Sweet Harmony

by A. M. Evanston

  Jaiden, who must have woken up during the commotion, yawned and stretched.

  "You took a long time," Jaiden said.

  "I had a lot to do." The grin slipped off of Daniel's face. "I was looking for that guy, Alexander, who saw Owen get pushed. I managed to find him and he told me everything."

  "What?" she and Jaiden chorused together.

  "He said Nathan Dawson was the one who did it," Daniel said.

  The name sounded familiar to her, but she didn't know why. She was horrible with names.

  "Isn't Nathan Dawson the guy who got into big trouble for sneaking into the girls' locker room and watching the swim team undress?" Jaiden asked.

  "Yeah, he's a real freak." Daniel nodded. "I remember he lost his position on the basketball team because of that, even though he was a star player."

  She strained her mind. The fact Nathan was a peeping Tom was disgusting, but what did that have to do with her?

  "Why would Nathan want to hurt me?" She started to chew her nails again. "It would be one thing if I'd pissed him off, but I can't even remember his face."

  "You haven't met him?" Daniel probed.

  "His name sounds familiar, but maybe I heard about him through the gossip mill," she said. "A nasty story like that wouldn't die down after a couple of weeks, would it?"

  "That's true," Daniel said. "At any rate, I couldn't find the guy, no matter how hard I looked."

  "Does Mrs. Carmichael know he pushed Owen?" Jaiden asked.

  "Naturally." Daniel nodded. "The first thing Alexander did was report everything to her."

  "Maybe he was just scared of getting expelled," Jaiden said. "This might not have anything to do with Annamarie."

  "It does." Daniel's jaw tensed. "I can feel it."

  "But if she and Nathan have never even exchanged words, why would he go after her?" Jaiden shook his head. "That doesn't add up."

  "No, I agree with Daniel." She was just as shocked as everyone else by that fact. "There's no way this can be a coincidence. If only we could meet with Nathan…"

  "Mrs. Carmichael is going to come in handy for once," Daniel said. "She seems just as angry as I am. She's already planned to expel Nathan, but she's also going to threaten him with assault charges if he doesn't tell her what's going on. Nathan's eighteen and old enough to go to jail, so being arrested on charges like that could really mess up his life."

  Wow. So the woman she'd once believed was a tyrant was actually on her side after all.

  "What if he doesn't come back to school?" she asked. "If nobody's seen him, then he may have run away."

  "The police have already been notified of what's happened and are looking for him." Daniel's muscles clenched. "His mother is the owner of Winnie Abigail Corporation, a multi-million dollar franchise. I was told by Mrs. Carmichael that the woman has already been notified and that she's also sending out a private investigator to look for Nathan. The guy has so many people on his tail that the only way he's not going to be caught is if he disappears into thin air. He'll have to confess, one way or another."

  Her shoulders slumped with relief. At least Nathan would be caught. Unfortunately, that wouldn't reverse what had happened to Owen.

  "You did a good job, Dan." Jaiden leaned against the wall.

  "I don't take too kindly to those messing with people that are precious to me." Daniel gave her a long look that left little doubt that he was talking about her.

  Jaiden stilled.

  The tension was thick in the air again. Wasn't there too much at stake for their jealousy to be a concern now? The stress from the day was catching up with her and she found herself becoming exhausted. She yawned, unable to stifle it. Daniel echoed her yawn with one of his own.

  "It's late," Daniel said. "I think we could all use some rest. Annamarie, you can take the bed. I'll sleep on the floor next to you. Jay, like usual, you can take the couch."

  "I want to sleep on the floor too," Jaiden said.

  "The floor is ten times harder than the couch." Daniel glared at him. "I'm doing you a favor."

  Jaiden let out a derisive snort.

  Her patience was wearing thin…well, thinner than usual.

  "Will you two stop it?" she shouted.

  Even though she yelled a lot, this time it was different. Her voice was venomous. It was enough to make even Daniel freeze.

  "I'm sick and tired of this fighting," she said. "You're best friends. The two of you should be ashamed of yourself for letting me come between you. If the two of you fight again tonight, I'm throwing you both out the window. Yes, I know we're on the top floor."

