Page 58 of Sweet Harmony

“This looksdelicious,” Connor said as Gideon handed him the steaks. He tookone and handed the plate off to Kira who took the smallest one. Sheput some salad on her plate and handed the salad bowl toConnor.

“So, about Kiranot knowing where you live,” Gideon said again. “Any particularreason for that?”

Connor shookhis head, squeezing Kira’s thigh under the table when she startedto protest. “No, other than that my apartment is pretty small andnot as nice as Kira’s place. We just naturally go to her place, butI’ll bring her by my apartment this weekend. Give her thetour.”

He cut into hissteak and ate a piece. “Really good. Thanks.”

Gideon noddedand cut into his own steak. “So, you grew up in Willington?”

“I did. Bornand raised.”

“Why’d you movehere?”

“Gideon,” Kirasaid.

“What?” Gideongave her an innocent look. “I’m just making conversation. What’swrong with me getting to know your boyfriend?”

“There’snothing wrong with it, but can you make it less like a policeinterrogation?” she said.

Connor laughed.“It’s fine, Kira. Really. I moved to Harmony Falls because I metGrant Henderson at a dental convention. We got along well and whenhe asked me to open a practice with him here, I said yes. Thechance to be a partner in a dental firm before your thirty-five israre and I didn’t want to give up that opportunity. Even if itmeant leaving Willington.”

Gideon studiedhim before taking a bite of salad. “How do you like HarmonyFalls?”

“It’s veryclean,” Connor said.

Kira snortedlaughter and Connor grinned at her. “What? It is. In allseriousness, I like it here. The people are nice, and the town isquiet. I do a lot of running at the Falls park and it’ssurprisingly peaceful.”

“Wait untiltourist season starts,” Kira said. “By the end of June this placehas swelled to like three times its size. Those nice quiet runsthrough Falls park will be a thing of the past. None of the localseven go near the Falls or the park during tourist season. Thecampgrounds are overflowing with tourists.”

“Which isdesperately needed by local businesses,” Gideon reminded her.“Those tourists bring in a lot of money to the town and are thereason why we can do things like build a shiny new sportscomplex.”

“I know,” Kirasaid. “I’m just saying – the town gets a little overrun bytourists.”

Connor grinnedat her. “I’ve lived here for two years, remember? I know what it’slike.”

“Right.” Sheshook her head. “God, sorry. I haven’t slept well the last fewnights so I’m not thinking straight.”

“Have you datedanyone else since you moved here?” Gideon asked.

“Subjectchange,” Kira said. “I saw on the Harmony Falls Daily website lastnight that they’ll be showing that firebug movie you like so muchat the Falls Theatre. Did you see that?”

Gideon’s headshot up. “Are you serious?”

“Yes. Youdidn’t see it?”

“Firebugmovie?” Connor gave her a confused look.

“She meansFireflyand the movie is calledSerenity, Kira,”Gideon said. “How many times do I have to tell you that?”

“Maybe I’veblocked it out because you made me watch the show and the movie somany times.” Kira turned to Connor. “I was eight when the showpremiered. Gideon was babysitting me while Mom and Dad were out,and he made me watch the show with him. I was traumatized.”

“Please,”Gideon said. “There was nothing traumatizing about the show.”

“There was abloody corpse hanging by its feet, Gideon!” Kira said.

“I would havethought Mal kicking Crow into the Serenity’s running engine wouldhave been more traumatizing,” Connor said.

Kira stared athim as Gideon said, “Are you a fan?”

---