by Judi Lynn
Brody nodded toward Harmony. “Could we make it to Indy? I didn’t make it there the last time I visited. Want to check it out?”
She frowned. “I don’t write on Sundays. My brain needs time off. But the weather’s . . .”
Brody interrupted her. “It’s just as bad in New York, maybe worse. You heard Ian. With my SUV, we’ll be fine.”
She shrugged. At home, she went out on Sundays, met friends for brunch, spent an afternoon in a bookshop, and usually hit a bar to get a bite to eat. “Why not? I don’t have anything planned.”
“Good, what if we leave at eleven thirty? It takes an hour and a half to reach Indy, so we can eat lunch there and then look around.”
Tessa pushed her empty plate away. “I’m glad you guys are going to do something fun. All you’ve done so far is work. I want you to like it here, so you want to come back.”
Harmony protested. “I’d come back just to see you.”
“That’s sweet, but I want you to have a good time.” Tessa glanced around the table. Everyone was finished eating. “Thanks for supper. It was delicious.”
Brody beamed. “We did all right, didn’t we?”
“It was perfect. Want some dessert? I brought home cookies from the bakery.”
It was Ian’s turn to grin. “I love cookies. Can we eat them while we watch a movie? You wanted to rent one online tonight, didn’t you?”
Tessa nodded, and they ended up in the living room, watching The Grand Budapest Hotel. Harmony loved every minute of it. By the time the movie was over, though, Tessa was almost asleep.
Brody tousled her copper hair. “Go to bed. Take it easy tomorrow, and we’ll see you on Monday.”
“But I never get to stay up late and really visit with you guys,” Tessa complained.
“They should count their blessings. You barf every morning and snore every night.” Ian threw an arm around his wife and led her to the stairs. “But we all love you anyway. Have fun in Indy tomorrow, you two!”
They let themselves out. On the drive back to the lodge, Harmony shook her head. “I never realized growing a baby sapped your energy so much.”
“Growing a baby.” Brody turned the phrase over. “You have a unique way of looking at things.”
She gave him a wicked grin. “Do you think your ex is totally wiped out? Isn’t that sort of fun, thinking of her as half-dead, dragging herself from one event to another? And in a few months, she’ll be huge.”
Brody stared at her. “You’re evil.”
“I know. I write paranormal. Vampires and witches can be ruthless.”
He glanced both ways when they passed an intersection. She looked, too.
They had the right of way, but why take a chance? In a few more feet, he began to slow for their turn. “You talk a good story,” he told her. “And you have a wicked sense of humor, but scratch the surface, and you’re pretty nice.”
She shrugged. “Maybe, but my trash talk makes you wonder, doesn’t it?”
He pulled close to the front door. “You don’t fool anyone for long. Even Aiden’s got your number.”
She raised her middle finger for him on her way to the lodge. His laugh followed her inside.
Chapter 14
They left at eleven thirty on Sunday. Brody wore his good jeans and a black V-neck sweater. He looked good in black with his ebony hair and smoky-gray eyes. Harmony wore her good jeans, too, and a black blouse. It looked like they’d called each other on the phone to coordinate their outfits. She smiled at that thought.
He glanced sideways at her as he turned for the highway. “What’s so funny?”
“We dressed alike. We look like a couple.”
He frowned. “Is that so bad?”
“Only for you.” Her grin widened. “Girls won’t throw themselves at your feet now. They’ll think you’re with me.”
“I am with you. At least for the day.” He sounded offended.
“Well, if some girl gives you the eye and you’re interested, just tell me to wander around for half an hour so you can get her number.”
“I’d never do that. That’s rude.”
She sighed. “Rude or not, you’re single and looking. You have to put yourself out there.”
“No.”
She stared at him. “Brody, you’re a great catch, but girls need to know you’re available. Okay, maybe you don’t have to worry about that. Girls probably come on to you, but why limit yourself?”