  Daniel opened his mouth to speak. "Annamarie—"

  "No." She held up her hand. "Thank you for helping today, Daniel, but I'm exhausted and going to bed."

  She went to the bedroom and lay down on the mattress, muttering under her breath. With a growl, she pulled the blankets around her and made a cocoon out of the goose down comforter. She made an effort to slow her breathing, but unfortunately, her burst of anger was taking its toll. Even when she shut her eyes, it was difficult for her not to fume.

  Time passed. She fidgeted and opened her eyes a crack. Maybe I overreacted just a little, she thought. It was just that she was frustrated. Her friend was injured, some mad guy was on her tail, and she was going to end up losing Daniel because she refused to disrupt a friendship. Anybody would snap. She fidgeted again. Her exhaustion may have caught up with her, but her brain was wide awake. She let out a groan and piled the pillows on her head.

  The door squeaked open.

  "Annamarie?" Daniel called.

  "I'm asleep," she muttered.

  "You're the most coherent sleeping person I've ever met," Daniel said, laying a spare blanket on the floor by the bed.

  She ignored him as he lay down.

  "Why does the fact Jay and I are fighting freak you out so much?" Daniel asked. "It's between the two of us."

  For a moment she considered lying. Her whole life, her family had dealt with emotions one way—via channeling. Her mom and dad channeled their emotions into their instruments and she channeled hers into karate. Yet some part of her wanted to talk to Daniel, as crazy as that was. Despite all of the fights and the frustration, she knew she could trust him if only because he was so much like herself. She sat up and stared down at him.

  "Did you know I've been alone most of my life?" she asked.

  "What?" Daniel sat up too, his blue eyes glistening even in the dark.

  "My parents weren't very attentive because they were always focused on performing. Up until now, I was homeschooled by a really old tutor," she said. "I made friends in karate class, but I moved so much that I never got really close to anyone. My brother was too young for me to hang out with. So mostly, I hung around by myself. I learned to be independent at a young age, but I was lonely too. Then I look at what you have. Jaiden has been your friend since you were babies. Because I know what it's like not to have friends, I don't want you to lose Jaiden. That's why it kills me to see the two of you fighting because of me. I know when the two of you argue it isn't like when you and I do it—it's real. It's not just dumb bickering that means nothing."

  At first Daniel didn't speak. Instead he climbed onto the bed and sat beside her. The sudden closeness made her cheeks warm.

  "Is that really what you were worried about?" Daniel asked.

  "Yeah." She nodded.

  "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard." He chuckled.

  "You jerk!" She threw a punch at him.

  "That's enough." Daniel seized her wrists and pinned her to the bed. "Stay still for a moment, will you?"

  She glared at him but didn't move, mostly because she was shocked due to how close Daniel was. Having the face of an Adonis hovering above her own was intimidating.

  "I don't want you to worry about me and Jay anymore," he said. "We've been friends for eighteen years. I know it'll be hard for him for a while once you and I start going out, but I'm not going to let you or him go
. I'm selfish like that."

  "You're so pompous." She squirmed. "You keep assuming I'm going to date you even though I haven't said yes yet."

  "You like me, don't you?" he asked.

  "I…I…" She looked away defiantly. "Maybe."

  "Maybe?" Daniel chucked and released her wrists. "I guess I'll just have to turn that maybe into a yes."

  "What are you going to—"

  One second he hovered a centimeter above her, the next, his lips came crashing down on hers. Her eyes opened wide in surprise and her heart thundered in her ears. This is my first kiss, she thought, stunned. She admitted she liked the pressure of Daniel's warm, hard mouth against her own and the brush of day-old growth against her skin. His fingers curled in her black hair. She was being transported into heaven. Finally, she had the sense of mind to close her eyes.

  She was under no delusion that she was a good kisser. Instead she lay like a cement block, letting Daniel guide her lips to where he wanted them to go. By the time Daniel drew back, he was smirking. She stared at his cocky expression, dazed. Had she really just been kissed? She was so stunned she barely noticed that she'd placed her hand against her lips. They still tingled from where Daniel had kissed her.

