Sweet Harmony (Harmony Falls, Book One)

by Elizabeth Kelly

  “I do. Give me five minutes.”

  * * *

  Lucas took a bite of his burger, chewing and swallowing before saying, “This burger’s not half bad for a Falls burger. It’s not as good as Ted’s, but it’ll do.”

  Connor laughed. “Don’t let Nan hear you say that. She’ll kick you out so fast your head will spin.”

  “Shit, do you mean the infamous Nan that Ted’s been fighting with for the last thirty years?”

  Connor nodded and Lucas shook his head. “I can’t believe you’re eating at Ted’s mortal enemy’s diner. If he finds out, you’ll be banned from his diner.”

  “Nan’s food is so good, I’ll risk it,” Connor said.

  “You even go back to Willington anymore?” Lucas asked.

  Connor popped a fry into his mouth. “What have you heard?”

  Lucas grinned. “The shit I’ve heard, buddy… you wouldn’t believe it.”

  “Try me,” Connor said.

  “My favourite one is the rumour that you go back every weekend and sit outside of Lisa’s place, playing emo music and crying.”

  Connor groaned and Lucas laughed. “It’s better than the one that circulated a few weeks ago.”

  “I’m almost afraid to ask.”

  “You should be. That one had you going crazy at work and yanking out some poor dude’s teeth without any provocation. You got fired and are now living in your mother’s basement in shame.”

  “You’re fucking kidding me.” Connor pushed his plate of food away. “What the hell is wrong with people in Willington?”

  Lucas ate another fry. “They’re bored. Besides, you’re the tragedy that just keeps giving. You were the town’s golden boy, about to become the biggest name in Willington since… ever. And then poof… you blow your knee and lose your baseball career and the girl.”

  “I didn’t lose the girl right away.” Connor could hear the edge in his voice. “She stuck around for another few years.”

  “Yeah, well, she was a right bitch to do that. She should never have dragged it out like that, buddy. She made your life miserable.”

  “It wasn’t like that,” Connor said.

  “Wasn’t it?” Lucas raised an eyebrow at him.

  “Fuck, I don’t know,” Connor said. “But can you blame her? I ruined her life, Lucas. I made one stupid mistake and ruined mine and Lisa’s lives forever.”

  “Bullshit,” Lucas said. “Maybe your life didn’t turn out the way you planned, but you didn’t ruin it or Lisa’s. She couldn’t accept that she wasn’t going to be married to a famous baseball player and have everything her greedy little heart wanted and that isn’t your fault. Frankly, it’s good that she showed her true colours before you married her, right?”

  Connor just shrugged. What Lucas was telling him wasn’t anything he hadn’t said before, but like always, it didn’t lessen his guilt or convince him that he wasn’t a world class screw-up. Nausea bit at the edges of his stomach. Christ, would he ever not feel guilty about what he did?

  Lucas leaned forward. “Hey, you okay?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories, but you can’t live your life swallowed up by guilt. It’s not healthy. You started dating yet?”

  Connor hesitated before shaking his head. “No.”

  Lucas ate another bite of burger. “What’s her name?”

  “There isn’t anyone.”

  Ketchup dripped onto Lucas’ finger and he licked it off before pointing the finger at Connor. “I’ve been your best friend since grade fucking one, Connor. You think I can’t tell when you’re lying? Spill it, asshole.”

  Connor took a sip of his water before glancing around the diner and lowering his voice. “Her name is Kira and we’re not really dating.”

  * * *

  “Let me get this straight,” Lucas leaned back in the booth, “this is all fake, but you keep grinding on her like some horny frat boy whenever you’re alone?”

  “Keep your voice down,” Connor said.

  “How was the meal?” Their curvy redheaded server stopped at their table to take their plates.

  Lucas gave her a flirty grin, his gaze dropping to the nametag pinned above one ample breast. “Well, Georgia, that burger might just have been the best damn thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.”

  Her lips twitched. “You’re not putting the right things in your mouth then.”

