“Mr. Stark? I’m Kira Walker.”
The man, he was tall and broad shouldered with sand-coloured hair and dark brown eyes, stood and held out his hand. She shook it briefly before sitting across from him.
“It’s nice to meet you Ms. Walker.”
“You as well, Mr. Stark.” She tried to sound confident and self-assured but the man standing in front of her was beautiful. GQ beautiful. Had she ever seen anyone so perfect looking in her life? She didn’t think so.
Still, there was a coldness to him that made her a bit nervous. He seemed like the type of guy who wouldn’t hesitate to destroy you if you crossed him.
There was a paper cup of coffee on the table in front of him, from one of their local coffee shops “Grind my Beans”, and he took a sip before staring at her.
“How can I help you today?” she asked.
“I’m looking for a commercial property. You were recommended to me. So, what have you got for me?”
She blinked at him, a little taken aback. “I was recommended to you?”
“Yes.” The slightest hint of impatience crept into his voice. “Talk to me about commercial properties available in Harmony Falls, Ms. Walker, or,” he studied her for a few seconds, “should I be finding someone with more experience to help me.”
She took a deep breath. This was her chance, probably her only chance, to save her job. She wouldn’t let this man’s brusque and teensy bit terrifying personality ruin her shot. Smiling at him, she picked up her pen. “I assure you I am more than capable, Mr. Stark. Why don’t we start with you giving me the details of what you’re looking for?”
* * *
“Wait, so you have no idea who this Stark guy is, but you were recommended to him?” Addie asked.
Kira nodded as she followed Addie toward the canteen. Harmony Falls Sports Complex had been completed early last year, just in time for the start of baseball season. The new facility featured four ball diamonds, a playground area, picnic areas, and a full-service canteen. It was the town council’s pride and joy and was built in direct competition with Willington’s Sports Complex that had been built two years prior.
“I wonder who recommended you,” Addie said.
“I have no idea. I didn’t think to ask him, to be honest. He was a little intimidating,” Kira replied. “I spent the rest of the day finding some properties for him to look at and setting up appointments for next Friday when he’s back in town.”
They were crossing the parking lot now and Addie slipped between two parked trucks. “That’s awesome. Congratulations, honey.”
“It is awesome, but don’t congratulate me yet. I need to actually make the sale first, if I have any hope in keeping my job.”
Addie stopped and took her hand, squeezing it tightly. “You’ve got this, Kira. I know it.”
“Thanks.” She smiled at her friend.
“So.” Addie glanced around. There were people all over the parking lot headed toward the ball diamonds and she lowered her voice. “I met Gracie for coffee after work and she said that you and Connor had to start the ruse early because my brother walked in on you together.”
“Yes. Daniel and Gideon both.” She scuffed her toe against the asphalt. “Hey, have you, uh, talked to your brother?”
“Not since Wednesday. Why?” Addie smoothed her hair when a gust of wind brushed over them.
Compared to Kira who had changed into skinny jeans and a t-shirt before driving over to the ball diamond, Addie looked positively perfect in a pale green A-line dress that brought out the green highlights in her hazel eyes. She had paired the dress with a soft pink cardigan and pink Converse running shoes that should have looked ridiculous with the dress but didn’t.
Kira shrugged, trying not to let her anxiety show as they continued to walk toward the canteen. She had sent Daniel three texts since he’d walked out of the kitchen on Thursday morning and hadn’t heard a thing back from him.
Of course, that wasn’t that unusual. Daniel was a busy guy and didn’t always respond to her texts in a timely manner.
He’s good about texting when he wants something.
She ignored her inner voice. She could only hope that Daniel was just busy and not like, mad, at her for kissing Connor. She wanted him jealous, not pissed off.
“Speak of the devil,” Addison said when Daniel pulled into the parking lot. He parked his truck and hopped out as Kira’s heart pounded with nerves and happiness. He grabbed his bag from the back of the truck and slung it over one perfect shoulder before walking toward them.
