Page 39 of An Engagement for Erica

She found the analogy cute but wouldn’t admit it.

“It’s been that long, huh?”

“I don’t even want to think about it,” she said. “Which could be why I’m thinking of Tucker the way I am.”

“Erica. You were thinking about him that way before this all happened. I think it’s wonderful you feel the same. That is saying something even if you’re stubborn and don’t want to admit it.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to admit it,” she said.

“There is more going on that you aren’t telling,” Harmony said. “Share. It won’t go any further. I promise.”

She sighed and took another healthy sip of her wine, then had a slice of cheese out of the bag.

Harmony just patiently sat there waiting for her to gather her thoughts.

“He’s been pushing me for us to get back to where we were before I passed out.”

“Good for him,” Harmony said. “But I know you and you’re all worried about a conflict with the job. Right?”

“I am,” she said. “But we will be done with the bulk of things in a few weeks. He said he’d be extending the contract as there are a lot more things he is going to need help with.”

“That’s wonderful,” Harmony said.

“It is. I don’t know if he’s extending it to see me more or not.”

“I doubt it,” Harmony said. “If he is worried it’s a conflict, he’d be ending that part to move on to the next. Unless of course, you aren’t giving any indication that you want to move some lemons out of the way.”

“I’ve got a shovel in my hand,” she said, grinning.

“Oh,” Harmony said, standing up and doing a little tiptoe dance. “There is the sister I know and love.”

“I don’t know about that,” she said. “I don’t even feel right talking about this with everything that has happened today.”

“Erica,” Harmony said. “Be there as a friend for him right now. As a colleague to help with his business, but a friend first. The rest is going to fall into place. I know you, the friend would come first anyway.”

“It has to,” she said. “That’s what he needs.”

“But what do you need?” Harmony asked.

“It’s not about me.”

“One of these days it’s going to have to be,” Harmony said.

14

REASON TO FIGHT

It felt as if the world was running in slow motion.

Or maybe it wasGroundhog Day...the movie.

Forty-eight hours ago, everything changed.

There was no way it’d go back the way it was before either.

Tucker looked over at his grandfather resting. He hadn’t been here once when his grandfather was awake, but he’d been told it was often and they were keeping his grandfather rested.

Maybe he should come during the day, but it’d been hard with so much going on the past two days and calming people down in regards to his grandfather too.

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