He turned onto the highway and blended into traffic. “I want to relax today, to have fun. I don’t want to market myself.”
She thought about that. “Okay, I get it. If you’re doing the come-hither thing, you have to be on for it. It takes energy.”
“Do you do the come-hither thing?”
“Only at the end of a book, but my days are numbered. Most guys want younger women. Once I creep too much past thirty, I’ll have to settle for ice cream.”
He laughed. “I don’t think so.”
“You haven’t watched guys in bars. They’d rather go home with a bimbo who can’t speak in full sentences than settle for someone who has one gray hair.”
“What if the guy’s older?” he asked.
“Then they want a girl who wears a Catholic school uniform. They want to feel young again so badly, they stock their shirt pockets with lollipops to get dates.”
“You’re terrible.”
“You already know that. No news flash there.” She settled back to enjoy the scenery, but there wasn’t much to look at. Finally, she sighed. “Highways can be pretty boring. This countryside’s almost flat, mostly snow covered fields.”
“If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?”
“In the U.S. or abroad?”
He grinned. “Let’s start small. In the U.S.”
“I’d drive up and down the East Coast and stop to explore any place that took my fancy.”
“Why the East Coast?”
She pursed her lips, considering. “Because I’ve never done it. I’ve seen a lot of the West Coast at conferences. And I’ve been to New Orleans and different places in Florida. I think the East Coast is beautiful.”
“I’ve always wanted to leave New York and drive cross-country all the way to Oregon.”
She stared. “How long would that take?”
“If I could, I’d give it a month to wander here and there.”
She shook her head. “You need one of those little travel trailers, you know, like the one Lucille Ball used in one of her movies—a home on wheels. Then you wouldn’t have to do the great hotel/motel search every night.”
“She had one disaster after another, didn’t she?”
“Well, yeah, but that was to make it funny.”
Traffic started to pick up. He glanced at a road sign. “We’re getting close. Ian told me to try the Broad Ripple area. He said it has lots of good restaurants and shops.”
Harmony relaxed again and watched different suburbs fly by while Brody concentrated on his driving. The trip had gone faster than she’d expected. Of course, they’d yakked most of the way. When he finally pulled into a parking spot in Broad Ripple, they decided to check out a nearby restaurant. Leaving the warmth of the SUV, they shivered. The cold bit their skin, but there was no wind. When they pushed through the doors of the eatery, voices and the clink of cutlery greeted them. The air held the warmth of numerous bodies and the aromas of good food.
They didn’t have a long wait, and when a hostess seated them at a booth, Brody reached for a menu. “I’m hungry.”
“So am I.” Harmony fixed him with a stare. “Just so you know, we’re going Dutch. I appreciate getting to tag along today, but you aren’t paying for me.”
His gray eyes danced. “Why? If I pay for your food, will you feel obligated to sleep with me?”
“In your dreams.” She grinned. “No, but you buy all the food for the meals at home. I like to pay my own way. I don’t like to owe anyone anything. I’m glad I get to cook for T
essa. That way, I get to contribute.”
“You have issues. You know that, don’t you? You’re great at giving, but you haven’t learned how to take.”
She frowned. “What’s so great about taking?”
“Sometimes, it’s nice to let the other person do the giving. Tessa wanted you to come.”
Harmony shrugged. “I know that, and I was fine with staying at the lodge and having supper with her.”
“So I’m the one who changed that.” His gaze bored into hers. “You don’t want to take from me?”
She squirmed. “I only just met you. It’s different.”
He concentrated on his menu. His abrupt silence made her uncomfortable. She scanned her menu, too, trying to distract herself. When the waitress came, Brody said, “We’ll need separate checks. The lady’s insistence.”
The waitress blinked at her. “Okay, why don’t you order first?”
Harmony sent an arch look to Brody, but said, “I’ll have the seafood Newburg and a glass of Riesling.” When Brody stared at her, she said, “I drink whatever I want. I’m no wine expert.”