She smiled at him when he stopped in front of her. “Hey, Daniel.”
“Hey, doll.” He winked at her. “How are you?”
“Uh, good. How are you?”
“Keeping things real.” He shifted the bag. “You here to watch me play against your boyfriend?”
“Um, I, uh…”
Shit, was Connor playing tonight? Embarrassed by his rejection last night, she hadn’t texted him at all today. Not that she needed to – they were just fake dating after all – but now she was regretting not confirming what his plans were for the weekend so she could act the part of the adoring girlfriend.
“She’s here to watch her boyfriend play. Whether you’re playing or not isn’t anything she cares about,” Addison said with a roll of her eyes.
Daniel reached out and ruffled Addison’s hair. She glared at him and yanked her head back. “Stop it, Daniel.”
He laughed teasingly. “You gonna tell Mom on me?”
“You’re such a butthead,” she said. “C’mon, Kira, I want to get a drink from the canteen before the game starts.”
“Can you give me and Daniel a minute?” Kira said.
Addison hesitated but then said, “Sure.” She walked off, giving them some privacy and Daniel grinned at Kira again.
“Hey, you’re not, um, mad at me, are you?” Kira asked.
“Nope. How could I ever be mad at you, doll?”
“I just – you left Thursday morning without saying goodbye.”
He grinned at her. “You seemed pretty busy with your new man.”
“Right,” she said.
“Good for you. I’m glad you found someone,” Daniel said.
“Thanks.” She fought to hide her bitter disappointment that he wasn’t the least bit jealous.
“So, is it serious?”
His tone was weirdly casual and the hope that had deflated inside of her puffed back to life.
She smiled at him. “He’s a good guy. I like him a lot.”
“Like him or love him?”
Before she could answer, his phone buzzed, and he pulled it from the pocket of his track pants. He glanced at the screen. “I gotta take this, doll. See you at the diamond.”
He walked away and she studied his ass. God, he had an amazing ass.
So does Connor. And the way he kisses is sexy as hell. Am I right?
She flushed and looked away from Daniel’s butt. She needed to be more careful. If anyone caught her ogling Daniel like she normally did, her fake relationship with Connor would be over before it really started.
She hurried to catch up to Addison, but Addie had stopped only a few feet away. She was staring at the motorcycle in front of her, studying the way the chrome gleamed in the early evening sunlight.
Kira joined her, but Addison continued to stare at the bike. One hand worried at the string of pearls around her neck as the other slowly reached to touch the soft leather of the seat. A big hand, a skull tattooed into the webbing between the thumb and forefinger, clamped around her wrist.
Addison gasped and stared wordlessly at the man standing beside her.
“No touching the bike, sweetheart,” he said.
He looked her up and down from her auburn coloured hair to her pink Converse sneakers, his gaze lingering on her breasts for a moment longer than appropriate, before he studied her now red face.
He dropped her wrist, then reached out and gave Kira’s ponytail a light t
ug. “Hey.”
“Hello, Preacher. How are you?”
“Good. Just finished watching your brother play. Heard you were dating a dentist.”
She sighed. Preacher was Gideon’s best friend, of course her brother had told him about Kira and Connor. “I am.”
“You let me know if he isn’t good to you. All right?”
“He’s a good guy,” she said.
Great. Not only did she have to worry about Gideon, now she had to worry about Preacher too.
Preacher had moved to their small town about a year after Gideon returned home. He and Gideon had met in New Cassel and while she had no idea how they had become friends, neither of them would talk about it, they were as close as she and Grace were.
The sheriff and the tattoo artist were the unlikeliest of friends, and their friendship had been the subject of town gossip for months.
Preacher didn’t talk much and although she’d spent plenty of time with him and Gideon, Kira still really didn’t have a clue about him other than that he was the only man in town bigger than her brother, he was covered in tattoos, he ran a successful tattoo and piercing shop, and he’d pretty much adopted her like she was his own kid sister. She didn’t even know his real name.
