Page 16 of Beautiful Harmony

Rayna touched the bright red skin around her eyebrows. “I love that girl, but my God, she’s tenacious. It just seemed easier to give in and let her wax them.”

Emma laughed. “That’s how you’ll end up with a waxed muff.”

Rayna shuddered. “Never. Although, the last guy I was with did a double take when I took off my underwear.”

“Who was this?” Emma asked.

“That guy from Willington - Jeremy. It did make me a little self-conscious, mostly because I had, uh, trimmed it beforehand, and he still acted like he had to hack his way through the jungle just to find my clit.”

Emma laughed so hard that the poodle cross came over to investigate her shaking body.

“I think I might have a hairier lady garden than normal,” Rayna said.

“I’m sure it’s fine,” Emma said between snorts of laughter.

“I dunno. The hookup with Jeremy was over a year ago, and I’ve just let the garden grow wild since then,” Rayna said.

“Oh my God,” Emma said, holding her aching stomach as more laughter shook her body, “stop, I can’t breathe over here.”

Rayna’s phone dinged, and she studied the screen before rolling her eyes and typing rapid fire with her thumbs.

Emma leaned back in her chair and drank her iced tea, petting the poodle mix with one hand until Rayna finished. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah. That was Kira Walker. She’s trying to set up a meeting with me and Stark.”

“Seriously?” Emma sat forward. “Isaac Stark is still trying to buy your property?”

“He’s relentless,” Rayna sent. “He thinks if he meets with me in person instead of forcing Kira to give me the offers, it’ll change my mind.”

“Only because he doesn’t know you,” Emma said with a grin. “When do you meet with him?”

“I’m not,” Rayna said. “I told Kira no. What’s the point? I won’t sell this place no matter how much money the friggin’ billionaire offers me.”

“I think he’s a multi-millionaire, not a billionaire,” Emma said.

“Ooh, la, la,” Rayna said. “Look, I know you think the guy is a god because he created your Shadow Series games, but he’s also an asshole bully who thinks he can have whatever he wants if he throws enough money at it.”

Emma took another sip of iced tea as Rayna sucked in a breath. “Sorry, I’m just… annoyed.”

“I get it,” Emma said. “But can I ask you a question?”

Rayna nodded and grabbed Emma’s glass to take a drink of iced tea.

“Why are you refusing to sell? He’s offered you so much above market value. You could get a great place with more acreage for foster animals.”

“That’s true,” Rayna said, “and a part of me thinks about that every time he sends Kira over with another damn offer. But… this place is more than just … I mean, growing up, I never thought I would have my own house, let alone have one on the right side of town. I scrimped and saved to buy this house, and I’m damn proud of that achievement. I promised myself that I would never be poor like my parents, never make the choices they did that kept them and me living in poverty.”

“Okay,” Emma said.

“I know it’s stupid,” Rayna said. “But I love this property and don’t want to leave.”

“Then you shouldn’t,” Emma said.

“Even if it means I help fewer animals?” Rayna asked.

“Even then,” Emma said. “You do so much for them already. You deserve to live in a place that you love.”

She meant every word of it. She and Rayna had been friends since elementary school. At first, it was because they were both outcasts - Emma because of her birthmark and Rayna because of her too-big, hand-me-down clothing, her parents, and where she lived. But the friendship had quickly turned real, and Emma had only survived high school because of Rayna.

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