  “Is that right?” Lucas said with another flirty grin. “Maybe you have something else I could put in my mouth.”

  The redhead leaned closer to him, her smile warm. “Oh, sweetheart, you’re just a Willington boy. You couldn’t handle what I have to give your mouth.”

  She pinched his cheek and winked at him before turning and walking away. Lucas stared at her ass and swallowed hard. “Fuck, I think I’m in love.”

  Connor laughed. “You realize you were just shot down, right?”

  Lucas was still staring at the redhead’s ass. “Hell, I’m starting to rethink my belief that Willington girls are better than the Falls girls. How did she know I was from Willington?”

  “No idea,” Connor replied.

  “Anyway, back to you,” Lucas said. “You’re really gonna bring a fake girlfriend to Mandy’s wedding?”

  “Yeah. Kira needs someone to make her crush jealous and it’s the only way to stop my parents and the rest of my family from trying to get me and Lisa back together.”

  “Yeah, but… this isn’t like you,” Lucas said. “Maybe you should rethink your decision.”

  “It’s too late. I already told Mom and Mandy that I had a girlfriend named Kira who I was bringing to the wedding.”

  “What did your mom say?”

  “Not a lot,” Connor said. “I think she was stunned into silence.”

  “Yeah, I bet. My mom says that your mom and Lisa still hang out together all the time. All the time, dude.”

  Connor rubbed at the back of his neck. “I didn’t know that, but I’m not surprised.”

  “It was a real shitty thing for your parents to take Lisa’s side.”

  “They didn’t take sides,” Connor said. “They just…”

  “They took her side,” Lucas said. “I know it hurts to hear that, but they did. So, tell me more about this Kira chick. Obviously, she’s hot if you can’t stop kissing her.”

  “I told you, I only kissed her because we needed to make sure we had chemistry as a couple.”

  “Oh yeah?” Lucas said. “So, then why do you keep going over there to play kissy-face with her?”

  Connor didn’t answer and Lucas frowned. “She’s in love with this firefighter, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Don’t forget that,” Lucas said.

  “I haven’t,” Connor said. “I’ve known her for two days, Lucas. I’m not falling for her. Stop freaking out.”

  “I just want to make sure you’re not setting yourself up for another broken heart,” Lucas said.

  “I’m not. I’m not ready for a relationship and have no fucking idea when I will be,” Connor said.

  “Do you still love Lisa?” Lucas asked. “Are you doing this to keep your family off your back or to make Lisa jealous?”

  “I’m not in love with her,” Connor said. “I still care about her, but I’m not in love with her.”

  “You sure?” Lucas eyed him.

  “Yeah,” Connor said. “I’m sure. I’m doing this to stop everyone from pushing Lisa and me back together, nothing else. Which is why it’s so perfect that Kira is in love with Daniel. I don’t have to worry about her developing feelings for me.

  “Right.” Lucas slid out of the booth. “I’m gonna hit the head.”

  He walked away and Connor sat back in the booth, feeling a little like he’d been put through the wringer. He knew his best friend meant well, but if he was being truthful, he was still a little shaken by what had happened this morning.

  He shouldn’t have even showed up at her place this m
orning. It was obvious they had chemistry, and Kira was fine at kissing him now.

  Better than fine. You’re getting hard just thinking about her kissing you.

  He shifted in the booth, trying to relieve some of the pressure in his groin. Last night when she had asked him about practicing, he’d been so damn tempted. He should have said no, should have told her that they didn’t need to practice anymore, but he couldn’t.

  But saying yes last night would have been dangerous. Her bedroom was too close, too tempting. It was all too easy to imagine taking her to her bed, undressing her in the dark and kissing every part of her body until she was moaning and pleading in that soft, sweet voice of hers for him to fuck her.

  So, he’d compromised and said this morning, figuring it was easier to resist fucking her if he was on a time limit.