“Yeah, well, just give me the word if you need me to fuck him up.”
“Preacher, let’s go. I’m bored.” A bleach blonde, her slender body clad in skin tight jeans and a shirt that hugged her, Kira suspected, surgery-enhanced breasts, gave him a pouty look. Kira didn’t know who she was, but she knew for certain she wasn’t from their small town. Preacher didn’t date anyone from Harmony Falls.
Addison backed away as Preacher swung one jean-clad leg over his bike and sat on the seat. The woman climbed on behind him and slung her arms around his waist. Preacher gave Addison one final look, this time his gaze lingering first on the pearls around her throat before moving to her mouth.
Addison turned scarlet and backed up again until she was standing next to Kira. She took Kira’s hand, squeezing it compulsively as Preacher’s bike started with a low roar.
“See you around, Kira,” Preacher said before, with one big hand resting on the blonde’s thigh, he drove out of the parking lot.
Beside her, Addison let out a shuddering breath and Kira said, “Hey? You okay?”
“Fine.” Addie swallowed hard. “Preacher is, um… he’s a little scary looking.”
Kira grinned. “Yeah, I know, but he’s not really that scary.”
“Of course, he isn’t. The giant tattooed biker isn’t at all dangerous or scary.”
This time Kira laughed. “You can’t judge a book by its cover, Addie. He’s got a good heart and he maybe doesn’t talk much, but he’s sweet in his own way.”
“Oh yes, offering to ‘fuck up’ your boyfriend for you, is very sweet.”
Kira’s mouth dropped open. “Oh my God, Addie. I think that might be the first time I’ve ever heard you use the f-word.”
“Harrison says a man doesn’t like it when a woman cusses. It makes her look and sound coarse.”
Kira rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Harrison won’t be happy until you’re a damn Stepford wife.”
Addison gave her a hurt look and Kira sighed. “Sorry, that was a stupid thing to say. But Harrison doesn’t have the right to tell you how to act or talk. He’s your fiancé, not your friggin’ owner.”
“He doesn’t,” Addison said. “He gives me suggestions, that’s all. And I think it’s sweet that he wants me to be the best I can be. He loves me, Kira and I love him.”
“I know,” Kira said. “Come on, let’s hit the canteen and head back.”
* * *
When they returned to the ball diamond, drinks in hand, the teams were just starting to warm up and sure enough, Connor was on the field. He wore a pair of gray track pants and across the back of his white t-shirt was the number eight and the words “Harmony Falls Healers” in blue lettering. Feeling a little self-conscious, she waved at him.
He nodded and continued to stretch as she walked to the bleachers. Grace was sitting about halfway up but before Kira could join her, Addie grabbed her arm. “Kira, you should sit on the Healers side.”
Kira looked at her blankly and Addie jerked her head in the direction of the other bleachers. “This side is for the Flames. The Healers fans are sitting in the other bleachers.”
“Oh right,” Kira said. Feeling a little stupid, she handed Grace’s bottle of water to Addie. “Give this to Gracie. I’ll, um, see you after the game. Okay?”
Addie nodded and Kira walked to the other bleachers. The Healers didn’t have nearly as many fans as the firefighter team and she climbed about halfway up to a completely empty bleacher before sitting down.
She cracked open her bottle of water and took a sip, watching as Connor did a few more stretches before grabbing his glove and partnering up with another guy on his team. They threw the ball back and forth and she admired the lean length of Connor as he stretched to catch a ball. He really did have an amazing body. She’d always thought that Daniel’s thick and powerful looking body was what she liked best, but there was something about the graceful motion of Connor’s body that made her tingle.
“Move over, Kira Bear.” Grace was climbing the bleachers and Kira smiled gratefully at her as she slid down the bleacher. Addison was right behind Grace, and the two women sat down on either side of her.
“You guys don’t have to sit with me.”
“We want to,” Grace said. “Besides, as your best friends, we should be cheering for your boyfriend’s team.”
