Page 114 of Sweet Harmony

“He didn’t tellme they were engaged,” Kira said. “He won’t even tell me why theybroke up.”

Lucas sighed.“Well, it’s Connor’s story and not mine to tell so I can’t sayanything. But trust me when I say he has no interest in Lisaanymore.”

“Why not?” Kirasaid. “She’s smart and sweet and beautiful, and his mother lovesher.”

“Lisa is notsweet,” Lucas said harshly. “Don’t let her fool you. She’s a snakein the grass and Connor dodged a fucking bullet with that one.”

“If she’s soterrible, why does Gina want them to get together so much? You’dthink she’d want what’s best for her son,” Kira said.

Lucas drank therest of his drink in two big swallows. “Gina is a wonderful person,Kira. She really is, and she loves Connor. He’s her only kid andshe wants him to be happy. She believes Lisa is the one who willmake him happy.”

“Maybe she’sright.”

“She’s not,”Lucas said. “She’s blinded by the fact that Lisa and Connor weretogether for so long, blinded by her belief that she knows what’sbest for Connor. She had Connor’s life all laid out in her head andwhen it went sideways, when nothing turned out the way any of thembelieved it would, she never really got over it.”

He studied thetop of the table, running his fingers over the soft white cloththat covered it. “She wants Connor to be with Lisa so much that sheisn’t seeing what everyone else in this damn room saw almostimmediately.”

“What’sthat?”

“The way Connorlooks at you.”

Warmth burnedin her belly and she took another sip of her drink. “Thanks, butyou didn’t even know we were dating for real. Connor isn’t lookingat me in -”

“I might havethought it was still fake, but it doesn’t mean I couldn’t seeConnor looking at you like a love-struck puppy,” Lucas said.“Truthfully, I am fucking relieved that you’re actually dating.Connor’s got it fucking bad for you, and he’s been hurt enough inthe past by a woman who was supposed to love him. I don’t want tosee it happen again.”

“What did shedo to him?” Kira said.

“I can’t say,”Lucas said with genuine regret.

“He won’t talkto me about it.”

“He will. Justgive him a bit more time. You know how he is. It’s hard for him toopen up and be vulnerable,” Lucas said.

“I know.”

There were afew moments of silence before Lucas smiled at her. “Me, on theother hand? I wear my goddamn heart on my sleeve. Hell, the ladiescan’t get me to shut up about my feelings.”

She laughed andtook another sip of whiskey. Lucas grabbed his glass as a womanwith tightly permed, violet coloured hair and wearing a billowingleopard print caftan clumped her way toward them. “Shit, here comesEthel. I gotta run, beautiful. She’s grabbed my ass so many timessince the ceremony, I’ve got bruises from cheek to cheek.”

He left just asEthel approached the table and eased into the chair next to Kira.She studied her silently before saying, “You seem all right for aFalls girl.”

“Thanks?” Kirasaid.

The old womangrunted in reply as she stared at the dance floor. Connor hadescaped his aunt and was now dancing with his mother and Ethelwatched them for a few minutes. “I’ve been watching the two of youtonight. He seems real happy with you. That’s good. After what hewent through, he deserves to be happy.”

Kira wasn’tsure what to say. Ethel glanced at her before looking back atConnor. “Real shame about that boy’s career.”

Kira frowned.“There’s nothing wrong with being a dentist.”

“I ain’ttalking about that,” Ethel said. “I’m talking about his baseballcareer.”

Kira didn’tknow how to respond. Luckily, Ethel went on like she wasn’t eventhere. “I wasn’t surprised when he moved away, even if it did breakhis mama’s heart. Hard to live in a place where you ruined so manypeople’s hopes and dreams.”

“What do youmean?” Kira asked.

“Of course, itwas a real shitty thing for the town to do to him. He might havebeen the best baseball player Willington had ever seen, but itwasn’t right the pressure they put on him. He was just a kid, youknow?”

Kira nodded andclenched her hands in a tight fist in her lap as she watched Connordance with Gina. She prayed Ethel would continue, releasing herbreath in a soft rush when the old woman did.

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