped with hard labor as much as possible.

Haider worked hard, too, or so he’d said, as he’d directed from the sidelines and fed us too many delicious chocolates from his shop.

When I’d gone back to New York after Memorial Day weekend, I hadn’t been able to handle being away from Conor.

I’d felt like an essential part of me was missing, making me antsy and grumpy when we were apart.

I’d racked up so many air miles points flying back and forth that he’d finally told me enough was enough.

That Jaylin and I needed to move into his little rental house in Caldwell Crossing while we finished our new home.

Jaylin had been ecstatic about that, and the weekend after school let out for the summer, we moved in full time.

I ended up taking the job at Waylon Music as a vocal coach and was loving it way more than I’d ever imagined.

My first big show was going to be a concert for Christmas, since I’d also taken on the role of the local choir director.

I was already nervous. Just like when I was getting ready to go on stage with my old Dallas Blade Band.

Preparing for the choir concert was nothing like planning a world tour, but was just as amazing and exciting.

I’d even started offering private singing lessons at home and writing music for other musicians and bands.

Jaylin had settled in at her new school and had already made a couple of good friends—including Conor’s nieces. She was constantly on me about getting a horse, but first we needed to get settled into our new home for that to happen. Maybe for Christmas . . .

Ian, the teen who also worked at Waylon’s Music, walked in with a box in his arms while Jaylin showed him where to put it.

The two of them had been thick as thieves from the moment they’d met.

I wasn’t sure I liked Ian quite as much as I had when I’d first met him.

As far as I was concerned, Jaylin, who’d turned fifteen on October sixth, was much too young for —gasp —a boyfriend. Thirty would still be too young.

But when I put my dad hat aside, Ian was a good kid and treated Jaylin like the princess she was.

Jaylin stopped at the bottom of the stairs to snag a caramel bonbon from the Harmony Chocolates box Haider had brought over earlier, while Ian continued up.

She and Haider had become instant besties, always conspiring together and giggling like school kids.

I loved that Conor’s friends had accepted us so warmly into their fold.

And Haider, when he’d found out that Jaylin’s birthday fell on Mad Hatter Day, had gone all out creating an Alice in Wonderland themed party for her.

We’d all had to wear ridiculous hats for the entire day and drink fruit-flavored teas, and Haider was, of course, the Hatter.

We’d had a fantastic time, laughing until we had stitches in our sides, and I didn’t think I’d ever seen Jaylin smile so much as she did then.

Yes, this was home. This was the right move. Conor was the right man.

Speaking of the right man. He stepped through the front door with another box and when his gaze landed on mine, his smile stretched so wide and bright my knees weakened.

The sight of his infectious smile, of his piercing blue eyes so full of love, had my heart swelling with happiness and contentment.

I walked over and took the box from him, placing it on the floor.

“What?” he asked with a slight cant of his head.

I pulled him close, slid my hands around his back and under his shirt, and kissed him.

I kissed him with all the feelings I couldn’t contain.

I kissed him because words weren’t enough.

I kissed him until someone—or someones—cat-called and wolf-whistled.

He was smiling at me when I broke the kiss and stepped back, his eyes glittering.

“Not that I’m complaining,” he said, sounding a little breathless. “But what was that for?”

I shrugged. “Because I love you.”

“Okay, you two,” Haider hollered. “Quit lollygagging and get back to work.”

Laughter rang throughout the house, and joy sailed through my veins. This was the everything I’d been looking for in life. Jaylin, Conor, good friends, and a place to call home.

“WHERE ARE YOU going?” Dallas asked later, after the pizza boxes were all empty and everyone had gone home.

“There’s one more box.” I tucked my phone away, so he didn’t glimpse the message on the screen, and a thrill danced through me. I loved giving surprises as much as I loved receiving them.

Dallas looked around the living room with his eyebrows furrowed.

With the help of my friends and their significant others, we’d unpacked all the big and important items by early evening. There was still a lot to do, but at least the house wasn’t in complete disarray or cluttered with boxes everywhere I looked.

“How can there be another box?” he asked, turning back to me with a frown. “I don’t think we’re missing anything.”

“Be right back.” I winked at him, trying so hard not to bounce on my toes. “Call Jay down.”

Dallas narrowed his eyes and propped his hands on his hips. “What are you up to?”

I flashed a wide grin at him and pointed. “Stay right there.”

Leaving a confused Dallas standing in the middle of the living room, I rushed outside, where I found Sam waiting for me by the back of his truck.