“Yeah, but Daniel is Addison’s brother,” Kira said.
Addison grinned at her. “You know I love you more than Daniel. You don’t try and boss me around or treat me like I’m six years old.”
“Where’s Harrison?” Grace asked.
“Working late,” Addison said.
“Again?” Kira said.
“I know, right? He’s been working late so much the last month or so. There are a few cases at work that are a bit more involved,” Addison replied. “Which is terrible timing because we really need to make some final decisions for the wedding.”
The game was starting and as Connor jogged out to the short stop position, Addison nudged her. “Connor has a pretty great body. I had no idea that a dentist could be so… in shape.”
Kira grinned, and Addison leaned forward to stare at Grace. “How come you never told us that Connor had such a smoking hot body, Gracie?”
Grace didn’t reply and Kira followed her gaze. Gideon was walking toward them, the equipment bag thrown over one beefy shoulder. He was wearing track pants and a t-shirt, just like Connor, only his t-shirt was blue and the white lettering across the back said, “Harmony Falls Blues”.
“Hey, Gideon. How was your game?” She smiled at him as he stopped at the edge of the bleachers and stared up at them.
“We won. Why are you sitting on this side?” He glanced at the Flames side, his upper lip curling just a little when he saw Daniel sitting on the bench.
“Connor’s playing,” she said.
“Right. Your new boyfriend. We still need to talk about that.”
“What’s there to talk about?” Grace’s face was red. “You’re her brother, not her boss. She doesn’t need your permission to date anyone.”
Gideon’s jaw tightened. “That’s right – I’m her brother and it’s my job to keep her safe.”
“She’s an adult. She can take care of herself.”
“I am aware she’s an adult.” Gideon kept his gaze on Kira’s face.
“Then maybe you should start treating her like one, instead of like a little kid who can’t make her own decisions.”
He finally looked at her, the muscle in his jaw ticking hard and fast. “Maybe if she started making the right, smart decisions, I wouldn’t have to -”
Grace folded her arms across her chest. “Maybe the right, smart decisions aren’t necessarily the ones you think they are.”
“I know what’s best for her.” Gideon’s voice was flat.
“No, she knows what’s best for her. I repeat, she is an adult who is perfectly capable of making her own decisions. Maybe those decisions would be a mistake, or maybe they’d be the best thing that ever happened to her.” Grace’s entire body was stiff, and Kira could see her hands clenching and unclenching into fists. “But it’s kind of hard for her to know, when you won’t even give her the opportunity to make her own decision.”
Gideon’s hand tightened around the equipment bag strap until his knuckles went white. “Maybe if she didn’t have a history of making bad choices when it came to men, I wouldn’t have to -”
“Hey! I don’t make bad choices or decisions,” Kira said. “Stop talking about me like I do. Both of you just chill out. God.”
Gideon and Grace continued to glare at each other. After a moment, Grace turned her gaze to the field.
“I have to go. Kira, we’ll talk later.” Gideon stormed away.
Kira turned to Grace. Grace’s cheeks were bright red, and her pupils were so large, Kira could only see a thin circle of green around them. She touched Grace’s thigh. “Gracie, why are you so angry?”
“I’m not.”
“You are.” Kira glanced at Addison who shrugged. “You and Gideon used to be close and now it’s like you’re always fighting. Why?”
“We aren’t always fighting,” Grace said.
“You kind of are,” Addie said. She was checking her cell phone and missed the glare that Grace threw her way.
“He bosses you around, Kira,” Grace said.
“He’s my brother, he’s supposed to. Daniel does the same thing to Addie and I don’t see you freaking out about it,” Kira replied. “Besides, Gideon bosses you around too – he has since we were kids. It’s just what big brothers do.”
She put her arm around Grace and squeezed her. “It never used to bother you. When we were kids, you liked that Gideon treated you like his sister. You said it made you really feel like a part of our family. Remember?”
Sweet Harmony (Harmony Falls, Book One) Page 9