When it was his turn, Brody ordered prime rib and a red wine. The waitress gave them a crooked smile before she left.
Before they could verbally fence any more, Brody leaned forward and said, “Working with Ian on his lodge has made me want a house again.”
The abrupt change of subject knocked her off balance. “A house?” Where had that come from? “Isn’t that a lot of upkeep?”
He grimaced. “That’s the thing. I had a house with Cecily, a monster of a place, but we hired everything done. She loved to entertain, so we had a gourmet kitchen, a cavernous dining room, and a big back patio. I’m not sure I want that again.”
The waitress brought them bread, and Brody sliced it and offered Harmony a piece. She spread it with butter, then gave him a troubled stare. “Aren’t you putting the cart before the horse? Shouldn’t you find a wife and then look for a house? Won’t she want a vote?”
“How big is your apartment?” he asked.
Harmony snickered. “My place wouldn’t tempt anyone. It’s under a thousand square feet.”
“Do you like it?”
“Well, sure I do, but it’s just for me. One person.”
He ran a hand through his dark hair. “I’m starting to think I’d be happier with less.”
“Yeah, well, you might want to try it on for size before you jump in. You’re used to more, to bigger and better.”
Their salads came, and Brody stabbed at his lettuce. “What would your dream house look like?”
She shrugged. “I don’t have one. Houses entail lawn mowers and fixing roofs and furnaces. Not my idea of heaven.”
“If you had a husband? If he took care of things?”
“But I don’t. And I won’t. So it doesn’t matter.”
He sighed. “You’re no help.”
“You’re getting downright pathetic, Bro.” She shook her head. “Look at you. You’re a hunk. You’re rich and a decent human being. And you’re crying in your salad because you don’t have a girl and a house. Go get them.”
“It’s not always that easy.”
“Why not?”
He faltered. “Because sometimes, we want things we can’t have.”
She looked up, interested. “Ahh, now I get it. You do want a girl, but she’s not interested in you.”
“Maybe.”
“Then move on. There are lots of fish in the sea.”
He made a disgusted noise. “If I have to, I have to, but I haven’t given up yet.”
“Tick-tock, tick-tock.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“It’s your biological clock telling you to hustle. I can see it now. You, bent over, trying to chase a football with a toddler . . .”
“Not funny.” He reached for his wine glass.
She snorted. “You’ve wallowed enough for one day. You brought me to Indy to have fun, so start being entertaining.”
“Should I perform tricks?”
“Do you know any?”
He let out a long sigh. “You’re a difficult woman.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
He laughed. “Okay, small talk. Have you read any good books lately?”
They bantered books, movies, friends, and ideas until their checks arrived. Then they walked around the area and ducked into a few shops. Brody found a watch he loved and bought it. Harmony saw a bracelet she liked, but it was forty-five dollars, and she put it back.
“I thought you liked it,” Brody prodded.
“I do, but I won’t wear it that much. I never dress up anymore.”
“Why not?”
She tried to explain. “My friends and I go to small places and bars. We’re jeans-type people. We just hang out.”
Brody looked around the shop at the variety of jewelry. “But you’re not buying anything.”
“I don’t need anything.”
He frowned, confused. “But don’t you ever just shop for the fun of it?”
“Not much. I’m sort of over that. It’s just more clutter.”
A few shops later, Brody saw a tie he liked, reached for it, and then decided against it.
Harmony tilted her head. “I like the colors on that. It would look good on you.”
“I have lots of ties.”
“That’s a nice one.”
So he bought it. When they got chilly, going from one shop to the next, they stopped at a coffee shop. They each ordered a dessert, and Brody paid the bill. He grinned at her. “I’m keeping tabs.” Then they decided they’d better head back to the resort.
On the return drive, Brody turned on the radio. They listened to music and the hour and a half flew by. When he pulled to the front door of the lodge, Harmony turned to smile at him. “This was a great day.”
