Page 17 of Sweet Harmony

“The youngestsheriff ever to be elected in the history of Harmony Falls,” Connorsaid.

“That’s right.I’m incredibly proud of him. He’s done very well for himself. He’seight years older than me, but we’ve always been close. When hemoved to New Cassel, I missed him a lot. We all did.”

“He went to thepolice academy there?” Connor asked.

She nodded.“Yeah. Well, first he got his criminology degree and then he joinedthe police academy. He worked as a cop in New Cassel until myparents died and then he moved back to Harmony Falls.”

She fell silentfor a moment. It’d been three years since her parents boarded theplane for their annual winter vacation in Jamaica. She’d driventhem to the airport in New Cassel but hadn’t waited with them.She’d just dropped them off at the curb, hugged and kissed themgoodbye, told them she’d see them in a month, and then left.

She didn’t goto the city all that often, and she’d been anxious to check out afew of the clothing stores, tired of the same old options atHarmony Falls. Looking back, she would give anything to have hadeven a half hour extra with her mom and dad.

“You okay?”

She madeherself smile at Connor. “Yeah… my parents died in a plane crashthree years ago, and it’s still really tough. I miss them.”

“I’m sorry foryour loss.” His voice had softened with sympathy.

“Thank you.Anyway, where was I?”

“Your brothermoved back.”

“Right. I don’tthink he had any intention of returning to Harmony Falls, but afterour parents died, I wasn’t doing so well and, long story short… hemoved home and got a job with the Harmony Falls police. Just undera year later, Sheriff Walton retired, and Gideon became the newsheriff.”

Her throat wasdry from talking and she took a sip of iced tea. “I got a job inhigh school at Walgreen’s over on Main Street when I was in gradeeleven. I worked there until about nine months ago. I went to realestate school and after I passed the licensing exam, I startedworking for Rose and Ray Armstrong. They own Rose and RayRealty.”

“I know them,”he said. “Well sort of. They’re clients.”

“Oh, okay.”

“They seem likethey’re good people,” Connor said.

“They are. Rosecame into the Walgreens regularly, and after my parents died, sheand Ray did a lot for me and Gideon. Anyway, Rose was the one whosuggested I become a real estate agent, so I did.”

“Do you likeit?”

“I do,” Kirasaid. “Except I’ve been working for three months now and stillhaven’t made my first sale. That’s not…great. But Ray and Rose arebeing supportive and I’m lucky that Gideon lets me live in thehouse for free. I have some savings to live off of, but if I don’tsell a house soon, I’ll have to admit defeat and hope they’ll hireme at Walgreens again.”

She could hearthe depression in her voice, and she made herself smile at Connor.“Let’s see, what else… my favourite colour is green, I’m allergicto codeine, I took piano lessons from age five to eighteen, I, um…I love romantic comedies, I hate eggplant, and I like dogs morethan cats.”

She tookanother drink of iced tea. Connor was studying her, and she triednot to fidget.

“How long haveyou been in love with Daniel Moore?” he asked.

“Oh, uh, sinceforever.”

“Defineforever.”

“High school,”she said. “He’s a couple years older than me but we were in highschool at the same time. He’s an amazing athlete. He was the numberone player on the school baseball team in his senior year.”

“Was he?”Connor’s voice was weirdly neutral.

She nodded.“Yeah, he was a pitcher. He still pitches for the Harmony FallsFlames.”

“I know, I playin the league.”

“Do you?” Herbrows drew down. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you play, and I goto almost all of the games.”

“Oddly enough,a baseball team full of dentists and doctors doesn’t get nearly asmuch attention as the baseball team of firefighters.”

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