Page 13 of Perfect Bragg

“No,” I pout.

“Harmony!” Ashlyn yells. “Get in here, so I can show you how it’s done.”

“I’ll see you later,” Harmony says as she scampers away.

It’s final. I’ve been dismissed. Damn it. This was my chance to show Harmony how much I care for her. How good I could fit into her life.

But her life just took a drastic turn. She’s now the guardian of a baby. And I never want to be a father. Maybe a retreat from her isn’t the worst idea.

Chapter 5

Why was the leather shoe so stubborn? Because it couldn’t be suede. ~ Text from Elder to Harmony

Elder

The second I ring the doorbell at Harmony’s house, the dogs go wild. The dogs usually don’t bark when I arrive. Is something wrong? Is Harmony okay?

The door flies open. “What?” Harmony snarls.

I study her. There are dark circles under her eyes and her light green eyes appear dull. She’s beautiful as ever, but she appears ill. I lift my hand toward her face as I step forward.

“Are you okay?”

She bats me away. “Why wouldn’t I be okay? I spent the entire night trying to calm a crying baby. When nothing I did worked, I ended up vacuuming the entire house at two a.m. since the sound of the vacuum cleaner was the only thing to calm Robin. I’ve had less than two hours of sleep.”

“I’m sorry. I would have stayed and helped.”

And I would have. I may not want children of my own, but I’m not an asshole who would abandon Harmony the day she discovered she’s the guardian of a two-month-old baby. But she kicked me out.

“I don’t have time to deal with you today.”

This is going to be fun. I bite my tongue before I smirk and wave a set of keys at her. “I’m your ride.”

“My ride?” Her nose wrinkles. “I’m not driving in the stinky truck.”

I can’t blame her there. I drove home last night with my head sticking out of the window and I still felt nauseous the entire way. I’d burn the vehicle if the townspeople of Winter Falls wouldn’t hunt me down to tar and feather me for it while giving me a lecture on how bad burning is for the environment.

“I don’t have the stinky truck.”

“Doesn’t matter. I don’t need your help.”

I lift an eyebrow. “You don’t? How are you getting to Denver for your meeting with Mr. Craven without my help?”

She pauses. She doesn’t think I know about the meeting, but of course I do. I make it my business to know everything happening in Harmony’s life. Plus, the gossip gals called this morning to tell me about the meeting.

“Eden’s driving me.”

I smirk. “She can’t drive you when I have Miller’s truck.”

“Miller loaned you his truck?”

I shrug. “My twin loves me.”

“You didn’t tell him, did you?”

And miss out on him throwing a massive hissy fit for borrowing his truck without telling him? No way. It’s my duty as a twin to ensure I harass my brother as much as possible and I take my duties very seriously.

“I told Eden. Good enough.”

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