Page 90 of An Engagement for Erica

“I can think of it any way I want,” her mother said. “I think you’re setting yourself up for failure on multiple ends. I just hope you can ease out of it when the time comes without affecting your business.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” she said. “If that is all, I’m going to go about my day.”

She hung up before her mother could even say bye.

“Didn’t go so well, did it?” Harmony asked.

She turned and saw her sister in the kitchen doorway. Harmony had been upstairs working when she’d made the call to her father.

“It was great with Dad. I think he gave me more confidence so that I could give Mom crap on that call.”

“Yay for Dad,” Harmony said. “But he wouldn’t give you a hard time anyway. He probably didn’t even ask much. But he has met Tucker.”

She wasn’t going to relay the whole conversation. “He joked with me in his way,” she said. “It was nice. He asked to see Tucker again when he came to town next.”

“Awww,” Harmony said. “Go, Dad.”

“I thought so.”

“Now we move onto Mom,” Harmony said.

“She started in lecturing me about not calling the minute she answered the phone.”

“I hate when she does that,” Harmony said. “You can’t even say hi.”

“Nope,” she said. “Then when I finally could tell her I was dating someone she wanted facts.”

“Name, age and career,” Harmony said. “I’m surprised she doesn’t ask for his social security number. She’s going to start in on her searches. Bet she’s on her computer right now.”

“Most likely,” she said. “I’m going to hear an earful when she finds out about Tucker’s father.”

“Tucker isn’t his father,” Harmony said.

“Nope.”

“And you don’t have to deal with her crap. Just don’t answer her calls for a bit.”

“I don’t plan on it,” she said. “Daisy and Theo are home this morning. Want to take a ride with me or are you busy?”

“I want to go with you,” Harmony said. “Because telling Daisy last was the best thing to do. She’ll put the smile right on your face.”

“She will,” she said. As long as her sister-in-law wasn’t hurt shewastold last.

When they were in the car, Harmony asked, “How come you’re not with Tucker today?”

“He’s going to visit his grandfather with his mother,” she said. “I wanted them to have some time together. He’ll reach out later when he’s home.”

“I think it’s so sweet that he’s close. He could come over and I’ll get lost if you want.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she said. “I could go to his house too. We’ll figure it out. I’ll see him tomorrow at work anyway.”

Harmony pouted. “That’s not the same thing.”

Which went back to what her father said.

“No, you’re right. It’s not. Maybe I’ll suggest we have a glass of wine on the patio.”

“I love the new you,” Harmony said. “The old you would have never thought to do that. To just chill with wine and a person you’ve got the hots for.”

---