Page 76 of Perfect Harmony

When she woke the second time it was justpast noon. She stretched lazily and checked Facebook for almost fifteen minutesbefore using Gideon’s charger to plug her phone in. Tank was snoring beside her.She patted his hip and climbed out of bed. “C’mon, lazy bones. We can’tsleep all day.”

She used the bathroom and grabbed Gideon’srobe that was hanging on a hook on the back of the door. She belted it around herwaist and returned to the bedroom.

“Tank, come on. We’ve slept long enough.”

His look suggested it wasn’t long enough,but he followed her downstairs and outside to the back yard. When he wasfinished, he stretched out on the back deck in the sun and ignored her when shecalled him to come in.

The front door opened and closed, and she headedtoward it, smiling when she saw Kira standing in the hallway. “Hey, honey.”

“Oh my God, Gracie.” Kira dropped the bagsshe was holding and hugged her hard. “Oh, honey, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she said.

“Gideon called me first thing this morningand told me what happened. I was freaking out, but he said you had some smokeinhalation but overall, you were okay.” Kira looked her over. “Do you feel allright?”

“I do,” she said. “I had a cough lastnight and a sore throat, but it’s better this morning.”

“What happened?” Kira picked up the bags andfollowed Grace into the kitchen.

“Edgar next door was smoking in bed andfell asleep,” Grace said.

“Idiot.” Kira grabbed two mugs from thecupboard. “Sit down and relax, honey. I’ll make us some tea.”

She put a pod in the machine and set themug underneath it. “You must have been so scared.”

“It was awful,” Grace said. “By the time Igot downstairs, Daniel had broken in through the front door and he helped meoutside.”

“Yeah, he told me he had to break in yourfront door.”

“You talked to him?” Grace said.

Kira set the mug of steaming tea in frontof her and removed the old pod before sticking a fresh one in. “I called himthis morning.”

“I thought you weren’t talking to him,” Gracesaid.

Kira shrugged. “We’re not back to being friendsyet or anything, but after what he did for Addison and now you… I figured Icould at least give him a second chance.”

“What did Connor say about it?” Gracesipped at her tea.

“He was surprisingly cool about it. I toldhim that I absolutely didn’t feel anything for Daniel, and he said he knew andthat he trusted me.” Kira sat down with her mug of tea. “God, I love thatman. He’s just so… sweet.” She laughed. “No one ever believes me because hecomes across as so standoffish, but that isn’t who he is with the people hecares about. You know?”

“I know.” Grace smiled at her. “Have I mentionedhow happy I am for you?”

Kira giggled. “I’m happy for me too.Anyway, I talked with Daniel this morning. I asked him if I could go into yourplace and get some of your clothes and stuff and he said no, not yet. So,” sheleaned down and picked up a bag and plopped it in front of Gracie, “I did alittle bit of shopping for you this morning. I picked you up some toiletries, afew pairs of underwear, a bra, a couple pairs of leggings, some t-shirts and apair of sneakers. Oh, and this bag has a new pair of scrubs for work.”

Grace blinked back the tears. “Kira, I… Idon’t even know what to say. Thank you.”

“Of course.” Kira reached out and took herhand. “Honey, I love you, and anything I can do to make your life easier, I’mgonna do it. You’ve taken care of me for so long, it’s nice to return thefavour.”

“I love you too,” Grace said. “So much. Idon’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Well, you’ll never get the chance to findout.” Kira grinned at her and held up her arm, showing her the friendshipbracelet that matched the one on Grace’s arm. “Addie made us identicalfriendship bracelets so, you know… you’re pretty much stuck with me for life.”

The doorbell rang and Kira jumped up. “I’llget it. Stay there and drink your tea, Gracie.”

She returned with a brown paper bag with ‘Nan’sDiner’ written across it. “Gideon sent you lunch.”

“He what?”

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