  Only, all his good intentions had flown out the damn window and he couldn’t even fool himself into thinking that if she hadn’t admitted to being a virgin, he wouldn’t have tried to coax her into having a quickie with him this morning. The way she reacted when he touched her, the way she tasted, and the little breathless cries she made had him twisted into a knot that he couldn’t seem to loosen.

  He wanted Kira Walker. Their relationship might be fake, but it didn’t stop him from getting half a damn stiffy every time he was around her now. Didn’t stop him from wondering just how tight her little pussy was.

  Very tight. She’s a virgin, remember?

  He grimaced. She was and she was saving herself for Daniel Moore. An idiot who didn’t deserve it.

  He supposed that was unfair of him. He really knew nothing about the man. Other than seeing him on the ball field, he didn’t travel in the same social circles as Daniel.

  You don’t travel in any social circles. You’re barely a step above social recluse.

  He gulped down the rest of his water. He’d found it hard to make friends in Harmony Falls, but whose fault was that? He made no effort. The guys on his ball team had invited him for drinks after games how many times, and he always said no. The idea of belonging to a team again, of thinking that playing ball once a week was for anything more than exercise, made him feel a little anxious.

  Now that you’re with Kira, you’re gonna need to be a lot more social. She sounds like a damn social butterfly.

  Not to mention that if they were gonna make Daniel jealous, they needed to be seen together around him and other people. Of course, Daniel seemed pretty comfortable just walking into her house. He scowled, a weird part of him a little pissed that Daniel walked into Kira’s place like he had the right.

  He’d seen Daniel walking up the driveway and had immediately turned and gone back to Kira. He hadn’t needed to kiss her again, but she’d still been sitting on the counter, her mouth swollen and her nipples hard against her bra. He couldn’t resist. Besides, it had been an effective way to announce their fake relationship to Daniel and start them down the path to making him jealous.

  Yeah, except you weren’t supposed to do that for a couple of weeks, remember? Kira might have promised she’d go to the wedding with you, but she’s been in love with Daniel for years. The minute he goes after her, she’ll back out of your arrangement.

  He grimaced again. Fuck, he’d screwed up, and he could only hope that Kira kept her word. If she didn’t, well… there was always the option of coming down with a bad case of food poisoning right before the wedding.

  Lucas returned and sat down again. Before he could grill him anymore about Kira, Connor said, “So, how’s work going?”

  “Busy,” Lucas said. “The company has exploded ever since Shadow Dragons went to number one. We’re expanding operations. The boss is looking for a building in Harmony Falls.”

  “Sorry, what?” Connor blinked at him. “He’s starting up a company in Harmony Falls?”

  Lucas nodded. “Yeah. I mean, it’s the same company, just a second location.”

  “But why Harmony Falls?”

  “Apparently he had some connection to this place when he was a kid. I dunno. The guy’s close-mouthed as shit about his personal life. He wants me to be the head developer at the second location.”

  Connor’s mouth dropped open. “You’re moving to Harmony Falls?”

  “Thinking about it.”

  “Seriously? You swore when you moved to New Cassel that you’d never live in a small town again.”

  “Yeah, I know. But,” Lucas traced a finger over the chipped table top, “big city living isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Anyway, I haven’t accepted the position yet, but it is a promotion and a pay raise, so I’d be an idiot not to do it.”

  Connor grinned at him. “Who knew that all those years of playing video games in your basement would lead to this, huh?”

  Lucas rolled his eyes. “Dude, how many times do I have to tell you that I don’t play video games, I design them.”

  “I know,” Connor said. “Listen, for what it’s worth, Harmony Falls is a great little town and I’m full on team ‘Lucas moves here’.”

  “Thanks, man. Listen, keep this under your hat for now, okay? My boss hasn’t found a building yet and not everyone in the company knows that he’s expanding.”

  “Yeah, okay.”

  “Anyway,” Lucas checked his watch, “I’d better get on the road. I told Ma I’d be there by two and she’ll kick my ass if I’m late. If I get the chance, I’ll stop in on my way back on Sunday, okay?”

  “Sure. Say hi to your mom for me.”