“Are you sure about this?” Sam sounded serious, but there was a smile on his face.

“One hundred percent.” I hopped from foot to foot as he opened the tailgate and canopy hatch to reveal a large box with holes in it.

“Thought so,” he said with a soft note of affection in his voice. “They’re adorable. I was kind of hoping you’d change your mind so I could keep them.”

A throaty laugh burst from my lungs. “No way!”

I gently grabbed the box and tucked it close to my side, away from Sam, while Sam shook his head and chuckled.

“Good luck,” he said. “I want to hear how it goes.”

“Thank you for helping me, Sam,” I said. “This means a lot.”

He shrugged. “I didn’t have to marry you, so we’re all good.”

“Ass,” I joked.

I’m not sure if we’d have ever gone through with the pact that we’d made to marry each other if we were still single when we turned thirty, but I’m happy we never had to find out. Sam, as well as Ryan and Haider, were and would always be my best friends and chosen brothers.

“You know I love you, right?” he said, and I nodded. “I’m really happy you’ve found the other half of your heart, and your own family.” He shook his head and chuffed under his breath. “Who’d have thought you’d be the first one of us with a family?”

“And you were doing so well,” I teased.

He laughed as he got back into his truck and waved as he drove off.

I took a deep breath and went back into our house, where I found both Dallas and Jaylin sitting on our couch in our living room.

They both looked up at me as I entered the room, curiosity glittering bright in their matching blue eyes.

I had to pause for a second, overwhelmed that these two had come into my life and given me the love and family I’d never thought I’d find.

And now that I had, I couldn’t imagine a single day without them in it. They were my everything.

“What’s that?” Jaylin asked as I placed the box carefully on the floor in the middle of the room.

“Open it and see,” I said, unable to keep the grin from my face, and stood back.

She cautiously lifted the lid, as if worried I was playing a prank, and something would jump out at her. Something was definitely going to jump out at her, though. Two somethings.

She squealed when two of the most adorable Bernese Mountain Dog puppies I’d ever seen tumbled from the box and trounced around the room, uber excited at their new digs and new humans.

One launched himself at Jaylin and she cradled the wiggling black, white, and copper bundle of fur in her lap, giggling while the puppy planted sloppy dog kisses on her cheek.

“Puppies?” Dallas looked up at me with wide eyes and a grin he was clearly fighting. “When you said a couple of dogs, I thought you meant a couple of grown, past the chewing-everything-in-sight stage shelter dogs.”

“These are shelter dogs,” I defended. “A breeder couldn’t afford to care for their dogs anymore and surrendered the entire litter to the Harmony Lake Animal Rescue League.”

“Oh my god,” Jaylin beamed, now with a lap full of two rambunctious puppies. “They’re ours?”

“Yes, they are,” I said, my heart singing at the joy on her face. “They’re brother and sister.”

She dislodged the puppies and jumped up to hug me, her arms tight around my waist. My heart did a little tumble.

“Thank you,” she said. “I love them already.”

“You’re welcome,” I managed, my throat tight.

“Do they have names? Can I name them? They should have matching names, right? A theme?” she asked rapid fire all in one breath as she sat back down and was instantly mauled by fluffy sweetness.

Dallas and I both laughed as we joined her on the floor, sitting side by side.

“You can name the sister,” I said a puppy waddled into my lap. “I already named the brother Yoda.”

Dallas whipped his head around to stare at me with amusement in his eyes. “You did not.”

I puffed my chest out. “I most certainly did. Every Jedi needs a Yoda.”

“Then I’m calling her Leia,” Jaylin proclaimed, petting Leia’s tummy.

Yoda launched himself from my lap and into Dallas’s, jumping up to kiss his chin, then Yoda decided tackling his sister was more fun.

I sat there watching as the puppies tussled on the floor and explored their new surroundings while Jaylin looked on, her face alight with sheer delight, and I reached for Dallas’s hand.

I didn’t see how I could possibly feel any happier than I did at that moment.

I had three of the best friends anyone could ask for, an amazing man I loved with my whole heart, a daughter I adored, the dream home I’d always longed for, and two goofy soon-to-be-big dogs.

Dallas squeezed my hand and leaned over to kiss me. Warm and perfect and always sending a thrill through my veins.

Seriously, how did I get so damn lucky?

“I love you,” Dallas said in that seductively melodic voice of his. “But they’re going to have monster poops.”

Laughter burst from my lungs. Full and hearty and uninhibited.

My life was perfect. Monster puppy poop and all.