  The guy lay down on the bed next to her and gathered her in his arms. Probably she should have made him go back to the floor, but she didn't. She wasn't sure she was coherent enough to issue the command anyway.

  ****

  Annamarie was roused from a deep sleep in the middle of the night. Her head throbbed as she looked around the room. Where the heck was she? Why was there an arm around her waist? It took her a moment to realize that Daniel was snoring right next to her. At first she thought it was his noisiness that had woken her up, but then she heard her cell phone ringing. She pulled it out of her pocket—she'd slept in her jeans—and was stunned when she saw the person who was calling. It was Owen. Holy crap.

  She lunged out of bed while answering the phone at the same time.

  "Owen, are you okay?" she said.

  Daniel let out a massive groan and opened his eyes.

  "A-Annamarie…" Owen's voice didn't sound right. It was a frog's croak.

  "What room are you in?" She needed to go the hospital ASAP if he was awake.

  "Don't know," Owen whispered slowly. "Head hurts."

  She remembered him lying on the floor.

  "I know your head hurts," she said. "I know."

  Something banged. She heard a female voice.

  "Oh, Mr. Riesling, you're awake," said a bubbly woman. "What are you doing up?"

  "Need to talk to Annamarie," Owen said.

  "Go back to bed, Mr. Riesling," said the woman. "Looks like I'll have to bring the doctor in to give you some more medication. You need your rest."

  "No!" Owen yelled. He must have dropped the phone because something clattered and his voice became distant. "I woke myself up…Annamarie…Annamarie…She's going to get hurt."

  "You must have had a nightmare," the woman said. "I'll give you a prescription to help you fall asleep. It's going to be fine."

  "Wait a second," Annamarie cried. "Don't give him anything yet. I have to hear—"

  Someone must have shut off the phone. Probably it was the woman. She stared down at the cell, her hand shaking. Maybe Owen knew something she didn't. If the doctor knocked him out again before she spoke to him…As she gave a shiver of apprehension, Daniel placed his hand on her shoulder.

  "What's going on?" Daniel asked.

  "Owen just called me," she said. "He needed to tell me something, but I think he was still confused after the accident and couldn't figure out what to say."

  "Maybe he's still awake," Daniel said. "I'll drive us there."

  "Do you think the doctor will let us into his room?" She doubted the hospital had middle of the night visiting hours.

  "A person will do anything for a couple hundred bucks," Daniel muttered. "Come on."

  Daniel seized her hand and dragged her to the door. Even now in the middle of an emergency, her cheeks colored at the memory of the kiss they'd shared. Snap out of it, girl! she screamed at herself. Now is not the time.

  As she stumbled into the living room, she forced herself to focus again. Jaiden was sprawled out on the couch and Boris was a mountainous lump on the carpet. Daniel snapped his fingers.

  "Up, you guys," Daniel said.

  Boris was on his feet within seconds looking embarrassed he had to be roused in such a way. Jaiden was slower on the uptake and sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

  "What's going on?" Jaiden asked.

  "Owen's awake," Daniel said. "Boris, you're coming with me and Annamarie to the hospital."

  "I'm coming to," Jaiden said.

  Daniel nodded.

  Seconds were ticking away. Right now, the doctor could have been force-feeding Owen sleeping pills.

  "Let's go." She dragged Daniel to the door.

  She and the others rushed to the parking lot. When she made it to Daniel's Lamborghini, she could barely remember running from the dorm. Even though the car seated four, massive Boris had trouble squeezing inside. Poor Jaiden looked like he was suffocating beside him. After she was settled in the passenger seat, Daniel took his place as the driver. For once when the guy rocketed out of the parking lot going so fast she was sure he was going to break the sound barrier, she was grateful.

  "Do you think we're going to make it before they knock him out?" She glanced at Daniel worriedly.

  "I hope so," he said.

  "What if all Owen knows is that Nathan was the one who was stalking you?" Jaiden asked.

  "Then this trip will be for nothing," she said. "But what if he does know more? With Nathan on the run, we have to learn what we can."

