Page 64 of Perfect Harmony

Harper barked harsh laughter. “Addie’s momtold Daniel. Daniel went over to Harrison’s house and pounded on the door untilhe opened it. He was super pissed, and I guess -”

“Harrison thought I’d told my brother thathe was cheating on me, so he started trying to – I don’t know – explain why hewas having sex with Crystal,” Addison said. “Daniel, well, he lost it and he…he…”

“What did he do?” Grace said.

“He punched that lying nut knob right in hisface!” Harper’s voice was full of diabolical glee. “He broke Harrison’s nose.”

“Holy shit,” Grace said.

“You know that I’m still kind of pissed atyour brother,” Kira said to Addison, “but him breaking Harrison’s nose isprobably enough to make me forgive him.”

“He shouldn’t have done that.” Addison wascrying again, big fat tears that dripped off her chin and landed in her lap. “Harrisoncalled 9-1-1 and said he wanted Daniel arrested for assault. Gideon showed upat Harrison’s house and-and Daniel told him what Harrison did.”

She stared wildly at Grace. “Gideon knows!He knows that Harrison was cheating on me! I want to die.”

Grace kissed her forehead. “Honey, Gideonisn’t going to say a word to anyone. You know he won’t.”

“He won’t,” Kira said. “He keeps shit likethat locked up in a damn vault. He’s never once gossiped about anything he’sseen on the job. Even when he knows that everyone else in the town knows allthe details.”

“So, do we need to bail Daniel out of jail,or what?” Grace said.

“No. Gideon convinced Harrison not topress charges. I don’t know how, but he did. He sent Daniel home and then hetook Harrison to the hospital.” Addison checked her phone again. “Harrison’sback home and now he won’t stop texting me. He says we need to talk.”

“He can fucking wait until you’re good andready to talk,” Harper said. “Even better, ghost that cocksucker and let him sitwith his ass in the wind until the end of fucking time.”

“It might be better if she talks to him,”Grace said.

Harper frowned at her and Grace shrugged. “Itwould be different if they weren’t engaged, but the wedding is coming up fastand Addison needs to start canceling shit now, rather than later. Maybe shecan get some of her deposits back now, but in another month or so… it’s notgonna happen.”

Addison took a deep breath. “I’m not evensure if I’m canceling the wedding.”

“Addison!” Harper looked like she wasabout to have a stroke. “Baby, you don’t need him! He’s a toxic dickhead andyou’re better off without him.”

“I’ve been with him since I was a teen,”Addison said. “We have a lot of history together, and I’m not sure I’m readyto just give that all up because of one indiscretion.”

“One indiscretion? One indiscretion?” NowGracie was certain the top of Harper’s head was just gonna blow wide open.

“You deserve better,” Harper said. “Just becausehe’s the only boyfriend you’ve ever had, the only guy you’ve ever fucked, doesn’tmean you have to marry him!”

“Harper,” Grace said, “take it down a notch,sweetie.”

Harper sat back, visibly taking a few deepbreaths. “I’m sorry, Addie.”

“It’s okay,” Addison said. “I just – I needto talk to Harrison first. I know you guys want to put all the blame on him becauseyou love me, but there must be a reason he was having that type of sex with Crystal.I mean, I had no idea he was like that but maybe it’s because he was afraid totell me. And if he was… well, that makes me feel awful.”

“It’s no excuse for cheating,” Kira said. “Sorry,honey. But it isn’t.”

“Kira is right,” Harper said. “I get thatyou need to talk to him but, Addie, don’t let him make you think this is yourfault. It is not your fault. Don’t let him gaslight or manipulate you into believinghe cheated because of some perceived flaw of yours. All right?”

“All right.”

Harper leaned forward. “Honey, you know Iwill always support you, no matter what. But you need to be clearheaded aboutthis. If that means you take another day or two before you talk to him, that’sokay.”

Addie shook her head. “I don’t want towait. I just – I need to know why he did this. And Grace is right, if the weddingisn’t happening, I have a ton of calls to make.”

She half-laughed and half-cried beforeshaking her head. “God, why is this happening to me?”

“It’ll be okay,” Grace said. “Do you wantKira and me to go with you when you talk to Harrison?”

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