Page 111 of Perfect Harmony

“I love it. Thank you for taking me on theride, Gideon.”

“You’re welcome, Princess.” His thumbstroked along her palm. “We can ride again if you -”

The sky above them exploded with beautifulbursts of red light. Grace gasped, her hand squeezing Gideon’s as more fireworkslit up the sky. She could hear the people in the bucket below them laughingand clapping with each burst of fireworks.

“Looks like we have the best seat in thehouse for the fireworks,” Gideon murmured into her ear.

He squeezed her hand and Grace leanedagainst him as they watched the dark sky light up with brilliant flashes ofcolour.

Chapter Twenty

Grace parked in Kira’s driveway and checkedher phone again. After Gideon took her to the carnival Saturday night, they’dsettled into an easy routine of living together and she was practicallyfloating on the goddamn air. But she hadn’t forgotten that the anniversary of Kiraand Gideon’s parents’ deaths was Wednesday. With each day that passed he grewmore tense and distant.

She hadn’t heard from Gideon at all todayeven after she’d texted him during her lunch break, and this morning he’d beenquiet and withdrawn. He’d left for work while she was in the shower and althoughshe knew why he was acting this way, knew that today was horrible for him, she wishedhe would have let her comfort him in some way.

You did, Gracie.

She shut the car off and walked up the driveway.Having sex with Gideon multiple times last night was a type of comfort, shesupposed. He’d worked late last night, she guessed by choice more than by necessity,and when he got home just before nine, he’d coaxed her into bed almost immediately.He’d woken her up twice in the night to have sex.

She rubbed at her aching thighs as she climbedthe porch steps. Although she hadn’t had a lick of insomnia since sleeping inGideon’s bed every night, he never woke her up once she was asleep. It was a clearsign that he was more upset than he would admit.

She knocked on the screen door and thenstepped inside. “Kira? It’s Grace.”

“In the kitchen.”

She walked into the kitchen. Kira was sittingat the table and Connor was beside her, his good hand cupping the back of herneck and kneading gently. Grace sank into the chair across from Kira. Therewere two large takeout bags from Urban Cuisine sitting on the counter alongwith a bottle of wine and a vase of daisies.

“Hi, honey.” Grace took Kira’s hand.

“Hey, Gracie.”

“How are you today?”

Kira took a deep breath. “I’m okay. Thanksto Connor.”

Connor kissed her and stood up. “You’redoing okay because you’re strong and amazing. I’m gonna run upstairs for aminute. I love you, Kira.”

“I love you too, Connor.”

He left and Kira smiled shakily at Grace. “He’sbeen incredible today.”

“Good, I’m glad.” Grace said.

“He’s been back at work doing some adminstuff, but he took today off and stayed with me all day and didn’t -” Kirashook her head. “God, you know this already. You work with Connor.”

“It’s fine,” Grace said.

“I’m a little foggy today,” Kira said.

“Grief can do that to a person, and this isa difficult day for you and Gideon,” Grace said.

“And you too.” Kira squeezed her hand. “Iknow you thought of our parents as your mom and dad too, Gracie.”

Gracie swallowed past the baseball sizedlump in her throat as Kira said, “I miss them so much. Today is a hard day…this morning I kept thinking about how three years ago I was driving them to theairport, and I had no idea it would be the last time I’d ever see them.”

Her voice broke and Grace wiped away herown tears. “I know, honey.”

“Anyway, today is hard and I know it alwayswill be, but having Connor has made such a difference,” Kira said. ‘I’m sadbut I’m not drowning in it, you know?”

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