Page 83 of Beautiful Harmony

“You’re welcome, Lucas,” she said with a small smile.

He glanced at the open door before leaning forward and kissing her again. She made a face. “Ugh, mushrooms.”

He laughed. “Some day, I’ll convince you that mushrooms are delicious.”

“Today is not that day,” she said.

“How was your day?” Lucas asked.

As Emma told him about her day, he finished his burger and fries. Sitting here with Emma, listening to her talk about her rather straightforward day at the store, should have bored him.

It didn’t. In fact, it wouldn’t have mattered what Emma talked about. He couldn’t get enough of being with her. Everything about her fascinated him.

Then fucking date her, you moron. Before she finds someone else and you’re relegated back to friend-only status.

He pushed that disturbing thought to the back of his mind. Emma hadn’t dated anyone for as long as he’d known her, and he knew for a fact she wasn’t on a dating app.

He stuffed the empty burger wrapper and fry container into the bag before drinking half the water. Emma smiled at him. “Better?”

“So much better,” he said.

His office phone rang, and he said, “Excuse me,” before reaching across the desk to snag the receiver. “Lucas Wright.”

“Hey, it’s me,” Stark said. “Why are you still here?”

“I’ve fixed two of the three issues, but this last one will take a while.”

“Go home,” Stark said. “It can wait until tomorrow.”

“You sure?” Lucas said.

“Positive. Have a good night, Lucas.”

“Thanks, you too.” He glanced at Emma. “Hey, do you have a minute to come to my office?”

“Yes,” Stark said and ended the call.

Lucas hung up the phone and grinned at Emma. She was studying her phone and glanced at him. “What?”

“What, what?” Lucas said.

“You look like the proverbial cat who ate the canary,” she said.

“Do I?” He gave her an innocent look.

“Yes,” she said.

Stark knocked on his office door and stepped inside. “What’s up?”

Emma looked over her shoulder, and Lucas suppressed his grin at her sharp inhale of breath.

She stood up, clutching her phone and staring wide-eyed at Stark as Lucas stood and said, “Isaac, I’d like you to meet my friend Emma Richardson. She owns Twisted Stitches on Main Street, and she’s the record holder for -”

“Highest score in Shadow Dragons,” Stark finished before holding out his hand. “It’s great to finally meet you, Ms. Richardson.”

Looking completely star-struck, Emma wiped her hand on her jeans before shaking Stark’s. “It’s nice to meet you too. I love your games. Seriously. I spend all of my time playing them. Well, not all of my time. I do other stuff too, but a lot of my recreational time is spent playing the Shadow series. The whole series is just great. Super great.”

“I have a fantastic team of people working with me who are responsible for making them as good as they are,” Stark said.

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