  “I will.”

  Chapter Five

  Kira was sitting on the porch swing when he parked in the driveway. He climbed out of the car and headed toward the steps. Daffodils were poking their way through the dark earth in the flower beds in front of the porch, their bright green leaves unfurled to soak in the early evening rays and their yellow heads nodding in the breeze.

  He’d texted Kira just before his final appointment and once he was finished for the day, he’d gone home and eaten a quick sandwich and changed his clothes before driving over. He climbed the porch stairs and, after a moment’s hesitation, chose the Adirondack chair to the right of her, rather than sitting in the swing beside her. Being that close to her was… dangerous.

  On the drive over, he’d decided the smart thing to do was to keep his distance from Kira. Yeah, he wanted her, and she obviously was attracted to him, but she’d made it clear that she only wanted to sleep with Daniel. If he kept touching her, kept kissing her, he’d end up trying to seduce her into his bed and that made him a total dickhead.

  “I’m so sorry about this morning.” Kira wouldn’t look at him. “My brother is a bit… overprotective.”

  “It’s fine,” he said.

  She traced her fingers over the worn wood of the swing. “Are you hurt?”

  “By your brother?” He had no idea what she was talking about.

  “No, I mean from Tank barrelling into you this morning. He can be, um, a bit enthusiastic.”

  “I’m not hurt,” he said.

  She glanced at him before looking away. “Thank you again for taking the brunt of his greeting. That was really nice of you and I appreciate it.”

  “It’s what we fake boyfriends do, right? Save our fake girlfriends from being flattened by horses masquerading as dogs.” He gave her a teasing grin before mentally berating himself. Was he flirting with her?

  “Right,” she said.

  “Hey, you okay?” She still wasn’t looking at him and he touched her arm. “You seem upset.”

  “I’m not. Just, uh, a long day.” She kept her gaze firmly in her lap.

  He shouldn’t be prying into her life, but he couldn’t resist. She seemed so defeated. “Look at me, Kira.”

  She sighed and faced him. Her face was pale, and her eyes rimmed with red. Shit, had she been crying? Had he upset her? He’d been a dick to her this morning when he found out she was a virgin.

  He cursed inwardly. He wasn’t great at emotional stuff. Lisa had referred to him as “
emotionally distant” when she was trying to be polite, and “cold as ice” when she was pissed with him. He had no doubt that his refusal to show affection in public, his inability to effectively share his feelings had all added to her final decision to walk away from their relationship.

  “Listen, what I said this morning was stupid of me. It’s your body and your decision what you want to do with it,” he said. “I apologize for making you, uh, feel bad about your choices.”

  She shook her head and he was a bit horrified when it became apparent that she was close to crying. “No, it has nothing to do with that. I’m fine, really.”

  “I might be a fake boyfriend but even I know the ‘I’m fine’ line is bullshit,” he said.

  She pressed her lips together before staring at the daffodils. “I’m pretty sure I’m about to lose my job.”

  “Because you haven’t made a sale yet?”

  She nodded and quickly swiped away the tear that was leaking down her cheek. “Yeah. Ray pulled me into his office this morning and he was, well he was super nice about it, but he made it clear that if I don’t sell a house in the next couple of weeks, they’ll have to let me go.”

  “Dick move,” he muttered.

  “No,” she said immediately. “It isn’t. Ray and Rose are the nicest people around, and I owe them a lot. They gave me a chance and it’s not their fault that I suck at selling houses.”

  “Maybe it’s the market,” he said. “You can’t tell me that there are a lot of places selling in Harmony Falls. It’s not that big.”

  “Maybe,” she said, “but they have another agent working for them, his name is Jeremy, and he’s sold like two houses and one commercial property in the last month.”

  More tears were falling, and she sniffed loudly before knuckling away the tears. There was awkward silence and feeling useless, he blurted out, “Are you looking for comfort or a solution?”

  Shit. Lisa had hated it when he said that to her. He really hadn’t learned a damn thing about being a good boyfriend.