Page 54 of Redeeming Harmony

“Violence never solves anything,” she muttered as she stared at her sketchpad. “Punching Phoebe in the face is a bad idea.”

“Is it, though?” Rayna sat in the chair across from her, her hair windblown and cheeks rosy from the cool air. “Because Phoebe has been a total bitch from the day she was born, and I think being punched in the face might be good for her.”

Harper laughed. “Stop tempting me, Rayna.”

“Someone has to be the devil on your shoulder.”

“Trust me, there are so many devils on my shoulder, it’s starting to look like a convention up there,” Harper said.

Rayna grinned at her. “So, you working today or just hanging out here for fun?”

“I’m on a break,” Harper said. “How’s the world of plumbing going?”

“As exciting as ever.” Rayna wore her Sneaky Leaks golf shirt, jeans, and thick work boots. “I was clearing a plugged toilet about an hour ago, and you don’t want to know what I found.”

“Well, now I do,” Harper said with a laugh.

“Condoms, Harper. Someone had flushed multiple condoms down the toilet. The homeowner tried to blame her kid, but listen, I’ve seen who she’s dating. I straight up guarantee it was the idiot she’s letting bone her every night who thought it would be a good idea to flush the condoms.”

“Gross,” Harper said.

“Not really,” Rayna said with a loud sigh. “I’ve seen so much worse.”

“I bet you have. Hey, have you talked to Savina? She texted me earlier and said Izzie and the puppies are doing well.”

Before Rayna could reply, two older women, who Harper vaguely recognized but couldn’t place, sat down at the table behind them. They were talking and laughing loudly, and Rayna raised her voice to be heard over them.

“Yeah, I just got off the phone with her. She took Izzie and the puppies in this morning for Nathan to check. The puppies have all gained a good amount of weight in the last week, and Izzie is looking good too. Savina says she’s a great mom. Thank God that Savina asked you to check in on Izzie that night while she was gone. It would have ended terribly if you hadn’t.”

“I’m glad I could help,” Harper said.

Rayna pointed to Harper’s sketchpad. “What are you working on?”

Harper flipped open her sketchpad and showed Rayna the half-completed pencil drawing of the coffee cup. “Now that I work at a coffee shop, I figured coffee-themed art would be appropriate.”

“Oh my God, Harper.” Rayna pulled the sketchpad closer and studied the drawing. “This is amazing. You are super talented.” She started to flip the page before pausing. “May I?”

Harper nodded, and Rayna turned to the next page. It was a completed sketch of the counter behind the cash register. An open bag of beans lay on its side, with some of the beans spilled out next to a steel pitcher of foamy milk.

“Holy shit,” Rayna said admiringly. “You did all of this with just a pencil?”

“It’s my favourite medium,” Harper said.

“I can’t get over how realistic it is.” Rayna bent down until her nose nearly touched the page and studied the drawing. “I feel like I could pick up a coffee bean right off the page and eat it.”

Harper laughed. “Thanks, I think?”

Rayna flipped through the rest of the sketchpad, making small sounds of admiration as she studied each page. “Aw, look at Winston. You really captured his personality in this one.”

Harper grinned. That was one of her favourites. She’d drawn her father from his chest down, sitting in their kitchen. Winston sat on the floor beside him, leaning against Warren’s leg with a look of bliss on his face. Her father’s hand, every line and scar lovingly shaded in, rubbed at the side of Winston’s head.

“Seriously, Harper, you are incredibly talented,” Rayna said.

“Thanks, Rayna.” Harper appreciated Rayna’s compliments, but that nagging voice in the back of her head wouldn’t shut up. The one that wanted to know if she was so good, why had she failed in New York?

“You haven’t had anyone asking about Winston, have you?” Harper asked.

“Nothing. I posted his picture on the website, but there haven’t been any emails or calls. Honestly, based on how he looked when you brought him in, I doubt he’ll be claimed,” Rayna said. “Once the sling comes off, and he’s more mobile, I’ll find a foster home for him.”

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