“Are you still up for Harry Potter?”
“I don’t know. Does it involve popcorn?”
“And wine. I’ll sweeten the deal.”
“Can I change into my PJs and meet you in the library? We can be comfortable.”
His expression shifted. She couldn’t read it. Had she offended him? She hung out with guy pals at home and it was no big deal. But his voice sounded relieved. “I love that idea.”
“Good, see you in ten.” And she disappeared inside. She thought about Brody as she climbed the stairs to her room. The man needed a woman. Maybe if he hung out with her enough, he’d drop some of his reservations and take the plunge. A sharp pang surprised her. What the crap? Close to the heart and deep in the gut. She knew it for what it was. Jealousy. Some lucky woman would snag that man, and he’d be faithful to her for the rest of his days.
When she changed into her oversized button-down top and bottom, pulled on her ratty robe, and stared in the mirror, she grimaced at herself. Brody was temptation on two legs. If she was the marrying type, she’d jump his bones and lick him all over, but she wasn’t. So she sure as hell wished him the best. She’d never met a man she liked more.
Chapter 15
When she met Brody in the kitchen, she gulped as a wave of lust hit her. He wore loose-fitting, drawstring pajama bottoms and an oversized, navy-blue T-shirt. His robe was open. How could a man who teased the imagination when he wore jeans look even more appealing in comfy clothes? His black hair was mussed and dark stubble threatened his jawline.
Harmony had spent a lot of time with guy pals. Some crashed at her apartment when they’d had a bit too much to drink. And they’d never made her neurons pulse like Brody could. She struggled to keep her hands off the man’s bod.
He turned to her when she came up behind him. A smile lifted his lips. “I went decadent and added extra butter to our popcorn.”
He could go decadent any time he wanted. She licked her lips. Down, girl, down. Stop that! her mind screamed. She went to the refrigerator and got their drinks. “Ready?”
He followed her into the study and put his t
ray on the coffee table. She handed him his beer, and he started the movie. They both sat in the middle of the sofa to reach their snacks with more ease, and when they leaned back, their shoulders touched.
A pulse throbbed in Brody’s jaw. Hmm, interesting. He stretched his legs, and his thigh rested against hers. Harmony tried to concentrate on the movie. Ignore your baser impulses, she told herself.
The Goblet of Fire kicked into gear, and it immediately caught her attention. How did Harry Potter’s name get pulled from the goblet? How did it get put in, in the first place? The contest wasn’t just about winning. It was about surviving the horrible challenges.
Brody took a deep breath and rested his arms on the back of the sofa.
Wait a minute. That’s what guys used to do when they took her to drive-in movies. Was Brody making a move on her? She glanced at his profile, but he was focused on the TV screen. He’d driven to Indy and back. He probably just needed to stretch his muscles.
Somewhere later in the movie, when Harry had to face the dragon challenge, Brody’s arm slipped and settled around her shoulders. She glanced at him again. Once more, his entire concentration was on the TV screen. Okay, he wasn’t hitting on her. He was just totally into the movie. She relaxed and pressed her body against his side. He didn’t seem to notice, just turned a little to get more comfortable.
They sat, cuddled together, while Harry went to the baths to learn a clue about how to face the next challenge. Brody chuckled when Moaning Myrtle popped in to help poor Harry, the noise rumbling in Brody’s chest. Harmony fought the urge to press her head to his heart or, worse, to climb onto his lap. She was feeling pretty toasty—the room must be too warm—when his cell phone rang.
He reached for it and frowned. Harmony caught the name Carolyn on the I.D. She paused the movie and scooted away to give him some distance.
“Yes?” His voice was cautious, careful. He listened, and his expression turned serious. He glanced at Harmony. He looked contrite. She got the idea. This phone call was personal, and it would take a while.
She waved away his concern. She pushed to her feet and whispered, “We can finish this tomorrow.” She handed him the remote and started for the door.