  Daniel grunted in agreement and pulled into the hospital parking lot. Even though she hadn't been paying attention, she was certain the guy had broken a hundred traffic laws to make it so quickly. She stumbled out of the car and everyone else followed her. Daniel was at her side within seconds and didn't hesitate to seize her hand. Once they made it inside, he made a beeline for a woman in pink scrubs who was sitting behind a desk.

  "Can you tell me where Owen Riesling is staying?" Daniel asked.

  "Visiting hours are from ten AM to nine PM," the woman said. "It's two o'clock in the morning. You can't see him now."

  Instead of being deterred, Daniel flashed his most dazzling smile. Even though the woman was at least forty, the guy was so handsome even she appeared stunned.

  "I'm sure we can work something out." Daniel smoldered at her, his blue eyes glistening. "Can you at least tell me who's in charge of Owen's care so that I can speak to the person? It's an emergency. I'm sure you understand."

  "Well…I…" The woman was trying to fight against Daniel's angelic beauty but lost. "That would be Patricia Kingston. She's down the hall to the left. She's a tall woman with curly black hair. You'll probably spot her right away, since she just passed by me."

  "You're a treat." Daniel's eyes flickered toward the woman's nametag. "Naomi, thanks so much for helping me out."

  The woman turned crimson at the sound of her own name. Annamarie endured a violent flash of anger. If she knew what Daniel is really like, she thought. Darn. Right now wasn't the time for her to be frustrated. She should have just been grateful that Daniel could turn every woman on the planet into a puddle of mush.

  Daniel nodded toward the hall.

  "Let's go," he said.

  She made it to Daniel and glanced at him.

  "Nice work," she muttered. "If you had pushed a little harder, Naomi would have given you her phone number and tried to superglue herself to your Lamborghini."

  Daniel raised an eyebrow and smirked. Still he had no time to poke sharp sticks at her because she was already walking as fast as her legs could carry her. At the end of hall a plump woman with bushy black hair was drinking a cup of coffee and shooting the breeze with a woman behind the desk. The person had to have been Patricia Kingston.<
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  "I'll try not to push too hard." He nudged her elbow. "After all, I wouldn't want to make my girlfriend jealous."

  "I'm not your girlfriend!" she shouted, making both Patricia and the woman she was talking to glance in her direction.

  Jaiden made a strangled sound out of the back of his throat.

  This time when Daniel approached his prey—aka Patricia—he went with a different approach. An easygoing grin crossed his face. He pulled Patricia discretely away from the woman she'd been talking to and spoke so quietly Annamarie couldn't make out what he was saying. At first, the woman's eyes flashed with annoyance and she shook her head. After Daniel pulled out his wallet, though, Patricia's brown eyes grew warm and her head shakes became nods. He finished off his approach with a casual shoulder squeeze. The woman pointed to the end of the hall.

  Daniel beckoned Annamarie over.

  "You're going to make a great businessman," she said when she reached him. "I couldn't have pulled off half of what you just did."

  "It's in my blood," Daniel said. "Just be glad I got for us permission to enter Owen's room."

  After the four of them made it to room 524, Daniel opened the door and stepped inside. She followed behind him. The small room was shrouded in complete darkness. She took a step forward and rammed her knee straight into a chair she hadn't seen. After spewing some impressive swearwords, she limped around the room.

  "Nice one." Daniel cackled.

  "Are you okay?" Jaiden reached for her arm to steady her.

  Out of the four of them, Boris was the only one smart enough to turn on the light.

  Annamarie, gritting her teeth after hurting her leg, gazed at the bed in the middle of the room. Owen laid still, a white blanket spread across his massive body. His eyes were shut and his face was pale. His blond hair stuck to his face in sweaty ringlets even though the room was cold enough her skin was covered in goosebumps. She staggered over to Owen and sat on the bed next to him.

  "Owen," she said, touching his arm.

  The guy didn't respond.

  "I think we're too late." She hung her head. "They must have given him a sleeping pill already."

  "That woman said they gave him medicine five minutes ago," Daniel said. "There is no way it would affect him that fast. Try shaking him."